Business Book Talk: Recent Episodes
Business Book Talk
Spring Break has sprung and as we do every year, to give us the time to play with the kids and forget a bit about work, we are republishing a popular interview from past seasons. Widgets The 12 New Rules for Managing Your Employees as if They’re Real People By Rodd Wagner New York Times bestselling…
Spark How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success by Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, Sean Lynch Leadership isn’t about a job title, it’s about action and behavior. In SPARK, entrepreneurs, business consultants and military Veterans Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, and Sean Lynch show how anyone can become an extraordinary leader by embracing seven key…
The Reid Method A Blueprint for Achieving Sales Mastery by Everold Reid Success in sales is tougher than ever to achieve. There is more competition and customers have more choice, information, and advanced technology available to them than ever. Sometimes it seems that they know more about your product or service and the competition than…
All Dreams on Deck Charting the Course for Your Life and Work by Jeremy Cage Set sail for the adventure of your life and work! As Katie Couric, journalist, author and Yahoo Global News Anchor attests, “Jeremy Cage has written a great book that everyone who thinks about how to better balance work-life issues would…
Fix It Getting Accountability Right by Roger Connors, Tom Smith, Craig Hickman, Tracy Skousen, Marcus Nicolls The hugely popular bestselling authors of The Oz Principle take readers to the next level of experiencing the results of personal and team accountability by revealing the sixteen accountability traits that lie at the heart of success for individuals…
The Analytical Marketer How to Transform Your Marketing Organization by Adele Sweetwood Analytics are driving big changes, not only in what marketing departments do but in how they are organized, staffed, led, and run. Leaders are grappling with issues that range from building an analytically driven marketing organization and determining the kinds of structure and…
Managing Online Reputation How to Protect Your Company on Social Media Charlie Pownall Managing Online Reputation is a comprehensive look at online reputation management. Drawing on recent examples of organizations managing their online reputations effectively and ineffectively, it provides a practical and visual tool-kit of processes and techniques to help limit and respond effectively to…
Good Authority How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For by Jonathan Raymond Imagine a world where personal and professional growth are one thing, where improving your relationships and owning your strengths at work translate directly into the rest of your life. Creating a company culture like that is not a dream. Through…
The Employee Experience How to Attract Talent, Retain Top Performers, and Drive Results by Tracy Maylett, Matthew Wride Want a profit-enhancing Customer Experience? Start with the Employee Experience. The Employee Experience helps organizations attract and retain top talent, and reveals the secrets for building a deeply engaged workforce. With insights into the dynamics of trust and…
The New Alpha Join the Rising Movement of Influencers and Changemakers Who are Redefining Leadership by Danielle Harlan If you want to make an impact in your work, your life, and the world at large it’s time to scrap the traditional thinking about leadership. The game is changing. Power is shifting. And a brave new…
5% More Making Small Changes to Achieve Extraordinary Results by Michael Alden We talk about how small changes lead to big results that stick.It’s a painless route to change, with results that can last a lifetime. Whether you want to boost your health, wealth, or wisdom, this book reveals a key technique that makes it…
Etiquette Edge The Unspoken Rules for Business Success by Beverly Langford Intelligence, ambition, and skill can take you a long way to achieving your career goals – but no matter where or with whom you work, one of the factors most essential to your success is knowing how to act and interact with your colleagues.…
Hi Everyone, To all my listeners I would like to shout out a big “Thank You” for supporting the show over the past 6 years. Now it’s my honor to introduce you to “Season 7” with even more great business books. As you know I have been recording the Business Book Talk Interview show for…
100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings How to Get By Without Even Trying Paperback by Sarah Cooper Funny because it’s true. From the creator of the viral sensation “10 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings” (5+ million views and hundreds of thousands of shares) comes the must-have book you never knew you needed, 100…
Supervision Matters 100 Bite-Sized Ideas to Transform You and Your Team by Rita Sever I have a lovely chat with Rita and we cover a lot of ground. Her book does the same thing and with 50 chapters it also presents a this vast amount of information in an easy to access formate. So even…
The 10% Entrepreneur Live Your Startup Dream Without Quitting Your Day Job by Patrick J. McGinnis Becoming a full-time entrepreneur can look glamorous from the outside. Who doesn’t want to chase their dreams, be their own boss, and do what they love? But the truth is that entrepreneurship is often a slog, with no regular…
Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO 50 Indispensable Tips to Help You Stay Afloat, Bounce Back, and Get Ahead at Work by Beverly E. Jones Education plus experience once guaranteed a successful career, but no more! Now success depends on your ability to adapt. You must be agile, willing to adjust your professional expectations,…
The Trusted Executive Nine Leadership Habits that Inspire Results, Relationships and Reputation by John Blakey and Paul Polman The topic of trust has been a much discussed issue since the recent global financial crisis. However, the business world’s response has lagged behind, and trust in organizations and corporations remains low. This book helps leaders create…
Everydata The Misinformation Hidden in the Little Data You Consume Every Day by John H. Johnson While everyone is talking about “big data,” the truth is that understanding the “little data”–the stats that underlie newspaper headlines, stock reports, weather forecasts, and so on–is what helps you make smarter decisions at work, at home, and in…
Mobilized An Insider’s Guide to the Business and Future of Connected Technology by SC Moatti SC Moatti, a Silicon Valley veteran who was an executive with Facebook, Trulia, and Nokia, gives businesses and professionals simple ways to thrive in this modern day “gold rush.” More than a book on technology, this is a book about…
