Amazon.com
Ram Charan learned about business from his family's shoe shop in India before attending Harvard Business School and going on to advise senior executives in companies large and small. His experiences taught him that universal laws apply "whether you sell fruit from a stand or are running a Fortune 500 company," and that the business acumen that comes from understanding these basics can be applied throughout any operation. What the CEO Wants You to Know is Charan's primer on this point, which he illustrates with explanations filtered through the eyes of street venders and other small shopkeepers. One, for example, involves a woman in Managua, Nicaragua, who sells clothing from a small cart and beats the oppressive interest rates on her loans and the puny profit margins on her goods with a skillfully selected inventory that is quickly and repeatedly turned over. Whether it's a corner merchant or a giant manufacturing concern, Charan notes, "the faster the velocity, the higher the return." Relating such thinking to cash generation, customer satisfaction, and other essentials, he describes the universal principles that help all companies make money. "What your CEO wants you to know is how these fundamentals of business work in your company," he writes before embarking on a very lucid explanation that can be quickly absorbed and put into practice. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
The universal laws of business success . . . no matter whether you are selling fruit from a stand or running a Fortune 500 company.
Have you ever noticed that the business savvy of the world's best CEOs seems like a kind of street smarts? They sense where the opportunities are and how to take advantage of them. And their companies make money consistently, year after year.
How different is it to run a big company than to sell fruit from a cart or run a small shop in a village? In essence, not very, according to Ram Charan. From his childhood in India, where he worked in his family's shoe shop, to his education at Harvard Business School and his daily work advising many of the world's best CEOs, Ram understands business as few can.
The best CEOs have a knack for bringing the most complex business down to the fundamentals -- the same fundamentals of the family shoe shop. They have business acumen -- the ability to focus on the basics and make money for the company.
What the CEO Wants You to Know captures these insights and explains in clear, simple language how to do what great CEOs do instinctively and persistently:
* Understand the basic building blocks of a business and use them to figure out how your company makes money and operates as a total business.
* Decide what to do, despite the clutter of day-to-day business and the complexity of the real world.
Many people spend more than a hundred thousand dollars on an MBA without learning to pull these pieces of the puzzle together. Many others lack a formal business education and feel shut out from the executive suite.
What the CEO Wants You to Know takes the mystery out of business and shows the secrets of success used by business legends like Jack Welch of GE.
Customer Reviews:
charan knows the worker.......2007-04-02
mr charan understnads and explains how profit works for companies and he understands why certain workers work really well in an environment and then fail in another.
Business Simplified.......2006-12-29
Ram Charan cuts right to the chase in this book. It's a short one, but it's packed with goodies. Charan explains the keys to making money and increasing wealth: 1) Business Acumen (the main components being cash generation, margin, velocity, return on assets, growth, and focus on the customer) and 2) Getting things done (which includes selecting the right people, increasing their capacity, and linking their efforts to a core set of business goals - developed using business acumen). Sounds simple, right? Frankly, it is. It's a no-nonsense explanation of what all managers, and all employees ought to know about business to enable them to gauge the performance of their company/organization/group, and put practical achievable plans in place to improve it.
Nick McCormick - Author, Lead Well and Prosper
simple, straightforward, short, repetitive.......2006-07-04
This book can be read in several hours and is definitely worth of the invested time. I am a total beginner in business, In fact, I study informatics. After reading this book I have a clear view of basic aspects of business. Also, it gave me a more clear understanging of what is a CEO's role.
let's summarize my thoughts:
+simple
+short (less then 130 little pages)
+gives a great overview of core business aspects
+good for beginners (contains even links to popular business web sites)
-focused on employees in a leader position
-focused on international (stock) companies. (I work at software companies, can't see, how could I apply the velocity principle here. We have no shareholders, no transparent assests, nor stock, nor transparent margins)
-quite repetitive. The word 'business acumen' is listed at least one hundred times. Some may find the repetition usefull...especially me not
p.s.: I've found this book on the recommended list of PersonalMBA (personalmba.com)
Ok book but a little too wordy.......2006-02-09
Yes, it's a small book already but I thought the author could have got to the points sooner with a little less prose and more advise. I can see that he did a lot of work and is obviously an intelligent person it just as another reviewer put it "the book does not deliver on what the title suggests".
It's worth a read on a long airplane ride but not worth setting your career by.
Dangerously Oversimplified and Misleading.......2005-10-11
This is the first book I've picked from the ChangeThis "Personal MBA" list (http://www.changethis.com/17.PersonalMBA) and boy am I disappointed.
I thought this primer-level introduction to business would give me the tools I needed to understand the nuts & bolts of Collins and Lazier's *Running the Small to Mid-Sized Business* but no such luck.
He gives us a taste of the math that is required to understand business, but I guess he's afraid of scaring people off with too much math, because it's glossed over in such a way as to be unusable. It's like sex without penetration.
And right now I'm reading a section where he says, "Obviously, the higher the P-E multiple, the more wealth is created."
By that logic, all those overvalued internet stocks during the dot com bubble created a lot of wealth. And so did Enron.
I hope the other books on the "Personal MBA" list are better than this.
Book Description
Have you always dreamed of leaving your mundane job and owning your own business? The Maui CEO is a practical guide for any new entrepreneur that demonstrates how to develop a business from idea to launch. Maui CEO provides specific tips on how to dominate and manage an entire competitive segment on eBay.
