Peanut Butter and Jelly Management: Tales from Parenthood, Lessons for Managers [Hardcover]

Chris Komisarjevsky (Author), Reina Komisarjevsky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2000

Tales from Parenthood, Lessons for Managers

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Introducing key management concepts with anecdotes about each of their six children, Komisarjevsky, who is CEO of the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller Worldwide, and his wife, who is a full-time mother, focus on maximizing employee and employer productivity. Their son Nicholas, for example, is small for his age, but remains the fiercest goalie on his hockey team, admired for his determination. Similarly, the authors argue, there is always at least one person at the office who will take charge and make things happen, though leadership may not always emerge from the expected person. That's why managers must "Be on the lookout for those who really do want to 'own the goal'" and "find innovative ways to reward those potential leaders." In another example, the authors recount how, every summer evening, the local ice cream man waits patiently for the six Komisarjevsky kids to make their choices, never rushing any of them. By the same token, everyone in an office needs a chance to grow, so managers should "encourage people to try something different" and "free the entrepreneurial spirit." While the Komisarjevskys' straightforward, practical advice will give inexperienced managers a boost, the lack of any substantial discussion of issues such as competition, diminished profits and accountability in today's fast-paced work environment may make it difficult to apply their advice successfully. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"It is rare that a management book tells us more than we want to know. But that is the case..." -- Financial Times, April 5, 2000

"Peanut Butter and Jelly Management holds moments of wisdom for businesspeople and parents alike..." -- BookPage, May 2000

"The Komisarjevsky's straightforward, practical advice will give inexerienced managers a boost..." -- Publisher's Weekly, March 20, 2000

[Its] wise, holistic principles apply both at home and work, from striving to achieve to knowing when to let go. -- Sue Shellenbarger, The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 20, 2000

“Parenting, too, is a lot like running a company.".. the authors extol leadership principles they learned from raising nine children.” -- New York Times October 2001

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM (April 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814470629
• ISBN-13: 978-0814470626
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #309,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom That Sticks to the Roof of Your Mouth, April 30, 2000

By 

Light*Seeker (Lexington, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peanut Butter and Jelly Management: Tales from Parenthood, Lessons for Managers (Hardcover)

The Komisarjevskys have struck a harmonious chord with this little book! The stories of their children are immediately engaging and natural springboards for discussing effective management practices. They teach us with heartwarming sincerity that our children can be wonderful teachers, and that we can become more effective managers, employers, employees and parents by heeding what they have to teach and applying the lessons to our work environments. The authors show that our home lives and its values are really a "precious center" that help us bear the surrounding weight of the world. These lessons lead us to find a better sense of balance between home and work responsibilities, something we are all striving for these days!

This book allows us not just a glimpse into a successful CEO's way of thinking, but a sustained excursion into his practical philosophy of life, which includes working with his wife, Reina, in their teamwork approach to family life.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and intriguing book., April 18, 2000

By 

margie davis (Saunderstown, RI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peanut Butter and Jelly Management: Tales from Parenthood, Lessons for Managers (Hardcover)

I read this book after reading a review of it in "Bookpage". As a librarian I read books on many subjects and am always looking for those that are unusual and intriguing. The title - "Peanut Butter and Jelly Management" and its premise-applying parental experiences to corporate leadership-promised to be both. The book did not disappoint me. I fell in love with the children(all nine of them)who are the heroes of the book. As a parent, I identified with the charming and sometimes poignant experiences of a large family : teaching a child to ride a bike, trips to the emergency room, watching a child play on a team, and vicariously crying at the loss of a baby. Although not a business person, I feel that the practical business suggestions can be used by anyone dealing with fellow employees. A must read for all.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very inspirational and heartwarming book to be read by all, March 20, 2000

By 

Julie (Queens, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peanut Butter and Jelly Management: Tales from Parenthood, Lessons for Managers (Hardcover)

This book takes real parenting experiences and correlates them into how to be a successful manager in today's business world. I found this book to be a true inspiration for management personnel. The funny and heartwarming parenthood experiences came right from the heart.