Screw Business As Usual

By: Richard Branson

Published: December 8, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
ISBN-10: 1591844347
ISBN-13: 978-1591844341
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin

Richard Branson understands deeply that despite his successes, and those of his many well known companies, their employees, and their customers, so much more good can be done in the world beyond the current levels. Richard Branson points out readily that while business has provided an outstanding engine of growth in the world, his own companies and others have not stopped the global downward spiral into economic decay. Indeed, the author recognizes that traditional and narrowly focused business practices have accelerated that economic downward spiral. For Richard Branson, the exclusive concentration on profit has caused serious and damaging unintended consequences for people, countries as a whole, economies on all scales, and for the environment.

Richard Branson advocates a fresh business approach of behaving differently, changing the focus, solving real problems, and turning work and business into a mission for good. While capitalism has brought many benefits to society, Richard Branson states that there have been many costs that haven’t appeared on balance sheets as well. The damage to the environment and to lives were considered irrelevant when compared to the balance sheet only focus of the past.

Richard Branson offers evidence that narrow viewpoint is changing into a new form of capitalism that works toward to good of everyone in the world. The author suggests fresh thinking on how all aspects of business are conducted in all countries, how to solve major challenge sin new and creative ways, and how to create work that is part of a larger positive mission beyond only profit. For Richard Branson, the evidence that a new form of capitalism will supplant the previous form is that simply doing good is also good business. Benefiting others works for the company as well.

For me, the power of the book is how Richard Branson combines his vision for a new and positive form of capitalism with a blueprint for making that transformation a reality. Through examples from his own business experience and travels, and from the examples of others, Richard Branson provides examples of the success of his fresh new approach to a more humane and sustainable capitalism.

The author demonstrates clearly that caring about employees, customers, the environment, and the entire planet is not only the right thing to do,but that it’s also good business. Richard Branson proves that ethical and sustainable business, are not only about doing good, but that they are even more profitable than the older, and now failing business paradigm.

I highly recommend the brilliant and landmark book Screw Business As Usual by Richard Branson, to any leaders and decision makers who are seeking an alternative to the failed model capitalism, and are seeking a renewal of ethical capitalism that works for everyone. This book will form the basis for creating a better future for the entire planet and all of its residents.
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The Yes Factor

Get What You Want. Say What You Mean.

By: Tonya Reiman

Published: June 28, 2011
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0452297214
ISBN-13: 978-0452297210
Publisher: Plume

Tonya Reiman demonstrates how sending mixed messages, where the speaker’s movements and body language don’t match their words, will result in mistrust, loss of credibility, and a failure to receive a yes answer. The author understands that effective communication is more than simply the spoken words, but also depends upon the entire impression created by the speaker. A mismatch of words and body language will be picked up by the listener, resulting in a loss of that important affirmative response. Tonya Reiman provides a complete overview of the concept of non-verbal communication, including how to improve your own body messages, and how to read the unspoken messages sent by others.

Tonya Reiman recognizes that effective communication is a whole body experience. As a result, the author offers advice on dressing appropriately, speaking clearly and effectively, and ensuring that the body movements match the overall message. For the author, this total communication approach is not manipulative, but rather is one that builds rapport between people, and sets them at ease. Instead of antagonism, the approach leads to bonding. People are much more collaborative with people who they like and trust.

Sending the right complete message, and creating that crucial positive first impression, builds that comfort and trust factor with others. The author divides her complete message approach to persuasive communication as follows:

* Understand the Alpha You
* Recognizing the real power of words
* Knowing the non-verbal advantage
* Putting the entire communication together

For me, the power of the book is how Tonya Reiman combines the theory of persuasive communication with practical, hands on lessons for understanding how words are not the only factor in conveying a message. The author points out the critical concept that people are selling themselves at all times, including those moments when they least suspect it. As a result, Tonya Reiman provides a clear description of how and why people often send unintentional conflicting messages, resulting in a negative or indifferent response. To demonstrate the key aspects of non-verbal communications, the author provides numerous photographs that illustrate the concepts in action. As an added, and very valuable feature, Tonya Reiman also includes her twenty-one day plan for mastering the principles of persuasive communication.

