You Already Know How To Be Great by Alan Fine - Book review

You Already Know How to Be Great

A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential

By: Alan Fine

Published: October 14, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1591843553
ISBN-13: 978-1591843559
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin












"The biggest obstacle in performance isn't not knowing what to do; it's not doing what we know", writes corporate trainer, executive coach, and founder and President of Inside-Out Development Alan Fine in his insightful and very pragmatic book You Already Know How to Be Great: A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential. The author describes how people, when faced with a challenge in business or in life, tend to make the mistake of looking to outside sources of knowledge and information to overcome the problem.

Alan Fine understands the desire to gain additional information and to acquire new knowledge. This is the usual approach that most people take to finding solutions to problems. The author points out, however, that this outside-in technique doesn't work. Alan Fine writes that the problem isn't about getting more information, but rather about executing already existing knowledge effectively. Alan Fine offers the encouraging idea that we already possess the ideas and knowledge needed for achieving a breakthrough improvement in our personal and business performance. For Alan Fine, the real issue is the internal barricade we create for ourselves. Only by overcoming these internal roadblocks, that sap our confidence and prevent us from using our existing knowledge effectively, can we really achieve that necessary boost in our performance levels.



Alan Fine (photo left) recognizes that most people, when faced with a problem, utilize the outer directed concept of seeking new information. In place of this method, the author proposes an effective and surprising alternative. Alan Fine writes that the true issue is internal to the person, and that adding more knowledge and information will not solve the problem. It may even make the problem an even more difficult challenge. In place of the inside-out technique, Alan Fine proposes his Outside-In approach based on the combining of knowledge with the three principles of Faith in our own ability, Fire and our own passion and commitment, and Focus of our concentration on the solution. The Outside-In approach is codified into the GROW process of Goal setting, Reality acknowledgment, Option identification, and Way Forward choices. While most people already utilize these concepts in their problem solving techniques, Alan Fine writes that they are not used effectively, undercutting the chances of an important performance breakthrough.

For me, the power of the book is how Alan Fine identifies the real internal barrier to achieving superior performance, and offers a practical and useful process for overcoming these self created roadblocks. The author provides an excellent theoretical framework for the concept that people create their own internal obstacles. To compensate, the usual strategy is to acquire more knowledge, but Alan Fine demonstrates clearly why this is a failed technique. The author offers an effective, and simply to apply practical alternative to the usual attempts at performance enhancement. He provides the useful and effective GROW process that transforms a person's thinking from seeking external solutions, to overcoming internal barriers to improvement instead.

Alan Fine combines the theoretical with the practical effectively, and in a manner that encourages the actual application of the Outside-In approach. The author goes far beyond the usual platitudes usually offered up in personal development books, and provides real analysis of the problem. With the internal issues identified clearly, the person is then able to apply the GROW formula effectively to achieve a very noticeable and quantifiable boost in their performance. A book that is both strong on analysis and pragmatic advice is rare, but this book delivers on that promise very well.

I highly recommend the truly helpful and transformational book You Already Know How to Be Great: A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential by Alan Fine, to anyone who feels they have exhausted the usual, shop worn solutions to meeting the challenges of business, community, and of life. This book offers a powerful and practical alternative approach, that while being counter-intuitive, is easy to apply and is results oriented.

Read the idea changing and performance breakthrough building book You Already Know How to Be Great: A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential by Alan Fine, and discover the importance of seeking to better execute your existing knowledge, than to chase ever more outside information. Instead of looking externally for solutions, this book will guide you toward overcoming your more performance stifling inner obstacles.

Tags: You Already Know How to Be Great: A Simple Way to Remove Interference and Unlock Your Greatest Potential, Alan Fine, personal leadership, business book reviews.

Millennials in the Workplace by Neil Howe with Reena Nadler - Book review

Millennials in the Workplace

Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation

By: Neil Howe with Reena Nadler

Published: March 2010
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 0971260648
ISBN-13: 978-0971260641
Publisher: LifeCourse Associates







"As the Millennial Generation (born since 1982) graduates from schools and colleges and fills the ranks of the entry-level workforce, older Americans are beginning to take notice", write national speaker, renowned authority on generations in America and co-founder of Lifecourse Associates, Neil Howe, and Program Director at Lifecourse Associates Reena Nadler, in their insightful and very practical book Millennials in the Workplace: Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation. The authors identify who the the Millennials are, why their behavior and work style is often misunderstood, and how to transform these younger employees into an asset and opportunity for the organization



Neil Howe (photo left) and Reena Nadler present an alternative view of the Millennial generation from the confused opinions prevalent in the modern workplace. With most managers and employees belonging to the Baby Boom and Generation X cohorts, the arrival of the Millennials has shocked managers and co-workers alike. With older employees not understanding the Millennials, the usual management position has been one where the young workers are seen as both a challenge and even a liability. The authors describe how this attitude is not only misguided, but one that may miss out on a tremendous opportunity. While there are many myths that have grown up about Millennial employees, the authors point out that the core traits of the young employees offer a fresh perspective and some valuable strengths to enhance any company. This book dispels the myths, and demonstrates the critical importance of understanding the Millennial generation, and how their core skills and values represent the future of the organization.



