Month: October 2015

Another batch of great management books recently received

marilyn

Syndetics book coverDisrupt you! : master personal transformation, seize opportunity, and thrive in the era of endless innovation / Jay Samit.
” Excellent book, a must read….Whether you are an entrepreneur on the verge of building your first business, or a business owner needing to change directions because your industry is changing or just a guy trying to get ahead within a company you work at, this is the book for you. Not only is it chocked full of interesting information, useful tools and solid insight but it’s also a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book. I might suggest that (if you’re like me) and like taking notes, that you go right for the hardcover version of this. I ordered the Kindle version first but it’s definitely the kind of book you want to take notes in and highlight, so I wound up also ordering a hardcover as well. (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book coverThe high-speed company : creating urgency and growth in a nanosecond culture / Jason Jennings, with Laurence Haughton.
“No one knows the ins and outs of successful companies better than bestselling author Jason Jennings. Back in 2001, with It’s Not the Big That Eat the Small, It’s the Fast That Eat the Slow (HarperBusiness, 2011), Jennings proved that speed was the ultimate competitive advantage. The High-Speed Company reveals the unique practices of businesses that have proven records of urgency and growth. The key distinction is that they’ve created extraordinary cultures with a strong purpose, more trust and relentless follow-through.” (Syndetics summary)

Syndetics book coverManaging your team through business change / Richard Newton.
“How do you make change work? What skills and resources do you need? From understanding and planning, to implementing and assessing the impact, this book covers all aspects of managing change using simple, practical steps and strategies, each one of which has been developed, tested and proven to work. Brilliant Managing your Team through Change will expertly guide you step by step through the entire change process so you can deliver the required outcomes whilst keeping your team and other stakeholders on board throughout. · Understand the nature and complexities of the change process · Define and develop a customised change plan and schedule · Effectively communicate with, motivate and manage your team through the process Everything you need to think about, know and do to manage change effectively” (Syndetics summary)

Syndetics book coverWhoever tells the best story wins : how to use your own stories to communicate with power and impact / Annette Simmons.Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact
“Stories have tremendous power. They can persuade, promote empathy, and provoke action. Better than any other communication tool, stories explain who you are, what you want…and why it matters. In presentations, department meetings, over lunch–any place you make a case for new customers, more business, or your next big idea–you’ll have greater impact if you have a compelling story to relate. Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins will teach you to narrate personal experiences as well as borrowed stories in a way that demonstrates authenticity, builds emotional connections, inspires perseverance, and stimulates the imagination. Fully updated and more practical than ever, the second edition reveals how to use storytelling to: Capture attention • Motivate listeners • Gain trust • Strengthen your argument • Sway decisions • Demonstrate authenticity and encourage transparency • Spark innovation • Manage uncertainty • And more Complete with examples, a proven storytelling process and techniques, innovative applications, and a new appendix on teaching storytelling, Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins hands you the tools you need to get your message across–and connect successfully with any audience.” (Syndetics summary)

Syndetics book coverThe new one minute manager / Ken Blanchard, PhD, Spencer Johnson, MD. “Updated & Still a Classic must-read for people who value relationships…I read the original One Minute Manager multiple times back in the 80s while working at my first serious job. I’ve threaded my way through a lot of organizations and managers since then, but as I read this new, updated version I found the same foundational principles enhanced to be applicable to business cultures today with different structures, flexible work arrangements, and technology that didn’t exist 30 years ago. What is most impressive about this little book is that the title implies manager, but every person can practice the principles. The world has changed but preserving relationships is still a major objective at work and at home and in our communities. (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book coverHidden strengths : unleashing the crucial leadership skills you already have / Thuy Sindell and Milo Sindell.
“Books like StrengthsFinder 2.0 have helped leaders discover their strengths – but they stop there. The Sindells argue that focusing only on your best abilities neglects a vital development opportunity. They show how to identify hidden strengths that can be quickly elevated into full strengths with attention and focus. Working mainly on your strengths can ultimately make you weaker, they argue – you need to continually add new skills, not rely on what you’re already good at. And while most people assume that means they should try to turn their weaknesses into usable skills, the Sindells say that it takes too much time and effort – the ROI just isn’t there. It’s in the neglected middle skills, neither strengths nor weaknesses, that the most potent development opportunities lie. They’re close enough to being strengths that putting your energy there can offer a powerful payoff. Using assessments, exercises, and case studies, the Sindells help you identify your most promising middle skills and create a plan to turn them into strengths. In today’s work environment, not growing and stretching yourself translates into lack of innovation, stagnation, and obsolescence. Relying upon strengths is like relying upon training wheels – at a certain point you need to take them off in order to improve and grow.” (Syndetics summary)