I highly recommend the very straight talking and engaging book The Yes Factor: Get What You Want. Say What You Mean. by Tonya Reiman, to anyone seeking to improve their overall communications skills. This useful book will help to present the Alpha You in all circumstances, resulting in many more yeses, and a vastly improved business, professional, and personal life.

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Make Talent Your Business

How Exceptional Managers Develop People While Getting Results

By: Wendy Axelrod, Jeannie Coyle

Published: June 6, 2011
Format: Paperback, 210 pages
ISBN-10: 1605099317
ISBN-13: 978-1605099316
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Wendy Axelrod and Jeannie Coyle understand the value of employees to the overall growth and productivity of a company. While most executives and managers will say that their employees are the key to their organizational success, those same managers will point out that they lack the time, skills, or resources to ensure continual staff development.

The authors point out that while many managers are unable to provide their desired level of employee development, other managers are succeeding in that personal building and learning area very well. Wendy Axelrod and Jeannie Coyle highlight the common traits and techniques, these successful development managers have in common, and demonstrate how these same practices can be utilized in any organization to enhance peak performance.

Jeannie Coyle and Wendy Axelrod recognize that managers want to develop their employee skill levels, and that staff people want to learn new skills to better perform their jobs as well. The authors emphasize that huge amounts of time and money are spent in development programs that are ineffective and fail to achieve the desired results. For the authors, those programs fail because they are treated as separate, compartmentalized events from the daily work assignments.

Instead of isolating development from actual tasks and assignments, the authors propose an integrated approach to staff development that combines work duties with additional training and coaching that stretches the employee’s abilities and adds fresh skills to their knowledge base.

To create this unified approach to staff development, Wendy Axelrod and Jeannie Coyle share the five practices shared by managers who excel at staff development. The five practices are:

* Make every day a development day
* Tap the psychological side of development
* Connect people with development partners
* Teach skills to navigate organizational politics
* Shape your environment to drive development

For me, the power of the book is how Jeannie Coyle and Wendy Axelrod combine the importance of staff development with a holistic and effective process fro enhancing the skill levels of employees. The authors describe how the recommended practices have worked effectively for managers in a wide range of companies and industries. With the positive, real world data and experiences of effective development managers as support, the authors provide those proven practices for other managers. Not only do managers find their own jobs more effective, but the employees discover and learn new skills while working on their own assignments. The company benefits as well, through better performance, a more engaged workforce, and higher productivity.

I highly recommend the research based and pragmatic idea filled book Make Talent Your Business: How Exceptional Managers Develop People While Getting Results by Wendy Axelrod and Jeannie Coyle, to any business leaders, executives, managers, and business owners who seek a useful and hands on guide to developing their employees, and increasing their overall skill levels. This book will help companies engage both managers and employees as they develop their skill levels and boost the overall productivity of the company.
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Drinking from the Fire Hose

Making Smarter Decisions Without Drowning in Information

By: Christopher J. Frank, Paul F. Magnone

Published: September 1, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1591844266
ISBN-13: 978-1591844266
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin

Christopher Frank and Paul Magnone recognize the problems and challenges, presented to business leaders, by the huge amount of data generated in today’s companies. as a result, the authors suggest that decision makers pose probing questions about the nature and value of that heavy data stream. Every piece of data tells a story, and the numbers only provide part of that narrative.

The authors advise leaders to look deeper into the numbers, and into the overall data, through questions that seek well researched answers. For the authors, data that offers real solutions to problems facing the organization will very often be overlooked due to the bias of supporting the existing strategic plan. Instead, the authors share the idea of asking where the surprises in the data were found, and to dig more deeply into the those surprising bits of information. The result may be a business transformational concept simply awaiting discovery.

Paul Magnone (photo left) and Christopher Frank understand the difficulty of sorting the useful and game changing information from the deluge of misleading or status quo supporting data. Their solution is to ask challenging questions. The the use of smarter questions, the difference making data, and especially the unexpected surprise data, will present itself to decision makers. Instead of offering prescriptive answers, the authors propose the asking of challenging and information seeking questions.