Reena Nadler (photo left) and Neil Howe describe the seven core traits of the Millennial generation in a positive light. Unlike most media and employer opinion, where Millennial values are considered a problem, the authors share their research and experience that offers an entirely different portrait of a misunderstood generation. The seven core traits that define the Millennials are:

* Special
* Sheltered
* Confident
* Team Oriented
* Conventional
* Pressured
* Achieving

These are not traits, according to the authors, that are associated with the Silent, Baby Boom, or Generation X cohorts. They are the traits usually associated with the GI Generation that formed society in the postwar era. Generations, and their differences, are nothing new in business and community life. They have existed through the entire history of America. Generations are more than just phases of life. Different generations behave in very unique ways are the various stages of their lives. Generations may be shaped by history, but at the same time, they also create history through their actions. the Millennial generation promises to make an important mark upon history and organizations, just like all other generations before them.

For me, the power of the book is how Neil Howe and Reena Nadler not only describe the Millennial generation and its traits, but also apply that information to how they can excel in the workplace. The authors back up their practical advice for employers with a combination of theory and comprehensive generational research data. At the same time, the book contains an unprecedented in depth examination of the seven core traits of the Millennials against a backdrop of Neil Howe's groundbreaking generational research. This overall larger generational framework places the Millennial generation in the greater historical context, comparing them to the high achieving GI Generation. This larger generational perspective sets this book apart from other books that offer advice on workplace generational interaction.

I highly recommend the definitive and must read book Millennials in the Workplace: Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation by Neil Howe with Reena Nadler, to anyone serious about really understanding the potential and tremendous opportunity offered by the addition of Millennial generation employees to the workplace. Their skills and important generational traits provide a bright future for any organization that embraces these high achieving young employees.

Read the essential and important book Millennials in the Workplace: Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation by Neil Howe with Reena Nadler, and discover how to put the tremendous potential of the Millennial generation to work in your organization. These dynamic young employees offer an opportunity that will benefit any organization, and put them in the forefront of their industry for years to come.

Tags: Millennials in the Workplace: Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation, Neil Howe, Reena Nadler, personnel management, business book reviews.

The Power of Adversity by Al Weatherhead with Fred Feldman - Book review

The Power of Adversity

Tough Times Can Make You Stronger, Wiser, and Better

By: Al Weastherhead, Fred Feldman

Published: April 25, 2008
Format: Hardcover, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 1571745629
ISBN-13: 978-1571745620
Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing Company











"We face adversity every day. We spend most of our lives trying to bounce back from it", write chairman and CEO of Weatherchem and founder of the Weatherhead Foundation, Al Weatherhead, and consultant, prolific author, and creative thought leader Fred Feldman, in their inspirational and moving book The Power of Adversity: Tough Times Can Make You Stronger, Wiser, and Better. The authors describe how the serious and life changing, and even life threatening power of adversity can transform a person through the experience of dramatic personal growth.



Al Weatherhead (photo left) and Fred Feldman share Al Weatherhead's personal and spiritual journey through adversity ranging from being a troubled alcoholic, to tearfully burying his infant son, to experiencing marital breakdown, to serious disease and health challenges. Al Weatherhead has faced his own personal adversity, and learned through bitter experience both personal and professional, how strength can be drawn from even the most traumatic and heartbreaking events in one's life. Al Weatherhead turns the conventional wisdom that adversity is a curse, but is instead a gift, that presents the opportunity to learn, to grow as a person, and to change one's life for the better in many undreamed of ways.



Fred Feldman (photo left) and Al Weatherhead offer the counter-intuitive perspective of adversity as a part of life to be lived and embraced, and not to be avoided. Indeed, Al Weatherhead emphasizes that running away from challenges, no matter how painful they might be, is not the right approach to life. Avoidance only increases the pain over time, and powerful and life changing opportunity for personal growth is missed. Instead of taking the attitude that adversity consists of events being done to a person, Al Weatherhead offers another alternative interpretation. The worst blows that life can send a person's way are special gifts that provide the inner strength to master life. A person who avoids adversity misses the chance to build this internal power to overcome obstacles and arrive on the other side, both stronger and a better human being. The pain of the suffering passes, but the strength to overcome and endure remains.