Execution Excellence Making Strategy Work Using the Balanced Scorecard by Sanjiv Anand Execution Excellence is the practitioner’s guide to real-world implementation. Designed by a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) thought leader with 30 years of experience and over 300 global implementations under his belt across a range of industry sectors, this guide gives you a hands-on framework…
Honesty Sells How To Make More Money and Increase Business Profits by Colleen Francis and Steven Gaffney Looking for an edge in today’s tough selling market? Honesty Sells challenges you to abandon clichéd sales techniques that rely on manipulation and deceit. Instead, by being honest and open with clients, you will be rewarded with long-term,…
Equal Is Unfair America’s Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality by Don Watkins, Yaron Brook We’ve all heard that the American Dream is vanishing, and that the cause is rising income inequality. The rich are getting richer by rigging the system in their favor, leaving the rest of us to struggle just to keep our heads…
SPECIAL ADDITION INTERVIEW – Part 2 of 2 5 Amazing Books by Joseph Michelli The Starbucks Experience Leading the Starbucks Way The New Gold Standard Prescription for Excellence The Zappos Experience WAKE UP AND SMELL THE SUCCESS! You already know the Starbucks story. Since 1992, its stock has risen a staggering 5,000 percent! The genius of…
SPECIAL ADDITION INTERVIEW – Part 1 of 2 5 Amazing Books by Joseph Michelli The Starbucks Experience Leading the Starbucks Way The New Gold Standard Prescription for Excellence The Zappos Experience WAKE UP AND SMELL THE SUCCESS! You already know the Starbucks story. Since 1992, its stock has risen a staggering 5,000 percent! The genius of Starbucks…
Stragility Excelling at Strategic Changes by Ellen R. Auster, Lisa Hillenbrand Success in business demands an organization that is agile, innovative, and alert, capable of reinventing itself to handle whatever comes its way. Yet most attempts at transformational change fail, hamstrung by poor strategy, office politics, stakeholder resistance, and the pressures of constant transformation. In…
Connected Leadership How to build a more agile, customer-driven business by Simon Hayward Connected Leadership provides a clear, practical guide for leaders of organizations who wish to create a more connected, agile and customer-oriented organization in a digitally connected, customer-driven 21st century business environment. It lays out the key factors of the connected organization and…
MAGIC Five Keys to Unlock the Power of Employee Engagement by Tracy Maylett and Paul Warner Employees and leaders intuitively know that when we find a place where we can throw our hearts, spirits, minds, and hands into our work, we are happier, healthier, and produce better results. Yet, most struggle to understand exactly why…
Content Inc. How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses by Joe Pulizzi The NEW Rulebook for Entrepreneurial Success What’s the surest way to startup failure? Follow old, outdated rules. In Content Inc., one of today’s most sought-after content-marketing strategists reveals a new model for entrepreneurial success. Simply put, it’s…
Nonstop Sales Boom Powerful Strategies to Drive Consistent Growth Year After Year by Colleen Francis In this interview I talk with a sales professional that rally knows his business. We have a fun time chatting and reminiscing, but in the end what comes through is that sales is a profession and should be approached on…
It’s My Pleasure The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture by Dee Ann Turner I have a charming conversation with the wonderfully accented Dee Ann who’s commitment to the people and the business she helps run comes through in this heartfelt interview. Businesses are built by growing relationships with customers. Culture is created…
Contagious Culture Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization that Thrives by Anese Cavanaugh You are about to enter a new era of leadership. With more competition, more connectedness, and more opportunities than ever before, this exciting new era demands a workplace culture that is collaborative, productive, energized, and contagious. A culture…
The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels Hardcover by Alex Epstein For decades, environmentalists have told us that using fossil fuels is a self-destructive addiction that will destroy our planet. Yet at the same time, by every measure of human well-being, from life expectancy to clean water to climate safety, life has been getting better and…
Think to Win Unleashing the Power of Strategic Thinking by Paul Butler, John F. Manfredi, Peter Klein The proven plan for making strategic thinking part of any organization s DNA to drive sustainable growth In today s ultra-competitive business world, the difference between success and failure lies in the ability to get every employee to…
The Purpose Is Profit The Truth about Starting and Building Your Own Business by Ed “Skip” McLaughlin, Wyn Lydecker and Paul McLaughlin In this Business book interview I have a great chat with Ed and we meander through a fascinating series of topics that relate to this informative and insightful book. If you’re tired of…
It’s Already Inside Nurturing Your Innate Leadership for Business and Life Success by Robert S. Murray Robert Murray knows the answer for you is “Yes.” You simply have to discover and cultivate those talents you’ve always had. Whether you want to be CEO of a large corporation, lead a sales team, inspire your organization, or…
The Marketing Revolution in Politics What Recent U.S. Presidential Campaigns Can Teach Us About Effective Marketing by Bruce I. Newman In 2008, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign used an innovative combination of social media, big data, and micro-targeting to win the White House. In 2012, the campaign did it again, further honing those marketing tools and…
Simple Sabotage A Modern Field Manual for Detecting and Rooting Out Everyday Behaviors That Undermine Your Workplace by Robert M. Galford, Bob Frisch, Cary Greene Inspired by the Simple Sabotage Field Manual released by the Office of Strategic Services in 1944 to train European resistors, this is the essential handbook to help stamp out unintentional…
Be Bad First Get Good at Things Fast to Stay Ready for the Future by Erika Andersen We are operating in a world defined by constant connection, rapid change, and abundant choices. News that once took months, even years, to spread now reaches across the globe in seconds. Advances in medicine and science are pushing…
