Author Archives: Harry K. Jones

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Awaken the Giant Within

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Awaken the Giant WithinAwaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!
by Anthony Robbins

He’s back-k-k-k-k-k! As a matter of fact, he never left. My first exposure to this author’s work came from his first book, Unlimited Power, published in 1986. Six years later, in 1992, he published this book. It’s obviously stood the test of time and is as relevant today as it was almost 15 years ago. Oddly enough the public hasn’t changed much in that time either. They seem to be very much divided in their support and approval of this re-release of Tony’s best-selling book. Many continue to accuse him of overly simplistic psychobabble and fraud while others are claiming to enjoy their second reading of the book even more so than their initial exposure.

I’d like to address that very issue as it represents a growing problem at a time when we can certainly use any and all tips, tools, and strategies that may assist us in the constant challenges we find in today’s growing global business environment. However, I’ll use this space to review the book and invite you to visit our blog for greater insights into this growing dilemma.

As you work your way through these 540 pages, I highly recommend that you have a legal pad nearby as you’ll certainly be taking a lot of notes. If you’ve seen any of Tony’s many fast-paced infomercials—and you’re in the minority if you haven’t—you’ll find his book very similar. You can almost see his giant smile on every page and hear that booming voice challenging you to take control of your life as you read his words! He offers a cornucopia of material from belief systems and goal-setting to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), personal finance, and relationships. In fact, he covers such a myriad of information that you might find it overwhelming. Don’t make the mistake of feeling as though every suggestion is the perfect fit for you. In fact, you may find some things that you simply aren’t comfortable with. Fret not as you’ll certainly find many other suggestions that will quickly move you to action and provide the success you’re searching for. In short, this book is a manual for life, a self-help classic. It’s every bit as applicable today as it was the day it was published.

I especially enjoy and appreciate the fact that while Tony eagerly shares his own personal and professional development system, “Personal Power,” he also shares the wisdom of dozens of other respected experts from a variety of fields as he shows you the importance of taking control of your life. There’s a reason why this man is an internationally best-selling author with five books published in 14 languages, has sold more than 35 million audio tapes worldwide, is one of the most sought-after speakers in the world, has spoken to more than three million people from more than 80 countries, and has met with, consulted, or advised international leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana, Mother Theresa and three U.S. Presidents. He serves as chairman of five private companies and vice chairman of two others, that together generate half of $1 billion in revenue per year. He has advised and counseled Fortune 500 CEOs, world-renowned medical doctors, championship sports teams (including America’s Cup Winner, America 3; Stanley Cup finalist, Los Angeles Kings; NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs; and other teams in the NHL, MLB, and NBA), elite athletes and coaches (including Andre Agassi, Greg Norman, and championship winning athletes in the NFL, PGA, USTA and NASCAR) and legends in entertainment (such as Quincy Jones and Anthony Hopkins).

Robbins is the founder of his own charity, know as the Anthony Robbins Foundation, which promotes helping prisoners to improve their lives, food drives (the annual Basket Brigade) and the empowerment of youth through schools. The Basket Brigade provides baskets of food and household items for more than 2 million people in 74 countries annually at Thanksgiving! He’s known by many as “The High Priest of Human Potential.”

So-o-o-o-o-o, listen to his critics. Some of what they say is certainly true. He’s arrogant, pushy, sometimes coming across like a used car salesman on the last day of a super sale. His 6”7″, 265 lb. frame is intimidating as his size-16 shoe boats carry him across the stage in leaps and bounds, harnessing the energy of the crowd. You may be less than enthused as he urges you to bare your feet and join him in a casual firewalk stroll across fire hot coals. However, whatever you think, whatever you do—read this book, follow his advice, and take control of your own destiny. You won’t regret it! Then do us all a favor and contact that critic and let him/her know how it went.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Fast Company’s Greatest Hits

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Fast Company's Greatest HitsFast Company’s Greatest Hits: Ten Years of the Most Innovative Ideas in Business
Edited by Mark N. Vamos and David Lidsky

Fast Company has been called the hottest business magazine of the past decade. It’s been referred to as the Fortune Magazine of today’s generation. In my travels I have found only two, almost opposite, reactions to Fast Company. People either love it and can’t wait for the next issue, or they’ve never heard of it. The first issue hit the newsstands in 1995, and there are many people in the business community who have never seen it.

