The Adversity Quotient @ Work [Abridged] [Audible Audio Edition]

by Paul G. Stoltz (Author, Narrator)

Product Details

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 5 hours and 12 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Abridged
• Publisher: Harper Audio
• Audible.com Release Date: September 14, 2000
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0000546TJ
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

Editorial Reviews

In 1997, Paul Stoltz unleashed a revolution with his groundbreaking book Adversity Quotient: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities, introducing the concept of the Adversity Quotient into public consciousness. Now, in Adversity Quotient @ Work, Stoltz applies the principles of his brilliant theory to the uniquely challenging environment of the workplace.

AQ is a measure of one's ability to handle adversity. Those who can't become easily overwhelmed and emotional, then pull back and stop trying; those who can handle adversity become the leaders of today and tomorrow. This program clearly demonstrates how workers and managers can use this concept of AQ to their own advantage, and to the benefit of clients and customers. Listeners will learn how to hire and retain highly motivated and talented workers, develop employees to their full potential, and create a leadership culture that encourages all to put forth their best efforts and maximize their performance capabilities.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AQ @ work, September 20, 2000

By 

bob weigand (Allentown,pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adversity Quotient @ Work: Make Everyday Challenges the Key to Your Success--Putting the Principles of AQ Into Action (Hardcover)

Learning to climb and leading others through their climb becomes an essential skill for leaders in the new millennium. The wisdom of Stoltz's work are that we have the potential to do both.

Bob Weigand, Director Management Training & Development, St.Luke's Hospital and Health Network

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars AQ Intro for High Performance at Work, November 17, 2000

By 

Prof David T Wright (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adversity Quotient @ Work: Make Everyday Challenges the Key to Your Success--Putting the Principles of AQ Into Action (Hardcover)

'AQ@Work' is aimed at consultants, students, or those in business who want to create a structured reaction mindset (initially consciously incompetent, to unconsciously competent) to performing better individually and in teams in the workplace.

The attractively illustrated action-oriented chapters span: Expanding your capacity- the human operating system (Quitters, Campers & Climbers); The science of AQ; Measuring Your AQ; The CORE of a climber (Control, Ownership, Reach, Endurance); Developing Response-Able Climbers (LEAD= Listen to Response, Establish Accountability, Analyze the Evidence, and Do Something); Coaching and Mentoring Climbers; Defining and Finding Climbers; Hiring Climbers; Building Climbing Teams; Building A Climbing Culture.

Strengths include: the presentation (illustrations, tables, summaries, action lists); the lively engaging style; interesting "humans as computers with software" analogies; the usability of materials for in-company training; and the credibility of AQ itself (data set and application group spanning over 100,000 people Worldwide across cultures, sectors, and professions).

Weaknesses include: the lack of references; a need more anecdotes or tabulated quantified success stories (rather than repetitive, almost consulting sales pitch); needs 25% less page count for content; dull 2nd half becomes a "verbatim training notes doc" (to this reviewer); lack of depth to "science" (e.g. misses many credible individual/ team motivation/performance models e.g.2 misses communications models & significance to team performance); offers unsubstantiated contradictions with standard psychology view to internalizing/ externalizing problems and subsequent personal growth (or not); and anecdotes sometimes abstract/remote from complexities of real work environments. Interestingly, Cypress Semiconductor is hailed here as a success story, and as a failure in Pfeffer's recent OK "Hidden Value" and OK "Knowing Doing-Gap" texts.

Alternatives include: Pfeffer's efforts; Goleman's OK "Working with Emotional Intelligence"; and Schwartz's inspirational "Magic of Thinking Big". At the "quality-end" look at: the superb "First to the Future- on Active Leadership" by Willi Railo (rigorous proven methods to coach & lead Olympic-standard people, applicable to all) (ISBN82-991169-5-3 Norbok A/S 1995); and Jensen's punchy 'Simplicity' (ISBN 073820210X 2000). More peripherally look at: "The Time Management PocketBook" and "Yoga for Dummies" offering approaches for motivation, focus, and action to being better balanced as well as corporate citizens.

Overall 'AQ@Work' is only worthwhile- but it could be amongst the best with more rigor & science, less words, and more success statistics.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Building High-Performance Organizations, September 14, 2000

By 

Peter Economy "Bestselling Author" (La Jolla, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adversity Quotient @ Work: Make Everyday Challenges the Key to Your Success--Putting the Principles of AQ Into Action (Hardcover)

Finally! A book that shows exactly how to bring the best out of employees in today's organizations. Adversity Quotient @ Work provides readers with the essential tools they need to invent their own futures and to control their own destinies on the job -- taking their organizations to new heights. Get this book -- before your competition does!