The authors offer seven specific questions to ask of the data:

* What is the essential business question?
* Where is your customer’s North Star?
* Should you believe the squiggly line?
* What surprised you?
* What does the Lighthouse reveal?
* Who are your swing voters?
* The three W’s: What? So What? Now what?

For me, the power of the book is how Christopher Frank and Paul Magnone turn traditional data concepts upside down. The authors start by dividing the data stream into data that measures, and data that informs. The ability to understand the differences between these two types of data is critical for developing breakthrough strategies. Unlike most business books, the authors decline the opportunity to offer advice and to provide answers to problems. Instead, they take the opposite approach of asking their seven fire hose questions.

Through this informed questioning process, the previous assumptions about the data, what it measures, and the level that informs decisions, comes into sharp focus. With each question, an entire chapter is devoted to understanding the reasoning behind the questions, and how to apply the question to extract the most meaningful and informed responses.

I highly recommend the thought provoking and profound book Drinking from the Fire Hose: Making Smarter Decisions Without Drowning in Information by Christopher Frank and Paul Magnone, to any business leaders who are seeking a fresh approach to understanding and utilizing the steady downpour of data that floods into their offices each day. Through the discerning questioning technique, the useful and informing data can be separated from the data that merely measures, and very often measures the wrong things. This book will change your organization from one that looks for easy answers, and instead asks the difficult and challenging questions.

Harvesting Intangible Assets

Uncover Hidden Revenue in Your Company’s Intellectual Property

By: Andrew J. Sherman

Published: October 20, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 270 pages
ISBN-10: 0814416993
ISBN-13: 978-0814416990
Publisher: AMACOM

Andrew J. Sherman compares the concept of intangible assets to farming, and offers a compelling analogy to the growing of crops to the development and revenue creation from intellectual property. The author understands that simply being an innovative company is no longer enough to succeed in today’s highly competitive marketplace. The innovation process is all too often isolated from the revenue building side of the organization, creating a disconnect between the innovation and the monetizing of the resulting intangible assets. To bridge this gap, Andrew Sherman provides readily applicable strategies and tactics for transforming intellectual property from the idea stage to valuable, revenue producing products and services.

Andrew J. Sherman recognizes that companies that fail to capitalize on the full revenue potential, to be gleaned from their intellectual property, are missing out on some tremendous growth opportunities. The author points out how companies have all too often failed to benefit fully from their many intangible assets ranging from patents and processes to personnel expertise. All too often, these potentially high revenue and high profit assets are neglected or considered not worth monetizing. Andrew Sherman demonstrates how to develop a strategy for capitalizing on intellectual property, and how to execute that strategic plan effectively and profitably.

Andrew J. Sherman covers the various management, accounting, and legal aspects of monetizing intellectual property. These ares include:

* Building an innovation focused culture
* Harnessing the power of intrapreneurship
* Intellectual Asset Management (IAM)
* Developing a comprehensive legal strategy
* Preparing the innovations for market
* Examining the various strategic alternatives
* Cooperatives, partners, licensing, joint ventures and franchises
* Taking the ideas global

For me, the power of the book is how Andrew J. Sherman combines a strong theoretical framework for understanding the potential offered by intellectual property, with actionable strategies for monetizing the company’s intangible assets. The author employs an analogy of farming, from planting to harvest to marketing the crops, as a guide to the steps for developing and marketing the company’s intellectual property effectively to boost the organization’s overall revenue.

Andrew Sherman makes the important connection, between innovation and monetizing the resulting intangible assets, that is so often missing from many corporate business models. The author strengthens his analysis by providing real world examples of companies who are marketing their intellectual property effectively to grow their revenue and profits.

I highly recommend the breakthrough creating book Harvesting Intangible Assets: Uncover Hidden Revenue in Your Company’s Intellectual Property by Andrew J. Sherman, to anyone seeking a comprehensive and very engaging guide to uncovering and monetizing their company’s important intellectual property. This book will move your company beyond being merely innovators to monetizing the profits within that bumper crop of innovations.

