Poet and Warrior by Brian Dietmeyer - Book review

Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny

A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs

By: Brian Dietmeyer

Published: August 13, 2012
Format: Paperback, 104 pages
ISBN-10: 0985898704
ISBN-13: 978-0985898700
Publisher: Think! Inc.








"This book is intended to be both a business and human manual for moving from thinking about starting your own business to actually doing it", writes entrepreneur and and co-founder of Think! Inc., Brian Dietmeyer, in his deeply personal and contemplative book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs. The author describes both his own personal journey into entrepreneurship, but shares the common motivations, vision, challenges, and need for balance that is part of every business owner's individual path.

Brian Dietmeyer recognizes that the desire to start and manage one's own company is a deeply seated cultural goal. That same intended meeting with personal destiny is also a leap of faith into the unknown, fraught with challenges and obstacles, both internal and external to the would be entrepreneur. Through the offering of his own personal transition from corporate employee to business owner, Brian Dietmeyer provides important insights into why people take the entrepreneurial plunge, how they avoid external measurements of success that are not in alignment with their own vision, and how that vision becomes a reality through the viewing of the world through fresh eyes as both a poet and a warrior.

Brian Dietmeyer (photo left) understands that entrepreneurs require some ideas and philosophy about what he considers the soft side of entrepreneurship. Far away from the business and marketing plans, spreadsheets, and accounts, the author offers the opportunity for entrepreneurs to ask themselves what will make them personally successful in their own lives. Combining aspects of spiritualism and materialism, into the persona of the poet and the warrior, Brian Dietmeyer invites would be and current entrepreneurs to assess their own personal vision of their ideal life of success.

Brian Dietmeyer presents a complete guide to that very personal and individual entrepreneurial journey. He invites business owners to consider the following aspects of their own vision, actions, and clarity of purpose:

* Who am I to leave a perfectly wonderful life?
* The end is where we start from
* Detox: Purging ourselves of artificial success measurements
* You want to own it...it owns you
* I never take vacations and I don't take weekends off
* Wise choices: Decisions aligned to your own version of success
* It's time to get a Ph.D.
* Poet and warrior
* Meeting triumph and disaster and treating both imposters the same
* Sure, it's easy for you...I didn't sleep last night
* Loving kindness builds profit and brand equity
* Tie it all together
* Heroes

For me, the power of the book is how Brian Dietmeyer goes beyond both the standard personal development and how to run a business books, and takes a more philosophical perspective of the entrepreneurial journey. Utilizing his own business story, and those of other successful entrepreneurs, the author offers an alternative approach to really understanding and recognizing your own personal entrepreneurial vision. That vision is unique to each business owner, and as a result, that clarity of purpose and definition of success must be worked out by each and every entrepreneur.

Brian Dietmeyer doesn't provide his readers with the nuts and bolts aspects of starting and running a company. Instead, the author focuses on the inner life of the entrepreneur, and guides the person to find their own true path. To achieve success, the person must maintain a balance in their lives and business approach, presented in the metaphor of the poet and the warrior, creating a sense of calm and stress free life.

I highly recommend the clarity of vision oriented book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs by Brian Dietmeyer, to any would be and current entrepreneurs who are seeking guidance in focusing on aligning their personal business vision with their own concept of what success means to them. This book will help the business owner find their own inner poet and warrior, and develop personal balance on their own heroic business journey.

The Facts of Business Life by Bill McBean - Book review

The Facts of Business Life

What Every Successful Business Owner Knows that You Don't

By: Bill McBean

Published: October 9, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1118094964
ISBN-13: 978-1118094969
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.











"Just as there are facts of life that affect us on a personal level, there are facts of life that affect us as businesspeople, and business owners who ignore them are essentially setting their businesses up for failure rather than success", writes successful entrepreneur Bill McBean, in his comprehensive and real world experience based book The Facts of Business Life: What Every Successful Business Owner Knows that You Don't. The author describes how a business owner not only must be very competent in many different areas of business, but also understand the life cycle of a business, and how to adapt effectively to those inevitable changes.

Bill McBean recognizes that the successful business person demonstrates ability in all areas of the business. Since each of these parts of the business are interrelated, and depend upon one another, weakness in any of the areas can spell disaster for the company. Te author identifies seven areas that every business owner, whether in a start up business or a well established company, must understand and master. Bill McBean provides evidence the the seven overall concepts that successful business people know are easily implemented, easy for employees to learn and put into practice, the better the principles are understood, the better the odds of business success, that the concepts work as a team and create a solid business foundation, and that they produce real results as planned and expected for the company.

Bill McBean (photo left) understands that understanding the long term nature of a business, and how it evolves through various stages of development is critical to the success of the company. An astute business person must be able to adapt to those changes and meet the fresh challenges that arise with each new business phase. As a business evolves, it moves through five levels of business success. Each of these stages is not linear, despite their progression from one level to the next. The five levels are as follows:

* Level one: Ownership and opportunity
* Level two: Creating your company's DNA
* Level three: From survival to success
* Level four: Maintaining success
* Level five: Moving on when it's time to go

Bill McBean shares the seven important facts of business life that contain each of the five levels within them. The seven facts of business life are"

* If you don't lead, no one will follow
* If you don't control it, you don't own it
* Protecting your company's assets should be your first priority
* Planning is about preparing for the future, not predicting it
* If you don't market your business, you won't have one
* The marketplace is a war zone
* You don't just have to know the business you're in, you have to know business

For me, the power of the book is how Bill McBean provides a complete and readily understood blueprint for establishing and growing a successful business through all of its levels and stages. The author shares the crucial insight of the business life cycle, and the different challenges and opportunities that result from the transition from one stage to the next. Bill McBean shares the strategies and techniques for navigating these stages successfully, and for avoiding the mistakes and pitfalls that await the business person who fails to adapt to those ongoing changes.

The book is a very detailed road map, that explains the twists, turns, and course corrections that are essential at each stage of the business. Each of the chapters is self contained, and can be read in any order, and referred to later when each new phase of the evolution is identified for implementing the appropriate action. The author takes a holistic approach to operating a business, and explains carefully how each stage and fact of life is part of an integrated and mutually supporting whole.

I highly recommend the very practical and successful results oriented book The Facts of Business Life: What Every Successful Business Owner Knows that You Don't by Bill McBean, to any business person, regardless of whether they are new to business or have years of experience, and whether the company is a start up venture or an established organization. This book contains so much valuable advice and real world tested wisdom, that it is a must read for anyone with any connection to business who seeks critical insights into how a business is really operated successfully.

Three Simple Steps by Trevor Blake - Book review

Three Simple Steps

A Map to Success in Business and Life

By: Trevor Blake

Published: August 23, 2012
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1936661713
ISBN-13: 978-1936661718
Publisher: Ben Bella Books











"I know that life can feel like you're thrashing around in quicksand. The harder you struggle, the deeper you sink, until you can't see how you'll ever be free. This doesn't have to be your experience", writes successful serial entrepreneur and life coach Trevor Blake, in his insightful and empowering book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life. The author describes how people lose control of their own lives, success and happiness, and shares his three simple and readily applied steps to regain control of your life and your future.

