Rating: 
Summary: This book is in the 20% category that yeilds 80% of value.
Review: Editor, Stern's Management Review online, Stern's SourceFinder, and HRconsultant.com (stern@hrconsultant.com) Koch takes a fresh look at the 80/20 principle and finds that the basic imbalance observed by Pareto 100 years ago can be found in modern life. Whether you're investing, analyzing company sales, or looking at performance, you'll find that it's usually 20 percent that produces 80 percent of the total result. This book shows how to identify that 20 percent and get more out of business and life. This same principle may be applied to books: 20% of them (at best) yield 80% of what is of significance; this book falls into that 20% category. Recommended. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, the CyberSpace SourceFinder, and the Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: Great book. Everyone should read this book. You won't regret it. And, everyone already read it -- so if you want to know what others are talking about when they say 80/20 principle, you have to read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Confusing
Review: I heard of the "Pareto Principle" a long time ago -- the 80/20 rule which basically states that 80% of the results come from the efforts of 20% of the people. Koch has some ideas at the beginning of the book which show the value of the idea, and when he speaks about working "smart" as opposed to working "hard," I agree totally. His advice about zeroing in on the important "20%" is valuable -- provided, of course, that you know what that 20% is. However, when he tells us how we are to apply this to our personal lives, he has "left off preachin' and has started meddling." True, we are all social beings and we need each other in our interdependent culture. Family togetherness is wonderful, but having big family dinners each night and encouraging the warm, moist extended family suport is, in my opinion, overrated. I agree that the American family is often fragmented, but each family must work out its own way, finding the 20% that applies to that particular family, and not in one die-cut, predetermined way. "Nonconformity" is not my style, but I've made personal choices (such as waiting until late in life to marry) that don't always fit these predetermined ways to live, and my 20% may be different from the 20% of someone who has gone the "traditional family" route. (A "traditional family" can be as abusive and stifling as it can be supporting and loving.) I agree with the reviewer who said to read this book to look for the 20% that applies to you, and then ignore the other 80%.
Rating:
Summary: Confusing
Review: I heard of the "Pareto Principle" a long time ago -- the 80/20 rule which basically states that 80% of the results come from the efforts of 20% of the people. Koch has some ideas at the beginning of the book which show the value of the idea, and when he speaks about working "smart" as opposed to working "hard," I agree totally. His advice about zeroing in on the important "20%" is valuable -- provided, of course, that you know what that 20% is. However, when he tells us how we are to apply this to our personal lives, he has "left off preachin' and has started meddling." True, we are all social beings and we need each other in our interdependent culture. Family togetherness is wonderful, but having big family dinners each night and encouraging the warm, moist extended family suport is, in my opinion, overrated. I agree that the American family is often fragmented, but each family must work out its own way, finding the 20% that applies to that particular family, and not in one die-cut, predetermined way. "Nonconformity" is not my style, but I've made personal choices (such as waiting until late in life to marry) that don't always fit these predetermined ways to live, and my 20% may be different from the 20% of someone who has gone the "traditional family" route. (A "traditional family" can be as abusive and stifling as it can be supporting and loving.) I agree with the reviewer who said to read this book to look for the 20% that applies to you, and then ignore the other 80%.
Rating:
Summary: Eye opening, it will make you think
Review: I read this book out of curiosity, having heard about the principle many times but never actually analysing it. After reading the book, I am now rethinking all my activities, professionals and personal, and finding oasis of value that I can easily harvest leveraging the Pareto ideas. Excellent book
Rating:
Summary: Focusing personal and corporate energy where it counts.
Review: Richard Koch masterfully amplifies and focuses Vilfredo Pareto's familiar Principle of Imbalance for 21st century readers. Whether you run a household or work within a giant corporation, you will find useful insights into how to apply your time for the greatest improvements in your life and your organization's bottom line. At The Stanton Group we continuously apply 80/20 logic to our manufacturing management consulting services, and the bottom-line results have been exciting. This approach helps us to build on already existing client strengths and apply them to business areas where they will yield the most benefit. This book is a real gem, a must-read for all managers who want to keep organizations lean without cutting muscle.