Due to the fact that reading books and magazines is instrumental to my work, I happened to pick up the very first issue of Fast Company and have never missed one since that time. My early memories are few but vivid. I remember being astounded by the size of the publication. It appeared to contain 500 pages and weighed at least 5 lbs. as I lugged it through the book store. I’m certain both of those numbers are highly exaggerated, but they certainly represent my first impression. I was also astonished at the number of articles, the quality of the writing, and the impressive list of writers chosen by the editors. It was the first magazine that made me want to read almost every article from cover to cover. I found the majority of the stories to be very informative, challenging, and well-written. Over the years, the size of the magazine has been reduced substantially but the quality remains.

Fast Company set out to get readers excited about the new, Internet-driven world of business, aiming to create “the language of the revolution.” To some extent, it succeeded, becoming the flagship publication of the new economy. Fast Company has been the place to turn for cutting-edge business ideas and profiles of amazing companies and their leaders.

This book offers an engaging cross section of the past 10 years of management ideas, profiles, trends and rising stars by offering 32 articles presented in chronological order. What you’ll find within these covers are the magazine’s best and most enduring articles, the ones that generated the most buzz and the deepest insights.

As the respected Jim Collins writes in his foreword: “Reading these articles is like listening in on a series of fascinating conversations with some of the best minds and creative thinkers of a generation.”

This is the perfect book for Fast Company‘s hundreds of thousands of devoted fans—and for others who missed these great articles the first time around.

Some of the articles you’ll find include:

  • “Everything I Thought I Knew About Leadership Is Wrong” by Fast Company‘s founding editors.
  • “But Wait, You Promised…” “… And You Believed Us? Welcome to the Real World, Ma’am.” by Charles Fishman (Why is customer service so bad? And is there any hope?)
  • “What Are We After? We Are Literally Trying to Stop Time” by Bill Breen (John Smith trains the world’s best athletes to reinvent how they run.)
  • “The Brand Called You” by Tom Peters (Tom’s call to arms to develop your own signature or suffer the consequences may be more relevant than ever.)
  • “Why We Buy” by Charles Fishman (Apple design guru Jonathan Ive reveals the ideas that let Apple—and anyone—create innovations like the iPod.)
  • “In Search of Courage” by John McCain (Learn how to exercise courage like a muscle.)
  • “Malcolm Gladwell: The Accidental Guru” by Danielle Sachs (Read a profile of the hottest business thinker of the age.)
  • “Join the Circus” by Linda Tischler (Learn how the artists at Cirque du Soleil reinvented the dying relic we knew as the circus.)

There are 32 articles in all … each a page turner. Continue the experience by checking out the next monthly issue of Fast Company.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Shake That Brain

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Shake That BrainShake That Brain: How to Create Winning Solutions and Have Fun While You’re at It
by Joel Saltzman

Take a look at that title. You must admit that you were drawn to those three words. Add that to two aspects of the subtitle—having fun and creating winning solutions. As though that weren’t enough, take a gander at the picture of the author on the back cover, and I guarantee you’re going to take a look inside if to do nothing more than satisfy your curiosity. I can also guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Give the author credit for pulling you in—he knows how to get peoples’ attention. Joel Saltzman served time as a stand up comic and wrote for the sitcoms “Perfect Strangers” and “The Robert Guillaume Show.” He graduated from Cornell and taught at UCLA. He’s a professional speaker, consultant, and best-selling author who has conducted his Shake That Brain! programs for a variety of his well-known corporate clients.

What I really enjoy about this book is the fact that I can open to almost any page and find something of interest. I’m certain the author would recommend and prefer that readers start with page one and read the book in the order it was written. I would have to agree. However, I often like to take a look at the table of contents to see if there are any particular areas that grab my attention. I’m always pleased to discover an author who has created a format that allows me to jump around his content and still derive substance I can apply with success. Joel has certainly done that.

There are so many things I enjoyed about this book and I appreciate the fact that I can apply the majority of them to both my personal AND professional lives. It’s also an easy read as your eyes bounce from BOLD print to small print to gray scale to boxed content—it’s fast, fun and easy. In addition, the content will keep you guessing, laughing, learning, and wanting more.