For me, the power of the book is how Al Weatherhead and Fred Feldman express their profound ideas with both compassion and insight. They also combine successfully their empowering philosophy for mastering life, with practical techniques for harnessing the gift of adversity in one's own life. This fusion of Al Weatherhead's personal experience, told in a deeply moving way, with the strategies for meeting adversity and gleaning its lessons is valuable for any reader. The core value of the book, that life can best be mastered through the challenges of adversity, instill inner strength and resolve, along with the creativity to find meaningful and lasting solutions. Instead of thinking "why me", the book challenges the reader to think in terms of "why not me". Instead of avoidance, the gift of adversity enriches a person's life.

I highly recommend the deeply profound and empowering book The Power of Adversity: Tough Times Can Make You Stronger, Wiser, and Better by Al Weatherhead and Fred Feldman, to anyone who feels troubled and unable to cope with the adversity in their life. This wonderful book will change a person's perspective on obstacles from one of fear to one of acceptance of their hidden gifts.

Read the inner strength building book The Power of Adversity: Tough Times Can Make You Stronger, Wiser, and Better by Al Weatherhead and Fred Feldman, and discover that when the moment feels the most dark, and when the troubles feel their most insurmountable, the most critical insights into life are found. This insightful book will transform your life in ways you never imagined possible.

Tags: The Power of Adversity: Tough Times Can Make You Stronger, Wiser, and Better, Al Weatherhead, Fred Feldman, personal leadership, business book reviews.

Nice Bike by Mark Scharenbroich - Book review

Nice Bike

Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life

By: Mark Scharenbroich

Published: January 2011
Format: Paperback, 156 pages
ISBN-10: 0982656238
ISBN-13: 978-0982656235
Publisher: Echo Bay Publishing






"Think about the giddy emotion you felt the last time you made a new connection with another person". writes Emmy award winning keynote speaker and humorist Mark Scharenbroich, in his inspirational and engaging book Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life. the author describes how the ability to connect in an authentic and genuine way with other people helps us to be more engaged with our families, be more active community members, and be more valuable contributors to teams in the workplace.

Mark Scharenbroich introduces the concepts of personal connection and engagement, in the most deeply human way possible, through the means of a story. The author shares the tale of a person, attending a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company celebration, who upon seeing another attendee's motorcycle remarks, "Nice bike!" With those two little words, the author points out how more than a casual, throwaway compliment was extended to the other person. Instead, the the friendly comment conveyed three important elements of forming deeper and richer interpersonal relationships with others. Those three principles are acknowledging, honoring, and connecting with others.



Mark Scharenbroich (photo left) presents a thoughtful and profound observation about the nature of being human. People want, need, and even crave interaction and connection with others. The author offers the well known concept of life being a a journey down a long and twisting road. Mark Sxharenbroich takes the analogy of the personal journey to a more personal level. Employing the motorcycle metaphor beautifully, the author shares how even what on the surface appears to be even the smallest of engagements, can lead to an enriched and fulfilling connection. While Mark Scharenbroich tells the delightful stories of bike owners engaging and connecting, the concept has a much wider application, to the world of business, to the building of communities, and to a stronger family life.

For me, the power of the book is how Mark Scharenbroich describes both the philosophical nature of connection, with real life stories of interpersonal engagement. The stories, filled with gentle humor, engage the reader at a deep emotional level. The book itself is an extension of the connection philosophy and worldview described within its pages. The author doesn't present the three principles of connection as a formula. Instead, he moves to a deeper level, and suggests the ideas should become internalized within the person, to become as natural as breathing. Making connections should not be about getting something, but rather of giving and sharing oneself openly and honestly with other people.

Mark Scharenbroich provides an invitation to see and engage people in a new and refreshing way. That idea may seem obvious at first, but until it is practiced as a way of life and of conducting business, it remains only a theoretical construct. This book offers guidance and inspiration toward transforming everyday meetings and interaction with others into deep and strong connections. Going far beyond the prescriptive, and traveling through the narrative, Mark Scharenbroich shares a renewed and meaningful outlook on life. Through more connections, we not only enrich our own lives, but we make a deep and lasting change in the lives of those with whom we connect. The three principles are a way of living and of being, and they can change and enhance lives forever.

I highly recommend the motivational and life transforming book Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life by Mark Scharenbroich, to anyone seeking to develop and enrich their interpersonal relationships with other people. For business people, the book presents guidance for engaging employees and customers in deeper and more meaningful ways that lead to more fulfilling relationships within and outside of the organization.

Read the personal and philosophical guide Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life by Mark Scharenbroich, and set out anew on the journey of life, refreshed, and prepared for the delight filled adventure of connecting with others. You will soon be sharing different versions of "Nice bike!" with everyone you meet.

Tags: Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections on the Road of Life, Mark Scharenbroich, personal leadership, business book reviews.

