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♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2008 6A Take an 'end of year' inventory Iwaa interviewed recent ly for my thoughts on how individuals might improve their chances of keeping their New Year’s resolutions. If you’ve been reading my articles lately, you know that I just fin ished exploring each of the “six stages of change” as described in the book Changing for Good. The concept of New Year’s resolutions doesn’t fit well with what has been shown to provide excellent improve ment. Folks making resolu tions don’t typically examine the cost required to institute lasting change (a key part of the “contemplation” stage). Making resolutions doesn’t require extensive “prepara tion,” the stage that aids the likelihood of success in the “action” and “maintenance” stages. Most organizational lead ers don’t generate New Year’s resolutions, but they do often organize plans for causing institutional WALKER From page 4A I was not too interested in the book, but when I started reading it, I realized that it was an excellent read. It is a story about Clay’s early life and boxing career and Ali’s early boxing career, but it is also about Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, the Mafia, the Nation of Islam (Black Muslims), Malcolm X, etc. The author is the winner of a Pulitzer Prize, and he wrote like one. I enjoyed the book. Incidentally, I have met Ali on three occasions: twice in Atlanta (the old down town Marriott and in the Governor’s Office), and once in New York (coming out of a hotel). He was always polite and gracious. Captain Madam, by Col. George Walton. Finished September 5, 1999. My law partner, Chuck Byrd, rep resented the Walton family about 10 years ago, when Paramount Studios had some interest in making this book into a movie. He rec ommended that I read this book. It is an interesting, clever, and sometimes very funny book. Supposedly, it is based on true events that took place during World War 11, when the U.S. Army decid ed to take over and run two brothels in northern Africa to help cut down on the inci dences of venereal disease among the troops. The Army chose a very moral, straight, “country-boy” from North Carolina to run the program, and thus his dilemma and the humor in the book. In my opinion, this book still has potential to make a very funny movie. Pickett Leader Of The Charge by Edward G. Longacre. Finished April 26, 2000. Excellent book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about General George E. Pickett of the Confederate Army and, actually, have a new appreciation of him. He |HLPleasei> to Announce The Addition Of Ok. Latashia Webb (gentCe, 'PersonalizedPoot St AnQ.Ce Care , Prom Poctor YVfio Cares ‘About Y~ou! ©.ompleje, <£ai© f m mmrn^miSk&ssm 321 Margie Dr., Suite-A, Warner Robins sawnei flatpuaWM Front Door Parking & Easy Access For Your Convenience. Compassionate Toot St ‘AnkCe Care Tor Your Active Lijestyfe Join Us In Welcoming l)l*. Wt'bb & Her Family I’<> Middle GA Building Future Leaders f > Dennis Hooper Your Leadership Coach improvement. Before they initiate their plans, how ever, they usually take an inventory of what currently exists. Let’s look at what leaders typically measure. Results. I encourage leaders, whenever they start any activity, to clearly define their desired out comes. “Results” are the outcomes that are measured and tracked by the organiza tion. They may be associ ated with the satisfaction of customers, with the qual ity and quantity of products and services delivered, with generated revenue, with the is an interesting character and, to some extent, reminds me of what I know about General George Custer. This book was given to me by Cheri Williams and Beth Chadwick after they heard me make a speech on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives, where I talked about the famous, or infamous, Pickett’s Charge. Black Mass by Dick Lehr and Gerald O’Neill. Finished July 24, 2000. Very interest ing and somewhat startling and scary book! If half of what is written is true, it is hard to believe. This book is about organized crime in the Boston area and, in particu lar, how Whitey Bulger and Stephen Flemmi co-opted the F. 8.1. It is also about William (Billy) Bulger and his political power in Boston. Billy is a friend of mine and, thus I was more interested in the book. I bought this book in Palm Beach, Florida when Janice and I were at a Life of the South Board meeting. About an 8, but since I know Billy Bulger, I would give it a 9. Southern Yankees by Tim Darnell. Finished Dec. 3, 2000. Billy Bledsoe loaned me this book. It is about the Atlanta Crackers base ball team, “The Yankees of the Minor Leagues,” thus, “Southern Yankees”. To Oo yo lj or a /o v/e d on o b a \ro a prob Io m \/\sitb drugs or o/cob 0/ & rtood A?e/p ? Coll ... 