"I'm a big fan of mastermind groups. I've used them for over thirty years and know the power they provide everyone in such a group. I'm delighted to see this inspiring, easy-to-follow manual. Read it and follow what it suggests."
—Jack Canfield co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and bestselling author of The Success Principles
"Absolutely the best practical guide to creating, profiting, and growing your business with your own mastermind group. A must-read for anyone who wants to succeed in ANY business!"
—Jim Edwards author and speaker (www.ebookfire.com)
"I have been part of various mastermind groups for over twenty years that have easily made me millions. Without a doubt this book is the most advanced definitive guide to why and how any serious human should be a part of one."
—John Assaraf cofounder, OneCoach (www.onecoach.com)
Your organization's success is defined by one factor: the quality of your leaders. But developing great leaders has never been tougher. Now, drawing on experience with over 1,600 organizations, three renowned leadership consultants show exactly how to identify tomorrow's best leaders within your organization, accelerate their development and deployment, and maximize their value to your organization.
Comprehensive and practical, Grow Your Own Leaders covers every phase of executive development and succession, introducing high-impact, no-bureaucracy techniques that work. You'll discover how to align executive development with corporate strategy; how to take full advantage of short-term assignments, professional coaching, and other new approaches; and how to ensure accountability and measure results.
Yesterday's rigid, static executive succession programs have become a key obstacle to success. Grow Your Own Leaders introduces a flexible, high-speed approach designed for tomorrow's companies in tomorrow's marketplace-and shows you exactly how to implement it, from start to finish.
* The crisis of executive leadership¿and why conventional solutions don't work Effective leadership has never been more crucial-or in shorter supply * Best practices for identifying ""high potentials"" in your own organization Why you should focus internally¿and how to identify outstanding leaders who aren't ""bubbling to the top"" * ""Acceleration Pools"": bringing new flexibility to executive succession Breakthrough executive development techniques that reflect the realities of today's organizations * Delivering leaders fast, to meet tomorrow's challenges¿whatever they are When opportunity knocks, will you have leaders ready to take advantage of it? * From assessment to results: translating diagnosis into action Individualized executive development that delivers on the promise you've identified * 4 ways to turbocharge executive growth¿and minimize HR bureaucracy High-impact solutions that require fewer forms, and fewer meetings!
- Identify tomorrow's best leaders¿within your own organization
- Develop potential leaders more quickly and effectively than ever before
- Gain leadership flexibility for addressing any new business challenge¿immediately
- Align your executive development programs to support your strategic objectives
- Transform yesterday's executive succession systems to support today's flat, fast-changing organizations
Today, virtually every enterprise faces a profound leadership crisis-and the speed of business has far outstripped yesterday's succession planning systems. In Grow Your Own Leaders, three world-renowned experts introduce an entirely new approach for identifying tomorrow's leaders within your own organization. Using DDI's breakthrough Acceleration Pool techniques, you'll groom new leaders faster than ever¿and discover how to deploy them immediately, to address new challenges wherever they emerge.
Drawing on their experience developing executive succession programs for companies ranging from GM to Steelcase, the authors cover every aspect of leadership development and succession planning. You'll learn how to identify what kind of executives your organization will need, then diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of your ""high potential"" candidates, and master four powerful strategies for accelerating executive development.
From roles and processes to metrics and accountability, Grow Your Own Leaders is the only guide to enterprise leadership that reflects today's business realities. No matter how fast your organization or marketplace evolves, this book will help you identify, develop, and retain the executive talent you need to win. "
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding Leadership Textbook.......2007-05-12
This book propels you on a tour of some unique and innovative ideas on how to identify and develop future leaders. This is an invaluable reference for organisations that need to gaurantee their future success by ensuring that it has great leadership talent. This excellent book provides you with an incredible amount of practical information that will help you make smart decisions and avoid costly mistakes.
This is a well written and organised guide that executives should find handy and helpful. Without talented leaders, an organisation cannot hope to survive and thrive in the fast changing and highly competitive operating environment.
This is among the best books on leadership on the market that I highly recommend.
Insightful!.......2004-06-09
This is a comprehensive guide to identifying and developing future leaders. The authors present an exhaustive (sometimes exhausting) explanation of a program called "Acceleration Pooling" - a fancy collective name for grouping everyone in your firm who has the potential to lead. Much of the content seems like common sense, yet, organizations harried by short-term challenges can easily neglect long-term tasks, such as leadership development. This carefully planned, meticulously documented approach may keep organizations from neglecting the future. Despite its turgid, jargon-choked style, this book may fill the need. Time-pressed managers can glean the most important points quickly from chapters 2, 6 and 16, which have some solid gold principles of succession planning. Human Resource managers will want to delve into the other chapters. The authors, who are consultants, make a strong case for hiring consultants to implement this system, and have registered, copyrighted, service marked and/or trademarked every form and bit of terminology that could possibly be protected. We note that many of these leadership building methods, tools and techniques are in the public domain, in case you want to do-it-yourself, using this guide book.
