FutureWork

by Tom Payne

Payne's FutureWork looks at the new realities of the business world from an employee's point of view and suggests that if individuals want to prosper, they better learn and follow new rules. Five new rules to be exact.

It quickly becomes obvious that Payne's rules are not simply a set of instructions. Rather, they require a fundamental shift in how we think. Each reader must take     control of his or her own work life. In order to accomplish this feat, Payne starts with    Rule 1 (Know what turns you on). Knowing what you want allows you to establish a purpose, a vision and, finally, a strategy for reaching your goals. These are the parameters within which you will act.

The effort to reach your goals is supported by the remaining rules. Rule 2 (Be convinced you have what it takes) addresses the highest barrier most people face when pursuing their goals -- their own internal limitations. Rule 3 (Look inside first) tells us to take personal responsibility for our lives. Rule 4 (Remember you're not alone) bows to the power of teamwork. And Rule 5 (Enjoy the trip) suggests that anything that you choose to do could and should be fun.

Plenty of books describe today's chaotic business environment, and even more titles offer the appropriate organizational responses to change. FutureWork (Performance Press, $14.95) takes a different tack and translates the new reality at a personal level. Easy and fun to read, it offers an accessible and compelling message.

The Quality Audit Handbook

by the ASQC Quality Audit Division

Truly a group effort, The Quality Audit Handbook is a working reference that is closely tied to the ASQC Quality Audit Division's formal body of knowledge developed for the certified quality auditor program. For quality auditors and other related professionals, its publication marks the appearance of what must be considered the premier text on the subject.

The book's format follows the outline already established by the CQA body of knowledge. The five-part presentation covers a general introduction to the field; conduct and ethics; audit preparation; audit performance; audit reporting, corrective actions, follow-up and closure; and auditing tools and techniques.

The text is authoritative, the language plain and well-defined. From the definition of terms to ethical standards, to the proper audit process, there is little cause for uncertainty. Perhaps the audit division could take a shot at preparing the next version of the ISO 9000 quality standards.

The Quality Audit Handbook (ASQC, $45) appears to mark a substantive agreement among thousands of quality auditors as to     the standards and methodologies they will follow. This promised consistency boosts the credibility of practitioners everywhere and creates a level playing field.

The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking

by Jeff Slutsky and Michael Aun

Speaking to groups is one of the most feared of all business demands. In fact, say authors Slutsky and Aun, a London Times survey found that people fear death less than public speaking. This reasonably priced paperback, written under the auspices of Toastmasters International, may not eliminate that fear, but it does go a long way toward making public speaking a less mysterious process.

Although this book seems to be aimed mainly at wanna-be professional speakers, businesspeople who need to learn public speaking as part of their jobs will find plenty of material. Chapters on developing material, using humor and eliciting audience participation contain information that is useful for those conducting any type of group session. Two chapters on the proper use of gestures, voice and visual tools apply to all speakers. The authors also explore keynote, seminar and other specialty speeches.

The book's presentation is fast and catchy. It reads like the transcript of an enthusiastic speech, which is not surprising given the authors' credentials as successful paid professional speakers. Personal experiences and examples drawn from other outstanding speakers dot the text and illustrate the main points of each chapter.

The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking (Dearborn, $17.95) is a good place to start any effort to improve speaking skills. But don't expect to lose those butterflies without actually standing up in front of an audience.

ISO 14000

by James L. Lamprecht

Lamprecht, who has written several well-received texts on ISO 9000, turns his attention to ISO's environmental standards in this most recent outing. The result, which far exceeds the usual cut-and-paste overview and implementation guide banged out to fill the demand, is a particularly knowledgeable and useful text.

Even the standard overview of the discipline of environmental management is exceptionally thorough. Lamprecht links the emergence of ISO 14000 to a long history that starts in the 3rd century B.C., with the wholesale destruction of forests by shipbuilders in Cyprus.

The consultant's examination of the standards themselves is concise and easily understood. The technical jargon and unending acronyms that flood other texts are kept well under control here.

Even better, Lamprecht's main thrust is not just compliance, as if ISO 14000 were a corporate merit badge that is simply earned once. Rather, he spends the time to make a strong financial case for adopting and maintaining a strong environmental management program. He also includes a series of case studies that illustrate the economic analysis and evaluation of environmental risk.

The main tools of environmental management are described and illustrated. A series of four chapters cover total cost accounting from an environmental perspective, life-cycle assessment, ecolabeling and hazard evaluation techniques.

The result is an impressive presentation that not only examines the ISO 14000 standards, but serves as a fine introduction to the fast-growing discipline. ISO 14000 (AMACOM Books, $35) provides a model for standards books that other authors would do well to follow.

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