The Achiever Newsletter
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Encouraging our clients to read books has always been an integral part of our business. As a result, we’d like to periodically share 10 books that we feel should be included in your business and/or personal library. These books are not listed in order of sales, popularity, or recommendation. The numbers are used only for reference purposes.
This runaway national bestseller was originally published in 1993. In a recent cross country trip on behalf of a client, I was fascinated to find this classic prominently displayed on the bookshelves of every major airport I passed through. There's a good reason for this well-deserved longevity. In short, the content of this masterpiece is as relevant today as it was the day it was written. Maybe even more so. This is an inside story written by two men who observed General Electric from very different vantage points — one as a deeply involved participant and the other as a skeptical outsider. The result — an in-depth, honest, revealing rendition of the Welch Revolution. Noel Tichy is a professor at the University of Michigan School of Business and director of the school's Global Leadership Program. He also ran GE's executive training center for two years. Stratford Sherman is a management specialist on Fortune Magazine's board of editors and has been covering the world of business since 1977. He's been writing about GE for over a decade.
This is the first scholarly attempt to pin down the secrets of GE's phenomenal success.
Its straightforward, riveting content is sprinkled with eye-opening case studies. This is a must-read for every student of business regardless of your current position, product, service, company or industry. Here's a sample of what you'll find in this totally involving read:
The title of this 121-page masterpiece should tip you off to the content. My prediction is that you will finish this memorable parable in one sitting. A disillusioned CEO encounters a good-natured millionaire and an adorable young lady who boasts long, black braids and a gaping hole where her two front teeth once resided. Their journey to the sandbox of wisdom is filled with insights on how to develop meaningful, lasting relationships with customers, employees, and associates. His chance meeting with these two unforgettable characters changes his business and his life forever. This touching story will remind you that we all tend to get so caught up in our daily routine that we forget to find the joy in our human interactions. We think business is about revenues, margins, wins and losses. It's not. It's about people, real lives, and real emotions. This book instructs us how to apply the power of child-like wonderment to the world of business. In doing so, we learn to be more creative, open-minded, enthusiastic, honest and happy. The wisdom presented throughout the story is easy to digest and even simpler to remember. Learn why you should never follow the Golden Rule. You'll take to heart the lessons learned for business as well as for life. This book will challenge and encourage you to re-examine your assumptions about business, success and the true meaning of work.
My favorite quote comes from Jack Welch, considered by many experts to be the 20th Century's greatest corporate leader. He said, "People always over-estimate how complex business is. This isn't rocket science!" Apparently he hit the nail right on the head. Here is still another book written as a parable. It, too, delivers its powerful message by teaming its main character with a young person and a unique mentor. A fifth grade hockey player and former girls' basketball coach teach our workaholic hero the magic of teamwork and that "none of us is as smart as all of us." This is not rocket science. However, it is a delightful and charming story that brilliantly illustrates the dynamics of teamwork and why the collective power of a group outshines individual performance. Blanchard's previous work warrants a mention at this point. Blanchard and company have enlightened many a reader with the following best-selling favorites... The One Minute Manager Series, Raving Fans, Mission Possible, Gung Ho!, The Heart of a Leader, Managing By Values, Big Bucks, The 3 Keys to Empowerment, How Leaders Lead, Everyone's A Coach, and Winning Ways among others. If you enjoyed his previous work, you'll want to add this classic to your business and/or personal collection.
"Employer of Choice"... another buzz word or your key to a successful future at a time when it is indeed difficult to attract and retain qualified employees? Is employee turnover impacting your organization's ability to serve customers and maintain productivity and employee morale? Or, are you already successful in these areas and want to ensure that you continue that level of success? If you answered YES to any of these questions, you must read this book. It's written by a team of Strategic Business Futurists who concentrate on workforce and workplace trends. They integrate a wide range of trend indicators to project change. There will be no issue with greater urgency or with more far-reaching consequences in the 21st century for businesses than the attraction and retention of talent. In order to meet the challenge of attracting and retaining world-class talent, organizations must position themselves as Employers of Choice. Business success and growth in any industry is clearly linked to the attraction and retention of talent. Examine solutions and examples of how to deal with the most vexing problem organizations now confront!
Here's another masterpiece that belongs in your library and should be shared with everyone in your organization. This new book brings together a "who's who" of today's most successful leadership experts and consultants, who share personal lessons — many learned the hard way — about what it takes to attain success. These intimate stories — about childhood experiences, school life, friendship and marriage, sports, and, of course, careers and business — reveal a compelling truth about what enables individuals to stand out as great mentors and leaders: They seize opportunities to learn wherever they find them. Each essay includes questions for reflection to help readers apply the lessons learned to their own lives and careers. You'll learn a great deal from such notable world-class thought leaders as: Joel Barker, Wally Amos, Elizabeth Pinchot, Warren Bennis, Peter Block, Stephen Covey, Nancy Adler, Charles Garfield, Beverly Kaye, Spencer Johnson, Lou Tice, and many others.