Peril of Thyself by Mark Mozeson After 30 years of clawing his way to the top, Fred Fallon is within reach of becoming CEO of global professional services giant -Spectrum. To become the anointed successor to Arthur Hegland, Fallon must agree to support a divestiture he believes will threaten his success. Will he compromise to…
Driven to Delight Delivering World-Class Customer Experience the Mercedes-Benz Way by Joseph Michelli Filled with exclusive front-seat insights from Mercedes-Benz employees, eye-opening testimonials from passionate Mercedes-Benz fans, and solid nuts-and-bolts advice for creating your own consumer-aligned road map, Driven to Delight will help you retool your strategies, reignite your customers, and refuel your team for…
Innovation and Entrepreneurship A Growth Model for Europe Beyond the Crisis by Daria Tataj To increase productivity and create value, businesses and companies need to innovate. But how is innovation created? And how can entire regions, countries, and continents innovate in a fast changing world where the old economies have broken down? Dr. Tataj proposes…
If You Really Want to Change the World A Guide to Creating, Building, and Sustaining Breakthrough Ventures by Henry Kressel, Norman Winarsky Silicon Valley’s latest trend for creating new ventures is based on trial and error: test market needs with new product concepts and a minimum amount of capital, expect that the product may not…
RE:THiNK 11 surprising things you should do now to win retail customers in the digital age by Jennie Gilbert, James Kane Jr. Independent retailers of durable goods like appliances, furniture, mattresses and home electronics don’t have time or money to waste trying to adopt the latest broader retail fads. You need practical, actionable advice that…
Driven by Difference How Great Companies Fuel Innovation Through Diversity by David Livermore Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever before. But despite new perspectives and talents, the promise of increased innovation rarely materializes. Why are so few businesses seeing results? Studies show that diverse teams are more creative than homogenous ones, but only when…
Collective Disruption How Corporations & Startups Can Co-Create Transformative New Businesses by Michael Docherty Too often, disruption is a bad word something you don’t see coming. It doesn’t have to be that way. This book is about changing that paradigm and learning to embrace disruption through collaboration. Whether you’re an executive trying to drive growth…
Operational Empowerment Collaborate, Innovate, and Engage to Beat the Competition by Shawn Casemore In today’s competitive global environment, it takes more than the pursuit of operational excellence for a business to succeed. If you want to maximize your potential, improve your productivity, and increase your profits you need to engage the people who offer the…
Millennials Who Manage How to Overcome Workplace Perceptions and Become a Great Leader by Chip Espinoza, Joel Schwarzbart Millennials will be our next great generation of leaders. Today, however, as they move into management, they face difficult practical challenges. Millennials Who Manage is a complete, research-based guide to overcoming those challenges, delivering outstanding performance, and…
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy How to Choose and Execute the Right Approach by Martin Reeves, Knut Haanaes, Janmejaya Sinha Executives are bombarded with bestselling ideas and best practices for achieving competitive advantage, but many of these ideas and practices contradict each other. Should you aim to be big or fast? Should you create a…
Mastering the New Media Landscape Embrace the Micromedia Mindset by Barbara Cave Henricks, Rusty Shelton The giant brands that once dominated the media landscape—Oprah, the New York Times, NPR, CNN—have seen their monopoly on public attention smashed by the Internet and now find themselves competing with individuals and brands in a sea of micromedia: websites,…
Driving Demand Transforming B2B Marketing to Meet the Needs of the Modern Buyer by Carlos Hidalgo The way that buyers buy products and services has been changing for years. Customers are more informed, aware of their choices and smarter about purchasing decisions. Companies that want to survive in this buyer-led digital age have to become…
Serial Winner 5 Actions to Create Your Cycle of Success by Larry Weidel How Anyone Can Win Again and Again. We all know people who seem to move from success to success, with barely a pause or dip in between. They’re always excited about the next big project or goal. When trouble comes, they land…
Myths and Mortals Family Business Leadership and Succession Planning Hardcover by Andrew Keyt Myths & Mortals, Family Business Leadership and Succession Planning provides insights and strategies for successors of family businesses. Successors often find themselves in the shadow of their parents making it difficult to establish credibility in the family business and tap into their…
First, Fast, Fearless How to Lead Like a Navy SEAL by Brian “Iron Ed” Hiner Beyond extreme physical and combat achievements, SEALs are known for mental toughness, bias for action, decisiveness, creative thinking, adaptability, and perseverance―all under extreme stress. They get things done through, by, and with others. SEALs have a unique way of approaching…
RESULTS The Future Of Pharmaceutical And Healthcare Marketing by Scott Weintraub, R.J. Lewis, Roger Zan, Brad Sitler Disruption creates opportunity for those who embrace change. New winners and losers will emerge. This book will help you and your companies thrive in the age of disruption and navigate a changing environment. The informational and technological revolutions…
Beyond Fair Trade Coffee How One Small Coffee Company Helped Transform a Hillside Village in Thailand by Mark Pendergrast “What does compassionate capitalism look like? Mark Pendergrast shows us in this enlightening story of tribal life, opium, missionaries, market trends, a Thai antiques dealer, a mining entrepreneur and coffee.” Abigail Carroll, author of Three Squares:…
Power Through Partnership How Women Lead Better Together Paperback by Betsy Polk and Maggie Ellis Chotas Drawing from their own twelve-year partnership and from interviews with 125 women business partners across the world, Betsy Polk and Maggie Chotas have learned something powerful: when women work together, they discover a level of support, balance, confidence, and…
Authentic leadership Discover and live your essential mission by Bas Blekkingh You are a successful leader, you have a lot of responsibility, and for years you have loved your work, but something seems to be missing. Some of the fulfillment you used to feel in your job, even in your life, seems to have ebbed…
