Customer Reviews

The Last Word on Power: Executive Re-Invention for Leaders Who Must Make The Impossible Happen

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have never done an LGAT like est or Landmark Forum, though I have read some of their concepts and found them interesting. There was too much other, negative material to entice me into those programs. This book, however, puts forth what I understand to be the core teachings of those organizations, and I have found them powerful, challenging, exciting beyond belief. I disagree with the reviewer who thinks that you have to have had est training or the like to understand this book. It is written clearly, Ms. Goss defines all her jargon concisely, and she gets right to the heart of the matter of transformation (as opposed to change - a great distinction.) It is the best "self-help" book I have ever read and I highly recommend it far beyond the boundaries of business re-invention. As an artist, I found her concepts liberating, and as a person I truly do feel that I am in the process of transforming myself. And on top of all that, it coasts less than a tenth of the Landmark Forum Weekend seminar! My only complaint is that the book doesn't list discussion groups based around the information contained inside. Perhaps I'll have to go to an est or Forum site to have conversations about it...but I can't say enough about it.

Tracy Goss has long been closely associated with Werner Erhard, the originator of EST and Landmark Education Corporation's Forum. I expect happy graduates of those programs to be very happy with this book (I am and I am). The book presents the central concepts of those programs very clearly and in a format designed to help business people put the "distinctions" to work immediately. I doubt, however, that a person not trained by the author or another of Mr. Erhard's colleagues could get much sense from these pages. It can seem to be merely jargon and wild promises unless you have actually put the techniques to work for yourself with the assistance of a coach.

For people experienced with the methods, this book is an effective refresher and spur to action. A friend and I read the book at about the same time and immediately formed a mutual support program employing its ideas, along with structures from the courses I teach. We are getting exciting results. I recommend the book to anyone eager to transform their lives from survival to adventure.

This book, and Steve Chandler's "17 Lies", would be the only two books you would ever need in your life if you wanted to learn how to be both POWERFUL and very, very happy. Tracy Goss succeeds in doing what no one thought could be done.....she has taken the MOST useful and exciting teaching from the Landmark Forum and made it accessible to everyone in this fine, fine, book. Werner Erhard should be very proud of this. Her book shows you EXACTLY how to reinvent yourself, anywhere, any time, no matter what your past history was. She shows you how to gracefully step outside of all past influences on your current life and reinvent yourself anew ANY WAY YOU WANT TO BE. Most self-help books cheer you on, but don't tell you exactly what to do. Tracy Goss does it all. Read carefully, read slowly, read as if you had a life-threatening disease and THIS was the cure.

Powerful & provacative, but requires a seat belt. If you don't believe you need this book, then don't try it. If you are seeking excellence, realize there might be a better way, or have just stalled, this book is for you. Redundant at times, the point is well taken. Your success to date will hinder your future growth. Sounds absurd, but in retrospect all too true. A great book for executives who think they have made it.

There are many success 101 books available today. This is not one of them. This book is written for people who have been successful and find themselves stuck at a plateau arising out of the very strategy that made them successful. The Last Word on Power is the critical next step, which invite its readers to leave the restraining safety of what has worked in order to do what has up until now been impossible.

For managers and executives living in a world where simply making attainable continuous improvements is not enough, "The Last Word on Power" is a must read. Written in powerful thought-provoking language, readers will find this book impossible to put down until finished and unforgettable thereafter.

I highly recommend it.

Joe Santana,
Coauthor Manage I.T.

Tracy Goss departs from the tired worlds of either the boring or sophmorically enthusiastic management books and gives us a book good enough to recommend to our own clients. One of my clients, a highly intelligent executive and a voracious business book reader, said "Whoa! You didn't tell me I would actually have to think to read this!" Tracy takes management consulting to unprecedented heights and gives those of us who pay sharp attention to the human factor as it relates to business success a book worthy of our profession.

I found this a fairly easy book to read and yet it had a significant impact on how I see myself and my approach to my work. And each time I read the book I get more out of it, there's another layer of the onion to peel back. This is not just for those who want to do the impossible, it's for anyone who wants to see the mechanisms that control their life - and with seeing comes power!

Are you committed to, or even interested in, accommplishing something that looks impossible to achieve? Are you willing to transform yourself to make the impossible possible? If you are, this book by Tracy Goss will provide you a roadmap to reinvent yourself. The work is not easy; it's like developing mastery in any field, this one being the reinvention of yourself. The stages or practices related to your personal transformation are written in an easily-understood way, yet when used as a continuing reference, develop deeper and more valuable meaning as you go back to them time and again in your quest for mastery.

I accidentally bumped into this book when I was searching for anything on business transformation. When I saw the name Tracy Goss I was thrilled because I have the highest regard and respect for this author and speaker.

For the past 31 years I have successfully run a small publishing company in the music business and most recently I have begun the quest for a smart strategy to literally re-invent my company while at the same time provide me with an intelligent exit plan.

Even though this book is now 12 years old I have found priceless wisdom and insights, on every page. In fact I have highlighted something on every single page in the book.

My only concern is that Tracy has not followed up with more books that share her great wisdom and insight. I have written two books (currently sold on amazon.com) and understand clearly the challenge and discipline of putting words and wisdom to paper. Therefore, it is with great respect, that I encourage Ms. Goss to write more and get her great wisdom and beautiful energy out into the world.

I highly recommend this book to any successful (or not) creative thinking business entrepreneur who not only wants to change the course of his/her business but also wants to re-connect with the thinking that got them there to begin with.

J. Michael Dolan

Leadership is tough, especially in nonprofits. The challenges are immense. The same old ways of doing things don't work anymore. This book gives insight into how to create breakthroughs, think outside the box, and ultimately make a difference.
Highly recommended.