The Shibumi Strategy by Matthew E, May - Book review

The Shibumi Strategy

A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change

By: Matthew E. May

Published: November 16, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 176 pages
ISBN-10: 0470769505
ISBN-13: 978-0470769508
Publisher: Jossey-Bass










"There are times in life when if fortunate we experience a moment of utter clarity", writes renowned thought leader and speaker on innovation strategy, design thinking, and corporate creativity.Matthew E. May in his delightful and idea packed business fable The Shibumi Strategy: A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change. The author creates the moving and inspirational tale of Andy Harmon, who faced with a life altering career challenge, must discover deep within himself the breakthrough necessary to achieve success.

Matthew May shares the story of how Andy seeks guidance and advice in what are seemingly the most unusual of sources. The life lessons arrive in the form of personal Zen, which reveal deep truths about himself and the world around him. Faced with a devastating job loss, Andy finds himself confronted with the daunting challenge of selling used cars. With an unpaid month to prove his his sales ability, Andy struggles with the setback and its impact on his life. What Andy discovers, over the course of the parable, is that the most difficult obstacles and set backs are the most likely to result in that epiphany of clarity. For Andy, that moment is when he discovers shibumi, and realizes its importance to his own life.



Matthew E. May (photo left) presents the shibumi strategy as graceful effectiveness, elegant in its simplicity, and scaling the peaks of personal excellence. Through clarity, balance, and a connectedness to work, other people, and to the entire world, shibumi creates a feeling of oneness that is both realized and part of a greater whole. There is a sense of paradox about the nature of shibumi as well. When effort seems to be at its lowest point, effectiveness reaches an unprecedented zenith. These shibumi moments must be recognized when they occur, and the narrative of the story follows the essential elements of shibumi toward those critical moments. Those aspects of shibumi are:

* Commitment
* Preparation
* Struggle
* Breakthrough
* Transformation

For me, the power of the book is how Matthew May offers the deeply profound and ancient wisdom of the shibumi strategy in a thoroughly modern context. The author, through the vehicle of a business parable, sets the principles of shibumi in an understandable and recognizable context, that engages the reader. The story, while simple on the surface, contains many layers of ideas and nuances that reveal themselves more fully with each additional reading. To combine effectively the often esoteric concepts of Eastern philosophy, with the latest Western discoveries in neuroscience, presents the author's own clarity of thought and mind as well. The core value of the book is letting go of preconceived ideas, and both the narrative and the author's own style, utilize that principle very well.

Matthew May not only presents the story of personal leadership resulting in a moment of clarity, and the ensuing breakthrough. An important part of the book is placed at the very end of the business fable. This addition describes the steps necessary, and the process of personal change that takes place, in each of the five shibumi states of being. The principles, as presented in the story can then be applied to one's own life and individual circumstances. Since everyone has times in their lives of upheaval and difficult challenges, this book offers an effective and deeply personal solution to finding a breakthrough and transformation. In these difficult times, this book is a necessary and essential addition to any personal development and leadership library.

I highly recommend the valuable and fascinating business parable The Shibumi Strategy: A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change by Matthew E. May, to anyone who is facing challenges and setbacks in their lives. The application of Eastern wisdom to overcoming your personal and business obstacles provides a fresh approach that can yield substantial breakthroughs and clarity.

Read the wonderful and powerful business fable The Shibumi Strategy: A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change by Matthew E. May, and put the clear thinking of the shibumi principle to work in your life and business. The transformation will be deep, rich, and ultimately life changing and empowering.

Tags: The Shibumi Strategy: A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change, Matthew E. May, personal leadership, business book reviews.

Army of Entrepreneurs by Jennifer Prosek - Book review

Army of Entrepreneurs

Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth

By: Jennifer Prosek

Pyblished: February 2, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 081441673X
ISBN-13: 978-0814416730
Publisher: AMACOM






"I had been working on a new way to configure my business, one that tapped the tremendous talent of the seventy-plus people in my company and inspired them to rise up and face the challenges of the day whether or not I was in the office to see it. I had amassed, trained, and deployed an Army of Entrepreneurs� (AOE)", writes founder and CEO of CJP Communications (CJP), a leading international public relations and financial communications consultancy,Jennifer Prosek, in here visionary and insightful book Army of Entrepreneurs: Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth. The author describes how she transformed her employees into an AOE, an internal force of highly committed employees, trough a rethinking of both the company's structure, mindset, and culture to ensure continued sustainable growth and success.

Jennifer Prosek offers the business changing perspective, that if every employee is empowered to use all of his or her resources to help the company succeed, they will develop what she calls an "owner's mindset". As a result of this complete sea change in individual thinking and personal identification, from that of employee to that of an entrepreneur, a powerful force for growth is unleashed within the organization. The author calls this this powerful and unstoppable force an Army of Entrepreneurs�, or an AOE for short. Jennifer Prosek shares the ideas, tools, and techniques for revitalizing any company from the ordinary to the extraordinary through the creation of an AOE, unique to that organization.