For example: Imagine having “Yes” meetings only. In another chapter, learn why it’s wise to never take yes for an answer. You can learn to successfully do both as various situations demand. Read eye-opening quotes from notable leaders in every field of endeavor. You’ll also learn some exceptional, creative strategies, and you can expect to find an example, analogy, story or reference to support each. You’ll discover a wide variety of exercises, easy-to-apply formulas, entertaining pop-quizzes, and eye-opening teaching examples from every walk-of-life which has created a real solution-finding guidebook. Joel has provided “Chapter Take Aways” to recap and emphasize valuable content for your clarification.

I have neither the time nor the space to start describing the many tools and strategies you’ll find in this book. However, I can assure you of this: From the World’s Worst Pizza and “Seeing Eye Ponies” to the proper method of splitting a cake and Bill Gates’ “Think Week,” you’ll find this book educational, humorous, enlightening, challenging, energizing, and, in short, just plain fun.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Execution

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ExecutionExecution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan

Many people will avoid this book like the plague, and they’ll do so for much the same reason they would avoid a diet or time management book. The reason is simple. Reading this book will remind them of many things they know they should be doing. It will also explain why they’re not doing those things, the consequences if they continue on that course, and how to overcome this crucial challenge.

This is another book recommended to me by someone who attended one of my keynote presentations. He said the opening page of the book reminded him of many of the comments I made in my keynote. That comment piqued my curiosity, which lead me to the book store.

The book begins by quoting a CEO as he searched for the reason why his great strategic initiative had failed. He struggled as he explained that he had one of the brightest, talented and experienced teams in the industry, conducted two off-site meetings, did a great deal of benchmarking, got the metrics, and even involved the famed McKinsey team to assist. They had a good plan and the market was good. He assigned stretch goals. He empowered his team. Everyone knew what had to be done. The incentive system was clear. The team worked together with high energy. They failed miserably. He was fired. This was a true story.

How many of us can say we’ve ever been that well prepared to undertake a crucial project? And yet they failed. The reason was simple and, in retrospect, very evident. The key ingredient that was missing—execution.

This same scenario plays out almost daily in the national press accompanied by prominent names from numerous industries. It will more than likely continue. Execution is the focus of this book by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan—two pros who know of what they speak. Larry is one of the world’s most acclaimed CEOs, a man with few peers who has a track record for delivering results. Ram is a legendary advisor to senior executives and boards of directors, a man with unparalleled insight into why some companies are successful and others are not. Together they’ve pooled their knowledge and experience into this guidebook explaining how to close the gap between results promised and results delivered—something everyone in business needs to know today.

The book is divided into three parts:

  • Part I: Why Execution Is Needed
  • Part II: The (3) Building Blocks of Execution
  • Part III: The Three Core Processes

You’ll also learn:

  • The Gap Nobody Knows
  • The Leader’s Seven Essential Behaviors
  • The Job No Leader Should Delegate

You’ll learn many detailed examples of well-known organizations that have and have not yet learned the importance of “Execution.” The authors will convince you that execution (that is, linking a company’s people, strategy, and operations) is what will determine your success in today’s business world. Can you afford to pass on this book? If you think you can, you might want to reconsider.

This book is also available in an audio version recorded by the authors themselves.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Know-How

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Know-HowKnow-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don’t
by Ram Charan

Take a look at this subtitle. If the author knows his stuff, this book should certainly jump off the shelf into the hands of any CEO, manager, leader, supervisor or team leader in any business—global, national, or local. It should also catch the eye of any individual who wants some insight into what it takes to be a productive performer. By the way, the author does know his stuff. Ram Charan is the co-author of the bestseller Execution, the author of What the CEO Wants You to Know and many other books in addition to being a highly acclaimed speaker and advisor. He’s a noted expert of business strategy and has coached some of the world’s most successful CEOs.

Glance at any current newspaper or magazine, and you know that this country is in dire need of leadership in every field. Well-known industry giants are disappearing with regularity. Front pages are suddenly spotlighting “overnight wonders”—businesses producing billions of dollars at time when others say it can’t be done. In this current environment of global competition and constant chaos, the difference is clearly seen in the separation of leaders who perform and those who don’t. We speak of it often in our seminars as a very transparent knowing-doing gap. The author tells us it all boils down to “Know-How.”

In these pages, Charan shares his four decades of leadership observations. He details eight critical skills, which he calls “know-hows,” that are essential for leadership success.