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The Diversity Index

The Alarming Truth About Diversity in Corporate America…and What Can Be Done About It

By: Susan E. Reed

Published: August 29, 2011
Hardcover: 294 pages
ISBN-10: 0814416497
ISBN-13: 978-0814416495
Publisher: AMACOM

Susan E. Reed presents compelling evidence that racial diversity has taken a back seat in the corporate agenda, and in the public mind, to environmental sustainability. The author points out that sustainability is not possible without developing and implementing diverse employment and advancement strategies. Susan Reed acknowledges that men and women, from racially diverse heritages, have made tremendous strides and have advanced within corporate America. For the author, the advances have not gone far enough in providing racially diverse representation in all of America’s largest companies. Women of color have even farther to go toward achieving top management positions than their male counterparts.

Susan E. Reed demonstrates, through her in depth research, that white women have moved up within company hierarchies, but even the corporate female diversity levels have only achieved partial application. The incomplete diversity activity, on the part of corporations, has advanced many racially and gender diverse people, while creating a ceiling for others. Susan Reed shows how these ceilings are not simply a civil rights issue, to be addressed through laws and the courts, but are also a serious impediment to overall company performance. The author’s comprehensive study shows clearly how racially and gender diverse companies consistently outperformed their non-diverse competitors on the bottom line.

To achieve the goals of a fully integrated and diverse work force, while achieving gains in overall business performance, the author recommends several steps:

* Combine diversity and ethical goals with overall business strategy
* Create a communications system to share feedback and concerns with leaders
* Provide diversity training and ongoing learning as part of the company culture
* Have diversity as part of management compensation
* Reach out to and develop new sources of diversity talent within communities
* Invest in local communities, public schools, and opportunities

For me, the power of the book is how Susan E. Reed combines her groundbreaking research findings with practical steps to facilitate real change, not only within companies, but within the entire community as well. The author provides solid data to back her important statements about the shortcomings in corporate diversity programs, and to point out how many companies are failing to address the critical issue of diversity at all.

The crucial research finding that diverse companies were more competitive, productive, and out performed their non-diverse counterparts, offers a powerful incentive for corporations to reconsider and re-evaluate their own diversity efforts. To help guide all companies, regardless of their progress in the area of diversity, Susan Reed shares an excellent ten step plan to build a more diverse and top performing company.

I highly recommend the landmark and must read book The Diversity Index: The Alarming Truth About Diversity in Corporate America…and What Can Be Done About It by Susan E. Reed, to anyone in corporate leadership who is serious about developing and implementing a racial and gender diversity initiative to sharply increase the number of women and people of color in their executive ranks and in their boardrooms. The author shows clearly as well how more diverse companies are also more profitable than their less diverse counterparts.

Read the important and company transformational book The Diversity Index: The Alarming Truth About Diversity in Corporate America…and What Can Be Done About It by Susan E. Reed, and out the power of diversity to work for your organization. Gender and racial diversity is not only the right moral and ethical choice, but it’s the most productive and profitable one as well.
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Why New Systems Fail

An Insider’s Guide to Successful IT Projects

By: Phil Simon

Published: February 23, 2010
Format: Paperback, 351 pages
ISBN-10: 1435456440
ISBN-13: 978-1435456440
Publisher: Course Technology PTR

Phil Simon understands that many companies lack the knowledge or information necessary for planning, purchasing, installing, operating, and maintaining a new or replacement IT system. While the author points out that many of the more specific causes of disappointment and breakdown may vary from industry to industry, the same basic issues are common to most unsatisfactory implementations. Phil Simon delves into the real root causes of problems that create and stem from even the most seemingly well planned and timed system activations. The author shares his considerable experience in all aspects of IT system implementation from the initial planning stages, through selection and installation, training and responsibility of staff, long term maintenance, and eventual replacement.

Phil Simon offers a viable and pragmatic approach to implementing a new IT system, either as an initial venture or as a replacement for an existing legacy system. The author understands the critical importance of planning a strategy for purchasing, establishing, operating, and maintaining a system prior to taking action. Without appropriate planning in place, even top quality and well suited systems can result in breakdown and eventual failure.

