Customer Reviews

More Lightning, Less Thunder: How to Energize Innovation Teams

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I LOVED this book and recommend it highly! Bob Eckert and Jonathan Vehar have created an illuminating gem in this amusing, well constructed handbook, designed to energize innovation teams where creativity and productivity are paramount. But you don't have to be a member of an innovation team to reap copious benefits from "More Lightning Less Thunder." Anyone with co workers, staff meetings or the occasional community bake sale will learn valuable lessons on how to be an effective team member and lead a more fulfilling life. If you liked "Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway" or "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" this book is for you. The title refers to a Mark Twain quote, "Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but it is the lighting that does the work." It's appropriate that Eckert and Vehar quote Twain because they evoke the irreverent charm of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer as they lead the reader through seven enriching chapters: 1. Surrender to Humanity 2. Understand Responsibility 3. Conscious Listening, Clear Speaking, 4. Cultivate Risk Taking 5. Expect Win-Win 6. Strive for Constant Improvement. 7. Start, Finish, Start Again. It come as no surprise that Eckert was formerly an "Outward Bound" instructor for incarcerated juveniles. Reading "More Lightning Less Thunder" is like hanging out with that cool 8th grade teacher who chose to believe the dog really ate your homework because he understood you were having a bad day. In their introduction, Eckert and Vehar set out "to help you establish behaviors that lead to people working together productively to create innovative and successful results." With great humor and humanity, they deliver this in spades, giving the reader the confidence and practical tools to implement positive, lasting changes in one's life.

This little book is BIG on content. An excellent tool to keep me on track with my working relationships AND my personal relationships. A corporate, culture changing must-have, especially for those on the path for advancement. Far superior to those 'cheesy' books on the market today.

If you are interested in how to get teams to embrace creativity and perform more productively, this book is for you. Eckert and Vehar have packed in the equivalent of a two-year MBA program on team building and creative problem solving. And they've done it in an entertaining, accessible way. My business is working with Fortune 500 companies on innovation strategies, and I can say without reservation that this is one of the most useful books around. Buy it, keep it handy, benefit.