Insightful!.......2003-10-15
This is a comprehensive guide to identifying and developing future leaders. The authors present an exhaustive (sometimes exhausting) explanation of a program called "Acceleration Pooling" - a fancy collective name for grouping everyone in your firm who has the potential to lead. Much of the content seems like common sense, yet, organizations harried by short-term challenges can easily neglect long-term tasks, such as leadership development. This carefully planned, meticulously documented approach may keep organizations from neglecting the future. Despite its turgid, jargon-choked style, this book may fill the need. Time-pressed managers can glean the most important points quickly from chapters 2, 6 and 16, which have some solid gold principles of succession planning. Human Resource managers will want to delve into the other chapters. The authors, who are consultants, make a strong case for hiring consultants to implement this system, and have registered, copyrighted, service marked and/or trademarked every form and bit of terminology that could possibly be protected. We note that many of these leadership building methods, tools and techniques are in the public domain, in case you want to do-it-yourself, using this guide book.
Excellent Resource from Leading Thinkers and Practitioners.......2003-02-12
"Grow Your Own Leaders" is an excellent resource for any manager or executive who has a desire to increase his/her reputation as well as the talent pool and bottom line of his/her organization. Comprehensive, state-of-the-art, engaging and brimming with practical and user-friendly templates (the 60+ pages on DDI's website are a major plus), "Grow Your Own Leaders" is one of the best leadership development books I have come across yet. I will be referring to this book for many years to come. Thank you William Byham and company.
Excellent Resource from Leading Thinkers and Practitioners.......2003-02-08
I whole-heartedly agree with the prior reviewers of "Grow Your Own Leaders." DDI is a powerhouse organization, and the authors have provided a well organized, comprehensive and highly practical resource brimming with insights and development templates. The corresponding internet resources (60+ pages) are a considerable bonus. I have reviewed numerouse leadership development books and consider this to the best.
I strongly recommend this book for any executive or manager who wants to boost their own performance and reputation as well as the bottom line of his/her organization.
Book Description
Want to make a bad year better or turn a good year into a blockbuster? Stop leaking profits and discover the untapped gold mine that exists in your products.
The Art of Pricing is the first practical, easy-to-understand guide to solving one of the most important dilemmas in business: how to use price to uncover a product’s hidden profits and find new opportunities for growth.
When it comes to setting prices for products and services, even the most sophisticated businesspeople often rely on formulas and seat-of-the-pants instinct, based on what the competition is charging, marking up costs, and doing things as they’ve always been done. The result is that businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to the Fortune 100, leave money on the table.
In The Art of Pricing, Rafi Mohammed, one of the world’s leading experts on pricing strategy, shows:
• The astonishing impact that small changes to a pricing strategy can have on the bottom line
• How the right pricing strategy can boost profits and grow your customer base
• Why the right way to think about pricing is as a series of easy-to-implement strategies that allow companies to serve and profit from the largest possible customer base
• Why the art of pricing involves understanding and capitalizing on the fact that different customer segments are willing to pay different prices for the same product
• Why an effective pricing strategy is not about price gouging but one that incorporates fairness into every important pricing decision
The Art of Pricing will be the invaluable missing link for people running companies, departments, divisions, and product lines, as well as for those in sales and marketing. Dr. Mohammed shows that an effective pricing strategy helps complete the circle by reaping the rewards due for the enormous effort, creativity, and investment made in developing and marketing products and services. Using a range of examples, from neighborhood restaurants to huge companies like Ford, he shows the importance of not falling short—and shortchanging yourself—when it comes to the heretofore little understood art of pricing.
Also available as an eBook
Customer Reviews:
Pricing by value.......2007-10-04
This book was a delightful read not only because it was short and to the point, but also for it's many real-life examples. I've felt for a long time that prices need to be set to the customer's perception of the value of the product or service, so it was very encouraging to read a book where the author was able to break down the reasons and supply applications for this type of pricing he calls "Value pricing". As with an auction (a theme covered in the book) there is a price for every interested buyer, but it is not always the same for everyone. Just as only one person is willing to pay the highest "winning" bid, there are those who will pay more for any product or service than the average customer. This book helps you to identify those people.
Rich
Good Solid Advice.......2007-07-27
The suggestions about add-ons, segmenting your buyers and really trying to assess the value of your product when you price it were helpful. The problem of "goodwill" opened my eyes as I think this isn't an uncommon way that profits are bled from businesses. After reading this book, I'm really thinking more and more about getting to know my customers in terms of (1) what they want and (2) precisely how much they value my product. This is a great first step to obtaining optimal pricing. This book gets you thinking and can stir your creativity about how to better price your good/service.
Great book.......2006-05-19
I am a small business owner and get involved in pricing daily. This book provided extremely useful insight into how to make the most money from each deal. An easy read about a topic that is all too often neglected by the small business owner.
Advice that Can Instantly Increase Profits.......2006-05-16
Rafi's treatment of the subject of pricing was just what I needed to open my eyes to a whole new set of strategies for increasing profits. As a former Corporate Engineer and Manager turned entrepreneur, I needed a more thorough understanding of pricing and found exactly what I was looking for in The Art of Pricing. I appreciated the easy to read and entertaining writing style along with the many examples presented in the book. Books that make it easy for me to remember new concepts also make it easier for me to quickly apply those concepts in real world situations. I will be honing my new pricing skills for years to come. The Art of Pricing has become one of my favorite books to recommend to others.
Good Ideas for Novices!.......2006-05-16
Key to Mohammed's thinking is to set different prices for different customers having different valuations of what they are willing to pay - eg. matinee and evening prices for movies, early-bird prices at restaurants, discounts for those willing to order airline seats ahead of time.