Phil Simon offers insights into the four most common sources of failure and how to mitigate their inherent problems:

* The unmitigated disaster
* The big failure
* The mild failure
* The forthcoming failure

For me, the power of the book is how Phil Simon combines a theoretical analysis of the causes and consequences of IT system failure, with some very practical and real world based strategies and solutions to achieve a successful system implementation. The author guides business leaders, decision makers, and system users through the entire process from the planning stage to the eventual long term replacement with another new system.

Phil Simon not only addresses the technical aspects of an IT installation project from a project management perspective, but also examines and shares ideas for working effectively with the people involved in the process. All too often, people are left out of the process, and Phil Simon includes leaders, IT personnel, and other managers in the entire event from the very beginning. The author also shares some helpful case studies, that illustrate the principles offered in the book, to demonstrate the strategies at work in the real world.

I highly recommend the definitive and must read book Why New Systems Fail: An Insider’s Guide to Successful IT Projects by Phil Simon, to anyone in any industry who is considering the installation of a first IT system, or the replacement of an existing legacy IT system. This book will help business leaders, decision makers, and staff people navigate the entire implementation process, and to avoid the all too frequent sources of failure that have derailed even the most well planned implementations.

Read the essential and proven strategy packed book Why New Systems Fail: An Insider’s Guide to Successful IT Projects by Phil Simon, and discover how to plan and put a successful and reliable IT system into action in your organization. This book will not only demonstrate the right way to instal and implement a great IT system, but will help you to avoid the mistakes that cause current and future disasters as well.

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Finding Your New Owner

For Your Business, for Your Life

By: Jack Beauregard

Published: June 2011
Format: Hardcover, 194 pages
ISBN-10: 0983631115
ISBN-13: 978-0983631118
Publisher: Stpi Press

Jack Beauregard recognizes that moving on from a life as an active business owner, and into the next phase of life, presents a real challenge for most people. The author takes the proactive approach of building on the already well developed skills of the successful CEO. Jack Beauregard shares the principle of thinking about life transition strategically, and presents his concepts in a practical step by step format, that utilizes the strengths of the CEO. By guiding the CEO to develop a transitional strategy, the author demonstrates how to create a plan on one’s own terms, and one that meets the individual’s business, financial, and personal goals and objectives.

Instead of treating the change as one of leaving or letting go, Jack Beauregard (photo left) offers the tools for building an exciting new life worth being embraced with excitement. Through his understanding that transitioning from business ownership to the next stage of life, is simply another step forward in the journey, the author helps the individual approach change with a positive outlook. With this fresh view of the situation in place, the former CEO can apply the tools provided to develop a transition strategy that meets all of the personal goals of the person and their families. By focusing on discovering clarity in the change, the author helps dispel the many myths that have grown up around the different stages of life’s journey.

The author breaks the transition down into three major categories, where a strategically oriented CEO can put their greatest strengths to work in a positive and personally fulfilling manner:

* Changing the way a person thinks about leaving the company for the next step
* How to create an exciting new future that the person can’t wait to enter and live
* Creating a successful business plan to facilitate the transition effectively

For me, the power of the book is how Jack Beauregard combines a deep understanding for the emotional impact of transitioning from the role of successful CEO to the next phase in life, with a practical, business strategy approach to facilitating that change. The author demonstrates real respect for his target readership by not only valuing their strategic planning skills, but putting those same abilities to work to create a seamless and effective plan for the transition to the future. The application of the strongest CEO business skills empowers the individual to take the next turn in life’s journey on one’s own terms, and for achieving personal, financial, and family goals. The author sets out the book in a logical and straightforward manner, again showing respect for the CEO strategic thinking and planning approach.

I highly recommend the purpose driven book Finding Your New Owner: For Your Business, for Your Life by Jack Beauregard, to any business and professional people, nearing or past the age of fifty, who are seeking a no nonsense, yet sensitive approach to planning for building an exciting life after CEO. The author shows a strong concern for the emotions of his readers, and at the same time has a profound respect for their proven planning abilities.

Read the Baby Boomer life transition strategies filled book Finding Your New Owner: For Your Business, for Your Life by Jack Beauregard, and discover how to not only consider the next exciting stage of your life, but how to plan and implement a strategy to make it a success. This book will help you design a future for you and your family that you won’t be able to wait to live and enjoy.
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