Jennifer Prosek (photo left) understands that her revolutionary concept requires a complete change in the corporate culture of the business. She describes a recreation of the culture to emphasize authenticity, commitment to people, commitment to the business itself, and continuous effort to build the organization. She recommends building an incentive program that dovetails the personal goals and aspirations of the individual with the continued growth and success of the company. At the same time, she points to the need for a company boot camp to educate the employees in how the company operates, and why they their role in the organization is important.

The author points to changing the recruiting and hiring process to discover potential entrepreneurial talent, as well as becoming more creative with developing openings to add valuable people when they become available. As with any new initiative, Jennifer Prosek stresses the importance of enhancing internal communications, including more intensive use of technology, to help employees reach their fullest entrepreneurial potential. The author also suggests important ways to maintain the momentum through a blend of rewards, both tangible and personal, and through building a fun and engaging work environment.

For me, the power of the book, is how Jennifer Prosek combines both theory and practical advice into an overall organizational approach to tapping into the latent entrepreneurial drive among employees. This holistic concept engages the employee at the level of generating a sense of ownership of the company. As a result, Jennifer Prosek goes far beyond most books on employee engagement. Instead of motivating employees as staff, the author recommends enlisting them into the Army of Entrepreneurs�. The entire AOE idea transcends the usual employment contract and enters into the realm of shared responsibility from the ownership point of view. The process for the transition from an employee based firm to AOE style organization is well described, and the steps are clear and logical to follow.

Jennifer Prosek has broken into entirely new management territory regarding the role of employees within an organization. The process for the changeover is not expensive in either money or time, but the rewards are potentially unlimited. The incentive for employees to perform optimally is ensured by the array of rewards, and by the sense of taking ownership of the job, the customer base, and the of the company itself. For many owners and managers, the choice is usually to raise more capital through sale of part of the company. Instead of that option, Jennifer Prosek provides a much more creative, effective, and sustainable strategy for achieving more business growth. The AOE system works well, as made very clear by the author, for any size of company, regardless of industry or market.

I highly recommend the groundbreaking and organizational changing book Army of Entrepreneurs: Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth by Jennifer Prosek, to anyone serious about revitalizing their company through empowering their employees. Through the AOE process, employees become the driving force for growth and change within a dynamic and customer aware organization.

Read the brilliant and empowering guide book Army of Entrepreneurs: Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth by Jennifer Prosek, and change the way that you think about employees. Instead of considering them as only staff, transform them into entrepreneurs who will build the company through growth and innovation. Let an Army of Entrepreneurs� turn your business into a winning organization.

Tags: Army of Entrepreneurs: Create an Engaged and Empowered Workforce for Exceptional Business Growth, Jennifer Prosek, employee empowerment, business book reviews.

Built To Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers by Peter Boatwright & Jonathan Cagan - Book review

Built to Love

Creating Products That Captivate Customers

By: Peter Boatwright, Jonathan Cagan

Published: September 5, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 216 pages
ISBN-10: 1605096989
ISBN-13: 978-1605096988
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers






"In today's marketplace, there is a new kind of leading company. These leaders do not just produce good products. They produce captivating products that energize the marketplace and set the standard for what customers want and expect", write associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, with an appointment in Mechanical Engineering, Peter Boatwright, and the George Tallman and Florence Barrett Ladd Professor in Mechanical Engineering, with appointments in the School of Design and Computer Science, at Carnegie Mellon University, Jonathan Cagan, in their brilliant and groundbreaking book Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers. The authors describe how the difference between an ordinary product and a product that captivates and energizes customers is emotion.



Peter Boatwright (photo left) and Jonathan Cagan understand the crucial role that emotions play in all people. Human emotions become attached to products that excite and move them from the ordinary to the extraordinary in life. Given the importance of emotions to people, the authors point to the surprising lack of emotional consideration given to product development. The role of emotions has long been recognized in advertising and marketing, with the emotional aspect of the product added on at the back end of the product development cycle. The authors recommend a fundamental change in the product design process. They suggest transforming the entire product development cycle to build emotional consideration into the product design from the very beginning of the process.



Jonathan Cagan (photo left) and Peter Boatwright describe how excited customers get when they use a product that energizes their emotions. Not only do they enjoy the product themselves, but they share the experience widely with everyone they know. The authors offer the explanation that the real difference in products goes far beyond mere technological or usage variations. The best products, marketed by the industry leaders in the category, captivate the purchaser, with both the product performance and the way it makes the user feel. The authors propose that products offer, often unknown to both the customer and the company, an emotional element that fulfills a need in a person's life. To achieve this deep emotional connection between the product and its user, the product must include emotional values that resonate with the customer. To gain this raw and passionate impact, the emotional values must be integrated into all aspects of the product design from the very conception of the idea. This holistic approach to emotional design forms the crux of a product being built to love.