New Management books at Wellington City Libraries

marilyn

Syndetics book coverPower score : your formula for leadership success / Geoff Smart, Randy Street, and Alan Foster.
“Written in an informal, Q & A style, yet backed up with data from more than 15,000 career interviews, Smart, Street, and Foster lay out their formula for running a successful organization – both for-profits and non-profits. P + W + R = Power Score. Yes, it’s a real formula and they’ve been testing it at businesses large and small for nearly two decades. Other reviewers have focused on the formula, so I won’t be redundant. Instead, I offer another perspective. I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first when I saw that all the endorsers of Power Score were men. As a female entrepreneur and lifelong student of leadership I thought, “Here we go again. Another business book with male dominated case studies.” I was pleasantly surprised that the authors weave in real-life stories from both male and female leaders, who have succeeded and failed, to bring their formula to life. Refreshing!” (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book coverThe mobile mind shift : engineer your business to win in the mobile moment / Ted Schadler, Josh Bernoff, Julie Ask, Forrester Research.
““An essential guide for those needing to grow business in a mobile world….The ubiquity of smartphones and mobile devices has created the opportunity for businesses to thrive by serving their customer’s and employee’s needs wherever and whenever they are. We have grown accustomed to going to our mobile devices whenever we need assistance, and it is in these mobile moments that brands have the ability succeed, or fail, at building customer loyalty and engagement. The authors of this fantastic book point out that businesses must succeed at winning these mobile moments, or they risk being disrupted by more progressive and entrepreneurial companies. The reality is that many mobile first companies have set the bar very high, and as a result, consumers have very high expectations. So how do the rest of us catch up and shift our business processes (and personal skills) to meet the needs of a mobile first world? Start by reading this book. It is full of examples and practical instruction. The authors have experienced what works and what does not, and the resulting advice is applicable to both big and small businesses.” (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book coverStrategic planning for nonprofit organizations : a practical guide for dynamic times / Michael Allison, Jude Kaye.“The roadmap you need on a long, hard journey….I recently joined my organization after spending nearly 10 years in another industry. The role that I took on, overseeing strategy and partnerships was new for me as well as for the organization. I came into an organization that capitalized on growth opportunities in a very organic fashion. With increased capacity to take on strategy development, and the need to do so, we set out on the organization’s first ever strategic planning process. Finding myself in the position of project lead, I was desperate to find information about what to expect from the process, elements that contribute to a good process, how to prepare the organization for change, and how to keep external consultants accountable. This book was all that and more – the ideal roadmap, showing the path, but also highlighting bumps along the way.” (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book cover101 more ways to make training active / Elaine Biech.
“What a great idea and what a great product. Input from dozens of successful practitioners in the training field. Biech has done so much more than make training active. With this collection, she has made it inviting, inspirational, and imaginative. Veteran trainers and neophytes alike will easily be able to sharpen their classroom style. I speak has a veteran of many years who nonetheless has found a plethora of new activities.” (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book coverNo-drama leadership : how enlightened leaders transform culture in the workplace / Marlene Chism.
“As someone who has lived through the trials and challenges Marlene addresses in this very important book, I can say without question that her insights are spot-on and much needed. We are truly at a transitional point in the leadership and management fields- with so many companies and government agencies completely unprepared for the environment they face today. Because of her background, prospective, and uncommon level of pereception, Marlene is able to not only identify the issues that plaque organizations today- but to also offer a way forward. Although there are countless leadership books on the shelves- there is still a void. So much of whats out there is irrelevant boilerplate and cliches. That doesnt apply to the work of Marlene Chism. In the years to come her work will be considered ahead of its time. All the more reason you should take the time now to read it” (Amazon USA)

Syndetics book coverProject management for the unofficial project manager / Kory Kogon, Suzette Blakemore and James Wood.
“This was a great book!…. I really liked all of the stories and examples. The authors made the concepts easy to understand and the book was an easy read. Before now, I never really thought about the people aspect of project management. I can see now, many of my project problems in the past were really people problems. While reading, I learned a lot, about the project management process, but not too much. This was key for me. I’ve purchased Project Management books in the past that were too technical and I never made it to the end. This book gave me everything I needed in a simple, easy to digest format”. (Amazon USA)