Monster Loyalty How Lady Gaga Turns Followers into Fanatics by Jackie Huba Famous for her avant-garde outfits, over-the-top performances, and addictive dance beats, Lady Gaga is one of the most successful pop musicians of all time. But behind her showmanship lies another achievement: her wildly successful strategy for attracting and keeping insanely loyal fans. She’s…
Small Business Owner’s Guide To Local Lead Generation Proven Strategies & Tips To Grow Your Business! by Kevin Jordan with Ray L. Perry, Justin Sturges, Phil Singleton, Mark Z. Fortune as contributing authors There is no way the small business owners can out-spend big brands in their markets. However in the local marketing arena, it’s…
Humans Are Underrated What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will by Geoff Colvin It’s easy to imagine a nightmare scenario in which computers simply take over most of the tasks that people now get paid to do. While we’ll still need high-level decision makers and computer developers, those tasks won’t keep most working-age…
The Culture Engine A Framework for Driving Results, Inspiring Your Employees, and Transforming Your Workplace by S. Chris Edmonds The Culture Engine is a guide to strategically planning a culture by compiling the company’s guiding principles and behaviors into an organizational constitution. Decide which behaviors and attitudes are desired in the organization. Secure leader commitment…
Seven Disciplines of A Leader How to Help Your People, Team and Organization Achieve Maximum Effectiveness by Jeff Wolf This is a comprehensive book for building better leaders. In this interview, Jeff shares the secrets of great leadership to help others align professional development and exemplify these traits themselves. Each of the Disciplines is valuable…
Manufacturing Demand The Principles of Successful Lead Management by David Lewis Historically, the discipline of marketing has been heavily skewed toward a subjective art at the expense of a measurable science. But today, savvy marketers and forward-looking organizations are embracing innovative new models driven by cutting-edge technology and analytics to align sales and marketing, pinpoint…
The Simplicity Cycle A Field Guide to Making Things Better Without Making Them Worse by Dan Ward The award-winning engineer, Air Force lieutenant colonel, and author of F.I.R.E offers a road map for designing winning new products, services, and business models, and shows how to avoid complexity-related pitfalls in the process. With a foreword by…
Welcome to Season 6 and man it’s going to be an amazing year. We have already booked interviews for over 35 writers. Our stack of must read books just keeps growing and growing so download the show next Monday (January 4th) and check out our first interview for Season 6. Also if you are a…
Transforming Business with Program Management Integrating Strategy, People, Process, Technology, Structure, and Measurement by Satish P. Subramanian Organizations need to constantly innovate and improve products and services to maintain a strong competitive position in the market place. The vehicle used by organizations for such constant reinvention is a business transformation program. This book illustrates a…
How To Write An Inspired Creative Brief by Howard Ibach In my 35 years in the advertising industry I have seen a lot of creative briefs but this is the first time I have had the pleasure of sitting down with someone and acutely hashing it out. I find out fresh insights into the document…
The Amazing Science Fair Project Project Kids Adventures #3 by Gary Nelson Yes it’s a kids book but it’s also a great way to teach your kids (and yourself) how to look at projects in a smart no nonsense way. Gary has cleverly snuck in some amazing tips and tools for project managers and has…
Light a Fire under Your Business How to Build a Class 1 Corporate Culture through Inspirational Leadership by Tom Pandola and James W. Bird Tom Pandola and Jim Bird’s new book Light a Fire Under Your Business is unlike most business books you will read. The authors not only share practical business principles, but they…
Actionable Gamification Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards by Yu-kai Chou This book is probably the most important and well researched guide to Gamification that is on the market today. The new era of Gamification and Human-Focused Design optimizes for motivation and engagement over traditional Function-Focused Design. Within the industry, studies on game mechanics and behavioral…
Not Knowing The Art of Turning Uncertainty into Possibility by Steven D’Souza and Diana Renner Knowledge and expertise are highly valued in today’s business world. These values are introduced at an early age by our education system, and at work, we are assessed based on what we know on having the answers and solutions. Our…
Think Agile How Smart Entrepreneurs Adapt in Order to Succeed by Taffy Williams Funding falls apart. A similar product is unveiled by a more established company. A key employee jumps ship to work for a competitor. These are the unexpected obstacles that derail even the most promising new ventures. Entrepreneurs determined to keep up with…
Chief Customer Officer 2.0 How to Build Your Customer-Driven Growth Engine by Jeanne Bliss Chief Customer Officer 2.0 will get you into action quickly with a united leadership team, and will shift your business intent to earning the right to growth by improving customers’ lives. Jeanne Bliss fearlessly shares her tools and leadership ‘recipe cards’…
Shadow Work The Unpaid, Unseen Jobs That Fill Your Day by Craig Lambert With the exception of sleep, humans spend more of their lifetimes on work than any other activity. It is central to our economy, society, and the family. It underpins our finances and our sense of meaning in life. Given the overriding importance…
STOP TALKING… Get It Done! The Leader’s Guide to Bringing Vision and Action Together Kindle Edition by Tyler Neilsen We cover a lot of ground and talk about… What you want but don’t know how to get there. How many business people are having trouble communicating their message. Why many people don’t have a clear…
Captivology The Science of Capturing People’s Attention by Ben Parr In Captivology, award-winning journalist, author, entrepreneur and investor Ben Parr presents a new understanding of attention. We talk about how it works, why it matters, and how we leverage psychological triggers to draw and retain attention for our passions, projects, and ideas. Parr combines the…
Non-Obvious How to Think Different, Curate Ideas and Predict the Future by Rohit Bhargava What do Disney, Bollywood, and The Batkid teaching us about how to create celebrity experiences for our audiences? How can a vending-machine inspire world peace? Can being imperfect make your business more marketable? Can a selfie improve one’s confidence? When can…
