by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie McKee
(Learning to lead with emotional intelligence) This book builds on Goleman’s highly acclaimed book, Emotional Intelligence, and takes that content one step further – into organizational leadership. Turns out our minds have a lot to do with how we lead – “This brain circuitry that interweaves thought and feeling provides the neural basis of primal leadership.” Understanding that circuitry is central to becoming a […]
Posts Categorized: Book Reviews
Rules to Break & Laws to Follow
by Don Peppers & Martha Rogers
Turning conventional business wisdom on its head, Peppers and Rogers say current sales and profits aren’t the best measure of success. Their new model is based on two principles:
1. Customers will do business with companies they trust.
2. Employees will earn customer trust only after they trust their employer.
So, success isn’t about sales – it’s about trust. And […]
Stumbling on Happiness
by Daniel Gilbert
When Malcolm Gladwell speaks, I listen. So when he said, “If you have even the slightest curiosity about the human condition, you ought to read Stumbling on Happiness.” I bought the book. Written by Daniel Gilbert, a Harvard psychologist, there’s plenty of science, and as a friend said, “The best parts are the first quarter and the last quarter.” In between, Gilbert is busy making sure we know that he […]
The Provocateur
by Larry Webber
Provocateurs create community. They thrive in an upside down world surrounded by technology and global challenges. But most of all, they put the customer at the center of it. Larry Webber says the successful Provocateur, ‘… acts like a great mayor of the community, creating excitement, momentum and engagement.” This book will help any leader create a community rather than a company. Provocative stuff!
The Radical Leap
by Steve Farber
(A personal lesson in extreme leadership) This isn’t just another leadership parable – this one is an entertaining read. No formulaic pretense or contrived structure. You’ll learn how to take the Radical LEAP:
• Cultivate Love
• Generate Energy
• Inspire Audacity, and
• Provide Proof
And you’ll enjoy every minute. Be prepared to change things for the better.
The Tipping Point
by Malcolm Gladwell
Do ideas spread like a virus? Some catch on and spread while others just go away. That’s Gladwell’s hypothesis. An interesting read, especially his assertion that change happens dramatically and suddenly. He backs up his conclusions by analyzing several situations, including Paul Revere’s famous ride and the reduction of crime in New York in the mid-nineties.
The Wisdom of the Crowds
by James Surowiecki
The subtitle of this book is informative: “Why the Many Are Smarter than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations. It’s counterintuitive, but proven by actual real life examples. When the Challenger blew up, investors started dumping stocks of the major companies. One company’s stock was hit hardest – Thiokol. And, that is the company that was […]
Through the Labyrinth
by Alice H. Eagly & Linda L. Carli
Steve Stone (of Jazz Kings’ fame) mentioned an RG article on discrimination against women at a Rotary program meeting, and I was intrigued enough to look for it – buried on the inside pages of section A. The article mentioned a book Through the Labyrinth by Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli. Of the three women at the meeting, two […]
Trading Up
by Michael J. Silverstein & Neil Fiske
Premium goods – who buys them and why. That’s this book. Emotionally important products demand a premium price, while the same shopper will seek out bargains on commodity items or products that lack an emotional appeal. The authors predict the market for new luxury items will be $1 trillion just in the U.S. by the end of the decade. They talk about New Luxury […]
The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive
by Patrick Lencioni
Are you a fan of leadership fables – those simplistic books that tell a story to help you become a better manager? Then you better get this book. Even if you aren’t a fan, this book is still a good read.
It’s about two CEOs of firms in the same industry. One worries about the competition, and the other just works on […]