Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less [Hardcover]

Sam Carpenter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

Winner of the 2009 New York Book Festival's award for general non-fiction

Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less was originally self published in soft cover by the author in April 2008 and had modest distribution as it was sold only via the author's website. ''Work'' was picked up by Greenleaf Book Group in the Fall of 2008, thoroughly re-edited, and released to book stores in hard cover May 1, 2009.

Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less will guide you in streamlining the interlaced systems that drive every aspect of your work--and your life. The first key to freedom and wealth is to stand ''outside and slightly elevated'' from your business or job to see the sub-systems that compose it. Then the task is to, one by one, perfect each of these internal systems.

While providing exact direction for creating a culture of ''system improvement,'' the author interlaces his own story of moving from 100-hour workweeks to 2-hour workweeks, while multiplying his monthly income by a factor of 25. Through all this he was the single parent of two children.

The strength of the book lies in convincing the reader to ''get'' the systems-mindset. Then, it provides exact instruction for revitalizing an organization through fostering organizational efficiency, creating simple documentation and getting staff to enthusiastically ''climb on board.''

What Carpenter teaches is simple yet profound: Achieve a positive macro result by working on a micro level. You will learn how to analyze and refine your network of systems to maximize profit, create client loyalty, and develop autonomous employees who are passionately dedicated to the goals of the organization. The bonus: The strategies will help you dramatically improve your personal life while decreasing the stress of being overtaxed and disorganized. You will:

• Recognize the systems that are affecting your world and manipulate them into super-efficiency
• Maximize productivity when you know you're at your peak brain capacity
• Avoid the time-wasting imperfection of striving for perfection

Pulling from his years of experience as the owner of a struggling business that he revitalized into the number one business in his industry, Carpenter offers profound and concise advice that will revolutionize the way you view your work and, indeed, how you live your life. Praise for Work the System: ''The best management book of the year. Follow Sam's path and your business will become orderly, disciplined, repeatable, and profitable.''
--Thomas Cox, founder of Cox Business Consulting

''What Sam Carpenter teaches in Work the System will revolutionize your work and your life!''
--Michael Jans, president, Insurance Profit Systems

''This book is a reality check for small business owners and department managers who are struggling.''
--Susan Solovic, CEO, SBTV.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

''Better than Good to Great, the next Best Seller Business Book.'' --GLR, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer. 5 stars

''Very vivid details captivates this reader. Well done indeed!'' --G.W., Amazon Top 500 Reviewer. 5 stars

''This book will be a life-saver. Highly recommended.'' --SHA, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer. 5 stars

About the Author

Sam Carpenter, a telecommunications professional and business owner, has a background in engineering, management, publishing, and journalism. He lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Linda.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press; Second Edition edition (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929774877
• ISBN-13: 978-1929774876
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (180 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #471,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

With a background in engineering, publishing, journalism and telecommunications, Sam is author of the book, "Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less," (2009, Greenleaf Book Group, www.workthesystem.com). He is also CEO and majority owner of Centratel (www.centratel.com), a national telephone answering service that he has operated for 28 years. Sam is founder and director of Kashmir Family Aid, a 501C3 non-profit aiding surviving school children of the Northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir earthquake of October 2005 (www.kashmirfamily.org).

Outside interests include mountaineering, skiing, cycling, reading, traveling. "Work the System" won the prestigious "Best Non-fiction" award at the New York Book Festival. The book is now in its third edition. Sam also owns a consulting firm and distributes an on-line product, The Work the System Academy (www.workthesystemacademy.com) Originally from upstate New York he lives in Bend, Oregon and Seattle, Washington with his wife Linda.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It all begins with understanding your processes and goals December 9, 2009