To minimize sales staff giving away profits it is useful to show them the differential profits/product (and hopefully link their compensation to the firm's profits). Beware of sales-boosting gimmicks (eg. frequent-flyer miles) that can be "gamed" by focusing on high-volumes of low-cost purchases. One can test different strategies via eg. varying coupon offers placed within catalogs.
Other important concepts include add-ons (warranties, financing), differential pricing according to location, and taking a long-term perspective (eg. fairness during disasters and temporary product shortages).
"Cost-plus" pricing is not one of Mohammed's recommendations - however, it is increasingly utilized by successful low-cost retailers such as Costco and Wal-Mart. Setting prices using data about alternatives/substitutes is a suggested approach - however, Mohammed does not go into eg. focus-group assessments of how much specific options or new products might be worth.
Book Description
For well over a decade, Franchising & Licensing has been the standard reference for industry executives, consultants, and academics. Covering every aspect of these complex but highly profitable business strategies, the new third edition is applicable to domestic and international franchising initiatives alike. Every chapter has been brought up to the minute, with timely and detailed information on subjects such as:
* creating market-responsive sales, marketing, and globalization strategies * raising capital, structuring agreements, and protecting intellectual property * meeting regulatory, legal, and employment standards * establishing quality control and compliance measures * assessing opportunities for mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and other alternatives to franchising
Filled with illuminating examples, stories from the field, and dozens of forms for drafting franchising agreements and licensing programs, Franchising & Licensing remains the definitive resource for corporations in a myriad of industries.
Customer Reviews:
True Nuts & Bolts for Businesses Interested in Franchising Their Businesses!.......2007-09-22
I found this book very informative and directed towards people who are considering franchising or licensing their businesses (as I am) as opposed to someone looking to buy a franchise. I would have wanted more information on the licensing aspect however. About 90% of the contents are for prospective franchisors and only 10% for somebody looking into the other option which is licensing. That's why I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I would have wanted a little more info on licensing as an alternative. But as far as the franchising content it is definitely 5 stars.
Great How-To Book.......2006-06-13
Andrew Sherman is both an experienced franchise attorney and has been involved in franchise management. This is a great, step-by-step "how to" book on everything you need to do to create a successful franchise.
Having been down that road, I can tell you that you are not likely to create a successful franchise without the assistance of a great franchise consultant. This book, however, will help you ask the right questions in order to evaluate a prospective franchise consultant.
The book will also help you determine if your business is potentially franchiseable.
Book Description
Have You Found Your True Calling?
True Calling?
Yeah. True Calling.
The reason you're alive. Your personal mission in life. Your raison d'etre. Your True Calling.
If you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, take a couple seconds to complete this quick quiz: Are you doing EXACTLY the kind of work that makes you want to leap out of bed each morning excited to begin a new day? Does your work satisfy a need deep within to express yourself, your talents, your values, your unique and precious gifts? Does your work allow for a balanced life - one that leaves time for family and friends, for exercise or hobbies, for you? Are you doing what you love and loving what you do?
If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, congratulations! There's a good chance that you have achieved what the Buddhist's call "Right Livelihood." If you haven't yet found the work you were meant to do, keep reading. You're about to find your true calling - and when you find that calling that is uniquely yours, your life will be transformed. Guaranteed. "The way to find out about your happiness," said renowned mythology scholar Joseph Campbell, "is to keep your mind on those moments when you feel most happy, when you are really happy - not excited, not just thrilled, but deeply happy." Read that paragraph again. It's awesome.
Now ask yourself how you feel each day as you get ready for work. It probably sounds something like this. Your alarm clock buzzes you awake. You drag yourself out of bed, dreading another day at a job that's high on stress and short on satisfaction. I guess what I'm asking you is this: Are You Truly Happy Working In A Career That's Fulfilling And Enjoyable? Because when you really love your work you greet the day like this: You don't need an alarm clock because you can't wait to get out of bed and dive into another workday where your work feels more like play. Maybe you think it's too late. Maybe you believe that you've somehow missed your True Calling and that… well… you're not getting any younger.
Nonsense. The 19th century writer George Eliot got it right when she said, "You're never too old to be what you might have been."
Customer Reviews:
Motivating!.......2007-06-20
This workbook effectively challenges you to thouroughly look at yourself for your answers! Working through the book helps you to unwrap and find what can make you happy in the workplace - how to bring more of yourself out. It assists you in identifying your deeper (possibly hidden) talents, wants, desires and put them to WORK for you! It helps you to design your likes into work, which in turn makes work not really work anymore but just doing what you love.
Discover Your Own Life.......2007-03-15
Most of us want more than a career. We want to know "What is the purpose of my life?" Purely by accident I stumbled across Valerie Young and Finding Your True Calling. I purchased the book as part of a personal consultation with the author, but the book is effective in its own right. Add in a consult with Valerie and you may find yourself discovering your life purpose.
