Daniel M. Jacobs - The Art of the Possible: Create an Organization with No Limitations

The Art of the Possible:

Create an Organization with No Limitations

Daniel M. Jacobs, CPCM, CMC

Copyright 2009 by Daniel M. Jacobs. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

Published by Federal Market Publishing, a company of The Federal Market Group

Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com

http://www.eBookIt.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0546-9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010921052

TOPIC :

An integrated leadership and management guide to success. Specific steps that can be taken to improve performance in any organization. Focus is on the positive and the possible using seven practical and proven best practices. Combines best practices in leadership techniques and management processes.

STYLE/APPROACH:

Seven Best Practices, a chapter for each, detailed with real-world examples and success stories. Each chapter contains guidelines and checklists, with a self-assessment tool for each best practice. The objective is to move the reader to action.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Todays developing young leader. Mid-level to Sr. Management personnel in large and small businesses, professional and civic organizations, government agencies, non-profits, and entrepreneurs men and women who aspire to leadership positions.

ADVANCE PRAISE:

Dan Jacobs profound understanding of leadership and management - how the two differ and how each can best be applied in conjunction with the other - has produced literally billions of dollars in success for his clients. The Art of the Possible charts that path to success for all who are willing to work hard enough to follow it. -- Jed Babbin, former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense and Editor, Human Events.

This is not just another business book. This is a must read for anyone interested in building and improving an organization or managing a project to success. Dan Jacobs understands people and what motivates them to succeed. He also understands better than anyone I know how to bring people and processes together. -- Michael Dallas, Chief Operating Officer, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

What I like most about The Art of the Possible: Create an Organization with No Limitations is that it is so very practical. Seven steps to help you be more successfulnot buzzwords or flavors-of-the-month but seven proven best practices, each fully explained with examples, guidelines, and checklists and personal action plan scorecards. Its easy to read, clearly written, well illustrated, and concise. And, its the kind of book that you return to again and again, the kind of book that you really use to solve real problems and achieve real and lasting success. With The Art of the Possible, Dan has put into words what he has taught to thousandswith amazing results. -- Randal Wotring, President, URS Federal Services

Dan Jacobs The Art of the Possible: Create an Organization with No Limitations does more than just combine proven best practices in leadership techniques and management processes. He quickly charts a relentless course for success using a step-by-step, straight-forward, no-nonsense approach for the creation of an organization with no limits. He offers clear, powerful guidelines, checklists and self-assessment tools to help any leader succeed - especially in high stakes environments where just being good is not good enough! -- Frank J. Anderson, Jr., President, Defense Acquisition University

Dans book provides a cogent set of building blocks for becoming an effective leader. If you master his Art of the Possible, your desired outcome for any action or activity you pursue will not only be possible, but probable. -- Brent Armstrong, EVP, Performance Results Corporation

The Art of the Possible: Create an Organization with No Limitations provides the reader a proven primer for success. This isnt your ordinary business tome; it is a profound statement of what is necessary to build and sustain a world class organization. Read it, follow it it works -- Edward V. Garlich, Jr., Founder/Managing Director, Washington Research Group

Dan Jacobs book is a treasure trove of insights, concepts and ideas that every aspiring manager should come to understand, appreciate and practice. The book is laced with lessons and experiences articulated by a remarkable array of corporate, government, sport leaders and even philosophers. The only possible weakness of this terrific text is that the reader cannot enjoy seeing and hearing Dans persuasive, personable and powerful presentation of the fundamental and essential insights and suggestions presented in this book. It is a must read. -- Timothy J. Waters, Esq., Partner, McDermott Will & Emery

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Daniel M. Jacobs, CPCM, CMC

Recognized as one of the nations leading authorities on public contracting, Daniel M. Jacobs is Chairman/CEO of The Federal Market Group (FMG ) that includes Government Business Solutions (GBS) , Federal Market Publishing (FMP), and The Federal Market Institute (FMI) , Washing- ton, D. C. based organizations providing professional training, research, publishing and consulting services to government and industry in public contracts management. FMG also includes The EuroMarket Group based in Brussels, Belgium and FMG Middle East in Tel Aviv.

He is a Fellow, past National President (1987-88), recipient of The Charles A. Dana Distinguished Service Award, the Honorary Life Member Award and a member of the Executive Advisory Council of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). He is Chairman Emeritus, Board of Trustees, of the non-profit foundation, Contract Management Institute (CMI), Director, the Procurement Round Table (PRT) and former Chairman, Excel Institute. He is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), a member of the Professional Services Council (PSC) and he is a Life Member of The American Legion. Through examination, he earned the designation of Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) and Certified Management Consultant (CMC) . He served three years active duty with the U. S. Army and attained the rank of Captain.

He is principal author of Building a Contract: Solicitations/ Bids and Proposals - A Team Effort? , NCMA, 1990. He is the author of, Federal Government Contracting: The System/The Process , FMP, 1989, The Integrated Project/Team (IPT) , FMP, 2000, and The Desktop Reference Guide for Contract Management , FMP, 2001.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book has been a long-time coming. The title was given to me by a good friend, John Fairfield. John is a highly decorated retired three-star Air Force General and a leader of legendary proportions. After retirement, he worked as a Vice President for DynCorp leading strategic planning.

We were working together on a project he conceived to address the challenge the Department of Defense (DOD) is facing regarding the soaring costs of maintaining the infrastructure of the aging military bases. His charge to me was to think through how we could make it possible. As a team, we co-authored the DOD City-Base concept where the federal government privatizes the base and the local community buys it, improves the infrastructure and leases it back to DOD it works. He paid me a wonderful complement by saying that I practice the Art of the Possible . Thank you John.