By Charles Ashbacher HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I personally have experienced situations where you are overwhelmed with work, are aware of the steps that could be performed to improve your efficiency but are "too busy" to make the improvements to relieve your burden. Appeals to superiors to be allowed to make the effort are generally met with, "after we complete this phase", but unfortunately another similar phase often follows. In many cases the constant inefficiencies lead to a total system failure.
Carpenter nearly experienced a total failure in his company, a telephone service provider called Centratel. After acquiring the struggling company, he spent years solving crisis after crisis, working 100+ hour weeks and yet many weeks barely managed to meet payroll. Finally, necessity being so often the mother of invention, Carpenter reached the level of crisis where he had to make dramatic changes or see the company die. His solution was to look at Centratel as a system with choke points, feedback mechanisms and points of dramatic improvement.
After taking the time to document operations and procedures, Centratel experienced dramatic improvement in quality and quantity of service. The new employee management procedures led to an improvement in the quality of new hires, greater retention of employees and an increase in morale. All of this translated into increased revenue and profits as well as a sharp decrease in the length of his workweek. As has been documented so many times, reducing the number of work hours increased the productivity per week as the increase in quality more than compensated.
Giving all due respect to Carpenter and his achievements at Centratel, his experiences are not new to the overall understanding of management science. The classic example of this is the British experience in World War II, where after the outbreak of the war factory workers patriotically volunteered to work long hours. After the brief initial increase in productivity, there was a dramatic drop and the solution was to mandate a limit in the number of hours in the workweek. The lowered length of the workweek brought productivity back up.
Nevertheless, the advice in this book is sound, for the simple reason that it is rarely possible to improve productivity until you understand what it is that you are doing. This is accomplished by fully documenting all operations; the act of doing it forces you to understand them, the first step in the repair process. Considering what you do a set of systems is a workable perspective, just not the only viable one.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Work the system or the system will work you October 19, 2009

By Steve Burns TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Sam Carpenter has brought all the main principles that will lead to success in your work and life together in one book. Some books will change your mind this book will change your life if you apply what it teaches. The author shows that our entire world operates based on systems, from nature to the human body to successful businesses 99.9% of things go right when the system works. The problem is when you or a business are not on a system you spend your time running around putting out "fires" and "whacking moles" instead of solving the root of the problem."... orderliness and attention to detail are the roots of peace". "...disorder--always leads to desperation". The problems you encounter are really caused by system failure. Your job is to create systems that cause you to get the results you desire in life and at work. If you are a manager or business owner these systems must be documented on paper and be a working and changing tool that all employees agree on. When problems arise you determine what system failed and correct it. You should spend the majority of your time examining and tweaking systems to perfection, this is the best use of your time. Surprisingly,..."outright mistakes and random errors account for only a small percentage of total error. Most problems stem from nonexistent system management and show themselves as errors of omission". Sam Carpenter will show you how to create a document that expresses your purpose, and then create principles and systems that lead to the accomplishment of that purpose.
The book is absolutely packed with excellent life and business insights that will take you to the next level in your life, career, or business if you follow them. I have had a great twenty year career in business management and wish I would have had this book when I started. I was always successful when I put systems in place that operate with or with out me but was unsuccessful trying to just make things happen by my mere presence and experience. The beauty is that the system principles also work for losing weight, relationships, and for me stock trading and investing. Five stars for this book, it should sit on your shelf right next to the other books that have changed your life.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Deal...Not B School Theory April 30, 2009

By Michael Jans

Format:Hardcover

What a refreshing change. A business book written by a business-owner. A real world practitioner. Not an ivory tower, "B School" theorist looking to test an idea or attract consulting clients. I run my own business, employ 25 people and deliver business and marketing consulting services to insurance agency principals. I appreciate the challenges of getting a growing business to run on systems, both for myself and my clients.

Last year, I bought 600 of copies of this book and sent them as a gift to my best clients. I'm still running into clients at seminars and workshops throughout the country who are thanking me for the positive impact this book had on their lives. Any serious entrepreneur who values their time and wants to get their business to the next level should put this book on their "read now" list.

Everyone familiar with Michael Gerber's E Myth will appreciate how this book takes the same premises and delivers a practical Action Plan that works. Sam's story confirms the truth of his message and provides both inspiration and a useful road map throughout the book.