For me, the power of the book is how Peter Boatwright and Jonathan Cagan combine the theory of understanding the powerful role played by emotions in product design, with the practical steps necessary to integrate emotions into the overall design process. By taking a holistic approach to the relationship between emotions and products, the authors enter into an under researched and seldom considered area of design psychology. Not only are emotions central to what it means to be human, those same emotions can be invoked by products. Emotional values can be transferred to products as well. For the authors, this complex interaction between product and user is critical for designers to understand. In a globalized marketplace, where even the best and most popular products risk falling into the commodity category, the ability to develop a captivating product can mean the very survival of a company.

With so little attention paid to the emotional aspect of design,outside of a few leading companies, the potential for expanded emotion based product opportunities is unlimited. the authors identify the difference between supported emotions, that are invoked by a captivating design, and associated emotions that are derived from continued enjoyment of the product. With the addition of emotional consideration into the engineering and design of products, a company will build in a deep response of supported and associated emotions. By striking this deep seated chord in customers, products can be constructed with emotional building blocks as overall values. This book addresses a little understood, and seldom considered aspect of design. Instead of relying only upon rationality and logic, this book is a guide toward the integration of emotions as the next frontier in engineering and design.

I highly recommend the revolutionary and insightful book Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers by Jonathan Cagan and Peter Boatwright, to any business people who are serious about understanding the deep seated emotional relationship that exists between people and the products they buy and use. Going well past the well traveled ground of emotions in marketing and advertising, the authors drill more deeply into the product itself. They recommend, and provide the tools and techniques necessary, to transform design to include emotions as a central focus throughout the entire process.

Read the essential and important book Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers by Peter Boatwright and Jonathan Cagan, and discover the crucial importance of the role emotions play with products and their usage. By incorporating emotional values into product design and engineering, your products will create a legion of fanatical evangelists who will spread the word about your products being built to love.

Tags: Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers, Peter Boatwright, Jonathan Cagan, enhanced product design, business book reviews.

Artistry Unleashed by Hilary Austen - Book review

Artistry Unleashed

A Guide to Pursuing Great Performance in Work and Life

By: Hilary Austen

Published: October 27, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 232 pages
ISBN-10: 1442641304
ISBN-13: 978-1442641303
Publisher: University of Toronto Press (Rotman/UTP)





"Even as we develop ever more powerful analytical tools, even as our deductive capacities increase, still the smartest among us crash headlong into new and recurring problems that we haven't yet learned to solve", writes adjunct professor and member of the dean�s advisory board of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, Hilary Austen, in her revolutionary and landmark book Artistry Unleashed: A Guide to Pursuing Great Performance in Work and Life. The author describes how discovering solutions to the most pressing business and societal problems doesn't lie in using new analytical tools, but in a profoundly different approach to problem solving.

Hilary Austen challenges people to step outside of their established realms to seek guides and solutions in other fields and endeavors. The author presents the alternative concept, that the best guides to solving a problem in any given area, are often found in a seemingly unrelated field. This counter-intuitive line of thinking compels the individual to move well beyond the safety of what is known, and into the world of the unknown. This movement beyond the boundary of comfort and familiarity forces a fresh understanding of the problem at hand. With this transition from examining a problem through the familiar lens, and toward a outside view, new ideas can appear as a result of thid disruption of conventional thought.



Hilary Austen (photo left) suggests the radical approach of looking to artists as guides for solution seeking business executives. This bold reasoning is based on pushing the business person beyond the edge of the comfort zone. The concept is also logical in that the conventional problem solving tools and techniques have failed the executive. Traditional tools may even be able to solve part of the problem. They are limited in their ability to find solutions to the entire problem. This is the gray area where the need to make the transformation from conventional tools and strategies becomes clear. Instead of a proposed solution being exclusively this or that option, the moving past the edge of comfort approach provides for fusion of ideas. It also allows for surprise and fresh insights through deliberate ambiguity. The artistry method breaks down the societal and internal human barriers that prevent creative thinking, even if unconsciously. The removal of these barriers frees the individual to consider what may have been considered unthinkable in the past.

For me, the power of the book is how Hilary Austen presents both a theoretical basis for achieving excellence and solving problems without sacrificing creativity. At the same time, the author shares actionable techniques and strategies for utilizing the arts as a guide for creative thinking. The concept of moving well past a person's own self imposed barriers, and entering into the often frightening but always enlightening area of the unknown, is offered as a key to opening the mind. Free from the artificial walls created by society, or one's own brain wiring, the power of the inner artist can be brought to the surface. Combined with guides from the artistic community, the scope for dynamic new thought is enlarged exponentially.