Author John Tennant, an experienced dot-com business owner and professor, shares his vast knowledge about eBay—a critical channel for product businesses. Mr. Tennant helps you decide which product to buy for resale, and provides practical direction on how to:
- Develop an online business identity and incorporate in Nevada
- Find sellers in China
- Order and import your first container of product
- Outsource Web development, site hosting, and merchant integration
- Locate warehouse space and manage inventory
- Avoid fraud with eBay, escrow, and PayPal
The Maui CEO will help you create a product-oriented business that will quickly be up and running, and can easily be managed from any location. If you are ready to earn the coveted eBay title “category killer,” then don't wait any longer—get started today!
Customer Reviews:
Packs a powerful amount of knowledge in a very readable book!.......2007-05-08
I've now read the book several times over the last few weeks. John is a talented author and businessman who writes in a style that is for the "rest of us" trying to understand marketing strategies in a very competitive world. The book is highly recommended for those that want to find a way to differentiate themselves on the online marketplace. Canon BJC-85 Portable Color Bubble Jet Printer
This book is really very good........2006-12-20
I was amazed at how much punch this little book packs. I have read other importing books that give you all the technical details of importing - but they don't help me make a decision. And with the huge number of decisions that are needed, I felt overwhelmed at the prospect of starting an import business after reading other books.
However, Mr Tennant cuts through all the crap and limits his scope to what a small startup should realistically aim at. In doing so, he provided answers to decisions to be made and provides "why" he chose that option over a few others by showing pros and cons - all in very few words. You can also see Mr Tennant's empirical knowledge on the business by some very insightful reasoning on his part that goes against the mainstream - all with compelling arguments for doing so.
I really learned a great deal.
Loved it! - very practical and motivating.......2005-10-04
This book was the perfect fit. It provided very direct, useful information without being too wordy. It was also fun to ready. It inspired me to get started with my own business!
Best book I have read in months.......2005-05-25
This is the best, most practical book on starting your own import business I have ever read. I think the advice on "creating barriers to entry" is brilliantly easy to understand and execute to. It is not a "how to be an eBay seller" general guide, but provides specific advice around picking products that have more limited competition given the logistics of moving that product. For instance, selling large outdoor children's playsets, which can't be shipped by UPS, naturally reduces your competition, so that you aren't among 1000 others selling the same thing on eBay. This is a guide, not encyclopedia, emphasizing quality over quantity, and is well worth the price.
Great organization and brevity.......2005-05-13
Great organization and brevity. Ideal for busy people who want to get right to the point. Nice format, easy to carry around. Good content on eBay spoofing / phishing, and protecting yourself as an eBay seller. Highly recommended!! Very up to date.
Book Description
Janet Boydell, Barry Deutsch, and Brad Remillard wrote this book with one goal in mind: To help companies avoid hiring mistakes. Up to 56% of new executives fail within the first two years of hire. You're Not The Person I Hired! reveals common causes of executive and managerial failure, and shows how you can beat those odds. Impact Hiring Solutions' Success Factor MethodologyT encompasses a proprietary set of tools that let hiring teams define success up front. These tools let hiring teams take control of the process and find the candidates who can actually deliver success. Based on twenty-five years of research and professional success in executive recruiting, You're Not The Person I Hired! can revolutionize your hiring.
Product Description
Tiger Woods success in golf (and in life) is not an accident. There s no doubt that he was born with a special talent, but Tiger also has nine traits that have allowed him to express that talent in extraordinary ways. These nine traits have helped Tiger become a champion, and they can help you lay a solid foundation for an outstanding business career and a fulfilling life. Tiger Traits describes how Tiger developed his natural talents and created a compelling dream for his life, who his heroes and mentors were, and how all of this helped him not just on the golf course but also in his journey to become a top entrepreneur in the world of sports. The lessons Tiger's life teaches us how to acquire confidence, use mental models to create success in advance, take intelligent and enthusiastic action, improve incrementally to produce massive results, tap into the power of personality to gain allies and build teams, and create greater success through giving to others can help any businessperson to attain greater success and satisfaction.
Customer Reviews:
Powerful traits for all ages.......2007-09-11
Tiger Traits provides such powerful success secrets that I will be buying 6 more copies to share with my two sons and four closest friends. Nate has written an easy to follow "recipe for success", which is inspiring for all ages!
Neil Wood
author: The Magic of Working Smarter
An excellent motivational and self-improvement guide.......2007-06-10
Written by success coach Nate Booth, Tiger Traits: 9 Success Secrets You Can Discover from Tiger Woods to be a Business Champion is a unique guide to business and life lessons that anyone can learn from golf prodigy Tiger Woods. From "Identify and Develop Natural Talents" to "Be Confident", "Let Actions Do the Talking", "Be Likeable", and "Be Grateful, Give Back", each of the nine positive character factors is scrutinized at length, its benefits analyzed and illuminated through real-world examples. An excellent motivational and self-improvement guide sure to especially resonate with professional golf buffs.
TIGER TRAITS Reviewed by Ralph Williams.......2007-04-16
Nate Booth's Tiger Traits has a wonderful way of exposing the tiger inside each of us. Even better, Nate takes on the role of a seasoned, professional caddy and shows each of us how to play the championship course of life. As anyone who plays the game of golf will tell you, there's more than one set of tees to play from. After reading and applying Nate's observations, I will feel much more confident playing the game of life from the championship tees.
When Nate writes about discovering one's natural talents, he gives us clear direction on what we should look for. When it comes to our individual weaknesses, he shows us how to manage them with honor.
While many may buy this book because of its reference to Tiger, I recommend this book because it gives all of us a better chance to tap into the natural and developed gifts of the author, Nate Booth.
In closing, I bought a copy of Tiger Traits for each of our five grown sons. It's a club I want in each of their bags.