My background is in facilitating change in groups. It was fascinating, fun, and powerful to take similar steps through this workbook with the focus on my self and my own life. Use the workbook as an amazingly rich resource. Or, open it up and step into the often unexplored territory of your past, your potential, and your future life. It may take your breath away.
fragments of wisdom.......2006-09-25
I do find this book helpful in that there is a lot of information by different authors in it. That being said, it really isn't in a "workbook" type format. If you are looking for a "workbook" to help you work through personal issues, such as interests, fears, doubts, etc. to help you make decisions, this one isn't as "fluid" as some of the other works out there. However, this book can introduce you to some of the personalities of the best of the best motivators out there, and you can then buy one of their sole works that is more "fluid". I probably would have only given it 3 stars, but it is very interesting, and the author has done a very good job of assimilating what she presents.
Finding Your True Calling.......2006-09-19
I have been trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up for many years now, and have gone through several 'traditional' career counseling processes and indeed several 'traditional' careers, but nothing seemed to fit. Finally, I went through Finding Your True Calling by Valerie Young and realized why nothing had fit, that I needed to look beyond the 'traditional' and that I could find a way/ways to make a living that fit with what I want out of life. Going through the exercises, reading the information, and especially reading about the experiences of others who have searched and have found/are finding their callings, has helped me find focus and solidify my resolve. I am now well on my way to living the life I was meant to live.
There are many resources for those who do fit the 'traditional' career mold, but for all of us who think/know there must be more, resources are much harder to find. Finding Your True Calling provides just such a resource, and I am truly thankful I found it. If you think/know there is something more, that life has more to offer, you owe it to yourself to go through Finding Your True Calling.
Action Plan for New Life and Work Options.......2006-07-04
After many years, many tests, and many registration fees to obtain my Professinal License, I found myself in a great job that I just hated. I did not "fit" into their social culture and I found my brain just worked differently than others in my Profession. What to do? I had reached the big 50 age bracket and was feeling despondent over making any kind of a job change. After all, I had invested a great deal of time and effort into this career. Was it time to quit or to work part-time?
Keeping an open mind, I started reading Valerie Young's book. This book offers wise advice and the contributions of several experts in the field, but it was the worksheets that made the difference. Once I opened up the wordprocessor, followed her directives and poured my heart out into black & white text, well, it all made sense. I was able to analyze and understand myself, from the child through adult, including my dreams, creativity and rewarding experiences. Valerie has provided a forum to allow you to quiet the beast of negative voices in your head and to design the next phase of your life. Be sure to do the worksheets! Thank you, Valerie, for the tools that inspire me into my next phase of life. I now have a clear insight into how to phase-out of my full-time profession and to phase-into work that is more suited to my natural talents.
Book Description
If you’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck and are looking for ways to create new wealth, then come on, girl—it’s time to make your money grow! In this timely follow-up to the bestselling Girl, Get Your Money Straight!, author and financial expert Glinda Bridgforth teams up with investment expert and stockbroker Gail Perry-Mason to deliver power-packed, sister-to-sister advice on how to master the stock market, grow your income, and start investing in your biggest asset—you. Girl, Make Your Money Grow! presents their step-by-step plan to help you clear away debt, create new streams of income, buy prime real estate, map out a personalized plan for retirement, and build an investment portfolio that’s right for you using bonds, mutual funds, and blue-chip stocks to lower your risk without sacrificing profits. Filled with Bridgforth and Perry-Mason’s warmhearted wisdom, and complete with exercises, affirmations, and inspiring stories of African American women who’ve successfully grown their financial gardens, Girl, Make Your Money Grow! is a fresh, fun, and eminently practical guide to achieving the next level of financial security and funding the future of your dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Fuels you up and points you in the right direction!.......2007-08-29
One of the best things this book does is points out that it is a CHOICE to live an abundant life. The book points out those wrong mental footprints of to handling finances can be corrected. Then it shares easy to understand, sensible steps to follow in making one's financial abundant life a reality. I read the book the first time and made notes. Now I am rereading it the second time and doing the exercises. I see the rewards are right around the corner.
You go, Ladies!!!.......2006-10-10
This is the first popular book on finance I've ever read that didn't make me want to go out and cut my throat because I'd been so stupid and now it was too late! Instead, the authors explain how to think in terms of abundance, not deprivation, and explain how it's NEVER too late.
Another great thing about this book is that it integrates saving and investing into your life, not just your lifestyle, and shows how they can actually enhance your value system.
Buy it. It's the WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE of investing.
Need more books like this for us........2006-09-25
I brought this book last year and I still refer back to it. It is a must have for all women who are trying to get it together.Good luck ladies we can do it.
GIRL, YOU'D BETTER FIND A WAY TO HANG ON TO IT TOO!.......2006-07-16
A truly wonderful book. However there is a crucial element that must be addressed in light of what is coming down the pike at us "Girls". If you read Arnold's The Great Bust Ahead (or visit the book's website at thegreatbustahead.com) you will gain insights into what may be the greatest depression in history beginning just a few years from now. This will probably affect women the most, and women (and men) of color more than others. So, whatever us Girls can make by following Glinda's advice needs to be protected (i.e. not lost in the coming depression) by reading Arnold's advice.
Buy Now. For Every Woman trying to Live Abundantly.......2006-06-11
I love this book so much. Glinda breaks down investing step by step. I love her encouragement and belief in the success of the reader to learn more about investing. I'm starting to follow her advice and reap the great rewards. I bought her first book after reading this treasure. Buy Now. Stop living Check to Check.