Hilary Austen employs the example of standardized testing, and the false trail of finding the one right answer, as being stifling to creative thinking. The conventional wisdom, often seen in workplaces as low wages and enforced best practices, is failing in innovation and creative thought. Attempts to simplify major problems doesn't make them easier to solve. Indeed, this false trail makes the solution more elusive than ever. The executive, enclosed in the conventional box, is faced with limited and ineffective options. Hilary Austen recognizes that the conventional approach is a dead end, and offers the radical artistic idea as a superior and more fruitful alternative. She makes her case well, and bolsters it with real world examples of success rooted in a wide range of unexpected and often unlikely fields. The very critical elements of surprise, removal of barriers, and open thinking are the key to solving the most intractable of problems.

I highly recommend the brilliant and seminal book Artistry Unleashed: A Guide to Pursuing Great Performance in Work and Life by Hilary Austen, to anyone serious about solving problems in new and exciting ways. The author shares a very different, and highly effective process for going beyond the edges of the known world, and discovering real solutions to overcoming even the most difficult obstacles.

Read the destined to become classic book Artistry Unleashed: A Guide to Pursuing Great Performance in Work and Life by Hilary Austen, and change your mode of thinking from the mainstream to the arts dream. The book is highly original, and the concepts presented are very unorthodox. That unfamiliarity is why the ideas work so well.

Tags: Artistry Unleashed: A Guide to Pursuing Great Performance in Work and Life, Hilary Austen, creative problem solving, business book reviews.

The 1% Solution by Tom Connellan - Book review

The 1% Solution for Work and Life

How to Make Your Next 30 Days the Best Ever

By: Tom Connellan

Published: December 16, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 138 pages
ISBN-10: 0976950626
ISBN-13: 978-0976950622
Publisher: Peak Performance Press








"When you average it out,the difference between exceptional and exceptionally exceptional is one percent", writes keynote speaker Tom Connellan in his enjoyable and inspirational book The 1% Solution for Work and Life: How to Make Your Next 30 Days the Best Ever. The author presents an engaging business parable that describes how the greatest performers in any field are only 1% better than the rest.

Tom Connellan shares the often forgotten wisdom that becoming the truly elite participant in any endeavor doesn't require a person to be many times more effective than their competition. That 1% improvement in performance doesn't require a doubling of effort, but simply becoming 1% better at many different aspects of your life and work. As an example, Tom Connellan points out that the difference in performance between winning an Olympic gold medal, and receiving no medal at all, is that 1% difference. To achieve that 1% boost in performance, that sets the top performers apart from the field, the author recommends doing things better today than they were done yesterday. Instead of spending time with getting motivated, Tom Connellan offers the timeless concept of just doing something, which generates its own motivation to do even more.



Tom Connellan (photo left) understands that the most critical aspect of achieving peak performance is to always take some form of action. Even small amounts of action, that may even appear insignificant, can leverage themselves into very large accomplishments. The well known 80/20 rule works in favor of the person who does something, instead of making the choice to do nothing. Tom Connellan recommends the principle of deliberate practice. By practicing in this manner, everyone will become much better at what they do and achieve. The key is to practice, assess the the performance, and get feedback on the level of performance. The author reminds people to only compare their performance to their own level, and to seek to always reach a new personal best. Instead of going full out, which Tom Connellan considers to be counterproductive, he suggests working in bursts punctuated with rest periods. He suggests that everyone discover their own natural rhythm to achieve even greater productivity.

For me, the power of the book is in its simplicity. Tom Connellan provides his timeless wisdom through a pleasant business fable, where the reader can identify with the characters. As the story unfolds, the principle of small constant change and improvement is made clear to the reader. The idea that tiny incremental increases in performance add up to peak performance in the field becomes an all encompassing theme of the story. The reader follows the narrative, and learns how to find that 1% solution along with the protagonist. The overall blending of ideas into a business fable is a very effective vehicle for sharing the author's premises about enhancing performance levels.

The chapters are laid out in a logical format, and the fable follows each concept through an entire chapter. Along the way, the author inserts practical and actionable techniques for leveraging small improvements in performance. At the same time, Tom Connellan describes the principle of deliberate practice in an easy to understand way. With the story line to illustrate the concept, the reader becomes aware of the value of deliberate practice, and of the techniques required to use it effectively. At the same time, Tom Connellan recognizes that all people are individuals, with their own personal goals and requirements. As a result, the readers are encouraged to establish their own personal times of activity and of rest. The end result is that crucial 1% boost in performance that makes a world of difference.

