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Keep the Joint Running: A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology Paperback – January 5, 2009

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Bob Lewis (Author)
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Keep the Joint Running: A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology + Bare Bones Project Management: What you can't not do + Bare Bones Change Management: What you shouldn't not do
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 236 pages
  • Publisher: IS Survivor Publishing (January 5, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0974935433
  • ISBN-13: 978-0974935430
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #432,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

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If you are a thinking person and read this book, you will be a better leader, period.
jmr
Bob's book will give you the inspiration and guidance to think and act like no leader in your organization.
Douglas Blair
I strongly recommend "Keep the Joint Running: A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology".
Gerald Wisnoski

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Management advice that transcends IT
By M. Carignan on February 1, 2009
Format: Paperback
I am probably not Bob's typical newsletter subscriber; I have been a CFO, a Controller, a General Manager and now a business owner. Although I have always been ultimately responsible for IT, I wouldn't call IT my "field". I stumbled upon one of Bob's newsletters 3-4 years ago and found it extremely insightful and well written. What really struck me, though, was how his newsletters applied to organizations as a whole, even though written for a narrower IT audience.

Over the years, I have collected his articles and refer to (and share) many of them again and again. With this book, Bob succeeds at bringing together a large body of work into a no-nonsense, indispensable reference for any manager looking for a leadership edge.

There are thousands upon thousands of books written about leadership. Some are good enough to warrant passing to a co-worker or boss after finishing it. This is one of those few books that you buy for your friends, co-workers or boss(es), because you don't want to give up your copy of it.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Keep the Joint Running - Great Title
By J. Blair on January 30, 2009
Format: Paperback
A grizzled veteran gave me some great advice regarding the IT fads several decades ago: "those analysts who have not applied these techniques to real data are extremely optimistic about the results."

Bob's book is written from the perspective of my 'grizzled veteran." Since IT became a profession (Bob may argue whether it is a profession) there have been a string of "sure fire" solutions to all of the problems in the profession. The book "outs" a number of these and develops the needed skepticism for confronting the others.

Outcomes are what matter. As long as your techniques are simple, legal and ethical, focus on the outcome. Reading Bob's KJR book and essays will help you keep that focus.

John Blair
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Read It - Live It
By Douglas Blair on January 29, 2009
Format: Paperback
If you know Bob Lewis' approach and style you aren't looking to buy one copy of this book. You will buy two or more. You ask why? This is the kind of book you will use at work, read at home, and share with others you work with and remind them almost daily that, "Hey remember in Chapter Three when Bob said..., you'll be putting thoughts into action time and time again.

Yes, you will want to give a copy to your boss, and your bosses boss. This is the kind of no nonsense, put your faith in Bob type advise that you can put to great use.

I've been reading Bob's great work for a lot longer than most. If your leadership career (yes there are such things) is just getting off the ground - this is a great book to put you to the front of the class. If your career like mine is in it's middle years of firing on all cylinders, you'll use this to validate what you know, and give you that sharpened edge that will keep those in their thirties thinking - who is this guy who thinks faster and better than we do - and where does he come up with all this stuff that the CIO just eats up?

I have to hoard the copy I still have, I gave my first copy of "A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology" to my boss, who guards it jealously. He knows how good Bob is. We even tried to use a slogan at work, "Are You Better Than Bob?" knowing that our shop is full of Can Do, Make Do, find the solution types, where everywhere around us, we are continually trying to show them that success is state of mind, driven by great ideas being put into motion through motivation and inspiration. Bob's book will give you the inspiration and guidance to think and act like no leader in your organization.

PS.Read more ›
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
There's "conventional wisdom", and then there's reality...
By Thomas Duff HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on January 25, 2009
Format: Paperback
I enjoy reading the newsletter that Bob Lewis puts out each week... Keep The Joint Running. Therefore, I was very interested in reading his new book Keep the Joint Running: A Manifesto for 21st Century Information Technology. A dose of cold reality without all the fluff and politics involved. So many leaders and management in IT could learn much by reading this book... :)

Contents:
Section One - Conceptual underpinnings: There are no best practices, only practices that fit best; To optimize the whole you must sub-optimize the parts; Bad metrics are worse than no metrics
Section Two - Putting process in its place: Relationships precede process; Relationships outlive transactions; Don't confuse documentation with reality
Section Three - The nature of the IT enterprise: Before you can be strategic, you have to be competent; Big solutions that work start as small solutions that work; Customers are external, Internal customers aren't; Don't run IT as a business, run it in a businesslike way; There are no IT projects
Section Four - Being smart, and something important to be smart about: Digest with intestines, think with brain; Every employee is irreplacable
Afterward

Lewis starts off early in the book by proclaiming there's no such thing as "best practices". That should get noticed... The six variables of business (cycle time, throughput, overhead cost, unit cost, quality, and excellence) are different for all businesses, so there's no "one size fits all" approach to doing things "right". So learn from everyone and let smart people figure out solutions that work. So now that Lewis has taken a direct shot at one of the most universal "truths" of business, what else can he do? Plenty...Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Great Point of View on the IT Industry

Great book. Insights on every page even for those of us with decades of experience. Highly recommend for any IT professional.

Published 9 months ago by Joe Hessmiller
Damned good read.

The man is sagacious. I kept modding my head in recognition of all he craziness he describes that I have encountered in my working life. Read more

Published 18 months ago by Bangoche
Great book for anyone in IT!

This is a great book. It's short, sweet and to the point. This would be great for a college grad or IT veteran alike. If I were a manager, I'd buy a copy for all of my employees.

Published on December 8, 2011 by Greg in Longwood
A bible

A must read for every level in IT. Relationships precede process, relationships outlive transactions, communication, trust; refreshing to find this among so much other valuable... Read more

Published on November 25, 2011 by Robin
The New Normal

As Business maneuvers through the difficult time that is our current economy, the budgets for IT are decreasing while the expectations are increasing. Read more

Published on April 8, 2009 by Jason Boyd
Brilliant

I wish I could have had the benefit of Bob's newsletters many years ago when I was active in business - always well thought out, challenging and yet an easy read and with humour. Read more

Published on April 3, 2009 by John - Kidderminster
If you only read one book on IT management, this should be it

This book is like a breath of fresh air blowing away stale hyperbole. Way too many IT "experts" are really just experts at "talking/communicating/selling" and not executing. Read more

Published on March 20, 2009 by Eric Kassan
Cogent, practical advice for all managers, not just IT

Bob Lewis is one of the clearest, and clearest-thinking, writers on management and leadership I know. Read more

Published on March 9, 2009 by Jon Inge
Not a book about cheese

A concise 13 chapters (in about 225 pages) that describes what managing an IT organization is really (or should be) about. Read more

Published on March 4, 2009 by Andrew B
A must read for all business leaders

This is a wonderful book. Although it is aimed at the CIO, it contains valuable information for all business leaders, and those who aspire to become leaders. Read more

Published on March 1, 2009 by Earl W. Roethke

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