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Summary: Mister Rogers for grown-ups (We should all be so lucky)
Review: If you're lucky, you'll meet someone like Gordon Mackenzie about the time you turn 40 and wonder where life went and what the rest of it holds for you. Gordon was nothing short of a Mister Rogers for grown-ups. This book, which contains much of the material from Gorden's presentations--he used the same material, but no two presentations were ever the same--reminds us that each of us has gifts and creativity, some of which we've overlooked, some we've purposely hidden and others we've let the conventions of society suppress. Gordon's concepts are at once extremely simple and extremely deep. They are also transforming. This is not a simple how-to book for people who want to "be creative." It's an engaging, entertaining and liberating touchstone for people who want to live more creatively empowered lives. Unless your mind is completely closed, you're going to feel a lot better after you spend time with "Orbiting the Giant Hairball."
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Summary: Leadership 101
Review: Thought-provoking, insightful, humorous, emotional, quirky, creative - I love this book and reread it regularly. Gordon's parables and anecdotes reveal a refreshing approach to leadership possibilities in the modern organization. It also chronicles the emotional, intellectual and spiritual struggle many of us endure in our daily work lives. Read it, think about what he's saying, live it, share it!
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Summary: Leadership 101
Review: This book struck an emotional chord within me. Through his brief stories and anecdotes, Gordon paints an image of our struggle to exist in the corporate world. His insights are spot on. I recommend this book to managers who want to live a balanced life. I would have enjoyed working with Gordon.
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Summary: Great book
Review: This is an excellent book for those who want to learn how to get around all of the political nonsense that takes place in Corporate America. I highly recommend it!!
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Summary: The best book on the planet for right-brainers
Review: I had the luck/privelege/honor to meet Gordon in 1994, and my life is the better for it. He gave the closing speech to the HOW Design Conference attendees, which was, in essence, this book. Pick a page, any page, and it has a seed of wisdom that can not only be applied to creatives (right-brainers) working in a corporate (left-brainers) environment, but to anyone who could stand to get out of a rut... no matter what kind of rut. I've read it at least a dozen times, and not necessarily in order. Which is ok, because even the table of contents isn't in order. Gordon MacKenzie, the Creative Paradox, has a special place in the world as motivator, inspirational guru, confidence restorer, and as a great author. I could go on and on... Buy this book... ...
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Summary: A must read!
Review: This book changed the way I go to work. I read it 3 times, cover to cover, and have tried to commit some of the phrases and ideas to memory. If you're stuck in a rut, need some inspiration at work or are sick and tired of the way your company works - this book is for you. Even if you're not in a creative field, I highly suggest 'Hairball.' It's a quick, memorable read.
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Summary: Incredible!
Review: One of the best reads for me in 2002. This book is perfect for any creative type who is forced to live in beauocratic dundgeons. It's a fun read with lots of graphics (what else would you expect from a Hallmark person?).Must read.
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Summary: good, but not quite what I was expecting
Review: I enjoyed the book, but more as a storybook than a creativity or survival guide. The techniques that it offered were at times somewhat vague. The illustrations and layout are playful and fun though. I think the book works best as an inspiration source rather than a guidebook.
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Summary: Fun Book
Review: Delightfully written and illustrated by a former creative director for Hallmark, this book stirs the creative juices about how to inspire creativity and new ideas in even the most staid organizations. The book suffers from a lack of references and citations, and therefore is not as useful to the academic or consultant reader as it might be, but to a manager or staff member looking for new ideas and inspriration about how to let loose innovation, this is a great book.
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Summary: Outside the Box
Review: I picked up this book on the recommedation of a leadership professional who thought I would enjoy an outside-the-box look at management, and leadership. MacKenzie strives to show how he made it in a large company that was weighed down by rules and procedures, "The Giant Hairball." This was very interesting because anyone who has worked in a big institution, whether corporate or educational, knows full well how it is easy to become weighed down trying to figure out how to do something by following insitutional policies, than actually completing the task you are setting out to do. Mackenzie offers a comical, yet insightful view of how to make it in a big corporation or any large organization. I would say those who see the world as black and white might want to pass this book by, but those who are willing to take a chance to make a difference, and realize the procedures to send out a fax are not what makes or break an organization. This book is the anti-office space theory of corporations. All in all, an excellent and light view of how to live and thrive in a big place you might call your job!
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