I highly recommend the delightful and idea packed book The 1% Solution for Work and Life: How to Make Your Next 30 Days the Best Ever by Tom Connellan, to anyone who is serious about boosting their personal level of performance. The fun and brisk storyline provides an excellent backdrop for the compelling and performance boosting ideas.

Read the delightful and wisdom filled book The 1% Solution for Work and Life: How to Make Your Next 30 Days the Best Ever by Tom Connellan, and put small improvements in your performance to work for you. That 1% increase in productivity can mean the difference between the gold medal in your field, and being just another also ran.

Tags: The 1% Solution for Work and Life: How to Make Your Next 30 Days the Best Ever, Tom Connellan, enhanced performance strategies, business book reviews.

Marketing by the Numbers by Leland Harden & Bob Heyman - Book review

Marketing by the Numbers

How to Measure and Improve the ROI of Any Campaign

By: Leland Harden, Bob Heyman

Published: January 25, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN: 9780814416204
Publisher: AMACOM







"Computers have made practically everything measurable. Yet, their ubiquity is quite likely to make a marketing manager quite miserable", write Vice President of Global Marketing for Usee, Inc., Leland Harden, and Senior Partner at Digital Automat, Bob Heyman, in their practical and results oriented book Marketing by the Numbers: How to Measure and Improve the ROI of Any Campaign. The authors describe advanced techniques and tools to measure the return on investment of any online and multiple media marketing campaign.



Leland Harden (photo left) and Bob Heyman understand that using the right analytical metrics to forecast the success of any marketing campaign presents a real challenge for any marketing manager. Faced with having to justify a marketing budget, for both online and offline expenditures, the need for the right measuring tools and methods has never been more critical. Gone are the days when spending on internet marketing could be accepted without the numbers to back up the spending. Simple and crude measurements like clicks and page hits are no longer sufficient in a more cost conscious world. While the internet may be driving traditional media, the need for useful and reliable metrics has become paramount for online business success. The authors point to the best practices and measurement tools that are essential for establishing budgets within the organization, and for remaining competitive in an increasingly difficult and crowded marketplace.



Bob Heyman (photo left) and Leland Harden recognize that in finance, ROI is utilized as a predictive tool. While traditional ROI for traditional media has long held a predictive role, the return on investment for internet expenditures has received attention only recently. Web advertising, as well as the company website, are very often seen as lead generation vehicles. As a result, they must produce quantifiable results. The authors provide the tools to measure the effectiveness of a website at achieving its goals. Even more important, the book contains the best metrics for drilling deeply into the numbers. Measuring the audience in an online world is as crucial as in traditional media. The authors share the methods and tools for calculating the net benefit of internet based marketing, ranging from the main company website to the use of social media. Overall, the authors provide a complete system for uncovering the right metrics, and for applying those results most effectively.

For me, the power of the book is how Leland Harden and Bob Heyman demonstrate not only the means of measuring marketing ROI, but how to utilize the numbers in the most profitable way. The authors combine the theory of return on marketing investment with the practical tools and methodology needed to calculate its effectiveness. The holistic approach taken in the book transforms the topic, from one of being simply a theoretical discussion of ROI, to a useful manual for any marketing manager. the practical side of the book is bolstered by the theory to help guide the marketing manager as to why the numbers are vital to success. The authors provide a framework for not only integrating online and offline marketing efforts, but also for aligning them with the overall company goals and business plan.

The authors recognize that today's marketing managers are very often inundated with a deluge of numbers, ranging from the valuable to the superfluous. This book helps the marketer to sort the useful data into meaningful forecasts of business potential and profitability. Along with the techniques for discovering the best and most useful metrics, the authors share their ideas for transforming the measurements into actionable recommendations for current and future marketing expenditures. The ability to integrate both online and offline marketing programs, and to measure their effectiveness is a key takeaway from the book. At the same time, the ability to communicate the data to C-level executives becomes both easier and more likely to be positive, with the data information gleaned through the book's recommendations. Overall, this is a very valuable guide for any marketing manager.

I highly recommend the very useful and essential book Marketing by the Numbers: How to Measure and Improve the ROI of Any Campaign by Leland Harden and Bob Heyman, to any marketing managers who are serious about determining the return on investment from their marketing and advertising expenditures. The techniques, checklists, and case study illustrations make this a book a must have road map for assessing ROI in marketing.

Read the very accessible and problem solving book Marketing by the Numbers: How to Measure and Improve the ROI of Any Campaign by Bob Heyman and Leland Harden, and remove the mystery from your calculations of your marketing return on investment. Instead of guesswork, and sorting through stacks of irrelevant information, this book will steer your efforts toward the right metrics that predict your real marketing ROI.

Tags: Marketing by the Numbers: How to Measure and Improve the ROI of Any Campaign, Bob Heyman, Leland Harden, enhanced management strategies, business book reviews.