Trevor Blake understands how people who have gained control of their own lives share a powerful belief in that ability to guide their own destiny. The author also provides evidence that many people, who are even in possession of more of life's advantages, find their lives and destiny in complete turmoil. Trevor Blake shares his three simple steps to reestablish personal control over your thoughts, actions, and future. Basing his principles on the latest neuroscience breakthroughs, Trevor Blake shows people how to actually rewire their own brains for the removal of self destructive thinking, and replacing them with thoughts that empower their lives. Instead of the deadly self-sabotage experienced by many people, the fresh ways of thinking propel a person to living a life of purpose and satisfaction.

Trevor Blake (photo left) recognizes that people face challenges in their lives but he offers the encouraging message that no one has to remain in what he calls the quicksand of hopelessness. Instead of indulging in negative media messages, destructive emotions, discouraging self talk, and listening to complaining and pessimistic people, the author shares a way to break free of that downward pull.

The solution that anyone can incorporate into their own thoughts and life is based on what Trevor Blake calls the three simple steps. The three straight forward steps are as follows:

* Reclaiming your mentality
* Creating winning ideas
* Transforming ideas into action

With the three steps as the foundation of a person's thoughts and actions, they are better prepared to avoid the destructive people in their lives or workplace. Trevor Blake offers nine ways for dealing with those chronic complainers in your life or at work:

* Become self-aware
* Redirect the conversation
* Smother a negative thought with a positive image
* Don't try to convert others
* Distance yourself when possible
* Wear the invisible "mentality shield"
* Create a private retreat
* Transfer responsibility
* Forgive your lapses

For me, the power of the book is how Trevor Blake provides a readily understood framework for regaining control of one's life with the practical exercises to achieve that empowerment. The author presents a clear and concise blueprint to not only remove yourself from the quicksand of self-destructive thoughts and actions, but also guides a person along the path to regaining control of their own thoughts and lives. Trevor Blake backs up his principles with the latest discoveries in neuroscience that confirm the impact of thoughts on the activity within the brain. The science also demonstrates how new neurons and pathways are created and rerouted to establish fresh modes of thought and action.

To help personalize the concepts, and to illustrate their effect in the real world, the author includes a number of interesting and engaging anecdotes and personal stories. The addition of the practical techniques to deal with negative people in the workplace are an added and useful part of the book as well.

I highly recommend the transformational and readily applicable concept filled book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life by Trevor Blake, to anyone seeking an honest and results oriented road map to achieving real control over your own life. This book offers a course of action that will guide you to success and happiness, and a life filled with purpose, as you fulfill your personal destiny.

Beyond The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by C. James Jensen - Book review

Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind

By: C. James Jensen

Published: March 14, 2012
Format: Paperback, 214 pages
ISBN-10: 1937503941
ISBN-13: 978-1937503949
Publisher: Waterside Publications












"You can bring into your life more power, more wealth, more health, more happiness, and more joy by learning to contact and release the hidden power of your subconscious mind", writes executive coach, consultant, and company adviser, C. James Jensen, in his empowering and very practical book Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind. The author describes how to better understand the important relationship between your conscious and your unconscious mind, and shares the exercises and practices to create a better life though harnessing that crucial connection.

Jim Jensen updates the writings of Dr. Joseph Murphy on the power of the subconscious mind for a modern readership. The author augments the prior work with the latest breakthrough discoveries on the functioning of the human brain. The author presents the concept that an individual doesn't acquire personal power. That power is already found within oneself. The key is to understand and draw upon that power and infinite internal wisdom to achieve success and happiness. Jim Jensen shares the practices and techniques for opening oneself to the power of the subconscious mind within yourself. The result will be a positive manifestation of events and fresh breakthrough ideas in the outer world.

C. James Jensen (photo left) understands that all of a person's experience, actions, conditions, and life events are a reactions stemming from your subconscious mind to their thoughts. It is not the thing that is believed in, but the mind's own beliefs that creates the outcome. The author advises people to stop their internal negative self talk, stop the fears, end false beliefs, and superstitions, and believe instead in the timeless wisdom and truths that create positive results.

Jim Jensen proposes that people utilize the power of visualization to produces desirable outcomes. For both individuals and business people seeking an important innovation or breakthrough, the author shares the five steps to creative problem solving. The Five steps are as follows:

* Define the problem: Find clarity through writing it and understanding it
* Gather data: The data can be internal in the subconscious or external data
* Attempt to solve the problem consciously: Work on a solution and options
* If there is no clear solution, take a break and sleep on it
* Get your conscious mind busy elsewhere: Let the subconscious mind work on it

For me, the power of the book is how C. James Jensen combines a strong theoretical and science based framework for understanding the power of the subconscious mind with the practical exercises to draw on its unlimited power. The author cites numerous scientific studies of the brain, and how it operates, to support his concepts. The key point made by Jim Jensen is that a person doesn't have to live with constant failure, hardship, and emotional pain. The author describes them as simply manifestations of the subconscious mind at work.

In place of the negative thoughts stored in the subconscious mind, Jim Jensen guides the reader to utilizing the unlimited power residing in the subconscious to manifest itself in positive outcomes including success, emotional well being, and happiness. The book includes the techniques for using both the conscious and subconscious minds to achieve breakthroughs in both one's business and personal lives.

I highly recommend the transformational and clarity building book Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind by C. James Jensen, to anyone seeking to rid themselves of their emotional baggage, their negative self talk, and to unleash the empowering wisdom of the subconscious mind to achieve a better life. This book and its timeless teachings will serve you well in your quest for success and happiness in all areas of your life.

Self Leadership by Andrew Bryant & Ana Kazan - Book review

Self-Leadership

How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out

By: Andrew Bryant, Ana Kazan, Ph.D.

Published: August 21, 2012
Format: Paperback, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 0071799095
ISBN-13: 978-0071799096
Publisher: McGraw-Hill












"In life and in business, before we lead others we must be able to lead ourselves", write international thought leader on self leadership, Andrew Bryant; and Visiting Scholar at North Carolina State University, Ana Kazan, Ph.D., in their empowering and research based book Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out. The authors describe how self leadership, and intentionally influencing oneself, will create the empowering conditions for leaders to achieve their goals.

Nadrew Bryant and Ana Kazan recognize the value of self leadership for those who believe they can live a positive and productive life, and influence those around them to travel the same course. The authors share how a leader must think effectively, behave congruently, and relate in empathetic manner. Through their research and experience, the authors point out that self leadership is needed to achieve all three goals. They also offer the wisdom the the three qualities are also part of what comprises a great human being. The authors provide evidence that in the modern world of flattened hierarchies, global teams, and empowered and and engaged people, a fresh approach to leadership is required. The authors present the concept and practice of self leadership as fulfilling that new style leadership role.

Andrew Bryant (photo left) and Ana Kazan understand that leadership of oneself provides the basic foundation for leading others. For the authors, leadership begins on the inside and is then projected outward to achieve any organizational goals or programs. The practice of self leadership builds the leader's own self confidence level for empowering others to achieve their goals. A self leadership focused individual is also more self aware and is more calm in times of stress, and much more resilient following times of stress or crisis.

