"HeroZ!: Empower Yourself, Your Coworkers, Your Company", William C. Byham, Ph.D. and Jeff Cox, published by Harmony Books (201 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022) 1994, 201 pp, $18 (list) A Book Review by Norman C. Frank, PE, CQE, CQA CER Corporation, Washington, DC "HeroZ!" is the story of Art, Mac, and Wendy, who work in medieval Lamron Castle making magic arrows for the knights to use in defending the citizens >from fire-breathing dragons. Through the imaginative story the book shows the application of a set of principles, given in the form of "spells", that can be applied in many situations to ensure people communicate in a positive way to reach their goals. This book is easily read and easy to understand. The story format makes learning the principles of continuous improvement, empowerment, and teamwork fun. The errors Art, Mac, and Wendy make as they learn to use the principles show that it is OK to make errors as you work to learn. Step by step the authors walk you through the application of continuous improvement principles, from the setting of goals to the involvement of everyone in decisions. It shows that even if you don't have management's full acceptance, you can begin the process by setting goals for your own improvement. The strengths of the book are its imaginative approach to teaching the skills and approaches needed for empowerment, and its readability. Although somewhat simplistic, this same simplicity allows the principles to be taught without the complexity or confusion of other interactions. The book is a refreshing change from the dry presentations of many books. The authors make the process of empowerment understandable for everyone. It would be useful as a handout to everyone in the company as a supplemental text before, during, or after beginning a continuous improvement program. It is for everyone who wants to do better in their job and in their personal lives. --------------------- Mr. Frank has over 25 years experience in the field of quality, in the areas of nuclear quality assurance, research and development, and consulting. He is currently in Washington, D.C., with CER Corporation out of Las Vegas, Nevada.