Customer Reviews

The Soul in the Computer: The Story of a Corporate Revolutionary

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Barbara is an amazing person--a "connector" in the sense of the Tipping Point--and someone who has made remarkable things happen in the world of very large corporations. This book is well written, direct, inspiring, and challenging. And the stories are believable.
Joel Birnbaum is a scientist's scientist, head of IBM research, head of HP research, something of a rennaissance man--and a very nice, approachable, supportive person. This book is a testiment to the humanity with which some technologists approach their work. HP Labs did not set out to be only the best corporate lab in the world--but to be "the best lab FOR the world." That is a higher standard than most aim for.

Recently a doctor friend who is contemplating a career change as a researcher for a drug company was discussing his dilemma with me. The reason for the change is that he's bored with the repetitive nature of his work and wants to be on the leading edge in socially active work. How could he do this in a corporation? he was asking me. "Boy have I got the book for you!" I said, and told him about Barbara Waugh.
This book is one of the top ten on my list of tools for building a new and better civilization. Corporations run the world today, but in the light of the Enron fiasco, many of us are asking, "Are they leading us all towards Doomsday like a bunch of lemmings?"
No one has a more reassuring answer for that question than Barbara Waugh. Yes, corporations would be able to save the world, not destroy it, if they were in the hands of people like her. Adapting the ideology of capitalism to the demands of a world struggling for survival may seem like a daunting task, but the tools are all there. Combine this book with Jack Stack's The Great Game of Business, David McClelland's Achievement Motivation and The Achieving Society, D. O. Hebb's The Organization of Behavior, Buckminster Fuller's Critical Path, a few wise words of advice from the Grameen Bank (and perhaps one or two other choice items) and you've got a sure fire formula not just for saving the world, but for building a world wide Utopia in the next twenty years. And I don't think I could assert all this so positively if Barbara Waugh's book hadn't been published, because it takes its place alongside Bernard Shaw's The Revolutionist's Handbook in a list of highly readable books for revolutionaries. The difference is that Shaw's ideas have had their day, whereas Barbara Waugh can take you where we all need to be going right now. Thanks to her, the train is leaving on track 5 for.....
Chock full of good ideas, spine-tingling anecdotes and the creative adventure of Jack the Giant Killer, Barbara Waugh's odyssey (that may well be the first major new idea about world conquest since Caesar's Gallic Wars) will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what false god the next dropped ball will smash into on its rebound.
I loved the book, and, unless you're deep-down happy and satisfied with things in the corporate world being just the way they are right this minute, you will too.

This is the best business book I've read. This is an inside look into how to make a difference within a big corporation, utilizing the resources, steering the concience. Dr. Waugh's story tells the truth about how meaningful work can be done.

Barbara Waugh is a remarkable woman and I am delighted that she took the time to write her story as a visionary, change management expert, and woman with heart, so we can all learn from her journey. Her tale is unforgettable and reminds us all to dare to dream and commit to making that idea a reality. As an activist, Barbara has leveraged her creativity in her career at HP in innovative ways and learned the art of gathering partcipation and the support from her colleagues and the entire organization. This book should be required reading in every business and social work graduate program. Bravo!

Wonderful book about a very personal story of moving a huge corporation in a conscionable way from within, with examples and tools for readers who want to do the same.

I first read this book in its earlier form, Garage for the World, and I was totally taken with it. At the end, the author did one of the most amazing feats of leadership I'd ever seen. She described her personal goal for HP: that it move to truly being in service to the world. Six months later, when I saw a tiny announcement in the Washington Post business section that HP had decided to focus on the poorest 4B people on the planet for future market development, tears came to my eyes and I cheered for Barbara Waugh. This is an amazing story of what commitment over the long haul can do, and well-written and moving to boot! Now I'm handing out Soul in the Computer to all my strongest women clients, for those days when they get discouraged and start to lose faith in themselves. We can do it!

The author explains not only what one individual can do from within a huge global organization, but also points out many of the reasons why organizations are not able to make effective changes. It's written in straightforward language and illustrated with many heartfelt examples and ancedotes. This is not a step-by-step how-to book, but describes tools that can be mixed and matched for individual styles and situations. Everyone who is part of any organization can benefit from this inspiring book.