The authors point out the positive benefits for the individual from self leadership:

* Self awareness
* Self confidence
* Finding meaning and purpose
* Decreased stress
* Increased happiness
* Better relationships

The authors also share the benefits that self leadership provides for the overall organization:

* Engaged and empowered workforce
* Improved goal setting and results
* Faster and better decision making
* More creativity and innovation
* Reduced conflicts
* Collaborative team efforts

For me, the power of the book is how Andrew Bryan and Ana Kazan combine the theory of self self leadership with the practices and techniques to develop self leadership within oneself. The authors build a solid case for self leadership as the foundation for overall organizational leadership. The principles of self leadership can be taught readily to everyone within the organization. The book contains the necessary practices and exercises to develop self leadership, as well as providing the reasons for developing the skills.

What the leader must do to become a successful leader is to practice the principles outlined in the book. The authors also present the science behind the concept of self leadership. The research findings demonstrate how people learn and benefit from the principles of self leadership. Those principles then expand outward to strengthen and enhance the entire organization.

I highly recommend the personal development breakthrough book Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out by Andrew Bryant and Ana Kazan, Ph.D., to any leaders at any level of an organization who are seeking a practical and results oriented guide to establishing a solid character based foundation for leadership. This book will not only transform you into a more effective and successful leader, but will empower your entire organization as well.

Ethics of Big Data by Kord Davis - Book review

Ethics of Big Data

Balancing Risk and Innovation

By: Kord Davis

Published: September 28, 2012
Format: Paperback, 82 pages
ISBN-10: 1449311792
ISBN-13: 978-1449311797
Publisher: O'Reilly Media














"The swelling ranks of organizations that increasing depend on big-data technologies include dozens of familiar names and a growing number you've never heard of", writes former business strategist and technical consultant Kord Davis in his clear and concise book Ethics of Big Data: Balancing Risk and Innovation. The author describes how large companies, in possession of vast amounts of personal information and data, face many ethical challenges regarding their policies on privacy and identity.

Kord Davis recognizes that companies face real ethical dilemmas and potential for abuse due to their collection of massive quantities of data through an array of big-data technology. The author points out that big data also has an impact on brand quality, customer relationships, and revenue. Due to the enormous volume of information collected by big-data technology, the data can have far reaching consequences, serious repercussions, and move ever faster in its effect on those same brands.

Kord Davis provides insights into how this increasing pressure from big data forces companies to reexamine their organizational values and ethical behavior. With more ways for brands and customers to engage, communicate, and interact, these ever more pressing ethical questions must be considered and become part of the company behavior.

Kord Davis (photo left) understands that while the ethical questions are usually framed in terms of individuals, that the real impact of how the organization acts on its values have far deeper ramifications. The author addresses the implications of big data for both individuals and for companies. As a result, Kord Davis offers analysis of how both individuals and organizations of any size or type mus understand the handling and applications of data. The author considers the benefits, risks, and unintended consequences of this immense volume of data on very large numbers of people.

Kord Davis finds four common principles in the framework for the ethics of big data. Those four components are as follows:

* Identity: The relationship between online and offline identity
* Privacy: Who and how is access to data controlled
* Ownership of data: Who owns it and what are the responsibilities of holders
* Reputation: Is the data trustworthy

For me, the power of the book is how Kord Davis combines an analysis of the ethical and values based challenges of big data, with a practical strategy for ensuring the organization behaves ethically with that data. The author provides evidence that the very overwhelming volume of data collected is changing the very way people value privacy, identity, ownership, and reputation. Big data is reshaping the ethical values surrounding those key elements, and the behavior that results from that value change.

With that values shift, it's critical for organizations to develop strategic and tactical plans to overcome the rift between ethics and behavior. The author demonstrate how to create alignment between values and practices. Kord Davis also recognizes that with the immense volume of data, that any policy will have unintended consequence, and recommends anticipation of unexpected outcomes from innovative treatment of big data.

I highly recommend the balanced values and ethics based book Ethics of Big Data: Balancing Risk and Innovation by Kord Davis, to any organizational leaders, executives, managers, entrepreneurs, watchdog groups, public policy makers, and individuals who are concerned with ensuring that big data is treated and handled in an ethical manner. This book raises important questions, and offers practical and readily applicable strategies for maintaining values that benefit the customers, employees, brands and the organization as a whole.

The 3 Power Values by David Gebler - Book review

The 3 Power Values

How Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency Clear the Roadblocks to Performance

By David Gebler

Published: May 1, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 1118101324
ISBN-13: 978-1118101322
Publisher: Jossey-Bass












"The road to high performance begins with understanding how your company's culture affects your people's behavior and performance", writes speaker, attorney,and thought leader on ethics and corporate culture, David Gebler, in his insightful and ethical culture creating book The 3 Power Values: How Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency Clear the Roadblocks to Performance. The author describes how to remove the corporate cultural roadblocks, that prevent employees from living the right values within their organizations, and for serving their customers.

David Gebler understands the importance of company culture to the overall performance of the organization. The author also understands that employees already possess the values and ethics, but those values and ethics are all too often obstructed by decisions and practices of the organization. David Gebler proposes removing those impediments to acting on the right values. He demonstrates that strong ethical behavior is also good for business profitability. The author provides the three cultural pillars that remove those systemic barriers that deter values based actions. David Gebler shows leaders how to encourage and reward ethical behavior that transforms the overall organizational culture to an ethics based one.

David Gebler (photo left) recognizes how a toxic corporate culture has a negative impact on the decisions made within the organization. The deep chasm that exists between the stated company values, and those practiced in the daily routine is all too often out of alignment. The author shares the principles for realigning company values with the innate ethical values of the employees.

The author points out the destructive cultural practices that lead to toxicity within the culture through the derailment of ethics and values. Those three roadblocks to ethics and values based behavior are:

* Self-deception where the employee overlooks the risks and questionable action
* Rationalization where an unethical decision may achieve a short term goal
* Disengagement where problems linger due to apathy
*
David Gebler bases the cultural transformation, to countering the hijacking behaviors, through the internalizing and practicing of three power values. Those three values are:

* Commitment that connects values with goals to engage employees
* Integrity to build trust that the values behavior will continue
* Transparency where an open culture encourages expression of values

For me, the power of the book is how David Gebler combines a comprehensive analysis of the root causes of a toxic company culture with the three power values that transform the organization to one based on values. The author shines a strong light on the misalignment within organizations, where the policy may be one of values and ethics, but the real behavior may be unethical and even illegal in nature. David Gebler correctly points out that employees want to act in an ethical manner. The problem for them is the barriers placed in the path of taking the proper values based actions.

Organizational goals may require stepping outside of the ethical bounds to achieve the results demanded by the strategy. The systemic practice of bad ethical behavior may lead to short term gain, but as the author demonstrates, that profit is not sustainable. Instead, David Gebler makes a strong bottom line business case for ethical decisions and actions. Good ethics are shown to also be good business.

