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Author Timothy L. Johnson has encapsulated two decades of project management and related expertise within his recent books, Race Through the Forest: A Project Management Fable; Gust: The "Tale" Wind of Office Politics, and NEW SWAT - Seize the Accomplishment. For quantity discounts for your organization, please contact Carpe Factum directly.

SWAT - Seize the Accomplishment

What if the best "Special Weapons And Tactics" existed only if you had "Systems Working All Together"?  SWAT is the story of accomplishment; namely, how do accomplishments get designed and planned?  Using the principles of systems thinking, Timothy Johnson merges his experiences as a business consultant and a tactical law enforcement photographer to produce his most compelling story yet.

When it comes to accomplishment, Toby Donovan is stumped.  He's been charged with leading a difficult team tasked with overhauling the company's call center, and his boss is breathing down his neck.  But Toby has a secret weapon:  his cousin and best friend, Rex, who is a SWAT Commander.  Using the simple concepts of systems thinking, Rex shows Toby how to seize the accomplishment, whether it's a bad guy holed up in a stronghold or a business process which is slowing down the entire organization.

You will learn how systems thinking applies to business processes, meeting management, and overall relationships.  More importantly, you will be able to apply the concepts within your own life and business yourself.

What Readers Say:

"SWAT is a compelling book on a subject that could be dry and brittle. Tim presents his topic by telling a story that everyone in business can relate to. It s easy to read, and also realistic, humorous, and a great learning experience. I have worked with systems for over 30 years and I even learned some new things. If you want to get a better handle on business systems and processes, you won t go wrong with this book!" --Richard Larson, PMP, CBAP, President, Watermark Learning

"SWAT takes an important topic, systems thinking, that has been avoided by many and makes it relevant and useful. This important knowledge is wrapped in a great story which is fun to read and provides an incredible opportunity to learn about the exciting world of SWAT teams. It is a combination that leaders and learners won t be able to put down." --Kevin Eikenberry - Author, Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time

Contact Timothy for more information on Carpe Factum services, or to schedule Timothy for your event or project needs.

GUST: The "Tale" Wind of Office Politics

GUST is an acronym to describe a process of approaching office politics:

• Game - figure out what is being manipulated and the source of friction
• Understand - determine what is behind the players, the behaviors, and the motivations
• Strategize - establish an approach that will get you as close to win-win as possible
• Take Action - get your ducks in a row as you implement your political strategy

Too often, when we realize that office politics are being played on us, we simply lash out in a reactive approach.  Through dialogue among the characters as well as exercises and thought-provoking questions at the end of the book, you'll be able to diagnose your situation with a little more certainty and confidence and craft an approach that makes sense for the situation, the players involved, and the outcome you desire.

What Readers Say:

"You can't avoid company politics any more than you can dodge air molecules, so you may as well learn how to thrive in the midst of it. This wonderful book will show you how." – Steve Farber, Author of The Radical Leap and The Radical Edge

"I would highly recommend GUST for readers who want to learn how to deal with office politics and how to play the game better." – Franke James, MFA, Inventor, The Office-Politics® Game; Editor & Founder, Office-Politics.com

Race Through the Forest - A Project Management Fable

• Are your projects completed on time, within budget and with promised features?
• Are your projects well-defined, with clear requirements?
• Are the right people assigned to your project management teams?
• And does your company support the successful planning and completion of projects?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” Timothy challenges you to read this book. Novice and experienced managers as well as executive sponsors will benefit from its often humorous, but always applicable insights.

This is the second edition of this book, and Timothy has added numerous templates and tools in the appendices.  All of the tips listed throughout the book are found in the helpful resources at the back. 

Timothy describes Race Through the Forest as a management fable, but adds, “it’s really the story within a story, my own personal Midsummer Night’s Dream of business writing, of project management, of carpe factum.”

The tale begins when two siblings - owners of Forest Industries - place a bet. Frustrated by incompatible project management philosophies, each agrees to initiate one of the company’s two largest strategic projects.

Project teams are formed and we follow their true-to-life ups and downs in a journey through every phase in the life of a project.

What Readers Say:

“Race Through the Forest filters out the superfluous project management fodder and presents the ‘truly needed’ aspects of an invaluable business discipline. It’s required reading for our entire leadership team.” – Rod Leaverton, CIO C&L Companies

“This book goes beyond the ‘how’ of project management directly to our silly thinking about getting things done, names the attitudes that get in the way, and supplies the practical tools we all need to achieve what matters most to us.” – Mike Wagner, President White Rabbit Group