The eight critical Know-Hows include:

  1. Positioning and repositioning the business to make money.
  2. Connecting the dots by pinpointing and taking action on patterns of external change.
  3. Getting people to work together by managing the social system of your business.
  4. Leaders are made, not born: Judging, selecting, and developing leaders. Discovering and developing a person’s natural talent.
  5. Molding high-energy, high-powered, high-ego people into a working team of leaders.
  6. Knowing the destination where you want to take your business by developing the proper goals.
  7. Setting laser-sharp dominant priorities that act as a road map for meeting those goals.
  8. Dealing with forces beyond the market. The ability to deal with pressures you cannot control but affect your business.

Charan shares many case studies from his consulting practice to demonstrate both success and failure in leadership situations.

Throughout the book, the author provides helpful tips and tools such as:

  • “Questions to Ask Yourself”
  • Early warning signals that may reflect a need for change
  • How to spot the future leaders of your business
  • Cognitive traits that improve the Know-Hows
  • Six personal traits of leaders that help or interfere with the Know-Hows
  • Traits of leaders who connect the dots
  • Tips for setting priorities

Charan wraps things up with an encouraging eight-page letter to a future leader, Michael, in which he shares some very sound advice, tips, tools, strategies and insights. While indeed encouraging, the author spares no punches in clearly stating that being a business leader in today’s world is not for the faint of heart.

You’ll find this book very practical, revealing, and application-oriented. Upon completion, you’ll want to keep it close for continuous reference.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Pop!

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Pop!POP!: Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and Tagline for Anything
by Sam Horn

Prior to investing time, energy, and money in a book like this, you’re going to want to know more about the author. Is this a person who can speak from a place of experience, success, and the comfort of having walked the talk? In this case, the author certainly has. Sam Horn has been successfully speaking, consulting, keynoting, authoring, and conducting workshops from coast to coast. She―yes Sam is a female―knows of what she speaks. Admit it, she got you with her name, didn’t she? Take a quick look at the titles of her previous books and you’ll spot her creativity at first glance:

  • Tongue Fu!
  • Conzentrate
  • Take the Bully by the Horns
  • What’s Holding You Back?

If you want to see more examples of her unique approach to “Popping,” visit her web site at www.SamHorn.com.

If your goal is to “break out” rather than “blend in” (chapter title), you’ll want to learn more about the three components of POP!

P = Purposeful (make your point)

O = Original (distinguish yourself)

P = Pithy (concise and precise)

I’ll say this for Sam—she gets right to the point and doesn’t linger there longer than needed. Many of her major points are driven home in a single page and several times in a mere paragraph.

This book is a “must” for entrepreneurs, businesspeople, authors, and anyone who wants to sell themselves, their business, or their products. Sam reminds us that we get less than 60 seconds to capture a potential client’s interest in a day and age when they are bombarded by communication—books, e-mail, movies, commercials, IMs, sales calls, and junk mail. Using her easy-to-understand tactics will provide you with that “decisive-edge” that will make the all-importance difference for you.

The author will reveal new ways to brainstorm, communicate ideas, and connect with your clients and colleagues. You’ll enjoy her unique tools and strategies:

  • The W9 Form: Nine key questions to clarify your purpose
  • The Eureka Moment: Why people love to discover the Next New Thing
  • ContraBrand: The power of saying something that flies in the face of current wisdom
  • The Jerry Maguire Test: Five secrets to crafting a message that gets people at hello
  • Muse It or Lose It: When you think it, ink it!
  • Half-and-Half: Coin original phrases so you are the expert and sole go-to resource.

See how you feel about this book and author after reading just a few paragraphs of what lies between the covers of Pop!? That’s how your clients and colleagues will feel about you after you’ve mastered the many fresh ideas, techniques, and strategies Sam Horn offers you in her latest attempt to keep popping! By the way, don’t attempt sitting down to this banquet without easy access to two highlighters. You’ll need them both.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

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Oh, the Places You'll Go!Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
by Dr. Seuss

Yes, it’s Dr. Seuss. Yes, it’s that Dr. Seuss. The one I read to my children decades ago and still find on the bookshelves of my grandchildren to this day.

Do us both a favor and bear with me on this one. So many times we fail to pause to investigate certain areas of life because we naturally assume they hold no value, quality or learning opportunities for us. I honestly feel we might be shocked if it were revealed how much “good stuff” we missed over the years as we hurried on to things we thought were more rewarding. I learned this the hard way several years ago.