The Sensei Leader Effective Leadership through Courage, Compassion and Wisdom by Jim Bouchard The Sensei Leader is about discovering the leader in each of us, in all of us regardless of title, rank or position. The book is based on the author’s transformation from loser to leader from drug abuser and dropout to Black Belt…
Lead Inside the Box How Smart Leaders Guide Their Teams to Exceptional Results Paperback by Victor Prince and Mike Figliuolo Victor is a returning author to our show with this new book. Every employee is different, but unfortunately many leaders use a one-size-fits-all approach to leading. In doing so, these otherwise well-intentioned leaders are working…
The 31 Practices Release the Power of Your Organization’s Values Every Day by Alan Williams and Alison Whybrow Every company has its own values and brand with which it wants its customers and clients to engage and develop loyalty. At the same time, research shows that 70 percent of customer brand perception is determined by…
Real Project Management The Skills and Capabilities You Will Need for Successful Project Delivery by Peter Taylor Aimed at the new wave of professionals who are making Project Management their career of choice, this book explores the history and evolution of PM, the real world challenges, and a look at the future. Providing the techniques…
Be Different or Be Dead Your Business Survival Guide by Roy Osing Survival is all about understanding your primary goals and differences and applying it to a “Be Different” competitive strategy. His book offers some great tips on how to stand out in today’s market. We talk about how to create a strategic game plan…
Bargepole Management Minimal Input Maximum Gain – The Art of Getting Priced at a Premium by Mitch Vandell As far as management books go, Bargepole Management is something of a rare gem. The premise steers clear of the cliché business management titles that attempt to inspire young hopefuls into donating their lives to the cause.…
How to Reform a Business School The Ivy League Way Theory and Practice of Curricular Reform Implementation with an in-Depth Study of Yale School of Management Hardcover by Ashish Jaiswal Undoubtedly, business schools are at a crossroads and under the scanner. In How to Reform a Business School, Ashish Jaiswal meticulously demonstrates the problems plaguing…
Leading Change How Successful Leaders Approach Change Management by Paul Lawrence It is often claimed that 70% of organizational change efforts fail, despite the popularity of linear change models, such as Kotter’s 8-step model. The reason few change efforts succeed as intended is because they are based on two implicit assumptions: that the leader or…
The Brilliance in Failure A Leader’s Learning Journey by Christian A Brickman Our frank talk reveals that, not only is failure part of any executives life it’s a critical opportunity to reflect and grow. The ability for a leader to face his own mistakes is an important part of that person’s job. It sends a…
Widgets The 12 New Rules for Managing Your Employees as if They’re Real People by Rodd Wagner New York Times bestselling author Rodd Wagner tackles one of the most destructive problems facing organizations today – the breakdown of the social contract between people and the organizations where they work. “Your people are not your greatest…
What Business Can Learn from Sport Psychology Ten Lessons for Peak Professional Performance by Martin Turner, Jamie Barker How are the best athletes in the world able to function under the immense pressure of competition? The mental side of performance has always been a crucial component for success – but nowadays coaches, teams, and athletes…
The Wallet Allocation Rule Winning the Battle for Share by Timothy L. Keiningham, Lerzan Aksoy, Luke Williams, Alexander J. Buoye The Wallet Allocation Rule is a revolutionary, definitive guide for winning the battle for share of customers’ hearts, minds, and wallets. Backed by rock-solid science published in the Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management…
Confronting Capitalism Real Solutions for a Troubled Economic System by Philip Kotler With the fall of the Berlin Wall, one economic model emerged triumphant. Capitalism – spanning a spectrum from laissez-faire to authoritarian – shapes the market economies of all the wealthiest and fastest-growing nations. But trouble is cracking its shiny veneer. In the U.S.,…
The Gender Communication Handbook Conquering Conversational Collisions between Men and Women by Audrey Nelson and Claire Damken Brown Men and women exhibit distinct, innate, and acculturated sex differences in their verbal and nonverbal communication styles. In the work environment, the difficulties and misunderstandings generated by these differences not only reduce productivity and efficiency but also…
Iron Butterflies Women Transforming Themselves and the World By Birute Regine This inspiring and compelling narrative weaves together stories of sixty successful women from all walks of life and throughout the world. The author spent several years in eight countries interviewing dynamic female role models: businesswomen, CEOs, a Congresswoman, a governor, an ex-Prime Minister, a…
The Consummate Leader A Holistic Guide to Inspiring Growth in Others and in Yourself By Patricia Thompson PhD Exceptional leaders inspire others to dream, fill them with a sense of passion, and expertly guide the way to achieving outstanding results; in short, great leaders can change the world. Yet, as we strive to move and…
The SPEED of TRUST The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. Covey Stephen M.R. Covey shows how trust—and the speed at which it is established with clients and, employees—is essential to a successful organization. With nearly 750,000 copies in print, this instant classic shows that establishing trust is “the one thing that changes…
Just Listen Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone By Mark Goulston MD The first make-or-break step in persuading anyone to do any thing is getting them to hear you out. Whether the person is a harried colleague, a stressed-out client, or an insecure spouse, things will go from bad to worse if…
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears, and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success By Amy Morin As a licensed clinical social worker, college psychology instructor, and psychotherapist, Amy Morin has seen countless people choose to succeed despite facing enormous challenges. That resilience inspired her…