Ralph Williams
Bottom Line University
Colleyville, TX
How to find what you are good at and then use it to make your life better.......2007-04-07
One of the staples in the business - motivation literature is the use of sports and sports heroes to illustrate a set of constructive traits the author shares with you. Here, Nate Booth has written a book that motivates the reader by illustrating the nine principles he provides in the book (and a tenth bonus principle online) through the life and career of the phenomenal golfer, Tiger Woods. The author is clear that Tiger has NOTHING to do with the book, does not endorse it, and is in no way affiliated with him. I guess this disclaimer is necessary in this age of total marketing, branding, and so forth. However, if you go to your bookstore and look at all the books based on the lives of various people without their endorsement, you could fill many shelves.
The main focus of the book, as I read it, is about taking control of your life by finding out what you are truly good at (the author provides you with some sound ways to tell), to develop a compelling dream around that talent, to get the right role models - teachers - supporters who will help you along the path, being confident, getting the right mental models, talk through actions, continually improve, be likeable (as an aside, while Tiger is famous and charismatic, I am not sure he is necessarily likeable nor am I sure he is concerned about it), and giving back.
Booth provides a post nine-hole (nine-principle) cool down where he summarizes of what he was trying to teach through the book and hopes the reader has learned. He also offers some recommended reading.
The book is NOT only about Tiger. Booth provides some excellent quotes from all kinds of past greats, from Aristotle, Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Walt Disney, and even Jiminy Cricket (and many others). I enjoyed these brief quotations a great deal.
If you enjoy motivational reading and are interested in Tiger Woods, this is a book for you.
My Post-Book Cool-Down.......2007-04-06
Tiger Woods had to wait two years after winning his first big tournament, to win a second one. Did he ever get discouraged? You bet, but he never let consistent losses kill his spirit. Dr. Nate Booth urges us to apply the principles of winning to our business problems, for the solutions that worked for Tiger might also help us earn more money and success. The traits of likability (it is said that Tiger never forgets a face and always remembers the names of the children and wives of everyone he meets) will put you in good stead when it comes to your career and success will be a birdie in the hand.
Booth is an exciting and spirited writer. I would love to see him do a fullscale informercial that would help us put the story of Tiger in perspective. He's got a nice balance of inflation and restraint, and he knows his facts. Most people know Tiger is of mixed race, but Booth has the eugenics at his tingertips. For the record, "his father is half African American, a quarter American Indian and a quarter Chinese, and his mother is half Thai, a quarter Chinese and a quarter white." Booth allows us to see Tiger's rise to fame as steps on a Joseph Campbell like journey--the hero with a thousand faces, and here, a thousand races.
All the same, there's something a little crazy about this book, for although it says in big letters that Tiger Woods and the Tiger Woods Foundation have nothing whatsoever to so with TIGER TRAITS, it's selling largely on Woods' name, not on the name of Dr. Nate Booth I presume. Isn't there a law against this kind of abuse? It would be like if I wrote, say, a cookbook and called it "Tiger's Recipes," as long as I had a disclaimer saying, "These recipes were not tasted nor tried by Tiger Woods, but they were inspired by his joie de vivre." I would call that cheating, but apparently in the world of business books and motivational speakers, anything not nailed down is fair game.
Book Description
Now, drawing on in-depth interviews with hundreds of the nations chief executive officers, author and international executive development expert D.A. Benton reveals the vital traits that every executive must have to make it to the top. Readers will discover how to: make contributors know without looking like a braggart, learn boundaries, and when to go outside them. Prepare for uncertainty and the unexpected, without loosing it, hire people smarter than you, so theyre worth fighting for, be thankful for problems, and more,
Download Description
Drawing on in-depth interviews with hundreds of the nation's chief executive officers, author and international executive development expert D. A. Benton reveals the secrets that separate the business lions from the cubs--the vital traits that every executive must have to make it to the top. Discover how to: Make your contributions known--without looking like a braggart Learn your boundaries--and when to go outside them. Prepare for uncertainty and the unexpected--without losing your cool Make fewer plans--and take more action Hire people smarter than you--so they're worth fighting for. Be thankful for problems--that's where you challenge yourself.
Customer Reviews:
A former hospital administrator writes this review........2006-06-17
Have you ever wondered how someone that was dumber than you ended up being your boss or CEO? That really used to frost me when I was in my late twenty's and early thirty's and then I figured it out. This book does provide insight into how people ascend to the top of the heap. The problem with the book is that it takes what the CEO's say was the reason they made it and assumes they told the complete story.
Of all the CEO's that I have interacted with, I find that honesty is not something that I would put on their short list. I do not mean to imply that there is no truth in this book, there is. It is just not the complete story. From what I observed in 20 years, CEO's are in their positions because they know the right people, kiss the right behind and are willing to do whatever their boss wants. Yes, everyone has a boss even the CEO. If you have ever sat in a board meeting and watched the CEO suck up to the Chairman of the board you know what I mean.
The problem with ascending to the top of the heap is that you need to be able to compromise your principles to do it. If you aren't willing to do that, start you own business. Then you will get paid what you are truly worth, and you won't have to answer to someone other than yourself.
Can you learn something from this book? Absolutely. But, can you learn everything that you need to know to become a CEO? Absolutely not.
It is an interesting read for as far as it goes. It just does not go far enough.
A great book for people who understand the power of self-development........2005-10-26
This book was great. Simple, easy to implement keys to success that make sense. This book helped me understand how I can tweak my inter-personal style to let my strong areas shine. Anyone who disrespects this book does not know the power of self-development, and will not benefit. It is an easy read. I plan to read it once a year to keep myself on track. Oh, and it is great for anyone who wants to advance their career, not just those who aspire to become the CEO.
