In a world filled with dysfunction, futility, and confusion, people are looking for meaning and significance. They want to break through the barriers holding them back. BREAKING THE BARRIERS offers three foundational pillars to equip readers for overcoming the most difficult obstacles in their lives. These three pillars teach readers how to: -Take on the character of God the Father -Take on the wisdom of the Son -Take on the discipline of the Spirit. Through dynamic stories of people who have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, and the powerful example of the author who has overcome great adversity in his own life, this book shows readers that God is on their side and desires for them to fulfill the dreams and purposes he has placed in their hearts.
Of organizations that seek strategic change, 70% fail. In Leading Strategic Change,now in paperback, leading consultants J. Stewart Black and Hal B. Gregersen examine the core problem: organizations fail to change because individuals fail to change. Black and Gregersen identify the "brain barriers" that keep strategic change from success--failure to see, failure to move, and failure to finish--and offer a start-to-finish strategy for helping others change how they view their goals and the steps they must take to achieve them. This book systematically shows you how to implement the single change that makes all the others possible: redirecting individuals' ideas and expectations to be aligned with the new direction of the company.
This book takes the reader through a journey of how fear of loss progressively creates barriers and bureaucracy that inevitably cause companies to fail -- and what leaders need to do to overcome these seemingly impenetrable walls. The greatest threat to an organization's success is not always the competition. Often, it is what a company does to itself. Because of fear, companies become plagued with barriers and bureaucracy that limit success, crush employees, and infuse frustration and a sense of futility across the enterprise. It starts with a narrowing of focus, which leads to the first level of bureaucracy: parochialism. Parochialism exists when managers and departments begin to view the world through the filter of their own little silo and build walls made of rules and policies to protect their turf. As businesses grow and become more complex, the second level of bureaucracy is reached: territorialism. While parochialism is about protecting a department from outsiders, territorialism is about controlling those inside the silo. The third and final level of bureaucracy is empire building, which is a response to perceived threats to a department's ability to be self-sufficient. These barriers cost organizations a fortune in inefficiency, turnover, waste, and demoralization. Tearing down these barriers is difficult, but it can be done. Parochialism can be eliminated by resetting rules and policies and refocusing on the ultimate mission of the organization. Territorialism can be eliminated by creating true empowerment, along with appropriate levels of accountability. Empire building can be addressed through shared goals and a set of guiding principles that help act as a referee in decision making. But that's not enough. Managers must also create a culture of courage to enable employees to take advantage of these new freedoms and accountabilities. Courage killers must be rooted out and dealt with swiftly and strongly. Finally, leaders must refocus on mission success rather than just checking off their part of the process, manage reference points, and engage employees. By doing all these things, an organization can become fearless and unstoppable.
"With job opportunities in decline for youth with no postsecondary degree, and college completion rates especially for students of color stagnating, a high school diploma is no longer enough. To solve this large-scale global problem. High school must be completely redesigned and reinvented providing all students real opportunity with both equity and excellence. P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) has done just that by combining public high schools and community colleges in partnership with employers, providing both opportunity and support for all students, regardless of income, race or any screen for admission. Unlike many school models, this innovative and effective approach has spread across the US and around the world, eliminating barriers to replication by engaging all stakeholders. The first P-TECH, opened in a low-income Brooklyn neighborhood, across from a public housing project, and served 100% students of color. It has become the model for school reform across over a dozen US states and nearly twenty countries. Praised by President Obama, governors in red and blue states, and heads of nations, its story is told in this book through the personal stories of students who have destroyed the myths about which students can succeed. Their stories demonstrate that all students, if given the opportunity and support, can reach great heights in high school, college, and career"--
Strong leadership, parent involvement, mentoring, data-based intervention, and high expectations are known factors in student success, but what do they really look like in practice—and are they as powerful as research says? This book illustrates the specific strategies and critical steps that transformed a school beset with poverty and shockingly low proficiency into a National Showcase School.
Are you tired of being told by others--self-help books included--what you should do? Drs. Allan Zuckoff and Bonnie Gorscak understand. That's why this book is different. Whether it's breaking an unhealthy habit, pursuing that dream job, or ending harmful patterns in relationships, the key to moving ahead with your life lies in discovering what direction is truly right for you, and how you can get there. The proven counseling approach known as motivational interviewing (MI) can help. Drs. Zuckoff and Gorscak present powerful self-help strategies and practical tools that help you understand why you're stuck, break free of unhelpful pressure to change, and build confidence for developing a personal change plan. Vivid stories of five men and women confronting different types of challenges illustrate the techniques and accompany you on your journey. MI has a track record of helping people resolve long-standing dilemmas in a remarkably short time. Now you can try it for yourself--and unlock your own capacity for positive action.
With a focus on the individual component of organizational change, this book offers a complete framework for "remapping" the way individuals view their companies and their shared goals. Leading executive consultants identify the "mental maps" that exist within everyone and how these maps hold the greatest obstacle to successful organizational change.
Johnny Quinn shares his “wild dream” of playing in the NFL, being crushed after getting cut three times, losing $2.6 million in contracts, and blowing out his knee. At age thirty, when most professional athletes are considered “over the hill,” Johnny was competing for Team USA in the sport of bobsled at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This book ushers readers through the valleys of life to the thrills of rocketing down icy mountains at 80+ mph with no seat belt. Discover how the author overcame failure on the road to achieving greatness. From an NFL failure to a US Olympian, Johnny Quinn had a “what’s next” attitude that led him to success he had never imagined. In Push, he looks at failure as a season of life rather than a death sentence. He provides incredible insight into the “what’s next” instead of “what could have been.” We all experience failure at some level; Quinn equips us to embrace change, accept risks, and learn to push through barriers, to live life on purpose.
Have you ever felt like life was beating up on you because you dared to be different or tried to defend what you felt was right? This author describes the painful details from her childhood as she pioneered during the most challenging times of her life-the times when schools in the South were being desegregated. Although the challenges described in this book took place during the Civil Rights Movement, the experiences shared by the author are by no means limited to color barriers. The author shares her story to encourage anyone who may be perceived as different-no matter if they are young or old, tall or short, overweight or not, shy or out-going, or male or female. This book is written for anyone who may be feeling despair because they have been mistreated in life. It is written to encourage you to face life's challenges and to believe that God will give you the strength to break through barriers.