Rating:
Summary: Learn how to double your results with 2/5 effort
Review: The 80/20 principle is one of those books where the idea keeps turning over in your head for days after you read it. The 80/20 rule is one that I use quite often in assessing business situations. The book consists of three parts, an introduction to the rule, its application to business and its application to one's life. Koch does a good job in showing how to apply the 80/20 rule in business. The real kick from the book is how Koch applies the 80/20 rule to living one's life. If 20% of our efforts yield 80% of the results we can increase our productivity 100% by doubling our 20% activities and eliminating the 80% activities. This would leave you with 60% of your time to do other things, more time with family and friends, hobbies, talking a walk.
Rating:
Summary: If you only read five books, this should be one: 80/20
Review: The principle is simple, but counter-intuitive: Nature creates imbalances. This is true for money (20% of people have 80% of the wealth), crime (20% of criminals commit 80% of crimes), energy usage (15% of population uses 85% of energy), competition (20% of suppliers have 80% of market share)and even carpet (20% gets 80% wear and tear). . . In a non-linear world: 1) Celebrate exceptional productivity . . .look for the short cut. . .be selective. . . only do what you do best. (pg 38) 2) Keep it simple. Size often creates complexity - which in turn creates inefficiency. Pour your effort into the 20% that makes a difference. Sometimes it is better to lose unprofitable customers to competitors (pg 93) 3) Hold on to your good customers and employees forever! 4) The key to 80/20 is not time-mangement. Don't try to do more. Just do more of the right things. 5) Do what you enjoy because enthusiasm and success is a complementary cycle. 6) Three great lists:
The top 10 low-value uses of time (pg 161)
The top 10 highest value uses of time (pg 161)
The ten golden rules for career success (pg 194)
Rating:
Summary: If you only read five books, this should be one: 80/20
Review: The principle is simple, but counter-intuitive: Nature creates imbalances. This is true for money (20% of people have 80% of the wealth), crime (20% of criminals commit 80% of crimes), energy usage (15% of population uses 85% of energy), competition (20% of suppliers have 80% of market share)and even carpet (20% gets 80% wear and tear). . . In a non-linear world: 1) Celebrate exceptional productivity . . .look for the short cut. . .be selective. . . only do what you do best. (pg 38) 2) Keep it simple. Size often creates complexity - which in turn creates inefficiency. Pour your effort into the 20% that makes a difference. Sometimes it is better to lose unprofitable customers to competitors (pg 93) 3) Hold on to your good customers and employees forever! 4) The key to 80/20 is not time-mangement. Don't try to do more. Just do more of the right things. 5) Do what you enjoy because enthusiasm and success is a complementary cycle. 6) Three great lists:
The top 10 low-value uses of time (pg 161)
The top 10 highest value uses of time (pg 161)
The ten golden rules for career success (pg 194)
Rating:
Summary: May Your Life Be Forever Changed By this Book
Review: This book can be a life-altering book if the concepts are properly applied. Among other things, the book covers the "winner-takes-all" phenomenon. I also think Richard Koch gives some of the best written advice that I have ever seen for career success. He calls them the "10 Golden Rules for Career Success." One, specialize in a very small niche. Two,choose a niche that you enjoy, where you can excel and stand a chance of becoming an acknowledged leader. Three, realize that knowledge is power. Four, identify your core market and your core customers and serve them well. Five, identify where 80 percent of effort gives 80 percent of returns. Six, learn from the best. Seven, become self-employed early in your career. Eight, employ as many net value creators as possible. Nine, use outside contractors for everything but you core skill. And ten, exploit capital leverage
Over the last year, I have applied most of the above Rules for Career Success and I have accomplished more in the last year than I accomplished in the last 5 years. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that there seemed to be a lot of "filler" or coverage of topics that seemed inapplicable.
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