You will will still have to think for yourself.......2005-01-25
Ms. Benton is a top-tier image consultant, and the first book of hers I read was Lion's Don't Need to Roar. That was a great book about projecting the "right" image. I decided to read this book because I wanted to hear her insights about the successful CEOs she has worked with.
The book presents a lot of interesting information. Twenty-two vital traits are enough to cover just about every trait, but some might be more vital than others. Obviously, any book written by a consultant to the rich and powerful has to be weighed by the need not to bite the hand that feeds you. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the anecdotes, and I always like to hear positive things about those who occupy the seats of power (mainly because I hope that good people do get ahead).
But as far as climbing the mountain of successs by learning to think like a CEO, the caption for chapter six probably sums it up nicely: "every climber is different, and it's important for you to understand those differences." Reading history is not the same as making history. Hey, and writing book reviews isn't the same as writing books, either!
This is a good book to read on airplane trips, but don't expect it to be your master plan for taking over the world. You will still have to think for yourself and do your own heavy lifting.
Solid perspective........2003-09-29
Forget the people who claim that this book is a rehash. They need to read it again and stop skimming chapter titles and skipping pages. Yes, a lot of this material is covered in other leadership books. There are basics that every reader of this type of book simply has to know. The author can't assume that they know, so she presents the basics.
Buy this book for the unique content: The quotes. Real quotes from real CEO's. Dozens of real life examples of what goes on in the life and in the mind of the man (or woman) at the top.
If you want to see what motivates a CEO, it's in this book. If you want to see what a day in the life of a CEO is like, it's in this book. If you want to see how a CEO handles pressure situations, it's in this book.
The quotes alone are worth the 10 to 15 bucks. The easy, specific examples of things that you can say and do to improve your situation at work are just a bonus.
As a small business owner, I would like to thank Debra for helping me to bridge the gap between my home business and my career. This book showed me how the skills that I developed as an entrepreneur could be applied to my consulting job.
What prevented the book from being 5 stars? Author self reference. I realize that 'Lions Don't Need To Roar' is a great book, and cross promotion is all the rage, but borrowing the bulk of entire chapters from 'Lions' is a bit much.
Still, a great read.
I wish I'd known this when I started my career 12 years ago........2003-07-04
Some people could say this is common sense. But my years in corporate America has taught me it's not common practice. Benton lays out in a clear, succinct manner what the best leaders in business or in politics do to be effective. You'll recognize a lot of the traits in yourself and a lot in people that you admire. More importantly you'll be reminded of the importance of various attributes and will be given examples of how to use this information for yourself -- to become the effective individual that you want to be.
Even if you don't aspire to being "CEO" you still have to work with one so you might as well know and understand how they think to make your own life better.
Amazon.com
Robin Wolaner Answers The Significant Seven
Robin Wolaner began her career as a copywriter at Penthouse, worked at Mother Jones and Runner's World, founded Parenting magazine, and launched Vibe and Martha Stewart Living. In Wolaner's new book, Naked in the Boardroom, she shares tales about making a successful go of it all. See the answers Wolaner gave for the Amazon.com Significant Seven questions that we like to run by every author.
Wolaner answers the Amazon.com Significant Seven questions
Download Description
" Renowned media executive Robin Wolaner delivers the 80 Naked Truths businesswomen need to develop presence, seize power, and achieve success. Straight-talking and sensible, Naked in the Boardroom explains how to achieve more: more opportunities, more money, more notches on the corporate belt without sacrificing your integrity or losing your identity. In delicious, bite-sized nuggets, Robin Wolaner's Naked Truths provide universal and instantly gratifying lessons for advancing your career. They can be put into action regardless of your age, experience, industry, or whether you are a one-woman start-up or a big-company employee. Drawing on her own career in magazine publishing and media development, Wolaner shows you how to succeed because of, rather than despite, your unique background and personality. With humor, attitude, and fierce intelligence, she reveals: The keys to successful negotiation on behalf of the company or yourself What great public speakers know and tricks you can use When and how to burn your career plan How to do the right thing in the gray zones of business ethics Effective ways to recover from a mistake Unusual wisdom for hiring and firing -- and for being hired and fired And much more Peppered with candid stories drawn from Wolaner's life, as well as those of other trailblazing women, Naked in the Boardroom is both essential and inspiring. It provides invaluable wisdom for anyone who sees success on the horizon, but who wants help getting there on her own terms. "
Customer Reviews:
If you are a working woman, this is a must read..........2007-05-07
I found the advice in this book priceless. I have been reading similar books lately, but "Naked in the Boardroom" is by far the best. If you are looking for a book that gives practical advice for getting the most out of your career, you won't be disappointed.
A great airplane book.......2007-03-18
An easy to read book by Robin Woolaner, perhaps best known for founding Parenting Magazine. She recounts her experiences in business, and calls them out as ""Naked Truths.""
For example, ""Naked Truth #60: Follow up is easy and instills trust"" and ""Naked Truth #21: When something happens that doesn''t sit well in the pit of your stomach, don''t forget that feeling even if the circumstances have changed. The feeling is real; the change in circumstances may not be.""
She spends at least as much time on her failures as her successes and draws lessons from all her experiences.
I got the feeling that at first this book was aimed at businesswomen, and then was recast as a general business book. Probably a book positioning move, and the book doesn''t suffer from it. That said, there are some lessons that apply specifically to women, for example ""Naked Truth #45: Women are damned as aggressive if we negotiate for more pay, and damnably underpaid if we don't. Force yourself to negotiate and learn how.""