I highly recommend the essential and values based company culture building book The 3 Power Values: How Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency Clear the Roadblocks to Performance by David Gebler, to any organizational leaders, executives, and managers seeking a clear and concise blueprint for creating an ethical company culture. This book will realign values with actions, reengage employees to reignite their passion, establish an ethics based organizational culture, and boost the overall company bottom line

Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life by Garret Kramer - Book review

Stillpower

Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life

By: Garret Kramer

Published: June 5, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1582703884
ISBN-13: 978-1582703886
Publisher: Atria Books/Beyond Words











"Stillpower is pain free,yet so dynamic it has the potential to change your life - both on and off the playing field", writes high performance coach, and founder and managing partner of Inner Sports, LLC, Garret Kramer, in his success building and transformational book Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life. The author describes how external strategies for achieving top performance in sports, business, and life are not only ineffective, but also counterproductive. The author offers an alternative approach that focuses on the person's state of mind.

Garret Kramer understands that true source of developing excellence is through one's own internal mental processes. High performance individuals, ranging from leading executives to professional athletes have long searched for that elusive formula that leads to peak achievement levels. The author provides evidence that the search for answers and techniques outside oneself is insufficient to gain the desired results. Indeed, Garret Kramer considers these external components are usually ineffective or even result in frustration and worse results. The key insight presented by Garret Kramer is that willpower, long thought to be the rod to success, is precisely the wrong approach. Instead, the author shares the internal concept of stillpower to replace the failed concept of willpower.

Garret Kramer (photo left) recognizes that the personal experiences of athletes and executives is very often not in alignment with the demands, strategies, and coaching of business and sports leadership. The result is a lowered performance level as the individual finds themselves fighting against their own innate skills and personality. The external applications of goal setting, willpower, and more work and practice fail when they fail to work with the person's inner state. To replace these external remedies, the Garret Kramer guides the individual inward with the concept of stillpower.

The author provides the keys and insights found within, through the principles of stillpower. Those principles as discussed in the book are as follows:

* The misconception: Athletics teach life lessons
* Unbounded effort, willpower, and insight
* Coaching, wisdom, and success
* Clear thinking, resilience, and life beyond the scoreboard
* The ultimate coaching dilemma: An athlete's state of mind versus behavior
* The neutrality of the outside world
* Sports, judgment, and life outside from the inside out
* Mind, body, and performance
* Every athlete's birthright
* The freedom to win

For me, the power of the book is how Garret Kramer makes the powerful connection between the athlete's or executive's state of mind with their overall performance. The author takes a holistic approach to coaching and leadership that considers the mind and body as one complete whole. The traditional approach worked against this mind and body unity by emphasizing external forces and approaches that neglected the person's internal state of mind.

Garret Kramer considers that misaligned approach to one of attempting to achieve success through the pain and suffering of sheer willpower. In its place, the author guides the individual toward the internal journey of stillpower, where the person calms their mind and enters into a zone of calm success. Garret Kramer also provides stories and examples of the stillpower principles in action to illustrate their effectiveness in the real world of high level sports.

I highly recommend the mind and body aligning and internally calming book Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life by Garret Kramer, to anyone seeking a proven and effective guide to establishing a very high level of performance without the pain of externally applied misalignment nostrums. This book will change the way you think about achieving peak performance and success.

The Fear & Anxiety Solution by Friedemann Schaub - Book review

The Fear and Anxiety Solution

A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind

By: Friedemann Schaub, MD, Ph.D.

Published: November 1, 2012
Format: Paperback, 264 pages
ISBN-10: 1604078561
ISBN-13: 978-1604078565
Publisher: Sounds True











"This book, which is based on my program, approaches fear and anxiety not as problems or disorders, but as symptoms of and information from you r subconscious mind when you're out of balance and alignment with yourself", writes physician specializing in cardiology, and molecular biologist, Friedemann Schaub, in his empowering and inspirational book The Fear and Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind. The author describes how fear and anxiety, rather than being the actual disorder, are merely symptoms of a deeper imbalance within a person's life, and he shares a practical guide to transforming those symptoms and manifestations of slow self esteem and insomnia into a more purposeful life.

Friedemann Schaub understands the serious emotional pain that people experience from their feelings of fear and anxiety. Instead of treating these conditions as the problem, the author delves more deeply into the subconscious drivers behind these and other manifestations of personal imbalance. Those inner turmoils, pent up emotions, and feelings of inadequacy form the basis of the subconscious appearing as fear and anxiety. Friedemann Schaub offers a road map to guide people along the journey to understanding their inner subconscious upheaval, and for ridding themselves of the fears and anxiety that appear as a result of these unresolved internal conflicts.

Friedemann Schaub (photo left), through his study of the latest research findings in neurophysiology, recognizes that many beliefs surround the feelings of fear and anxiety are not true. For the author, these often paralyzing emotions are the result of inner conflicts. Tapping into the subconscious is the key to unlocking these all too painful feelings. These hidden emotions may manifest themselves as addictions, low self esteem, or a sense of isolation from others and society. As a result, Friedemann offers a completely fresh approach to alleviating the underlying subconscious turmoil that are the real causes.

The author provides a four part plan that includes the following foundational principles:

* Awareness
* Flexibility
* Choice
* Readjustment

Friedemann Schuab breaks down the four pillars into an actionable blueprint as follows:

* An overview of fear and anxiety
* The principles of change
* Facts and fiction about fear and anxiety
* The subconscious mind and the root causes of anxiety
* How to find out what you want and how to get it
* Look who's talking: Addressing negative self-talk and mind-racing
* To wholeness and beyond: Resolving inner conflicts
* Time to let go: How to release emotional baggage from the subconscious mind
* Core alignment
* Breaking through to self-empowerment
* Keep moving forward: How to stay empowered and in balance

For me, the power of the book is how Friedemann Schaub combines a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental causes of anxiety, with a practical step by step blueprint to alleviating those deep inner conflicts. The author goes beyond the usual misconceptions and superficial analysis of fear and anxiety and addresses the deeply held inner turmoil that cause that anxiety. Instead of treating the outward symptoms and personality manifestations of these subconscious issues, Friedemann Schaub goes directly to the core of the pain.

The author backs up his guidance principles with the latest research findings in neurophysiology, providing a strong scientific basis for his concepts and path to personal empowerment. Unlike many books that present homilies and nostrums, Friedemann backs his plan with solid medical science and expertise. To help personalize the principles outlined in the book, the author also shares some case studies of the concepts with real people, as illuminating examples.

I highly recommend the transformational and personal change oriented book The Fear and Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind by Friedemann Schaub, to anyone who is feeling fears and anxiety in their lives and is seeking a healing guide that addresses the real subconscious based causes. This book will help you get to the root of the pain, end those inner turmoils, and live a purposeful life.

The Financial Professional's Guide to Communication by Robert L. Finder, Jr. - Book review

The Financial Professionals Guide to Communication

How to Strengthen Client Relationships and Build New Ones

By: Robert L. Finder, Jr.