Book Description
This practical and inspiring guide to negotiating lifes passagesespecially career change and retirementtakes readers on a richly rewarding voyage of self-discovery. The ultimate destination: personal as well as professional fulfillment. A much-needed manual in this era of widespread layoffs, corporate downsizing, and a workforce in seemingly perpetual transition.
Customer Reviews:
A primer for those "in the desert".......2005-04-18
"What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?" is a must book for those who are "in-transition," thinking about retirement, or uncertain about their present career path (the desert experience). For four years, I have been serving as a co-ministry head in my Church assisting those who are either "in-transition" or contemplating it. This has been my number one reading recommendation to all participants, as this book handily addresses the first step to be taken before one moves-on, the step of self-awareness. Without knowing you are and where you want to go, you are doomed to a very empty existence.
Dorothy Cantor shares her twenty-five years of experience as a psychologist working with those who are seeking "what to do next" with key questions and real-life stories. While some, like me, may find the stories of little use, the questions she raises are the guts of the book and make this an excellent purchase. Some of these include:
What will I be doing when I am no longer spending most of my time at the work I am doing now?
What are the fifteen good things (besides money) that I get from job now?
What was it that I first longed to be when I grew up?
What are my obsession and reigning passions?
Who are my heroes, my favorite or most unforgettable people?
These and a host of other questions she raises will get one to think about their lives, their dreams, their gifts, their passions, and, ultimately, their direction. This is not a book to read quickly as this book requires the hard work of reflection and introspection to maximize its value.
Cantor has authored a very readable and useful book in helping those who are searching to start the next chapter in their lives - possibly the most fruitful and meaningful
Starts out great; doesn't deliver on its promises.......2004-02-04
The book "What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?" by Dorothy Cantor starts off with some promise. Early she says, "What we are going to talk about can be summed up as the capacity to grow and the need to choose....We will look at what went on before, in order to find some clues for the future." Later in the first section, she adds, "I'll show you how to pull those pieces together to sketch a plan for the next part of your life- the time in which there will be few rules, the time in which the choices will be up to you....Don't just leave the future to chance; do not assume that after you stop working, all will fall comfortably in place....design the years ahead, not wait for them to happen....you have within you, as we all have, the gift for endless self-renewal."
This is good stuff; we are off to a good start. But, in my opinion, the book does not deliver on its promises. Instead, we find that the author, who is a practicing psychologist, builds her book like a therapist who is trying to help someone solve a personal problem, in this case the prospect or experience of an unfulfilling retirement phase of life. This theme is exposed when she tells us, "Many people who have entered the after-the-job stage of their lives find themselves asking if there isn't supposed to be more to it....many such people come to my office for counseling."
So, the author presents four men and four women, "who sketched their journeys for me." My problem with what happens next is that the next 120 pages dwell on the childhood, educational, personal and vocational phases of these people's lives. Five of the eight still work, one retired one year ago, another two years back, and the other 12 years ago. So, a basic problem can be seen here: only one of those profiled has much of any experience with and in retirement!
I'm a firm believer that life, for the most part, only makes sense when you look at it in reverse. The variables along the way are endless: who we end up with as a spouse, what career we end up with, where we end up living, whether we are "successful" or not, etc. I also believe that the variables in the retirement phase can be endless, and, for the most part, are not controllable any more than the variables in our earlier phases were. The point here is that, for me, this lengthy exercise to learn who these working people are now and who they were earlier in their lives does little for me as a guide to my personal success in retirement. I just don't see these people as having much to say that is knowledgeable about the subject of retirement.
What I think the author may be on to is to open the door to the area of specialized retirement counseling for those who might need some "special" help. Folks who enter retirement with histories of having problems making decisions, following through on things, and being comfortable with themselves outside of their jobs might, indeed, need to look at their past to better understand who they can become in retirement. But I firmly believe that most folks do not need to go to the psychologist's couch as an essential step into retirement. So, in that sense, the essence of this book, in my opinion, is not valuable to most pre-retirees or those in their early transition.
Surely there are those who could use such help finding themselves in retirement. Willie Lowman, the central character in "Death of a Salesman" might be a candidate. After his death, one of his sons says of his salesman father, "He never knew who he was." Another candidate would be Mr. Schmidt of the "About Schmidt" movie fame. Talk about a guy that is ill-prepared for retirement! He came into it a mess, and he makes an early mess of it. He didn't know who he was, what he was supposed to be doing, or where he was headed. If someone is a mess before retirement, how could he or she not be expected to be a mess in retirement. And surely some people find success in the workplace in ways that will be difficult to find outside of the workplace. These folks could use some help.
Back to the book, the last 30 or so pages have some tidbits that are worthwhile, like breaking the transition into retirement into three phases: honeymooning, testing new waters, and the second wind. And on the final pages, she says, "Life keeps happening, and transitions are part of it....After all, growing up is never done." Sounds like good advice, but doesn't that mean that we've come full-circle in the book? At the end she tells us that we never grow up? If so, what was the point of the book?
In the end, I found the eight people profiled to be too few and with too little to say about the realities of successful retirement. As for advice about what one might want to do with extra leisure time in retirement, I'd point readers to the Activity Tree in "The Joy of Not Working," by Ernie Zelinski, as a much more practical way to build and to "pull" meaningful activity ideas for an individual retiree.