I read this is about three hours and enjoyed it. It would make a great airplane book. Some of the "Naked Truths" resonated strongly and will no doubt stay with me.
VERY CANDID.......2007-02-19
I completely enjoyed reading this book. She tells it just as it was without any PR face. I really apreciate being able to take an in-depth look at how things function and I found the advice invaluable.
Good easy to read business insights.......2006-09-16
This is a good read. Robin looks back and reflects on her career to date. In an easy conversational tone she writes about what she did, how she did it and provides plenty of business insights with her "81 Naked Truths".
She agrees with Marcus Buckingham's view on working from your strengths: "The lessons I learned in business all pint to one broad truth: Success follows when you use what you've got. You will succeed because of, not in spite of, your personal traits. The trick is to make your aptitude and flair work for you in a style that is uniquely yours. Page vii"
If this work is a reflection of Robin's style, then I could work for her.
"In the hundreds of conversations I've had with women on the cusp of greatness - whether over late night pizza or waiting at crowded airport gates - I've always ended up saying the same thing in different ways: Business is personal. Every necessary decision-making tool is already inside you - your experience, brain, and gut will tell you what to do, if you can access heir messages. This is a skill that can be honed, and this book - and taking on the challenges presented to you - will show you how to do that. Page viii"
The personal approach in the book is somewhat unsettling when she gets into the parts where the men she meets look to take advantage of her as a woman. The perspective is insightful. She approached a situation as a simple meeting and yet there were already opportunities for it to be something other than the simpleness of her perspective. Hindsight is usually 20/20 but the outside observer I think would have raised red flags earlier than she acknowledges. Other than that, the situations are handled appropriately. I wonder how some of the men she writes of would have written of the same event?
"Naked Truth #4 --- Terrible things can happen to a women in business; the victims let it ruin their careers, the victors move on."
Moving on is a good thing. Good or bad, recognize the learning experience and go forward. Dwelling in the past, especially on the glory of a past accomplishment is as hindering to an individual as continuing to dwell on a wrong done. The chip on the shoulder is far more obvious to those around.
"... early jobs helped me develop an important skill: finding satisfaction in achievements I could measure myself, and not to rely on praise from my boss. Page 25"
She has been a life long learner. She appears to be a good observer of people.
"Think about it: If progression up the career ladder is tied to achievement, the law of averages means that your bosses in your early jobs will be the least skilled ones you will encounter. You will need to measure your own performance and create your own report card. This is a skill worth developing, because if your boss later in your career is like I am, she will ask you to do a self-evaluation rather than give you one out of the blue. (It's less work for her.) So early on, learn to figure out the measures of success, and hold yourself to them. Page 27"
The key aspect of success in life is where you start. If you can look at yourself in the mirror, know and accept who you are, and be able to execute within that arena, Robin says this in several ways during this book.
"Become your own toughest critic, but don't share the self-criticism. Page 27"
Definitely good advice. People think that are being helpful and honest when they share their faults. On the one hand, they are. On the other hand, it can easily be spun to be a negative. Don't put yourself down. Acknowledge needing to learn but done reveal the specifics.
"Learning happens in every job but you have to pay attention. Page 34"
Attention is so critical to life and business. By paying attention to what is happening you should be able to recognize what is an opportunity, a door opening especially for you to take, or a dead end where you need to sit back and evaluate the situation before proceeding.
I can picture Robin sitting in a hotel lobby, settled in one of the comfy chairs, legs crossed and talking through the chapters in this book. She would punctuate some of the stories with laughter, some with sternness, some stories even with some brief bitterness, but always with a drive forward. A willingness and eagerness to do something different and successful. While she apparently was sitting on the sidelines to work on this book and raise her daughter, I can not see her sitting on the sidelines for long. She needs to be back in the business world.
For good business advice in an easy read, I heartily recommend Naked in the Boardroom by Robin Wolaner.
Refreshing and candid.......2006-08-03
When I entered the business world, *Dress for Success* was one of our bibles. But it embodied a mind-set that went far beyond clothes: i.e., there was One Right Way to succeed in business, and, if you didn't have the correct behaviors and attitudes, you might as well kiss your career hopes goodbye. Although business dress and workplace behavior have both become more casual in recent years, there's still a prevailing belief that, to reach the highest echelons of a corporation, you must be hard-nosed and ruthless.
I found Wolaner's book refreshing because of her candor: her analysis of her mistakes is especially enlightening because it's easy to understand why she made them (and how we could easily fall into the same trap). I wholeheartedly agree with her that "business is personal," and that gratitude and respect will not only make the workplace more humane but ultimately contribute to the success of your business. But to me her most important point is this: you succeed in business not by blindly imitating a model of the Perfect Executive, but by being your authentic self. When she or other CEOs made a decision based on a need to "look tough" or avoid loss of face, it backfired; when the decision was based on what "felt right" to the person making it, it turned out much better.
Average customer rating:
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If Your Life Were a Business, Would You Invest In It?: The 13-Step Program for Managing Your Life Like the Best CEO's Manage Their Companies
John Eckblad , and
David Kiel
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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ASIN: 0071410392 |
Book Description
How to run your life like a successful business and find true fulfillment
Through their popular Life Business Program workshops and seminars, John Eckblad and David Kiel have helped thousands of individuals across the United States and Europe get their lives on track using triedand- true strategies borrowed from the world of business. In this book, they describe their original 13-step Life Business principles and techniques for renewing, refocusing, reforming, and remaking any life. Their basic philosophy is simple: we can learn much about how to live happier, more fulfilling and productive lives by following the examples of successful businesses.