Published: October 18, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN-10: 0133017907
ISBN-13: 978-0133017908
Publisher: FT Press










"As financial professionals we share a common purpose that cannot be better said than 'We help clients build, manage, protect, and transition wealth'", writes Managing Director of a national financial services firm, Robert L. Finder, Jr., in his very practical and straight talking book The Financial Professionals Guide to Communication: How to Strengthen Client Relationships and Build New Ones. The author describes how the most effective financial professionals are the ones who are best able to communicate effectively with their clients, and shares the techniques for improving those essential skills for any financial adviser.

Robert L. Finder, Jr. recognizes that financial planners must first understand themselves what is their role, and why their services are important and valuable to clients. The author points out how critical it is for investment professionals to develop and maintain a high level of trust with their clients. To create this high level of trust, a financial guide must be able to communicate with the client on a basis of complete honesty and full understanding. Robert Finder describes how many professionals either talk down to their clients, or use a condescending tone of voice. At other times, the investment adviser will speak in incomprehensible jargon and technical data that goes over the head of the client.

Robbert L. Finder (photo left) offers a more effective alternative approach of listening carefully, speaking as a peer, and providing understandable advice that is right for the investor. The successful adviser understands their purpose, and is able to communicate it effectively to clients to provide clarity and confidence. The trusted adviser possesses the skill and discipline to listen carefully to the goals, aspirations, and the questions shared by the client in an open, non-judgmental and non-argumentative manner. The effective professional speaks clearly, with confidence in their knowledge and their ability to provide real assistance, and conveys that important and sought after clarity of goals and purpose.

Robert L. Finder, Jr. demonstrates how the accomplished financial professional continues to practice and polish existing communication skills for continued and constant improvement. The author provides the following chapters to develop and enhance the adviser's communication skills:

* Defining your core
* The secret of listening
* Your financial professional will see and hear you differently now
* Please, tell me more
* * Any simple questions?
* The secrets of speaking
* Just get rid of them
* What did he say?
* The eyes say it all
* Are you a substance abuser?
* It's showtime
* Wise emperors
* Let the dance begin

For me, the power of the book is how Robert L. Finder, Jr. combines a strong theoretical base for improved communication while providing the essential skills to ensure success. The author provides the reasoning behind the techniques, as well as the exercises, to provide context. The author offers a client focused approach that considers both the needs and the dignity of the investor. Robert Finder knows from experience that not all clients are familiar with the industry jargon, but not all are completely out of their element either. The author recommends listening openly and with empathy, to ensure a connection that is based on real trust.

The author stresses building rich and meaningful relationships, that will be sustained over the years, as the investor's portfolio grows and develops. The investment professional becomes almost a part of the client's family, with their intimate understanding of the client's financial situation and goals. Only through superior interpersonal communication abilities is this deep relationship possible.

I highly recommend the insightful and relationship oriented book The Financial Professionals Guide to Communication: How to Strengthen Client Relationships and Build New Ones by Robert L. Finder, Jr., to any financial professionals who are seeking to improve their interpersonal communication skills to develop deep, long term relationships with their clients and their families. This must read book will ensure that the adviser communicates well, wisely, and with complete honesty.

The Entrepreneurial Instinct by Monica Mehta - Book review

The Entrepreneurial Instinct

How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business

By: Monica Mehta

Published: August 21, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 0071797424
ISBN-13: 978-0071797429
Publisher: McGraw Hill










"Everything you need to take rewarding risks and start a financially successful business is already inside you", writes investor and adviser to entrepreneurs, and managing principal of Seventh Capital, Monica Mehta, in her pioneering and insightful book The Entrepreneurial Instinct: How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business. The author describes the traits and personal habits shared by successful entrepreneurs, and reveals the science behind their behavior.

Monica Mehta recognizes that the actions and activities of successful self-employed people has a basis in neuroscience. Their actions follow a framework of behavior that is different from those of most people. Monica Mehta demonstrates how the actions of successful entrepreneurs and the framework in which they they think and act, are learned behaviors. The author provides evidence that everyone has the built in ability to achieve entrepreneurial success. Monica Mehta offers an explanations that transforms the mystery, surrounding entrepreneurial acumen, into a process that can be learned and applied by anyone.

Monica Mehta (photo left) understands that the critical element of entrepreneurial thinking and behavior is instinct. The author points out that successful entrepreneurs rely upon those basic instincts, take risks, and develop a wealth generating business. The instinct guides the entrepreneur into areas of risk, and how that ability to take and manage risk is part of everyone's innate brain chemistry.

Monica Mehta outlines the framework that entrepreneurs develop and utilize instinctively, and shares the strategies and techniques for learning how to tap into this inborn ability. The author describes how entrepreneurs understand acceptable risk instinctively. The author also points out how successful entrepreneurs discover and grasp opportunities that they find all around them. The two main sections of the book, encompassing risk and opportunity, are as follows:

* Using Instinct to take rewarding risks
* Using instinct to launch a a financially successful business

For me, the power of the book is how Monica Mehta combines observation of the entrepreneurial instinct in action, with the neuroscience that makes that instinct an inborn component of everyone's brain. The author presents a compelling case that entrepreneurship is instinctual, and that all people possess the inborn ability to achieve success in their own businesses. The author maintains that these innate skills are systematically removed by society, and that only a few notable entrepreneurs avoided the process.

Monica Mehta presents evidence that while the skills have been replaced by other worldviews, the innate abilities remain intact. The author shares the latest neuroscience discoveries about the brain to bolster her case. She also offers a series of case studies and anecdotes that provide insights into the minds, actions, and habits of successful entrepreneurs. The author considers their success stories commonplace enough to indicate a framework and a pattern of behavior. This framework can be learned by anyone, in the view of the author.

I highly recommend the intriguing and engaging book The Entrepreneurial Instinct: How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business by Monica Mehta, to anyone seeking a groundbreaking and science based book on why entrepreneurs achieve success, and how anyone can emulate their instinctual framework of success. This book will change the way you view entrepreneurs, and how they accomplish their feats of business acumen.

Managing for People Who Hate Managing by Devora Zack - Book review

Managing for People Who Hate Managing

Be a Success By Being Yourself

By: Devora Zack

Published: August 27, 2012
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 1609945735
ISBN-13: 978-1609945732
Publisher Berrett-Koeler Publishers, Inc.











"Learning techniques to reverse your secret hatred of managing ban have a colossal impact on your work life - to infinity and beyond", writes award winning entrepreneur, CEO of Only Connect Consulting, and author of the entertaining and very results oriented book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself. The author describes how management is really about people, and offers the skills to incorporate the manager's own personality traits into their management style, resulting in more engaged employees and less frustrated managers.

Devora Zack understand that managers face unexpected challenges in their new roles and unexpected situations. The author shares the concept of understanding oneself as the key to effective management. Devora Zack guides managers to place themselves along a spectrum to determine if the individual is either a feeler or a thinker. With this insight in place, the author provides series of exercises and techniques to put this personal reflection into action. Devora Zack offers ideas for managers to adapt their approach to employees based on the feeler and thinker concept to create more meaningful engagement. The author expands this personality assessment premise, to include both introverted and extroverted managers, to ensure their success as well.

Devora Zack (photo left) recognizes that to manage others effectively, managers must be also fully understand and manager themselves. To connect with employees, and establish effective lines of communication, managers need to become more flexible in their approach to their staff. Managing their own attitudes and outlook goes far toward creating a climate of trust and respect.

