Rating: 
Summary: OVERCOME COMMUNICATIONS STALLS FOR MORE SUCCESS
Review: Many people focus on whether the message is received as they attempt to improve communications so their company can be more successful. ZAPP! also focuses on WHAT message is received. As the book shows, a message can be dispiriting or empowering. I liked the fact that the book spent as much time on explaining about bad communications as it did on good ones. That is a great way to help people improve.The only thing I did not like about the book was that the end led into a sales pitch for consulting rather than tips for how to pursue this on your own. It seemed out of keeping in a book about empowerment. Skip the last 2 pages, and you will be left with a better taste in your mouth. In the ZAPP! fable, you will also encounter the Tradition, Bureaucracy, Misconception, Disbelief, Procrastination, and Ugly Duckling stalls -- the primary bad thinking habits that stall progress in organizations. You will have to look more closely to find these. The ZAPP theme of empowerment will work even better if combined with a work process to help each person become more effective. The one I suggest involves (1) learn the value of measurements (nothing improves unless you measure it) (2) measure everything you can about your most important organizational processes (3) identify the current best practices outside your industry and in, and extrapolate where these levels of performance will be in 5 years (4)combine best practices together that no one has ever used in the same organization before to exceed the future best practice (5) think about where people do something similar now almost perfectly, and conceive the ideal practice (6) using the analogy of the current perfection, apply those principles to your process to vastly exceed the future best practice (7) put the right people, support, and incentives in place to implement really well and (8) most importantly, keep repeating steps 1-7 because you will get a lot better every time you do. Begin to spread this process through your organization by teaching one person each month, and having them teach one person each month as well after they finish learning the first time. Within 18 months, everyone in your organization will be 20 times more effective and much happier. Buy, read, think about, apply, and share this book and the lessons above with your colleagues. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Managment Book ive read
Review: My name is Michael and I work for a major Internet company. We had to read this book so we can advance to managment levels, I found this book to give tremendous insight. I recomend it to any one who strives to be a high level manager!
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: Read and reccomended to a number of friends. Any of Jeff Cox's storyline style books are not only fun to read but an enjoyable learning experience. If youu like this then also try Quadrant Solution and The Goal...all very good
Rating:
Summary: Has Zapped me since 96 (when I first read it I think)
Review: Read this book sometime around 1996. I know it changed my way of dealing with people not just at the workplace but also with my wife at home on the sports field and it continues to influence the way I even deal with my 8 month old baby. I have since quit my job and moved to the US to pursue a PhD in INdustrial Relations & Human Resources (after working for 15 years). And this continues to influence my choice of research.
Rating:
Summary: Zapp for Success
Review: The author took a different approach to identifying all the nuances associated with employee/management relations, and its interface with the concept of employee empowerment. I was impressed with the fantasy world forum he created to illustrate his empowerment points. He cleverly created a parallel between the fantasy world and the real world; mirroring each world's activities, and allowing me, the reader, to visualize in my mind the points of each world, and more importantly, visualize the differences in a familiar practical context. Too often, these books are extensive lectures, providing hoards of information, but running the words and concepts together in rapid fire form.
Zapp! provided a real life organizational scenario, familiar to all whose ever had a less than desirable manager, and illustrated an alternate organizational reality; one clearly attainable and understandable, and complete with the real life obstacles common to many companies. Whenever comparing two approaches to the same problem, I will be influenced by this author's ability to state the same moment in time in two mediums, governed by differing rules. It is akin to providing the alter egos common audience, to be reviewed, questioned and compared. To visualize both together, and have the ability to observe the manifestation of cause and effect from different perspectives, is fascinating, and handles the `compare' function without saying compare. I thought the differences identified by the contrast of the two worlds were thoroughly explored, and gave a clear visual of the organizations being compared. This was important, as I found myself feeling the frustration of the main character attempting the implement the new ideas derived from the fantasy world. I felt in tune with the challenges he faced in remaking his group's behaviors. I thought it was very effective to go through the mistakes encountered by the main character in implementing the changes. Every mistake experienced, resulted in a journey back to the information source (the fantasy world), which helped reinforce the concepts, as well as, illustrate common barriers to be encountered.
I appreciated the book's perspective on the implementation of the concepts. It did not portray a smooth and easy approach to the empowerment culture. Nor did it indicate any overwhelmingly taxing event. It walked the fine line of explanation and realization, without intimidation.
Rating: 
Summary: Ridiculous
Review: The format of this book is childish and ridiculous. The 'fairy tale' approach was tedious and boring. I'm amazed that there has been such high regard for it in other reviews. I'm embarrassed to have it...so it's in the trash.
Rating: 
Summary: An allegory for leaders
Review: This book got a big build up by my prof, so it's not surprising it didn't quite measure up, thus no 5 star. You have to like allegorical illustrations, you have to have a bit of an imagination, and you should have some work experience. Don't go into this book looking for data or illustrations from life or statistics. It's a morals tale for the new business world--you may learn something from it as you would reading Aesop or Brothers Grimm, but don't look for an epic or a treatise. Good readers can finish it in under 2 hours. The hard-headed should probably not waste their time (enpowerment, bah, humbug!) The rest of you, relax and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Getting employees to get real work done!
Review: This book is a simple, understandable outline for success. Training and managing first level managers has never been easier. Sparks a new corporate culture in a matter of weeks.
Rating: 
Summary: A short read and of value
Review: This book is easy to read due to the fairytale format. The people I recommended it to found it a refreshing read and a change from the brick heavy management books we usually leave unfinished. It could however be an insult to the intellegence of some people, therefore recommend to only those who have a sense of humour.
Rating:
Summary: Zapp! A great resource.
Review: This book is great for helping managers and superivors see the difference between building a team and dictating to individuals. The story line is used effectively in communicating the damage done by negative thinking and stale attitudes. I recommend it for group reading and discussion.
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