Combining the best features of self-help, personal finance, and business strategy, this book shows readers how to:
- Identify what they really want from life
- Develop a clear plan for achieving goals
- Secure the financing needed to make dreams come true
Structured around the annual business planning cycle--the same process that successful businesses use to create, build, and maintain their futures--If Your Life Were a Business provides readers with concrete steps for achieving quantifiable life results.
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Structured around the annual business planning cycle--the same process that successful businesses use to create, build, and maintain their futures--If Your Life Were a Business provides readers with concrete steps for achieving quantifiable life results.
Customer Reviews:
Direction, At Lst.......2003-07-17
This is a practical guide to getting ahold of one's life. It has a lot of exercises, some easy and some moderately difficult, but all interesting and useful. It allowed me to see the patterns in my use of time, money and energy, and then to realistically and creatively plan for my future. At a time when I was moving from one city to another, closing one career and considering another, seeing my kids depart home and returning to a less-constrained life, the exercises and spirit of the book gave me knowledge and control. I wish I had seen it sooner.
Direction, At Lst.......2003-07-17
This is a practical guide to getting ahold of one's life. It has a lot of exercises, some easy and some moderately difficult, but all interesting and useful. It allowed me to see the patterns in my use of time, money and energy, and then to realistically and creatively plan for my future. At a time when I was moving from one city to another, closing one career and considering another, seeing my kids depart home and returning to a less-constrained life, the exercises and spirit of the book gave me knowledge and control. I wish I had seen it sooner.
Invest in this book.......2003-06-05
Eckblad and Kiel are right on target. They provide excellent advice in a concise, easy to follow form. It's never too late (or too early) to make the ultimate investment - in yourself. Their program is so sensible that you will wonder why you didn't embark on it ages ago.
Great concept.......2003-05-20
I was revising my life plans and goals when I stumbled across an article on this book. Many of the concepts are similar to those I tried to communicate in my books (Conscious spending for Couples and The Ms. Spent Money Guide), but applied to ones whole life... it's a nice structure for something that I have always done and always preached that others do - align what you do with what you truly value. Even if you don't buy the book, please buy the concept! It's great.
Book Description
"Make things happen for you, don't just let them happen to you," is Susan Bulkeley Butler's call to action for you to take responsibility for your life. Susan has mentored hundreds of women, and in Become the CEO of You, Inc. she provides you with the lessons and tools that she used in her remarkable career as the first woman partner at Accenture.
As your Virtual Mentor, Susan offers her Make-It-Happen Model, a four-step approach that sets a concrete and clear course for achieving your life's dreams. She urges you to think of yourself as the CEO of You, Inc. -- taking control, building a board of directors, setting a strategy and differentiating yourself from the competition. The book contains 32 of Susan's most important career lessons, plus action items to put them to work towards your own goals. Through it all, Susan acts as your coach every step of the way.
"Susan Bulkeley Butler's pioneering career opened important doors for the women executives who followed. I have applied her insights and tools for managing change in my professional and personal lives - with powerful results." - Karen Page, Award-winning Author, Founder and Chair, Harvard Business School Network of Women Alumnae
* An empowering book for every woman who has a dream.
* Each chapter ends with a recap of action items and activities to help you navigate your journey
Customer Reviews:
Positive and encouraging.......2006-11-15
This book is full of practical advice, stated clearly and with a tone of positivity and encouragement. I am at a crossroads in my academic career with some choices to make based on incomplete information... I was feeling paralyzed by my fears and uncertainty about the future, but now am feeling so much more optimistic and energized as I map out how I will accomplish my goals. So far this book has helped me get my fears out on paper, give myself more encouraging messages & tools for success, and improve the conversations I have with my supervisor and colleagues.
A Must Read!!.......2006-09-14
Susan offers tons of common sense approaches with insightful illustrations on how to manage your career. Many of her suggestions apply beyond the career context. This book is a must for all ages and sexes - from those first entering the labor market to those well on their way to career success. I bought copies for all of my colleagues and children. They made wonderful graduation gifts!
Great book for young professionals!.......2006-08-26
I was not expecting to be able to apply Susan's well thought out advice to my career, just yet. As a fairly recent college graduate, I thought the book would apply to professionals who are mid-career or later. I was wrong. The advice is possibly more important for someone just starting off. I will send this book to all of my friends.
A Career Lighthouse.......2006-07-09
Become the CEO of You, Inc. is a lighthouse for anyone that wishes to maximize their personal wealth. Whether this is life balance, fun, job satisfaction, personal growth and skills, income, career, family, friends this book provides a plethora of advices and direction. Drawing on her own life experiences, Susan Butler delivers a must read book for everyone that wants their life to mean something. With numerous lessons, action items, reflections and records, Become the CEO of You, Inc. is much more than just a virtual career mentor; it's a bright light showing you the way in the right direction, keeping you safe from all the career challenges and dangers. A great read filled with priceless lessons to get control of your career and life and get on a successful and fulfilling path.
Effective Advice; Easy to Understand and Apply.......2006-07-05
This book helped me re-focus and get back on track. It inspired me to take steps that would lead me in a direct path to achieving my ultimate career goal rather than being distracted by offers that would ultimately blur my vision for the future.
Book Description
If your goal in life is success and happiness, your job in life is to be in charge of your life. In fact, Cain says, you won't be happy unless and until you're "CEO of SELF." And he's taken his own fascinating life as CEO and entrepreneur, extracted the main lessons, and distilled it all into an eminently livable philosophy.
