8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read for more than just IT Consultants, October 4, 2005
This review is from: Beyond Code: Learn to distinguish yourself in 9 simple steps! (Hardcover)
The title of the book is mis-leading. This book is not just for software professionals. It is a great read for just about any professionals who want to raise their performance up a notch; for any professional who is interested in doing better in not just their professional but also their personal lives. Any professional who has the discipline to read this book and diligently practice what it says will achieve lasting success & satisfaction.
The best part of the book is that it blends advice with interesting practical anecdotes that strike a chord and stick to your mind.
Read it. More importantly ... practice it. Your life and career will be that much better for it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beyond code - an effective guide, November 25, 2005
This review is from: Beyond Code: Learn to distinguish yourself in 9 simple steps! (Hardcover)
Beyond code is more than a 'easy-to-read' self improvement/self realization book. It is an effective guide for practicing what is preached in the book. It is hard to argue with any of the points in the book. However, if you are convinced of the value of the arguments, the book suggests practical steps that you can take to practice the points.
Another common theme in the book that I found itriguing was that almost all practical steps required you to take help from a friend, mentor, partner in order to put into practice your regimen. This is a very valuable contribution of the book which is missing in most of the other books of this genre.
The appeal of the book is significantly enhanced by the personal touch and sincerity of the author. I am sure a lot of readers from the software,high-tech industry will relate to these anecdotes.
There are some aspects that I would have certainly liked to see enhanced or modified. The first and foremost is a deeper level of discussion about the basis of the book and how the author arrived at the 9 steps. The common philosophical basis of the 9 steps is somewhat missing in the book.
Another area is the quotes at the beginning of each chapter which at least I dont find unique or particularly relevant. It would have been perhaps better to keep with the book theme of personal anecdotes and instead of quotes to include a little longer stories about other people.
Overall this is a very useful and intriguing book from Rajesh Setty and I look forward to reading his other books or blogs.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unique and valuable, October 18, 2005
This review is from: Beyond Code: Learn to distinguish yourself in 9 simple steps! (Hardcover)
Beyond Code is a unique and valuable contribution to the already rich literature on personal development. Written from the perspective of an IT (information technology) professional, the book has a message for an even broader audience of professionals. That audience would include all those who wish to move beyond a working lifestyle of project after project, even when great technical competence is required, to one that also encompasses rewarding business or personal relationships and deep self-satisfaction.
Beyond Code's subtitle "Learn to distinguish yourself in 9 simple steps" holds the promise of easily-mastered secrets to success as in "read once, excel forever." On the contrary, Setty makes no bones about how challenging it is to become recognized for who you are in today's tough business climate. Setty describes how building character to distinguish yourself as a well-rounded professional in the world of high technology requires persistence, patience and a process. Fortunately for those of us who care about excellence, Setty's book provides a wonderful framework for just that.
Setty first identifies and then dissects a global problem among high-tech professionals that he has personally observed while working on three continents--the problem of human technical obsolescence. He then engages the reader in a very innovative "partnership" to work through the nine chapters or "lessons" that comprise the bulk of Beyond Code's 119 pages (plus front matter).
You might ask why the book is so short compared to most 300+ page business books. In truth, no more space was needed. Beyond Code is a concise yet richly informative handbook, even an "almanac" as they called them in the past. We readers have the option to expand Setty's material to whatever length we desire, at least virtually, by acting on the motivations that got us to buy the book in the first place-whether that be getting ahead financially, becoming a better person, or simply improving relationships with our peers, managers or significant others.
After defining the "Inner Game" (what we mostly control), the "Outer Game" (a "contact sport') and giving an overview of what it means to distinguish yourself as a technology consultant, the remainder of the book is an eclectic, entertaining and valuable collection of proven methods, engaging stories, instructive diagrams, brief exercises in self-assessment and an annotated reading list if you want more. Beyond Code is a well-organized and compelling read. The Foreword by Tom Peters helps put the book in a strategic perspective for today's professional.
Of particular inspiration to me were the several quotations by famous and not-so-famous people that precede each chapter. Overall Beyond Code is relevant, thought-provoking and fresh material that will be of particular value to technology professionals who want to truly distinguish themselves in this world.
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