Praise for The Joy of Strategy and Allison Rimm
“Sixteen years of experience improving Massachusetts General Hospital convinced strategic planning and management coach Rimm that achieving personal happiness is not as difficult as it appears. We can give ourselves a kick-start on the path to personal and career satisfaction by designing a business plan for our lives—a process that includes setting core values, identifying goals, and coming up with a strategy for achieving those goals. In her first book, Rimm helps the reader break free from inertia by choosing a mission that encompasses his or her interests and talents, envisioning what success is going to look like, getting past roadblocks, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, and making the most of our most precious commodity: time. Suggestions are supported with accessible and inspiring exercises to help readers figure out what’s truly important. While the subject matter is not new, the book makes change seem truly achievable. Readers who feel stuck in their lives will find Rimm’s optimism infectious: ‘Life is a wild, wondrous adventure and you never know what awaits you around the next bend . . . Stick to your plans as long as they continue to guide you toward the results you desire. . . . Have a great trip and keep in touch.’”
—Publishers Weekly
“This is a fantastic guide to living: well-conceived, beautifully written, filled with wonderful, real-life examples and inspiring messages. Rimm infuses the book with the credo for her own life—to laugh loudly, love deeply, and nourish all with food for thought. The Joy of Strategy is truly balm for the soul.”
—Suzanne Bates, CEO of Bates Communications, Inc., best-selling author of Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results
“One of academia’s greatest challenges is mastering the essential art of mentoring. The Joy of Strategy not only provides the insight and tools to nurture the extraordinary talents of our young professionals; it demonstrates for mentors how best to mentor. This book should be required reading for organizations that want to reach their full potential.”
—Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, president and CEO, Partners HealthCare
“I’ve had the privilege of seeing Allison Rimm in action. She conveys the why for personal strategy development and then the how in a very understandable and effective manner. This book is a must-read for anyone who would like to help improve their individual effectiveness in both work and personal aspects of their life.”
—James I. Cash, James E. Robison Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, Harvard Business School
“This is a wonderful and practical book based on the simple premise that work is only part of our life and that work and life should—make that must—be joyful. You’ll find the book loaded with strategies on how to achieve this joy.”
—Lawrence Fish, chairman of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Corporation
“Having a background in strategic planning, I approached the book with much skepticism, but I became engaged within the first few pages and ultimately became convinced of the importance of having a personal strategic plan. The author’s stories and subtle humor bring to life her approach to strategy and make the book a joy to read. Her ideas are enlightening and well-grounded in practice. Her promise of being able ‘to focus on what matters most and to spend your time and talent where it can make a meaningful difference’ is a compelling reason to undertake a personal strategy development process. In fact, I began to put into practice some of the ideas as soon as I put the book down.”
—Raymond V. Gilmartin, former chairman, president, and CEO of Merck and adjunct professor at Harvard Business School
“Blending a delicious mixture of classic strategic planning techniques, time management tools, and unique life planning exercises, Allison Rimm’s The Joy of Strategy offers a fresh and compelling method to help people facing a life transition, looking to achieve an ambitious goal, or just stuck in their careers. The special added ingredient comes from an emphasis on seizing joy and happiness along the way. Allison brings her ideas to life with compelling vignettes from her extensive practice, making The Joy of Strategy a very authentic and practical guide for a diverse audience. This book will change people’s lives!”
—Celia R. Brown, EVP, group human resources director, Willis Group, LTD
“Inspirational leaders know that their primary role is to create and sustain a healthy work environment. This timely book shows readers how to employ the business tools and life lessons Rimm provides to be the leaders of their own balanced and fulfilling lives. She has generously shared her experience, knowledge, and skill, including rich examples of the results people have achieved by putting her techniques into practice. Her work exemplifies leadership at its best. This helpful book provides a wealth of strategies that will help everyone from emerging leaders to seasoned veterans be more effective managing themselves and others.”
—Jeanette Ives Erickson, DNP, RN, FAAN, SVP for Patient Care and Chief Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-author of Fostering Nurse-Led Care: Professional Practice for the Bedside Leader