LIKE PLANTING AND TENDING A GARDEN!.......2001-05-09
As a counsellor, I have found many individuals discover "anticipating retirement" and "living in retirement" are two very different things. In the next ten years, I, too, will be "growing up" and facing this new chapter of my life. However, there are so many plans for my future, I only hope my health, financial resources and stamina will allow me to fulfill these ambitions. To me, retirement is like planting and tending a garden. First, one must plan carefully (you do not want to waste your precious years on activities that do not bring you joy and fulfillment.) Then, one should decide what plants (projects, hobbies, activities) to sow, not only to keep you physically active, but metally alert. Finally, one must lovingly tend that garden (nourish the soul, maintain physical health, and weed the emotional clutter from the past.) If you have lost a spouse, partner or soul-mate during this planting season, it is important to grieve, but it is equally important to know when to let go and when it is time to plant a new garden. Remember, time waits for no one. Only then, will one be prepared to start the next chapter of their life. We all need to have hopes, goals and dreams, no matter what our age.
In this book, the author points out the positive ways of dealing with change and how to plan and approach this new period in the lifecycle. Anyone approaching mid-life can certainly benefit from this book; it is never to soon to plan for the future. If you are already into your retirement years, this book may be just the inspiration you need if the years are not as challenging and fulfilling as you anticipated. The author has a lot to say on the subject and it is a great book based on sound advice.
Hits the Nail on the Head.......2001-04-21
As a mid-sixties professional who retired about five years ago from my own business,and then found myself in a true depression until I sought help, I found this book remarkably acute regarding the questions that I should have thought to ask myself, the planning I should have done, and the problems that would arise for me when I no longer had the structure of my working life to support me. Doctor Cantor's amazing understanding of the dynamics of retirement has helped me immeasurably to understand myself in what is an exciting but very complicated period, and her practical advice is advice I wish I had had before I retired!! I cannot imagine anyone approaching the later stages of life who would not benefit enormously from Dr. Cantor's insights and help. GET THIS BOOK!
lifesaver.......2001-03-15
Dr. Cantor has written a brilliant analysis of the fears of facing retirement, and how to plan for a meaningful life after work ends. I keep giving this book to friends who are looking for more for their anticipated leisure than bridge and golf. Dr Cantor outlines practical ways to figure out our strengths and interests to craft together a blueprint for the last third of our lives.
Book Description
From the basics of writing a business plan to the challenges of developing a marketing and sales program, this is the essential resource for success with a new venture
Drawing on rich content from Harvard Business School Publishing and other sources, this concise guide is carefully crafted to provide a highly practical resource for readers with all levels of experience, and will prove especially valuable for the new manager.
Customer Reviews:
good start.......2007-05-12
Good starting point for those who want to consider starting their own business. Slightly too academic.
What I've Come to Expect from HBS Books.......2007-01-19
Although much of the material in this book can be found in other places and it's high level (as noted by a previous reviewer), the content is high quality and it's helpful to see it pulled together in one place. As a serial entrepreneur, I often rely on HBS publications. While some tend to be more academic than practical in nature, this book does a nice job balancing the two. It contains a lot of solid information based on academic research, yet places it into a context where it is useful to a practicing entrepreneur. If you are an entrepreneur seeking to start or grow a venture, this book is worth a read and is likely to provide a meaningful ROI.
Steven K. Gold
Author, Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture
Entrepreneur's Toolkit: Tools and Techniques .......2006-11-10
As I am finding with all of the Harvard Business Review series, this book is a high level overview that serves as a general guide or summary to the practice. I have seen all of this material in other books, and there is no innovative thought or fresh strategy offered. I gave it a high rating because it is great for someone that is just starting on this subject.
Concise and covers many points in starting up a business.......2005-10-19
I am at the point to run the first round of non-founder funding for my 5-year-old start-up when I grabbed this book off the bookstore's shelf. The author clearly understood the process of building a business, and knows how to get outside investors interested in a start-up. One interesting viewpoint the author held was that VCs are the most expensive financial aid a start-up can find, and offered alternatives to getting VC's funding. In the end the author addresses ways an entrepreneur can be really paid off for the efforts invested, both by way of IPO and by non-IPO means. In general, I find this book very helpful to help one understand many faces of starting up.
Book Description
“Many sales processes don't work anymore--period. But companies don't know exactly what's not working, or why, or what needs fixing. What's worse, many companies are in denial that their processes are broken and will not support what they need to do going forward.”
Today it's tougher than ever for sales, marketing, and business development organizations to keep improving their revenue and profits. Potential clients want to see salespeople less and less, real decision makers hide behind skilled gatekeepers, and even when you actually reach them, they have impossibly short attention spans. Sales and closing cycles get longer, margins get thinner, and customers keep raising the bar - demanding more value, cheaper prices, and better service.
Michael Boylan's Accelerants offers a powerful solution to these impediments to growth. Giving business leaders the tools to diagnose what is hindering revenue growth, Boylan first identifies twelve constraints that apply consistent downward pressure on companies, making them less efficient, effective, and profitable. He then prescribes the Accelerant Principles—twelve field-proven tools Boylan has perfected over twenty years that can help any organization overcome, minimize, or dissolve the constraints to business growth.