A gifted and inspiring communicator, Herman Cain encourages all of us to achieve the happiness and success we deserve, while giving us the steps - and confidence - we need along the way.
Customer Reviews:
Believe You Can Lead.......2003-03-11
As a student of leadership skills and a dreamer of dreams not yet realized, Herman Cain has given me new conviction to believe in my dream search. Acting on his father's example to "make lemonade when life deals you a lemon", Herman Cain shares how impossible dreams are achieved one goal at a time throughout his successful career and family life. While always focused on the realization of his dreams, he sets a standard of excellence for others to follow, never compromising faith, morals, or beliefs in order to succeed.
When that dream job is realized someday, Herman Cain provides the steps for taking charge and removing the barriers to obtain results. His common sense leadership will inspire you to inspire others to realize their dreams.
Believe You Can Lead.......2003-03-11
As a student of leadership skills and a dreamer of dreams not yet realized, Herman Cain has given me new conviction to believe in my dream search. Acting on his father's example to "make lemonade when life deals you a lemon", Herman Cain shares how impossible dreams are achieved one goal at a time throughout his successful career and family life. While always focused on the realization of his dreams, he sets a standard of excellence for others to follow, never compromising faith, morals,or beliefs in order to succeed.
When that dream job is someday realized, Herman Cain provides the steps for taking charge and removing the barriers to obtain results. His common sense leadership will inspire you to inspire others to realize their dreams.
Most Meaningful Message During These Uncertain Times.......2002-01-10
Mr. Cain makes it imperative that we take charge of our own lives and not allow anyone to control our destiny. He tells us how and the questions that need to be asked-the actions that need to be taken. I believe this is a must read for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the times, the economy, the job market/a nowhere job, or a family/personal situation that is draining your energy.
Career Counselor Says "Thumbs Up".......2001-11-12
Mr. Cain's book, "CEO of Self" is a good career blueprint. His rise to the top began with few advantages and certainly can serve as an inspiration to those climbing the corporate ladder. His example regarding the importance of gaining Profit and Loss (P & L) responsibility is helpful. In my career counseling work, I encounter people who are NOT aware of the value of these kinds of strategies. Mr. Cain's story then, illustrates the importance of "career self responsibility" and it can help readers to position themselves for occupational success.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2006-04-07
This is an incredible inspiration and manual for taking charge of your own career. I'm afraid to let the word get out because the fewer people applying the principles, the less competition I will have. This is a must read!
A fascinating read.......2006-01-26
The traditional organization of work, since the age of the Industrial Revolution, in which work is parceled out into permanent jobs is coming to an end, says the author. More and more, people today work on temporary projects in teams, either as part-time workers or as contractors from outside organizations. There are six fundamental forces today that are changing the way people work, says the author.
1. Knowledge work: This work is hard to divide into distinct, repetitive tasks, and usually ad-hoc project teams are more effective.
2. Technology: Information technology is making it easier for people to do their work anywhere, anytime.
3. The rapid pace of change: Traditional jobs aren't flexible enough to keep up with the rapid pace of change in today's business climate.
4. Management initiatives: New management initiatives from reengineering to TQM have created greater flexibility in companies and eroded the rigid, job-based structure.
5. Unbundled organizations: To enhance organizational flexibility, management has been breaking up the traditional, integrated organization into its component activities.
6. The baby boomers: The individualism of the baby boom generation, currently dominating the work force, has led them to seek work outside of traditional job roles.
In this changing business climate, you must find work, not a job. To find work, it is necessary to seek unmet needs and create solutions for them. Companies aren't looking for a resume anymore. Instead they are looking for a new set of criteria, that Bridges has grouped under the acronym DATA: Desires, Abilities, Temperament and Assets. In this new workplace you must position yourself as someone whose "DATA" enables you to solve problems and get things done.
If you don't create your own job, who will?.......2005-09-08
William Bridges branches out from his work on transitions to state another fact that is so obvious, that we often overlook it. In Creating You & Co, he notes that we are each individually in charge of identifying the product our client - whether our boss, employees, or customers - need, and then providing it. If you want to feel secure about your ability to earn a living, read this and then act on it.
If you don't know where you're going...........2004-05-18
I read this book when it was first published several years ago and recently re-read it, curious to see how well its core concepts have held up. In fact, they seem even more relevant now than they did before as more people, each day, become -- in effect -- free agents.
Here's a hypothetical question: How many of those who (let's say) retired five years ago now wish they had read this book when they first went to work full-time? (Yes, yes, I realize that this book was first published in 1997. As I said, a hypothetical question.) As Bridges carefully examines several key issues concerning career manning and management in this book, I was again reminded: If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
It may now be too late for retirees but assuredly this book could be of substantial benefit to their children and, especially, to their grandchildren.
I share Bridges' fascination with transitions during which new paradigms reveal themselves. Some may involve countries (e.g. those in the Third World), others involve organizations (e.g. Roman Catholic Church, IBM, Nissan), and still others involve human lives. I know of no one else who better understands than does Bridges the probable causes, consequences, and implications of transitions nor anyone else who offers better advice on how to manage them most effectively.
In this volume, he focuses on a subject of immediate, indeed urgent importance to anyone now encountering difficulties with managing their lives. More specifically, those who are dissatisfied with their work because it fails to satisfy and/or support them. This book is NOT about finding another job. "When you look for a [in italics] job, you are looking for something that is fading from the socioeconomic picture because it is past its evolutionary prime." Bridges goes on to explain, "This book is a do-it-yourself career development program....[Rather than seek a job,] a better course of action is to find work that that actually needs doing and present yourself to whoever needs it as the best way to get it done." Bridges offers a practical path toward locating such work and then securing the best terms and conditions by which to do it.