Meetings Matter 8 Powerful Strategies for Remarkable Conversations By Paul Axtell In Meetings Matter, Paul Axtell emphasizes the importance of meetings, and he redesigns them using the vital foundation of conversation. With real-life examples and actionable advice, he shows you how to design meetings for results, lead them to achieve agendas that move projects forward,…
Marketing Above the Noise Achieve Strategic Advantage with Marketing that Matters By Linda J Popky Marketing today is out of control. With all the new marketing techniques accessible to the masses, it’s becoming harder and harder to stand out from the crowd. The result is more and more messages, hitting us more often in new…
Procrastinate on Purpose 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time By Rory Vaden A second visit to the show and Rory does not disappoint. Amazing insights and some pretty eye opening ideas. This New York Times bestselling author and sales-performance trainer brings his high-energy approach and can-do spirit to the most nagging problem in our professional…
Hooked How to Build Habit-Forming Products By Nir Eyal Why do some products capture widespread attention while others flop? What makes us engage with certain products out of sheer habit? Is there a pattern underlying how technologies hook us? Nir Eyal answers these questions (and many more) by explaining the Hook Model—a four-step process embedded…
Wander Woman How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction By Marcia Reynolds Wander Woman explores how generational shifts and changing expectations of working women have fostered a new kind of restlessness among many. Through real-life stories she reveals the hopes and dreams, disappointments and challenges this group of high-achieving women are facing. And, most importantly,…
People Tools 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy and Embracing Prosperity By Alan Fox Getting along well with others is the real secret to success and happiness. In tens of thousands of classrooms we teach reading, writing, and arithmetic and yet we leave solutions to the universal problems of human relationships to be discovered,…
Mastering the Art of Recruiting How to Hire the Right Candidate for the Job By Michael Travis Hiring people isn’t taught in business schools or as part of a executive development programs. This book provides the essential practical in a step-by-step guide for those who want to excel at attracting and identifying talent. Covering everything…
SHINE – Stand Out. Get Noticed. Be Brilliant Communicate Your Way to a Brighter Career by Gerry Lewis In work as in life, we want to make a difference and be recognized for what we contribute. However, when everyone in your organization is working towards this goal, it’s difficult to stand out from the rest.…
Me, Myself, and Why Searching for the Science of Self by Jennifer Ouellette I chat with Jennifer Ouellette and we dig into what sets us apart. We talk about how she discovered her focus in life through a major incident. We discus why we need to aligned in work and life and not try and…
Promotional Marketing How to Create, Implement & Integrate Campaigns That Really Work by Roddy Mullin I chat with Roddy who is very passionate about marketing especially if it’s traditional point of sale. Some great ideas and some sobering thoughts for businesses that don’t look at what’s been working already for years. Packed with practical examples…
Leading Women 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life by Nancy D. O’Reilly Featuring stories from twenty nationally acclaimed female leaders, this empowering guide offers real-life advice for breaking free of the predetermined roles in the business world and life. With the guidance of these influential, resourceful leaders, you’ll maximize your…
One Less. One More. Follow Your Heart. Be Happy. Change Slowly by Robbie Vorhaus Using real life examples from world leaders, rock stars, sports legends, and other notables, Robbie walks readers through his premise that our singular purpose in life is to be happy, and by having the courage to follow our heart and change…
Great Work How to Make a Difference People Love by David Sturt With insights from the largest-ever study of award-winning work, Great Work reveals five practical skills that will help you ideate, innovate, and deliver work that gets noticed and appreciated. Great Work is filled with stories of real people in real jobs who did…
Wind in Your Sails Vital Strategies That Accelerate Your Entrepreneurial Growth By David J. Greer I chat with David about strategy and how it is critical the think is this way. Why do you need to have only 5 measurable goals every quarter to move a company forward and away from fighting small problems that occur most days.…
Influential Leadership A Leader’s Guide to Getting Things Done by Colin Gautrey Influence is a skill no effective leader can be without, but it can be a difficult one to master. Using a simple new framework, Influential Leadership demonstrates how to become a leader who is strong, inspirational, and able to drive results. Gautrey helps…
Leadership Psychology How the Best Leaders Inspire Their People by Alan Cutler I talk with Alan Cutler and we consider the challenges that global leadership faces these days. We talk about emotional intelligence and a leaders development, so that they can excel in the right direction and with the right psychological motivation. It all boils down to “are you ready…
The Discomfort Zone How Leaders Turn Difficult Conversations Into Breakthroughs by Marcia Reynolds I talk with the Marcia about her model for using the Discomfort Zone to get people to be better communicators and build better working relationships and break down barriers that are in your way. Have you ever felt that your mind is…
People Tools for Business: 50 Strategies for Building Success, Creating Wealth, and Finding Happiness By Alan C. Fox Every now and then I get to interview an amazing people person and Alan is one of them. Our frank and sometimes hilarious conversation covers many topics that are relevant for people in the business world and especially for…
F.U. Money Make As Much Money As You Want And Live Your Life As You Damn Well Please! by Dan Lok I talk with Dan about how anybody can make enough money to afford to stop working and start having fun in life. Imagine how your life would change if you knew what it really…
The Old Rush Marketing for Gold in the Age of Aging by Peter B. Hubbell The age of aging will begin in 2014 as the last of the baby boomers turn 50. No other global trend will do more to impact the way we live, think, act, and interact with brands for the next twenty…
Now that we are into 2015 it’s a great time to refocus on your business goals for the year. Check out the following books and I hope they come in handy. We will be back next week with some new books to keep you company. Get your business plans and goals onto one piece…