Devora Zack presents strategies and techniques for guiding managers toward establishing their own strengths, personality, and best selves in their management style. The author covers the following aspects of the manager's worldview and flexibility:

* Why your hate it: Discovering your personal management style
* Who are you: Personal self assessment
* But I liked my real job: Adapting to the transition to manager
* Flex for success: Adapting your approach to employee personalities
* Lonely at the top: Managing former colleagues and peers
* Being bossy: Treating others as they want to be treated
* Don't cry in my office: Firing someone with less damage
* Charisma 'n' you: Being successful, effective, and happy

For me, the power of the book is how Devora Zack presents a very hands on survival guide for managers through a combination of wisdom and humor. The author offers a personality based approach to managing where a leader applies their own traits to their role. This alignment of feeling or thinking profiles helps a manager to be more flexible in communicating and connecting with staff members. The author presents enlightening case studies, as part of each chapter to further illustrate each concept in the real world.

Devora Zack demonstrates how personal self awareness, and understanding of the preferences of employees, creates a more effective workplace. To assist in the self assessment process, and to ensure that the key points of each chapter are fully understood, the author provides hands on work sheets and exercises for each major point.At the end of the book, the author also offers bibliography of other books for further study, to assist managers further deepen and improve their skills.

I highly recommend the engaging and very practical book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself by Devora Zack, to any reluctant or dissatisfied managers who may be starting to dislike their job, or who are already hating the position completely. This book will guide you on the journey to liking, and even loving your role as a successful and effective manager.

The Leader's Climb by Bob Parsanko & Paul Heagen - Book review

The Leader's Climb

A Business Tale of Rising to the New Leadership Challenge

By: Bob Parsanko, Paul Heagen

Published: September 18, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 188 pages
ISBN-10: 1937134210
ISBN-13: 978-1937134211
Publisher: Bibliomotion











"Today in companies big and small, local and global, public and private, leaders at all levels say the same thing: business has become faster, more complicated, more uncertain, more disruptive, and more competitive", write personal coach and president and founder of Executive Insights, Bob Parsanko; and executive coach and president and founder of Defining Moments Consulting, Paul Heagen, in their engaging and insightful business fable The Leader's Climb: A Business Tale of Rising to the New Leadership Challenge. The authors share the story of of Adam, a CEO who faces a challenging responsibility for his company, and a sense of overconfidence in his ability to control events. Suffering a rock climbing accident, Adam is forced to face his mistakes through chance meetings with an unusual set of characters who share their wisdom with the recovering CEO.

Bob Parsanko (photo left) and Paul Heagen provide insights into leadership, and into the challenges faced by organizational leaders, through the medium of a narrative story. For the authors, climbing to achieve a leadership position is only part of the leader's journey. The critical test of a leader is meeting the often overwhelming array of problems and obstacles presented to leaders, so as to remain at the top. The story poses the metaphor of rock climbing as the career of the leader.

The overburdened and overconfident Adam climbs the rock face, only to discover he is not invincible when he suffers an accident. As with his stuck career as a CEO< Adam finds himself stuck from the accident as well. Through the advice and teachings of an unexpected array of people, Adam uncovers the wisdom to become unstuck, and to move forward and grow as a leader.

Paul Heagen (photo left) and Bob Parsanko present their principles for remaining in a leadership role, and for avoiding the pitfalls that await the unwary and hurried leaders. The authors, through the medium of the business parable, demonstrate how CEO Adam finds himself trying to go too fast, fighting too much, and forcing too many decisions. The inevitable result, as shown by the story of the rock climb, Adam finds himself stuck and unable to find a way to break free. To help guide Adam on his climb, characters in the story teach Adam the principles of awareness and slowing down, acceptance and embracing reality, and abundance by considering multiple options.

The authors show how listening carefully and openly to others helps a leader to understand the principles. Instead of fighting against adversity, Adam learns to lean into it for greater success. Adam finds that the standard practice of limiting the number of options results in bad decision making, and instead finds that multiplying his choices and possibilities leads to better outcomes. Through the sage advice of the story guides, Adam learns how to become unstuck from the rock and from the difficulties he faced as a CEO.

For me, the power of the book is how Bob Parsanko and Paul Heagen present their principles of leadership through a story format that illustrates their concepts in action. The pillars of leadership, and being stuck and overwhelmed, are given clarity in the narrative of Adam, the rock climbing CEO. Through the metaphor of being stuck in a rock climbing accident, the authors point out how the same concepts that get a climber unstuck work for a stuck leader.

The story provides the key elements of successful leadership, that overcome the challenge of remaining in leadership positions, and how these behaviors are so lacking in companies today. The authors present the basic ideas of meeting the myriad of leadership obstacles in a pleasurable and engaging way that underlines the importance of developing and utilizing those principles and skills.

I highly recommend the idea filled and realistic leadership skills development business parable The Leader's Climb: A Business Tale of Rising to the New Leadership Challenge by Paul Heagen and Bob Parsanko, to anyone seeking a very readable and enjoyable narrative that offers rich insights into leadership and overcoming the challenges faced by the today's leaders. This book offers timeless wisdom and a healthy does of common sense to develop skills for any leader.

Exam Schools by Chester E. Finn, Jr. & Jessica A. Hockett - Book review

Exam Schools

Inside America's Most Selective Public High Schools

By: Chester E. Finn, Jr., Jessica A. Hockett

Published: September 16, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 264 pages
ISBN-10: 0691156670
ISBN-13: 978-0691156675
Publisher: Princeton University Press












"Selective public high schools that serve motivated kids and high achievers, many of them also very smart, have been a tiny but important part of the U.S. secondary-education landscape for generations", write president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Chester E. Finn; and educational consultant in differentiated instruction, Jessica A. Hockett, in their pioneering and visionary book Exam Schools: Inside America's Most Selective Public High Schools. The authors describe their examination of America's selective public high schools, and outline their goals, their operations, and their successes and failures.

Chester E. Finn, Jr. (photo left) and Jessica A. Hockett recognize that the emphasis in American education has been to raise the floor, but at the same time, neglected to raise the ceiling. For the authors, the selective exam schools represent an opportunity for America's best and brightest students to excel, and to achieve the background to become the leaders in innovation, business, government, and entrepreneurship. In this first ever overview of the schools dedicated to the highest performing students, the authors consider how these publicly funded institutions work and prepare their students. The authors consider the racial and socioeconomic background of the students, and consider the impact of these schools on public policy considerations.

Jessica A. Hockett (photo left) and Chester E. Finn, Jr. understand the dilemma facing high achievement education. While enormous amounts of funding are spent on low achieving students, the exam schools are forced to turn away the top performing pupils. The authors are aware of problems and challenges facing exam schools, and also note there are many areas where the high performance schools could make improvements. At the same time, the authors note that the exam schools provide a leg up for highly intelligent and hard working students from lower income and racially diverse families.