Together, the Accelerant principles offer a cohesive framework that can help any business:
* target new revenue opportunities more effectively
* connect with the real decision makers faster
* craft more persuasive value propositions
* deliver better pitches, in less time
* weed out prospects who are "just kicking the tires"
* shorten closing cycles by up to 25 percent
You'll read how a magazine start-up used the Accelerant Principles to create such a compelling value proposition that advertisers were competing with each other to participate. And how a large multinational technology firm employed these techniques to meet with top executives from day one and close unprecedented deals faster than they thought possible.
With ideas that are relevant, timely, and applicable, Accelerants provides a program that will foster empowerment, cohesion, and clarity of purpose within any sales, marketing, or business development organization.
Customer Reviews:
Good start- fades in the execution.......2007-05-01
The abstract for this book promised that it would seem to be a very good complement to Rocket Builders Precision Sales and Marketing Program, as the subhead "sell faster, close deals faster, & grow your business faster" detailed our program results exactly. And yes, the 12 "rules" fit very well within our model. However the author violates one of today's business rules. In order to get more from your target/reader, you need to give more. This is a very frustrating book as it never really gets into the details of how the system works, just that it does work- trust us, preferring to never miss an opportunity to pitch the unique values of the author's company to offer customized solutions to your company. The last four chapters (?) have to be one of the most blatant and repetitive sales pitches I have encountered. Unfortunately if you go to his website, it offers even less information, so you have to get the book to get anything! I could not help but think that the author goes out of his way to sell so often that he ruins what started out as a useful book. Since I already know how these "Rules" do work to maximize the return, I obtained very little new at the end of the day. At $30 I can't recommend it.
Consistent Actionable Processes to Grow Revenue.......2007-03-14
This book builds upon "The Power to Get In" very nicely and summarizes that book in Accelerant #5 (Access the Castle). If you had to pick one book or the other, go with this one as this chapter alone is worth the price of both books.
There are a ton of sales books on the market today, but a limited number really outline an actionable system to produce consistently at a high level. I strongly recommend this book to anyone thinking of getting involved or already involved with selling products, services, or ideas to other businesses. Executives would benefit themselves by reading it too as there is a lot to be learned about why your sales organization doesn't consistently grow revenues or meet their targets on a regular basis. In the investment arena, the information and processes contained in Accelerants could be the difference in meeting (or exceeding) analysts' and customer expectations.
Insightful ideas in the pressure cooker of needing to do more in less time.......2007-02-12
Mr. Boylan insights about how to close sales faster are astounding. He shows you how to create deeper stronger relationships with the senior executives in your prospects that takes you down a straight forward path insuring they clearly understand your companies' key deliverables. His approach turns upside down some of the old tried and true principles of sales 101. This book really digs into the psychology of the sale and shows you simple tools to win bigger deals faster in a style of respect and integrity.
Accelerants provides a clear step by step analysis of how to sharpen your sales and marketing effectiveness in an increasingly competitive landscape. I found a number of things I could do to help understand my prospects better and close some opportunities that were "stuck" before I finished the book.
The principles are simple common sense that have eluded many of us in our traditional PSS tools that try's to get customers to tell us where they have pain. His step by step approach of understanding the basic buying needs and personalities of prospects is so logical they will clearly compress the sales cycle. How could some of these ideas and solid strategies eluded us for so long before being put in print?
THE Book and THE Author For Sales Go-Getters!.......2007-02-11
I do not know Mr. Boylan personally, but the concepts and ideas that thus far have made up the body of his work: (The Power To Get In, TEETH - Does Your Value Proposition Have Any?, and most recently Accelerants) have left a lasting impression on me and I have worked hard to incorporate his very practical advice into my daily business dealings as a sales professional. In fact, I attribute fifty percent of my annual income to following specific steps laid out by Mr. Boylan in his books. If you take your organization's sales approach seriously - and unfortunately not everyone does - I would highly recommend that you consider implementing his no-nonsense methodologies into your sales framework. For those who cannot afford his organization's custom training options, Mr. Boylan has in my opinion given more practical, tangible value in his books than almost any other sales author in print, BUT you'll need to roll up your sleeves and do the following work: Assess Your Status, Design Your Future, Charter Your Course, Metric The Message, Access The Castle, Deliver The Ultimate Presentation, Paint the Financial Picture, Hold Your Ground, Conduct the Concert, Harmonize for Gold, Calibrate for Success, and Complete the Circle of Integration.
Jack Welch once said that the key to business success is understanding the difference between what's going on and what we wish/think/hope is going on. Mr. Boylan knows what's going on when it comes to complex strategic sales. It's up to the reader to put his principles to the test and not only profit from them but to morally and ethically be a more solid corporate citizen by being a good steward of others time.
Solid material, despite a few irritations...........2007-02-02
The Five Star rating correctly indicates my opinion of the importance of this book's subject and of the quality of its content. However, I wish at least a few reader-friendly "accelerants" had been utilized to facilitate and expedite periodic reviews of key points after the book has been read. It takes too much effort to locate all of Michael Boylan's "12 strategies to sell faster, close deals faster + grow [a] business better," except as they are listed in the Table of Contents. Also, several of the illustrations (e.g. "The Constant Continuum" on page 6 and "The Twelve ACCERANT Principles" on page 7) are almost unreadable. Moreover, I think Boylan overplays his hand when inserting frequent self-serving references to what he and his management consulting firm (Accelerant International) offer. Those who are favorably impressed can certainly track him down him at the Web site address provided. Presumably a number of readers will.