Welcome to another look back at some great interviews. I hope you enjoy them and have a great holiday break. Don’t forget that we will be starting out the new year in a couple of weeks. This book was a lot of fun to talk about. I have mentioned it during other interviews when…
Over the past several years I have had the opportunity to chat with some great people and some of those interviews still resinate with me. Here are links to those shows. I hope you enjoy them and look forward to introducing you to more great books in early january 2015. Today is a Good Day to Die:…
The Curious One From Food Stamps to CEO, One Woman’s Journey through Struggle, Tragedy, Success and Love By Chelsea Berler I discover how her strength and belief in herself allowed her to come through the struggle and heartbreak of her childhood and eventually make a dent in the world she tried for so long to understand.…
Aesop’s Keys to Profitable Marketing by Dr. Betsy Kruger In our talk I discover why we should delight top customers and dig into the strategy around the marketing ideas found in the book. We talk about the importance of focusing on quality, why you should compete in your market with your businesses strengths, only target key prospects to…
With Love and Quiches A Long Island Housewife’s Surprising Journey from Kitchen to Boardroom By Susan Axelrod Susan and I have a fun chat about how her life has been changed by building up an impressive company that is all about great taste. We cover the stories from the days of making Quiches in her…
Why Men Like Straight Lines and Women Like Polka Dots Gender and Visual Psychology by Gloria Moss In this interview, we talk about how companies don’t understand what men and women are looking for in the visuals that are presented to them – whether designs, products, retail interiors or advertising – and the fact that…
101 Tips for the Enlightened Project Manager by Joseph T. Drammissi I have a great chat with Joseph about his book and all the amazing knowledge that is packed into it. Applying just some of the tips from the book will significantly improve the performance of you and your team in ways that will be…
Accounting for the Numberphobic A Survival Guide for Small Business Owners by Dawn Fotopulos Finally someone has come up with a book that demystifies accounting, P&L and all that other stuff we all ignore, but shouldn’t. I learn a lot about accounting strategy and we dig into some of the bad habits that business owners…
The Best Possible Enterprise A Comprehensive Guide to Optimal Profits by Andrew Bielat and (Eugene L Bryan PhD) How would you like to know the best possible move for your company to make? Well that’s what this book is all about. It’s not about forecasting, it’s about taking all the numbers you have already and crunching…
Mighty Midsized Companies How Leaders Overcome 7 Silent Growth Killers by Robert Sher What are the seven “silent growth killers” that plague mid-sized companies and can cripple growth. Robert and I dig into the book and talk about controlling your growth, building liquidity and plan for what’s learning around the next corner. We talk about using…
Talk2me How to Communicate with Women by Steven Lake Guys are terrible with communication, but when it comes to talking to the fairer sex, forget about it. If you have a woman in your office (or your life) then you should read this book. It will help you understand how to communicate effectively and also listen…
The Feedback Imperative How to Give Everyday Feedback to Speed Up Your Team’s Success by Anna Carroll Getting feedback on your job performance is critical to a persons feeling of accomplishment. I talk with Anne about feedback cultures and the power and effectiveness to transform and motivate your team or company. The book lays out…
China: The Big Lie? The Truth of Trillions in a Culture of Cash by Mario Cavolo In the years since China’s rapid economic rise, its middle class is now sitting on up to 10 trillion US dollars’ worth of savings. How we understand this “off the books” economy is going to fundamentally alter our view…
How to Write Anything: A Complete Guide by Laura Brown If you write (and who doesn’t) then this book is an amazing resource. The book literally covers almost any style of writing you could dream up, there are 200 in this massive book. Designed to help you understand how a response can work by using…
Well it’s a start of a new season and with just under 200 business books reviewed I am excited to get to that major goal. I hope you enjoy this new season as much as I enjoy making it. Don’t forget to tweet and Facebook share the reviews so more business people can discover some for…
The Risk-Driven Business Model Four Questions That Will Define Your Company Hardcover by Karan Girotra (and Serguei Netessine) I have an edifying conversation with Karan about business models. I discover that understanding risk is a key component to growing a business. But how do you build with risk factored in. I discover that id you play…
Pick Up the Damn Phone! How People, Not Technology, Seal the Deal by Joanne S. Black You can be doing all sorts of great marketing, but until you pick up the phone and connect your sales will never be as effective. I talk with Joanne and we dive into the new/old approach that top sales…
Sales Actualization Outselling the Internet By Dennis O’Neil A fun talk about the predicament that a lot of sales professionals face these days. Extinction is a very real threat and one of the only ways to not become a forgotten figure in your company is to understand that the internet is a great way to…
Consiglieri Leading From the Shadows By Richard Hytner The number one position in a company is often a place that many aspire to but few gain and with this book we learn that the adviser for that position is often overlooked. We discover that by helping the ones in the hot-seat if often a better…
The Decoded Company Know Your Talent Better Than You Know Your Customers by Leerom Segal and Aaron Goldstein Google amazes us by generating answers before we’ve even finished asking a question. Facebook curates our uniquely individual news-feeds. At most workplaces, it’s still one-size-fits-all policies, processes, and tools. Yet companies like Google, Starbucks, and Whole Foods…
Make Waves Be the One to Start Change at Work and in Life by Patti Johnson For many of us making waves has a negative connotation but this book will flip that thinking 180 degrees. Power motivating learning is found in this book and if you plan to make change or want to help others…