1.800.556.5555 for a fro e consultation \Asitb a C o rtifio d dd i c tio n Court so lor. www.drugrehab. net "Most organizational leaders don't generate New Year's resolutions, but they do often organize plans for causing institutional Improvement. Before they initiate their plans, however, they usually take an Inventory ol what currently exists.” satisfaction and retention of employees,, with contri butions to the community, or with other measurable outcomes important to the organization. Systems. The results an organization generates devel op from reliable, repeatable processes that have been generated and refined over time. Action steps occur in a defined, specific sequence, often executed by different individuals. Each person receives information or an in-pro cess “something” from some extent, it is also about the history of Atlanta and the old Southern Association. I very much enjoyed this book. I finished reading it on my return trip from Newport, Rhode Island, where I, along with Foster Rhodes, had attended a State Legislative Leaders Foundation meet ing. I will return Billy’s book to him. An All Day Hanging And Dinner On The Ground by Roy F. Chalker, Sr. Finished Dec. 23, 2000. My friend and former legislative colleague, Denmark Groover, Jr., loaned me this book. I enjoyed it very much! It is 101 narra tives of “times past” of Mr. Chalker’s philosophy - I can relate to the stories, and I agreed with most of his phi losophy. The book is mostly about rural and small-town Georgia. I wish I had a copy of the book for my library. General James Longstreet - The Confederacy’s Most Controversial Soldier by Jeffry D. Wert. Finished April 24, 2001. Matt Echols loaned me this book as we departed for Paris and Germany (I “marked it” and bought him another one). Excellent book! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned a great deal about General Longstreet (I knew almost nothing) and came to appreciate him, especially HAMMEffIQE conw somebody, then delivers an enhanced product or service to someone else. Each serves as a customer of somebody’s efforts, and each serves as a supplier to someone else. Relationships. Paying customers are typically out side the organization. We think of suppliers as also being outside the organiza tion, delivering information or parts or raw materials. But some suppliers and cus tomers, as identified in the paragraph above, are inter nal. We usually call these individuals “employees” or his sterling contribution to the Confederate cause. I was also intrigued by the politicking and “in-fighting” among the Confederate gen erals and between the mil itary and the Confederate government. Matt Echols had told me that we should hang a portrait of General Longstreet in the Capitol rather than one of General Lee (because of Longstreet’s Georgia connections). Perhaps Matt is right. Again, a very good book. I marvel at how an author can get this much information on a subject - lots of hard work! Long book - 427 pages. Some Things I Wish We Wouldn’t Forget by Jim Minter. Finished Sept. 30, 2001. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was written by my friend, Jim Minter, for mer editor of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. As I wrote to him, it reminded M ■ ' ' kit w%« f '" I 1 ' I JB|L d apWfe^jßßr£jp?~ ■- '*■ ' •ffe. ..... JRj Hgi.l 4Mprw<Sizaa| •■W SHbBWK BUNION A happy and healthy New Year from our % % family to yours. 127 Russell Parkway, Warner Robins, 478-929-5400 3001 Watson Boulevard, Warner Robins, 478-971-1050 BANKING INSURANCE INVESTMENTS BB&T, Member FDIC. Only deposit products are FDIC insured ©2OOB BB&T BBT com “team members.” Healthy relationships, whether outside or inside the organization, are key for the ongoing success of any organization. Leadership. The organi zation’s leaders are expected to know the current health of the organization and to provide guidance for how the existing systems should be directed for the future ben efit of internal and external customers. Since progress will only occur if the members of the team work well together, another role of leaders is to gain alignment to upcoming plans. Leaders are to model appropriate behavior and provide the necessary tools for team members to exe cute their systems. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy for leaders to discern the health of their organizations. Leaders who work closely with the other members of their teams have an especially difficult time evaluating organizational health - they are just too close to the daily activities to be accurate judges. me of Lewis Grizzard’s writ ings. This is Georgia as it was and as it is and, to some extent, rural Georgia as it was. I could relate to almost everything in Jim’s book, including many of the people - Herman Talmadge, Gene Sutherland, Zell Miller, Loran Smith, Griffin Bell, etc., all of whom I know. Jim is a native Georgian, and he has Georgia in his bones - it shows in his writings. I commend this book to all TOES & MORE | Tubs • Tab Liners • Tile • Countertops Licensed 8c Insured Grfsfl D°n't Replace lt...Resurface 1t... j , Call Us At: Granite 478.224,TU8S WmF.inishes (8827) Warner Robins, GA mmmeSXND'MORE-NET • TUBSANDMORE@COX.NET HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL Sometimes a skilled out sider can help. The leader instructs his or her team members to provide their perspectives on all of the above, with the intention of identifying current strengths and limitations. A day of interviews to conduct an overt organi zational assessment helps determine opportunities for improvement over the com ing months. Though I’ve given only a simple overview, I encourage you to take time to conduct an inventory of your orga nizational current state (or personal situation, if that’s your focus). Then, define the improved outcome you want to create, measure the cost of change in terms of time, money, and energy, and generate com mitment among your team members for making it hap pen! Dennis Hooper helps leaders develop the capa bilities of future leaders. Contact Dennis Hooper at dhooper2@juno.com or 478- 988-0237. You may see his work at www.buildingfu tureleaders.com. native Georgians of my age and older. Excellent! Funny! Inciteful! So, there you have it - 27 books written about in this and my last column. Read 'em all. You’ll be glad you did. Happy reading! Larry. Char-Broiled | Sizzling Steaks 9 4*75 Exit 138 • 987-8877 BB&T 1 71948 LMW' 7>872