The Tazie Effect (Perfect Paperback)

~ Heather Whittaker (Author), Robbie Short (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: Great Dane, The Tazie Effect

Editorial Reviews

Review

Every dog owner knows how much their pet can teach them - about loyalty, fun, and so much more. Here, Heather Whittaker shares the leadership lessons she's learned from her truly remarkable pet, which will surely stay etched in your mind much more clearly than the words you might read on leadership in any business textbook. --Helena Smalman-Smith, Business Consultant

The Tazie Effect is a nice, easy read and a good review of "how to" managing. I found the stories about Taz easy to relate to. --Deborah Kenn, Skills USA

Product Description

Do More than Manage... LEAD!! The Tazie Effect is a series of stories about Taz, a blind, 6-lb Miniature Pinscher who has overcome many challenges throughout her life. These stories are related to 10 Leadership Principles that provide many of the basic skills leaders utilize to be successful in a new position. Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders and others new to leadership learn how to put people first, how to have fun at work, the impact optimism has when leading a team, and several other key skills important to leaders. The Tazie Effect provides stories every leader can relate to and presents them in an easy, quick read format.

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Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 92 pages
• Publisher: Pen-Tech Professional (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982096208
• ISBN-13: 978-0982096208
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,377,452 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book for New Leaders, March 17, 2009

By	Michael Gooch "Author of Wingtips with Spurs:... (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

As a life-long student of the leadership field, I was very excited to read this latest offering by Heather Whittaker. This short book (75 pages) is designed for the neophyte leader. However, the nine (9) lessons in leadership serve as a great reminder to all. The grizzled veteran often find themselves in a position of needing to be reminded of leadership traits.

Whether arguing in an arbitration hearing or teaching our children moral values, a good story is by far the best way to make our point. Ms Whittaker takes this valuable tactic and applies it to this book. Each principle is prefaced with a "story" about her dog Tazie. After the story, she digs deep into the meaning and pulls a leadership lesson from the incident(s). This is a great learning tool that creates vivid imagery. This is helped along by the great black and white drawings.

The Principles of Leadership as defined by Heather Whittaker are:

1. Be an Optimist
2. Put People First
3. Be the Boss
4. Training, Training and More Training
5. Provide Plenty of Positive Feedback
6. Let Them Have Fun
7. Pay Attention to Detail
8. Think Outside the Box
9. Tenacity

I also appreciate the length of the book. I am often bored to tears by business related books that belabor the point and are so redundant I lose interest and can only make it halfway through. As an adult consumer of the written word, I have this to say; I read it. I understand it. Now move on. The author of this work comprehends this style of writing and, as I stated, it is appreciated.

I would recommend you supply every new leader with a copy of The Tazie Effect. I hope you find this review helpful

Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs Cowboy Wisdom for Today's Business Leaders

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leadership Tazie Roo Style, March 6, 2009

By	William McPeck "Coach/Consultant" (Maine) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a neat little book! I am so glad the author contacted me to review her book as I might not have found it otherwise.

While the book may be small in size (75 pages), I found it to be both long and solid in content. While the book is geared to new leaders, supervisors and managers, I believe existing leaders, managers and supervisors would benefit from reading it as well.

Well written in a quick and easy to read format with cute illustrations, the author takes the reader through 10 leadership principles using stories from her own managerial past and the physical health challenges faced by her 6 lb. Miniature Pinscher, Tazie Roo. And now you know where the book's title comes from.

I was skeptical at first about how dog stories would relate to the leadership of people, but the author does a nice job of using the dog stories to introduce each chapter's principle. In fact, each chapter contains a nice weaving of principle, dog story and example from the author's experiences.

I believe every reader will benefit from reading this book. In addition to being a stand alone read, I believe this book has value as a text for a leadership, management or supervisor development course within a corporate university or other training program.

Research has shown that training results can be enhanced if they are followed up with coaching. In keeping with her role as an adjunct faculty member, the author has included an appendix of coaching tips for learning development and training managers. The appendix gave me a couple of ideas about how I might build a couple of coaching programs around the book.

If you are a leader, manager, supervisor or aspire to be, I would encourage you to read this book. If you are a trainer, coach or training manager, use this book as a text in your program. In either case, get this book. You won't be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful book for professionals, March 8, 2009

By	Adele Petit - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Tazie Effect is a well written and fun to read book on leadership that is sure to please any reader. The author expertly incorporates wonderful stories and examples in order to convey the information in an interesting and entertaining approach.

The Tazie Effect is motivating and filled with excellent advice. I will certainly keep this book at hand.