The Bigs The Secrets Nobody Tells Students and Young Professionals About How to Find a Great Job, Do a Great Job, Be a Leader, Start a Business, Stay Out of Trouble, and Live A Happy Life by Ben Carpenter A book for students and the parents of said students on the things they need to…
Duct Tape Selling Think Like a Marketer—Sell Like a Superstar by John Jantsch For those of you who have not read any of John’s books you are in for a treat. This book does not mess around and after reading it you will have a very long “to do” list. As with this book’s content…
Relevance The Power to Change Minds and Behavior and Stay Ahead of the Competition by Andrea Coville Today it’s not about what you say, it’s about who would get value from what you say. As the book title says it’s allows about relevance and in today’s super social market you are either relevant and “shared”…
The New Rules of Lead Generation Proven Strategies to Maximize Marketing ROI By David T. Scott Marketing and lead generation for a large organization isn’t easy and this book tackles the tough questions you will run into. Sales and marketing are changing rapidly and you need to be using as many tools as possible to…
Making Your Work Work How to Build a System of Profound Knowledge By Jan Gillett Jan talks about an amazing process that he learnt from his mentor Dr W Edwards Deming. In short it is a system that can revolutionize how you manage a team, company or any process within that company. It’s all about…
Leadership Blind-spots How Successful Leaders Identify and Overcome the Weaknesses that Matter by Robert Bruce Shaw Blind spots can be deadly in traffic, but what about a board meeting? This book looks at what leaders should be looking for and why. Getting blindsided in a meeting with no idea of why it happened is a…
Making Money Is Killing Your Business How to Build a Business You’ll Love and Have a Life Too By Chuck Blakeman Chuck is back and this time with his ground breaking book that gets the small business owner to face put to some basics facts. We discover the power of “Why” and how it will…
The ONE Thing The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan The ONE Thing has made more than 200 appearances on national bestseller lists, including #1 Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today. It won 12 book awards, has been translated into 24 languages, chosen as one of the…
The Case of the Missing Cutlery A Leadership Course for the Rising Star by Kevin Allen The “modern day Don Draper” is back on the show. This time with a fun short but fascinating book on leadership. We chat about the effect leadership has on a person and simple steps it takes to keep your…
The Safe Investor How to Make Your Money Grow in a Volatile Global Economy by Tim McCarthy We have an affable and very informative chat about the world of investing. Tim gives me some amazing advice about what to look for and how to manage portfolios and time. If you have invested or have an…
The Risk Advantage Embracing the Entrepreneur’s Unexpected Edge by Tom Panaggio Don’t get stuck on your dream you can always change it up. Make something happen is a great battle cry, but why is it? Find out how change can make you a better leader and how the people who copy you are participating…
The NICE Reboot A Guide to Becoming a Better Female Entrepreneur by Penina Rybak My chat with Penina is full of great insights and advice just like her book. She is passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge which shows up throughout the book and our conversation. This step-by-step style book talks to the female…
Early Exits Exit Strategies for Entrepreneurs and Angel Investors By Basil Peters If you are an angel investor, or would like to work with one, then this book is for you. David Greer and I chat about the business of investing and how the landscape is changing. This ground-breaking book is changing the way people…
Embrace the Chaos How India Taught Me to Stop Over thinking and Start Living by Bob Miglani In this book Bob and I talk about working in a world wear chaos does not effect you. It’s not a world devoid of chaos, it’s a world where you have overcome the worries associated with the chaos.…
The Evolution of a Corporate Idealist When Girl Meets Oil Hardcover by Christine Bader In my talk with Christine I discover how a person on the inside is effecting the social responsibilities of mega corporations in the resource industry. It’s a fascinating journey into the mindset of a person who wants to understand and change…
The Rise of Superman Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance by Steven Kotler Ever have several hours disappear and you just blasted through the work that needed to get done? Welcome the the “Flow”. This book shows you what to look for and then teaches you how to recognize and master your ability to…
Almost a Psychopath Do I (or Does Someone I Know) Have a Problem with Manipulation and Lack of Empathy? Authors: Ronald Schouten and James Silver It’s a chilling thought to think that you may have a psychopath in your business. Not a “Dexter” style Psychopath but a borderline person who manipulates and abuses trust. How…
It’s Not About You, It’s About Bacon Relationship Marketing in a Social Media World by: Brian Basilico I chat with Brian and we have a great time digging up some awesome social media strategy. What happens when Bacon becomes part of your social media strategy and brand. He then turns it around and shows why…
One Piece of Paper he Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership by Mike Figliuolo A robust, authentic model for creating and clearly articulating a personal leadership philosophy Based on leadership expert Mike Figliuolo’s popular “Leadership Maxims” training course, One Piece of Paper teaches decisive, effective leadership by taking a holistic approach to defining one’s personal leadership…
Social Media Is Bullshit by B.J. Mendelson A provocative look at social media that dispels the hype and tells you all you need to know about using the Web to expand your business If you listen to the pundits, Internet gurus, marketing consultants, and even the mainstream media, you could think social media was the…
I talk with Ryan and discus why and how he published this book outing big media and PR companies. With statements like; “I’m going to explain exactly how the media really works. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.” the interview was a blast. You’ve seen it all before. A…
The Chocolate Conversation Lead Bittersweet Change, Transform Your Business by Rose Fass The single factor that determines success or failure in big business today is conversation. Great leaders use public and private conversation to send a clear message, cultivate a common worldview, set high standards and reachable goals, and uncover concerns that can undermine an…