Clinical Chemistry
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Clinical Chemistry 45: 318, 1999;
This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Evans, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Evans, S.
Related Collections
Right arrow Drug Monitoring and Toxicology
(Clinical Chemistry. 1999;45:318.)
© 1999 American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Inc.

Book & Software Reviews

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Self-Management and Leadership Strategies for Success. Christopher S. Frings, PhD, CSP. Washington, DC: AACC Press, 1998, 103pp., $19.00. ISBN 1-890883-00-X.

Susan Evans

Dade Behring, Inc., 1717 Deerfield Road, Deerfield, IL 60015-0778

How do you start on the road to success? Christopher Frings' book Hitchhiker's Guide to Self-Management and Leadership Strategies for Success provides readers with a seven-step plan of attack that will help them in both their personal and professional life. The author reminds the reader that the 10 most powerful two-letter words are, "If it is to be, it is up to me".

This book provides a practical road map and the motivation for readers to change their habits and set a path toward their goals. Dr. Frings provides a seven-step process for changing one's habits: (1) put balance in your life with written goals; (2) create a plan for reaching your goals—and stick to it; (3) expect the unexpected and become a master of change; (4) learn from past mistakes and successes; (5) work smarter by using time management techniques; (6) control stress; and (7) get better at what you do every day.

Before taking the reader down the seven step road to success, the book opens with a short refresher course on leadership and the importance of setting clear direction. Dr. Frings reminds us that we manage things, but we lead people. The characteristics of effective leaders are described, and a number of questions are asked that help readers assess their effectiveness as leaders. The author helps readers identify key areas of focus as they strive for personal success.

The reader's path begins with a discussion of the benefits of having and achieving goals; the author provides some practical examples of effective goals. Before beginning the process, we are reminded that it is important to write down what we want and why we want these things. In fact, this is a theme throughout the book: the importance of written goals. Rules for developing effective goals are outlined, and a brief description of the obstacles that can get in the way is provided.

Reaching your goals is described as a nine-step process, and these steps are incorporated into the author's advice and guidance on how to develop a goal plan. A template for a goal plan is included along with some real-world examples. In the rapidly changing world in which we live, it is critical that we expect the unexpected and become masters of change. Dr. Frings helps reader understand reactions to change and provides some ideas and examples of how to overcome resistance to change. Helpful suggestions are provided on how to become a change agent.

Learning from past mistakes and successes is not always easy. The author provides a ranking of achievement factors and invites the reader to do a self-assessment. Recommended reading is also provided. Good time management is always included in any discussion of success, and because this is also a favorite topic of the author, the reader will find an excellent chapter on working smarter, with many practical examples and suggestions for how to get organized and stop wasting time.

The last two steps to success are controlling stress and getting better at what you do every day. As the author says, "stress is a necessary part of life, however. The secret to success is to control the bad stress in your life". Twenty-five helpful tips on how to reduce stress are given. In the seventh step, the reader is challenged to spend 1 h a day learning something new. If you follow this instruction, in 6 months you will have invested 180 h of study in something you knew nothing about a short time ago. This chapter also focuses on three areas for improvement: better presentations, building teams and motivating personnel, and maintaining a positive attitude.

In summary, Dr. Frings' book outlines a clear path toward improved self-management and leadership. Readers will find many practical examples and questions that will help them assess their current performance and develop a goal plan to improve. The book is concise and well-structured. A sizable list of recommended readings on each topic is included.





This Article
Right arrow Extract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Evans, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Evans, S.
Related Collections
Right arrow Drug Monitoring and Toxicology

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS