Merry Christmas HR Team!! Here's an Enthralling Book To Say "Thanks"...

I was going to let this list go.  But, try as I might, I can't help but be a cynic regarding the the top-selling books of the year at the SHRM store.

I didn't get the email with the list, but John Hollon blogged about it a few days ago over at The Business of Management.  Here's what John offered up earlier this week:

"Here are the Great 8 books of 2007, which I offer without comment, but would love to hear any thoughts you might have on the underlying message (if any) of this list:

• U.S. Master Human Resources Guide (Ninth Edition), by Donald W. Myers, D.B.A.
• Human Resource Management (12th Edition; textbook), By John H. Jackson and Robert L. Mathis, SPHR.
• Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent from Within (Third Edition), by William J. Rothwell.
• Auditing Your Human Resources Department: A Step-By-Step Guide, by John H. McConnell.
• From Sex to Religion (Employee DVD version), G. Neil (publisher).
• 101 Sample Write-Ups for Documenting Employee Performance Problems: A Guide to Progressive Discipline & Termination, by Paul Falcone.
• Performance Appraisal Sourcebook: A Collection of Practical Samples, by Mike Deblieux.
• The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent and Accelerate Performance, by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton."

The name of my site is the HR Capitalist, so I suppose I should appreciate the fact that these books generated the most sales at the SHRM Bookstore.  But they do seem a little on the mundane side.

Strategic they're not (with the possible exception of the Carrot Principle Book).  If someone gave me one of these books for Christmas, I'd reciprocate in kind in 2008 based on what they did for a living.  Maybe a small calculator or a used version of Quicken for the accountant in my life, or an AM Radio for the IT Pro on my "friends list".

As for my team?  They can expect that catchy "Auditing Your HR Department" title.  I hear you can't put it down and it even has a surprise ending....

Comments

[Paul Hebert]

Like so many areas of business the quick fix gets the most play. Why a HR professional would need a text book is beyond me but hey - what do I know - I only have 62 sample write ups for discipline and performance appraisals. Maybe I should get those other 39 to make my job that much easier.

Even the Carrot Principle is flawed - written by employees of O.C. Tanner - the recognition people - and the research is subject to the "Halo Effect." It can be boiled down to:

Recognize employees for specific performance often - and include tangible things (which, by the way, you can get from O.C. Tanner.)

[Scott S]

Geez, I was sure that Harry Potter book would be on their list...I guess it must have been released in 2006...

I guess I can understand a few stodgy titles,but that list read like somehting from the island of lost books..

[friday403]

Dont bother with McConnell - you would be showing your age. Kelli Vito has just written a new book called 'Auditing Human Resources'(2007). More modern, more relevant but alas still doesn't nail the full concept.

Merry Christmas from Australia.