The authors emphasize the critical role that selective schools play in the development of leaders who can strengthen America's future. The authors show how these selective schools work, and examine the 165 profiled schools on their admission policies, diversity, and how they select their teaching staff. the authors describe how the exam schools offer an alternative to the widely applied approach of addressing the worst producing schools and under-performing students. As a result of their comprehensive study, the authors make strong case for enhancing and increasing the role of selective schools as an integral part of public education policy.

For me, the power of the book is how Chester Finn and Jessica Hockett provide a complete overview of selective schools across the United States, and present a balanced analysis of their areas of strength, as well as where improvements can be made. The authors offer the first research based investigation of the exam schools, and sheds light on this important but relatively unknown area of secondary education. The selective schools, in the view of the authors, provide a crucial service to the students they teach, and to the overall quality of education in America.

The emphasis on selecting the best and brightest students, regardless of race and economic background, offers a high performance alternative to ever more costly private schools. The authors demonstrate how the exam schools can provide another potential blueprint for top performing education in the United States. and how the support for high standards and challenging the most intelligent students to become the leaders of tomorrow in innovations, the creative arts, the professions, business, and entrepreneurship.

I highly recommend the thought provoking and groundbreaking book Exam Schools: Inside America's Most Selective Public High Schools by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Jessica A. Hockett, to anyone seeking a complete examination of an alternative approach to excellence in high school eduction. This book provides a road map to high achievement levels that stresses raising the standards bar at the top, as an addition to the usual focus on raising the bar at the bottom.

New Sales. Simplified. by Mike Weinberg - Book review

New Sales. Simplified.

The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development

By: Mike Weinberg

Published: September 4, 2012
Format: Paperback, 220 pages
ISBN-10: 0814431771
ISBN-13: 978-0814431771
Publisher: AMACOM












"There is an oversupply of account managers and customers-service people filling sales roles, but precious few true sales hunters that can be counted on to consistently deliver new business. You can bring tremendous value to your business, your customers, and yourself by becoming proficient at bringing in new business", writes former sales executive and president of The New sales Coach, Mike Weinberg, in his straight talking and timeless idea packed book New Sales. Simplified. The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development. The author describes how to attract and close new customer sales, by connecting with and providing service for the needs of the buyers, and by offering real solutions to the customer's problems.

Mike Weinberg recognizes that new sales representatives, and established sales professionals as well, are experiencing real challenges in developing new business for themselves and the company. The author points out that despite the value offered by existing loyal customers, the company needs a continual influx of new customers and clients for sustainable growth. Unfortunately, as Rick Weinberg writes, the established sales methods are no longer effective with today's customers. The author shares a news sales approach, that is both simple to understand and execute, and is based on timeless wisdom that will motivate new and seasoned sales representatives.

Mike Weinberg (photo left) understands that today's economy is a challenging environment for sales representatives to maintain their quotas. To resolve that problem, Mike Weinberg offers a simple, yet effective sales system that finds qualified prospects, provides the resources and tools needed to approach the potential buyer, and for achieving a successful outcome that develops a new customer. Instead of doing things wrong, as so many new and even experienced sales representatives do, the author coaches sales professionals in how to perform the entire process from prospecting to the close the right way.

Mike Weinberg divides the new sales simple process into three readily understood and actionable steps. Those three parts include:

* Select target: identify the ideal prospect
* Create and deploy weapons: Using the telephone and other tools to tell a story
* Plan and execute the attack: Preparation, questions and listening

For me, the power of the book is how Mike Weinberg combines a straight forward and results oriented sales approach with the practical tools and techniques to achieve a successful outcome. The author provides an effective method for finding and developing new sales business. The concept of finding new customers has been downplayed in recent years, and has even been regarded as being almost automatic. Mike Weinberg shares an alternative to that passive strategy.

In its place, Mike Weinberg offers an integrated, yet very easy to understand and apply system, that will add new business to the order books, while keeping sales professionals engaged in the process. The author bolsters his timeless wisdom with humor and interesting anecdotes that illustrate the concepts in action in real world sales situations.

I highly recommend the very hands on and results oriented book New Sales. Simplified. The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development by Mike Weinberg, to any new or experienced sales representatives, and to any sales managers and leaders who are seeking a workable and effective process for developing new customers. This book offers a back to basics strategy that will find qualified prospects and transform them into satisfied customers.

Marketing in the Round by Gini Dietrich & Geoff Livingston - Book review

Marketing in the Round: How to Develop an Integrated Marketing Campaign in the Digital Era

By: Gini Dietrich, Geoff Livingston

Published: April 23, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 0789749173
ISBN-13: 978-0789749178
Publisher: Que Publishing












"Companies and agencies have struggled to integrate traditional and social media and to measure results beyond increased awareness and positive sentiment", write marketing and public relations consultant, and founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, Gini Dietrich; and marketing and social media strategist, and bestselling author, Geoff Livingston, in their comprehensive and groundbreaking book Marketing in the Round: How to Develop an Integrated Marketing Campaign in the Digital Era. The authors describe the concept of developing and implementing a fully integrated marketing strategy that combines traditional marketing tactics with the effective deployment of social media campaigns.

Gini Dietrich (photo left) and Geoff Livingston recognize that a marketing strategy based on the exclusion of either traditional marketing tactics or the use of social media is an incomplete approach. The authors break down the silos that exist for brands and for customers alike that artificially separate social media from traditional media channels.

The authors provide an overarching strategic approach to marketing that transcends both organizational silos and the false divide between traditional and new media marketing. The book offers a complete and fully integrated approach for providing a unified and consistent marketing and brand message to customers. At the same time, the authors break down the message to targeted audiences to fit the needs of those customers; and how to measure the results and effectiveness of the strategy in meaningful terms.

Geoff Livingston (photo left) and Gini Dietrich understand that the choice of media channels, whether traditional or social media, is not the real issue. The real challenge is to achieve positive and profitable results for the brand. To meet this challenge, the authors propose the concept of an integrated marketing strategy that forgets the misleading premise of either one channel or the other. As a more effective alternative, the authors recommend an all channel approach to marketing, where the audience receives the message in different formats of their choice. The breaking down of silos and myths surrounding the various marketing format is the first step, and with that barricade broken through, real connection with the customer can begin in earnest.

The authors divide the book into three overall sections, with each subsection devoted to real world focused tactics and techniques. The three basic parts of the book are as follows:

* Understand the marketing round and develop your strategy
* Four marketing round approaches
* Measurement, refinement, and improvement

For me, the power of the book is how Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston combine a strong theoretical framework for developing an integrated marketing strategy, with the practical and hands on tactics for making that overall strategy an effective reality. The authors dispense with the usual defenses of either social media on the one hand, and traditional marketing on the other, and combine them into an integrated and holistic marketing message. What is intriguing is why this silo and separation of marketing strategies ever developed in the first place, and the authors do a fine job of ending that false dichotomy.

The authors wisely create a series of four different approaches to the tactics utilized by a brand for marketing and connecting with customers. This useful concept offers the marketer flexibility that is not always seen in books of this type. The authors recognize as well that marketing through any media channels is more than simply awareness or a feel good result. Instead, the authors recommend a complete measurement and evaluation program for the brand to determine real effectiveness in bottom line terms.

