Financial Executive Magazine Book Review
Maximum Return: The Ultimate On-Time, On-Budget, Results-Driven Project Planning Guide. [Living Spirit Press], 249 pages. Review by Jeffrey Marshall, Editor-in-Chief, Financial Executive.

The hyperbole in the title aside, Maximum Return does have a good deal going for it. It’s relatively quick reading, thanks to what the publicists call an "easy-to-read, lighter style" that features a lot of illustrations, boxes and diagrams. Chapters are short – some only a few pages – and offer sample worksheets that managers could use to build the case for their projects.
Author Patrick J. Gregory covers a lot of territory, looking at topics like: getting the most out of your invested capital; realizing projected productivity gains; reducing stress and frustration for project leaders and senior management; improving employee communication and goodwill; and, perhaps most importantly, "avoiding the poor projects that will drain your time and corporate resources." The informal, user-friendly language constantly refers to the reader as "you."

It’s worth noting that the author is a consultant and president of the Stonehaven Group, publisher of this soft-cover book, and that the final pages are devoted to order forms for this book and other Stonehaven products. Commercialism aside, this is a well-organized and thought-out guide to help managers evaluate projects, get them approved and guide them towards success.

Readers' Comments

"I have read Maximum Return, and it is excellent. I am in sales, and I am using the book to help me develop business cases for customers. The book is easy to understand and follow. Congratulations on winning the 2002 Benjamin Franklin Award for best business book. I can see why you won!" T. Nantz, AVP Sales, Integral Access

"This book empowers project managers to think like owners by showing them how to evaluate the business and financial risk of every project." T. Partlow, President, Delta Health Systems

"Maximum Return is a must read for anyone who prepares or reviews project business cases. Be sure your project teams read it before they spend your money." W. B. Marshuetz, Chief Financial Officer, Applied Quality Communications, Inc.

"More than just a set of guidelines, this book delivers a highly practical and rigorous capital project planning framework. This is a must-have tool for anyone seeking to maximize the returns on their capital investments." S. C. Roche, Manager & Strategy Consultant, Bain & Company

"Patrick Gregory's down-to-earth style speaks to the realities of managing the capital approval process in the business world. His advice is sound, extremely thorough and accessible to anyone in the organization." C. P. Johns, Vice President & Controller, PG&E Corporation

"It's natural for project managers and sponsors to overstate a project's financial merit. Maximum Return is the reality check all companies need to ensure that objectives, assumptions, and commitments are both realistic and obtainable." W. H. Schaefer, P.E., Manager of Business Development, GTE Telecommunication Services, Inc.

"This book is exactly what project managers need in order to develop more credible financial projections." N. D. Bruce, US Controller & Principal, Barclays Global Investors
 

Click here to read about the award.