Boylan's previous book, The Power to Get In, was written for those who have serious problems with gaining access to others of special importance to them. In it, he offers a cohesive and comprehensive system to overcome all manner of barriers. This system creates what he calls "The Circle of Leverage." Obviously, the strategies and tactics in this book can be very helpful to those in sales but if we expand our perspective to include other forms of persuasion, his book offers even greater value. For example, consider the potential relevance of the Circle of Leverage System to recruiting and hiring, M&A initiatives, competing with others in the same organization for its resources, use of customers as an extended sales force, use of "alumni" to locate talent, etc.
In his newest book, Boylan explains how to expedite this process of cultivation, penetration, and solicitation. He identifies twelve strategies that he characterizes as "accelerants." I strongly recommend that both books be read, despite some repetition of key points, because it is even more important now than ever before to accelerate the process by which to complete research on prospective buyers of whatever is offered for sale, select those with high-probability purchase potential, initiative cultivation and solicitation of each, and hopefully close on the sale. The information and counsel that Boylan provides in his two books, especially in Accelerants - will be invaluable to that process.
Book Description
The DJ Sales and Marketing Handbook provides a roadmap to maximizing your profits as a disc jockey. It is jam-packed with practical tools, expert tips and cost-effective methods for increasing sales and creating loyal clients. Renowned DJ Stacy Zemon reveals specific ideas, proven techniques and creative approaches to multiplying your income and gaining the competitive edge. Written for both newcomers and experienced professionals, this comprehensive guide and essential reference manual gives you all of the know-how needed to achieve dramatic results.
Inside you will find instructive examples and step-by-step guidelines for how to: find a unique market niche; convert prospects into clients; create and implement a marketing plan; get free publicity; make strategic alliances; select the right media; generate leads and referrals; increase client satisfaction... and much, much more.
"Stacy Zemon is a knowledgeable source on being a pro mobile DJ. She is also a veteran of the industry who has contributed much to its evolution." - Jim Tremayne, DJ Times Magazine
"We endorse Stacy Zemon and her mission to provide DJs with educational resources that support their long-term goals, and help them to achieve prosperity." - American Disc Jockey Association
* Maximize your profits from DJ-ing with this plan of how to promote, market and sell your services
* Written by Stacy Zemon, the best selling author of The Mobile DJ Handbook and highly-successful DJ
* Ideal if you are a mobile, club or karaoke DJ
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book...Not just for DJ's!.......2007-08-27
Although I am not a DJ, I purchased this book to help me in marketing my photo booth rental business that I provide to special events.
The book contains real-life specific marketing advice to any business serving the special events industry like how to break in to the Bar Mitzvah Market, when to advertise for different event types, what to do after completing an event, how to deal professionally with complaints..etc
A must read to create a successful business.
Reference.......2006-11-14
This book is a great thing to have. It brings thing to your attention that you would not have thought of. It has helped me to better market myself and helped improve my business.
Excellent book.......2005-12-14
Once again Zemon has used her many years of experience and talent and lent us her superb advise. The book is a constant reference to me as well as other DJs lucky enough to read it. A must read for newbies as well as seasoned single- and multi-op mobiles looking to increase their marketing savvy.
This Book Helped My Business.......2005-11-24
I've been DJing for years but knew I was lacking in marketing knowledge and sales skills. I read this book, immediately put some of the ideas into practice, and saw results right away! The DJ Sales & Marketing Handbook and The Mobile DJ Handbook are my two most important reference manuals for the sucess of my mobile entertainment business.
A must read for djs.......2005-11-23
This book was full of useful information that can be used immediately, not abstract concepts but real life tips and advice. This has already made a difference in my business and I just finished reading. Will return the small invest many times over with new customers. EVERY DJ SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.
Books:
- Migrating Your SAP Data
- Modeling Structured Finance Cash Flows with Microsoft Excel: A Step-by-Step Guide.Book & CD-ROM
- Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Business Starter Kit: How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan and Feasibility Study
- Organizational Behavior: Key Concepts, Skills & Best Practices
- Perfect Phrases for Setting Performance Goals : Hundreds of Ready-to-Use Goals for Any Performance Plan or Review
- PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide, 3rd Edition
- Process Mapping, Process Improvement and Process Management
- Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results
- Risk and Reason: Safety, Law, and the Environment
- SPIN Selling
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- ASE Test Preparation- A5 Brakes
- Porches & Sunrooms: Your Guide to Planning and Remodeling
- Gone, But Not Forgotten
- History: Fiction or Science
- Leading from the Inside Out: The Art of Self-Leadership
- Street Dreams
- Sports Marketing: A Strategic Perspective
- Advances in Financial Planning and Forecasting, Volume 8
- Experiments with Economic Principles: Microeconomics
- Midnight Clear: A Callahan Garrity Mystery
General
| Business Life
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Power of An Hour: Business and Life Mastery in One Hour A Week
Life's Missing Instruction Manual : The Guidebook You Should Have Been Given at Birth
The Attractor Factor: 5 Easy Steps for Creating Wealth (or Anything Else) from the Inside Out
Hypnotic Writing: How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words
Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win