I highly recommend the insightful and very results oriented book Marketing in the Round: How to Develop an Integrated Marketing Campaign in the Digital Era by Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston to any business leaders, entrepreneurs, marketers and branders who are seeking an integrated and holistic approach to developing a comprehensive marketing strategy. This book is a manifesto to tear down those silo walls and bring an overall and complete marketing strategy into effect for your brands.

The Connected Company by Dave Gray with Thomas Vander Wal - Book review

The Connected Company

By: Dave Gray, Thomas Vander Wal

Published: September 18, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 144931905X
ISBN-13: 978-1449319052
Publisher: O'Reilly Media











"Customers are connecting, forming networked communities that allow them to rapidly share information and self-organize into powerful interest groups. Companies will have to be more responsive to customer needs and demands if they want to survive", write SVP Strategy, Dachis Group management consultant, Dave Gray; and Principal, InfoCloud Solutions, Thomas Vander Wal, in their visionary blueprint for the new business reality oriented book The Connected Company. The authors describe how customers have increased their power over the marketplace, how companies must understand that new power relationship, and share strategies for connecting with customers and thriving in the new wired world.

Dave Gray (photo left) and Thomas Vander Wal recognize that customers are utilizing the disruptive technologies of the internet and mobile, and forming networked information sharing communities faster than companies can cope with the changes. The authors point out that in the service economy, customers and their needs are part of the design process. With the ever increasing complexity of services, and the necessity of close interaction with customers, companies must overcome their tendency to move away from customers. To meet this challenge, companies must create, develop and enrich sustainable connections with their increasingly empowered customer base. The authors provide the solution of making the structural changes that transform an organization into a connected company, and offer the strategy for building an operating this emerging business model.

Thomas Vander Wal (photo left) and Dave Gray understand that their visionary connected company has a purpose. The authors share the important insight that a company cannot act as a machine, but is really a living, learning organism. The connected company learns through seeking and acting upon customer feedback, and with constant experimentation and the trying of new approaches.

The connected company works through what the authors describe as a pod based system they call a holarchy. The complex structure of this connected company formation is semi-autonomous, and able to respond quickly through their close connectedness with customers. At the same time, the pod structured company requires connected support platform systems to provide interaction, feedback, and resources. Through these multifaceted and interconnected platforms and pods, a company is able to learn and grow organically. The authors also describe the challenges and opportunities for leadership within the connected company structure.

The authors divide the book into five overarching sections to ensure that the reader understands the main pillars of the connected company format. The five sections are as follows:

* Why change?
* What is a connected company?
* How does a connected company work?
* How do you lead a connected company?
* How do you get there from here?

For me, the power of the book is how Dave Gray and Thomas Vander Wal combine a strong theoretical framework of the connected company, with the practical strategies for developing and maintaining a vibrant, learning, and growing company. the authors present their case for the integration of a customer focus into the fresh connected company system. The new structure forms an interactive feedback mechanism with the new empowered customer. Instead of being disrupted by the customer, the connected company leverages and utilizes that connected customer community to offer more services that the customer wants.

The authors present a series of strategies and techniques for transforming a company from the previous business model, to the connected company model. They also offer a fresh leadership model for working with this fresh business approach. The authors also describe some of the challenges that face leadership, and how to avoid the potential pitfalls.

I highly recommend the insightful and landmark book The Connected Company by Dave Gray and Thomas Vander Wal, to any business leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who are seeking a fresh approach to creating a responsive and customer focused company that welcomes feedback and input from the empowered customer base. This book will transform your organization to meet the challenges of the new technological realities.

Improving Profitiability Through Green Manufacturing by David R. Hills & J. Barry DuVall - Book review

Improving Profitability Through Green Manufacturing

Creating a Profitable and Environmentally Compliant Manufacturing Facility

By: David R. Hillis, Ph.D., J. Barry DuVall, Ph.D.

Published: September 19, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 248 pages
ISBN-10: 1118111257
ISBN-10: 1118111257
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.












"Now many believe that manufacturing in the United States is too cost both in dollars and harm to the environment. This is not true. There are ways to make manufacturing sustainable and profitable while meeting environmental obligations and requirements", write independent manufacturing consultant David R. Hillis, Ph.D.; and Professor in the Department of Technology Systems at East Carolina University, J. Barry DuVall, Ph.D., in their complete systems approach based book Improving Profitability Through Green Manufacturing: Creating a Profitable and Environmentally Compliant Manufacturing Facility. The authors describe how profits don't have to be sacrificed to environmental sustainability, or that care for the environment doesn't have to be reduced for profits, and provide real proven techniques that demonstrate how profitability and the environment can work together effectively.

David R. Hillis and J. Barry DuVall understand that manufacturing plants can be highly profitable while complying with or exceeding the environmental standards set by local, state, and federal governments. For the authors, there is no contradiction between profit generation and good environmental stewardship. Instead, the authors provide strong evidence that care for the environment and profits work well together. The authors open the book with a complete explanation of why a holistic approach that considers profitability while sustaining the environment are really a single and unified goal. The authors present a comprehensive overview of the unity of profits and environmental sustainability,a and not as a contradiction at all.

J. Barry DuVall and David R. Hillis recognize the most appropriate format for establishing a comprehensive manufacturing process, where both profits and the environment are considered, is through the entire system. As a result, the authors offer a complete explanation of the concepts of profits and green manufacturing. The next portion of the book is devoted to the practical strategies and techniques for establishing and maintaining a profitable manufacturing system that meets or exceeds all environmental standards and regulations.

The authors divide the book into sections that focus on the various aspects of green manufacturing as a comprehensive and fully integated system:

* Manufacturing: Product life cycles, waste, and regeneration
* Building a decision making process
* Environmental regulations, standards, and profitability
* Case studies: The principles in real world manufacturing settings
* Overview of tools used to improve manufacturing operations
* The facility: The plant, location, and sustainable design
* Applying the profitable and compliant process chart

For me, the power of the book is how David R. Hillis and J. Barry DuVall combine a strong theoretical reasoning and framework for profitable green manufacturing, with the proven and practical strategies for developing a profitable process that is also environmentally compliant. The authors make a tremendous case that profitability and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive goals. The authors demonstrate clearly that the two goals are not only compatible but are also symbiotic in their approach. The authors provide a series of illustrative case studies that show the principles at work in real world manufacturing plants.

The authors present a clear step by step blueprint for create and maintain a profitable manufacturing process with an integral environmental component. The holistic and systemic approach to green manufacturing is convincing and will change the way that business and government agencies view the sustainability of a manufacturing process.

I highly recommend the holistic and knowledge building book Improving Profitability Through Green Manufacturing: Creating a Profitable and Environmentally Compliant Manufacturing Facility by David R. Hillis, Ph.D. and J. Barry DuVall, Ph.D., to any business leaders, manufacturers, design specialists, building and plant builders, public policy makers, environmental groups, practicing engineers, engineering and manufacturing students, elected officials, and anyone interested in green manufacturing who are seeking a clear and concise road map to establishing and maintaining a complete system that is profitable and environmentally sustainable. This book will change your mind forever about profit and the environment as green manufacturing works for both goals.