He introduces an acronym when developing a key concept in this book: D.A.T.A. (Desires, Abilities, Temperament, and Assets). Thereby, he effectively stresses the importance of
* Doing what you REALLY want to do
* Developing the skills needed to ensure success as well as satisfaction while doing it
* Doing what you REALLY want to do
* Developing the skills needed to ensure success as well as satisfaction while doing it
* Having an appropriate temperament for the given vocation
* Recognizing and leveraging the assets you need (some of which you may already possess)
In Part One, Bridges explains (a) how and why the workplace is now changing, (b) why traditional jobs no longer fit this world and why companies are abandoning them, and finally (c) what the alternatives to jobs are. In Part Two, he explains how to "mine" D.A.T.A. Then in Part Three, he shifts his and the reader's attention to locating appropriate opportunities, creating her or his "product," running her or his "microbusiness," formulating a plan, and then implementing it.
Think of this book as a "map" which you will need to complete successfully your journey to the destination you seek, whatever and wherever it may be. The value of this "map" is increased substantially by the questions, checklists, inventories, exercises, and related activities which Bridges provides at the end of each chapter. Obviously, a map is not a transportation vehicle. It guides and informs sound decisions but does not make them. It indicates the nature and extent of whatever fuel may be needed but does not provide it. It remains for the "traveler" ("pilgrim"?) to commit sufficient intelligence and energy to the journey. Extending the metaphor further, I also presume to suggest that Bridges expects his reader to be the DRIVER of this difficult but necessary process, not merely a passenger who passively reads his book and nods with approval without taking the requisite initiatives.
In essence, this is a book about life management. Oh sure, it will help many to find more rewarding work, rewarding in terms of both satisfaction and income. But if I understand Bridges' key ideas, then I am correct when asserting that his ideas offer guidance to personal fulfillment. Those who share my high regard for Creating You & Co. are urged to check out David Whyte's The Heart Aroused, Phillip C. McGraw's Self Matters, and Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine's Fire Your Boss.Having an appropriate temperament for the given vocation
* Recognizing and leveraging the assets you need (some of which you may already possess)
In Part One, Bridges explains (a) how and why the workplace is now changing, (b) why traditional jobs no longer fit this world and why companies are abandoning them, and finally (c) what the alternatives to jobs are. In Part Two, he explains how to "mine" D.A.T.A. Then in Part Three, he shifts his and the reader's attention to locating appropriate opportunities, creating her or his "product," running her or his "microbusiness," formulating a plan, and then implementing it.
Think of this book as a "map" which you will need to complete successfully your journey to the destination you seek, whatever and wherever it may be. The value of this "map" is increased substantially by the questions, checklists, inventories, exercises, and related activities which Bridges provides at the end of each chapter. Obviously, a map is not a transportation vehicle. It guides and informs sound decisions but does not make them. It indicates the nature and extent of whatever fuel may be needed but does not provide it. It remains for the "traveler" ("pilgrim"?) to commit sufficient intelligence and energy to the journey. Extending the metaphor further, I also presume to suggest that Bridges expects his reader to be the DRIVER of this difficult but necessary process, not merely a passenger who passively reads his book and nods with approval without taking the requisite initiatives.
In essence, this is a book about personal development and life management. Oh sure, it will help many to find more rewarding work, rewarding in terms of both satisfaction and income. But if I understand Bridges' key ideas, then I am correct when asserting that his ideas offer guidance to personal fulfillment. Those who share my high regard for Creating You & Co. are urged to check out David Whyte's The Heart Aroused, Phillip C. McGraw's Self Matters, and Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine's Fire Your Boss.
Not everyone is ready for thinking like a CEO!.......2003-08-06
Brand this and brand that. I'm all for "personal" branding as a step towards professional success. But newcomers to this process need to take it a bit slower. What it all boils down to is understanding who you are, what you have to offer, and how to target your audience. So before you take a giant leap into the CEO's office, or towards the front covers of "Time" and "Newsweek," your community newspaper - or even the company newsletter - keep in mind that you never, ever get a second chance to make a first impression. The image you present is the one you will have to live with, or live up to! Step ONE in the art of self-promotion is to do an honest self-assessment of who you are, what you have to say - and why anyone would want to listen to your story! Following a careful step-by-step process will help even the most timid become comfortable with the concept of self-promotion. Women, especially, show far too much humility about their talents and skills. If we want people to hire us, promote us, buy from us or invest in our companies, they have to know who we are, what we have accomplished and why they should do business with us! But how we tell our story is critical. Self-promotion isn't bragging. It is a valuable business tool that career women must add to their strategies for success - but do it right from the start! (from Marion E. Gold, award-winning author of "The Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU")
Books:
- Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?: What It Takes To Be An Authentic Leader
- Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
- Words of Wisdom: Daily Affirmations of Faith
- You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader: How Anyone, Anywhere, Can Make a Positive Difference
- Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands
- 13 Proven Ways to Get Your Message Across: The Essential Reference for Teachers, Trainers, Presenters, and Speakers
- A Grief Observed
- A Virtuous Circle: Political Communications in Postindustrial Societies (Communication, Society and Politics)
- Administrative Assistant's and Secretary's Handbook
- An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits (C&H/CRC Mathematical & Computational Biology Series)
Books Index
Books Home
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- The King's Gambit
Profitable Growth Is Everyone's Business: 10 Tools You Can Use Monday Morning
Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course In Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Confronting Reality: Doing What Matters to Get Things Right