From the coauthor of the national bestseller First, Break All The Rules comes the revolutionary program that shows you how to develop your unique talents and strengths — and those of the people you manage. It's based on the Gallup study of over two million people. At the heart of the book is the Internet-based StrengthsFinder Profile, the product of a 25-year, multimillion-dollar effort to identify the most prevalent human strengths. This book contains a unique identification number that allows you to access the Profile on the Internet. This Web-based interview analyzes your instinctive reactions and immediately presents you with your five most powerful signature themes. Once you know which of the 34 themes you lead with, the book will show you how to leverage them for powerful results. With profound insights on how to turn talents into strengths, and with the immediate on-line feedback at its core, this is one of the most ground-breaking and useful business books ever written.
This is the stunning follow-up to the author's best selling book, The Five Temptations of a CEO. You'll certainly enjoy the author's profound insights and the simplicity of his theories. According to Lencioni, there are truly only four things that should keep you, as a leader, up at night in order to sustain a successful organization. The rest can and should be delegated to your able team. This book is a very quick read that still manages to hit you right between the eyes with a one-two punch of reality and hope. I don't know how he does it but the author has a knack for story-telling that will convince you that he knows your organization and its people as well as you do... maybe even better. The good news is that he articulates a straight forward prescription for a better functioning organization. This is a powerful model for any organization, large or small.
What you will probably notice immediately upon picking up this book is the glossy, heavy-weight paper, the stunning colorful photos, and the vivid, attractive diagrams and charts. Once into the content, you'll note a similarity to Tom Peters' commentary on the necessity of revolution, rebellion, and change. If you enjoyed Hamel's first book, Competing for the Future, and Tom Peters' approach to revolution, you'll appreciate the author's no-holds-barred assessment of the issues facing companies all around the world as they struggle to catch up with the new economy. Based on an extensive study of revolutionaries, this book is packed with insight and practical advice. Leading the Revolution shows you how to:
Drawing on the examples of activists who profoundly changed their companies, the author outlines the practical steps anyone can take to lead a successful revolution in their own organization.
If you ran across this "jewel" in your favorite bookstore and read the few words that appear on the cover, you'd want to sit down and immediately investigate further. It reads: "Suppose you had the chance to travel around the globe and meet today's most powerful business leaders, one on one. Suppose they talked frankly and openly to you about their business strategies, what it takes to be a leader, their vision of the future, and what keeps them up at night. Jeffrey E. Garten took that trip. Here's what he heard — and what he didn't hear." How could you walk away from an invitation like that? Reading this book is like being at the World Economic Forum — not at the formal presentations but in the hotel bar afterward, where the microphones are turned off and world-famous business leaders say what they really think. Better still, their confidant, Jeffrey Garten, interprets what they say, telling you how their views relate to each other and the world economy, and noting the many important things left unsaid. Learn from the experience of 40 of today's greatest leaders as they share insights to their careers and their organizations. This impressive list includes Leonard Riggio (Barnes & Noble), Stephen Case (AOL), Michael Dell (Dell Computer), Andrew Grove (Intel), Jack Welch (GE), William Clay Ford (Ford Motor), Fred Smith (FedEx), Roger Enrico (PepsiCo), Christopher Galvin (Motorola), John Brown (Amoco), and many others. This author is obviously well credentialed to offer this revealing glimpse into the future of business. Jeffrey Garten is the Dean of the Yale School of Management and a monthly columnist for Business Week, he was previously Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade in the Clinton administration, and before that a managing director for two Wall Street Banks.
Why is AOL the most profitable new media company In the world, swallowing up one company after another and adding millions of new subscribers, while Prodigy and CompuServe are mere memories? How did Hotmail vault from being a cool idea to being worth more than $400 million in the eyes of Microsoft in twenty-four months? What transformed Charles Schwab from a company with four brokers trading stocks around a single table into the world's largest financial services firm? Breakthrough consultants Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton reveal how the planet's most successful companies surged to the forefront of their industries and always managed to stay one step ahead of the competition. This war chest contains all the secrets and tactics used by the fastest business people to achieve great success in their chosen fields — at dizzying speed. In this engaging and informative guide you will learn how to:
Jennings and Haughton traveled the globe and penetrated the world's fastest companies to witness the methods used by quick, dominant leaders in business ranging from retail sales to fast food, from financial services to communications. If you want to think quicker and faster all the information you need is here. You'll find lessons from the speediest international business and companies on how to become faster than anyone else in today's ever-changing business world. |
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.
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