The Complete Idiots Guide To . . .

Does the world really need another book about socially responsible business practices? Although bookstore shelves are filled with works detailing the various means by which commerce merges with conscience, that shouldn't keep you from delving into The New Bottom Line: Bringing Heart & Soul to Business (New Leaders Press, $33.95 cloth).

Again, the territory is familiar. But editors John Renesch and Bill DeFoore are smart enough to mine insights from some of the most well-known authorities on the subject--Ken Blanchard, Tom Peters and The Body Shop founder Anita Roddick, to name just a few. The thoughts and writings that Renesch and DeFoore compile from these and other authorities challenge readers to go beyond conventional business thinking.

Say, for instance, you view the workplace strictly in terms of who gets what and what gets done. Entrepreneurs with this type of attitude should beware, according to interpersonal communications expert Laura Hauser. "Companies who implicitly or explicitly demand that their employees check their spirits at the door . . . cannot tap into the full potential of their employees nor the full potential of their business," Hauser warns. "They will simply see higher activity and lower productivity, decreased morale, and disappointing business results."

Don't flirt with disappointment--and don't skip The New Bottom Line. Even familiar territory can yield worthwhile information.

This article was originally published in the October 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: The Complete Idiots Guide To . . ..