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Summary: Buy it, read it, live it--a no buzzword playbook for HR pros
Review: Libby Sartain lives what she writes. She's truly "been there, done that", and now she's finally sharing her hard won expertise with a worldwide audience. Having served valiantly in every HR job from entry level recruiter to Senior VP, she is no academic peering in from the sidelines, but an impassioned, veteran player in the heat of the game. And having built world class HR teams for such top performing organizations as Southwest Airlines and now Yahoo!, she uses real world experiences and stories to vividly illustrate " a day in the life of an HR leader". Don't let the title fool you...this book is not only for HR folks; it's an indispensable guide for any manager in any discipline keen to learn more about the human side of entreprise. This no nonsense coaching playbook is the first ever aimed at "new breed" HR professionals who are business people first and HR practitioners second. It's packed with useful anecdotes, success stories, tips, and "how to do it" advice that's clear, cogent and cost effective. It's especially useful for HR leaders here in Asia who want to become trusted business partners with what Libby calls " a seat at the table", ie., the respect of top management. She shows them, in simple, practical steps, how to apply "best of the best" HR practices in their own rapidly growing organizations. Speaking from the heart, Libby eschews buzzwords...she's terse, tough minded and definitive...she has a clear, unambiguous agenda and she pulls no punches. Reading this is like sitting in with her for a one on one coaching session... and best of all, you can put the game plan into practice straightaway! Underlying the stories and lessons is Libby's passion for her profession, her love of the game, and her warmth, wit and sense of humor that she uses so effectively to bring focus and pespective to to the task of building a world class talent machine.
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Summary: WOW! A MUST READ!
Review: My boss saw the book on my desk, grabbed it and didn't put it down until he was done! He loved it, learned from it, and asked how we could give all our managers a copy. He's our CEO!Great job - great book! Can't wait for the sequel!
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Summary: This is right on target!
Review: The author has done an excellent job of sharing what she has done and how to succeed without being ruthless or cruel. Our workforce would be more productive and in much better shape if more followed this lead!
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Summary: Unlocks the Greatest Leverage for an Organization
Review: There is perhaps no function within a corporation that has as uneven a reputation as human resources. Ineffective HR officers are controlling, bureaucratic, and disdained by line managers. Highly effective HR officers, are by contrast, problem solvers, strategic advisors, confidants, and people who make things happen. HR from the Heart, replete with principles and lively anecdotes, is the single most effective book for making HR officers the true people leaders that they have the opportunity to become. And with this lively and entertaining book as your companion, you can unlock your organization's most important asset - its people. There is so much upside for the HR community, broadly speaking, to become central to the life of business. HR from the Heart will lead the way.
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Summary: To succeed in business...read this book!
Review: This book is outstanding! It is a must read for all in business! Libby shares her stories in a manner that we all can learn from and succeed with. I have bought the book for all my employees and am also giving it as gifts to my business peers. I highly recommend!!! If I could give it 10 stars...I would!
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Summary: Relevant for Non-HR Executives too
Review: This book is relevant for non-HR executives as well. First, Ms. Libby Sartain shared critical decision making in her personal career development path (e.g. changing employers). Second, she didn¡¦t talk about HR in isolation. It was about HR in the big picture of business (e.g. how HR can create values for subjects that top management cares about).
There were experiences of Southwest Airlines, and Yahoo ! ¡K not consultants¡¦ high-sounding but unproven concepts. The book covered different HR-related situations; for example, emergency, performance review, firing people. There were sharing of HR-best practices, as well as interesting topics like internal brand promises.
Ms. Libby Sartain looks like the enlightened style HR professionals, not the bureaucratic type. This leads to more relaxing reading. She was outspoken, e.g. towards consultants, lawyers. Besides she is not the preacher type: she believes HR is important, but it is not the single driver of the company.
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Summary: Excellent!
Review: This book should be required reading of anyone in a business leadership role! HR can and does bring value to the bottom line and this author says it in a way that is easy to read and apply to your firm!
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Summary: HR from the Heart
Review: This is a must book that must be read by not only HR professionals, but also by anyone that wants to learn more about how to use their heart, soul, and brains in developing a successful career in Human Resources. Libby's statement that "For HR to make the impact it needs to make, you have to be a businessperson first" is key for anyone that truly wants to be a leader within their company. As a current VP of Human Resources with experience in multiple companies (like Libby), I found the book true to life and I could easily relate to her stories of how she developed her career. I enjoyed the book so much that I purchased copies for my staff, and they too have reported how much they have enjoyed reading HR from the Heart.
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Summary: Outstanding, real-world & timely - HR stories to learn from
Review: This is an outstanding HR book, and the primary reason it is so outstanding is because it is written by and for "real" HR people. It is not a book written by an academic or theorist. What I loved so much about this book were Libby Sartain's very specific examples of how she manuevered through tough corporate politics, organizational minefields, and ethical dilemmas in her many years of leading HR. These specific examples of what worked for her and what did not are extremely valuable to HR professionals today. Her thoughtful, conversational, and humorous style make this book a very appropriate primer for anyone who is in an HR leadership role and wants to really understand how to be not only an HR leader, but a great business leader. This book has no "bull"-- its all real. As an HR consultant, I have purchased this book for each of my clients, and I definitely recommend it as required HR reading.
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Summary: The only book you need!
Review: To be successful in an HR career (and for that matter in business), this is the only book you need! This should be required reading for all college students! If more books like this were available - we would be a much better business society!
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