I don’t care what you do for a living or to what height you have risen on your chosen career path. You need to sit down and read this book. Contemplate the content and see how close to home it hits. Then read it to your children or grandchildren for what will hopefully be the first of many recitals. What’s really rewarding about this classic is the fact that it provides an excellent opportunity for you to add your own personal anecdotes and experiences to better clarify the many lessons shared in the good doctor’s wise words.

I’m a little embarrassed but even much more proud to admit how I first became exposed to this particular primer. A young high school student, wise beyond her years, presented me with her own personal copy of what she described as “one of the greatest leadership books ever written for children.” Those were her grandfather’s words to her as he gifted her with a book that would greatly influence her life. That book now sits in the leadership section of my personal library, and I cherish the worn cover and dog-eared pages as a symbol of what it meant to her. The fact that she passed it on to me as a token of her appreciation means even more. If you want to read the entire story, it is “A Surprise from Dr. Seuss” in our newsletter.

I’m going to share very little of the content here because I feel it’s crucial for you to experience it yourself. However, here’s a short sample of Seuss’s unique wisdom:

“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
Any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go!”

Now tell me that doesn’t pertain to us and probably many of those who work for us and with us. That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Do yourself a favor; take a few minutes and smell these roses. It won’t take you very long, and you’ll never regret it. In fact, you’ll want to share your discovery with others, I’m sure. There are only 52 pages. Twenty-two of those have no words, only illustrations. And the remaining 30 pages consist of only one or two large-print paragraphs. Yet the significance of its contents will be greater than you have received from many so-called leadership books boasting several hundred pages.

I don’t know how much you know about Dr. Seuss, but this guy is the Rocky Balboa of creative literature. His real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel, and he wrote his first book in 1937. It was rejected 27 times before finally being published by Vanguard Press! Many of us would have given up at that point. However, he apparently believed what he spoke under his pen name because he went on to publish 44 children’s books in 15 languages selling well over 200 million copies! His wondrous words found their way into homes, heads, and hearts around the world. His works became the source of 11 children’s television specials, a Broadway musical, and a feature-length motion picture! His honors include two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize! He wrote this particular book in 1990, but you’ll find it as relevant today as it was the day it was published. Dr. Seuss died the following year at 87 and will be missed dearly. However, many generations to come will learn much from the mythical doctor as his mesmerizing messages are timeless.

Take a moment to read our story on the web site and you’ll see a prime example of how his work influenced just one of so many impressionable teenagers striving for success today. I still firmly believe that this particular book offers great advice to any adult sharing that same goal. This joyous ode to personal fulfillment encourages readers of all ages to find the success that lies within us.

“So will you succeed?
Yes! you will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed!)”

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Smart Women Take Risks

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Smart Women Take RisksSmart Women Take Risks: Six Steps for Conquering Your Fears and Making the Leap to Success
by Helene Lerner

While content focus differs significantly, this offering shares many very positive similarities with our last review, Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos. So much so, in fact, that it led me to create an article for the resources section of our blog on the subject of “Tips for Choosing a Great Book.”

You might be wondering why we’re viewing several books that appear to be focused on women’s issues. There are a growing number of reasons for this focus, and it’s imperative that leaders in every field are aware of each of them. Let’s take a quick glance.

According to PINK Magazine, which is spotlighted in our blog:

“A record number of women now lead top companies in America and millions more (15.6 million) have started businesses of their own―at a rate twice that of men.”

“Women are excelling in other fields, too―from medicine to education, philanthropy, politics and the arts. Women now wield trillions of dollars and account for more than 80 percent of all consumer spending.”

Even with such progress, stumbling blocks remain.

Think pay (75 cents vs. one dollar.) I have never understood this one and never will. So many of our clients, in a wide variety of industries, are currently being led very successfully by women at a number of levels ranging from board members and CEOs to front line-supervisors and team leaders.

Think politics (Less than 15% of congressional members are women).

Think advancement (Hundreds of millions have been paid out in recent gender discrimination settlements).

But perhaps the biggest hurdle has to do with the internal struggle―with issues like life balance and, yes, power. Activist and author Naomi Wolf calls it, “the last taboo―women talking about having money and worldly power.”

These two books are obviously aimed at female readers and for good reason. I truly believe both authors have done a great job of offering excellent advice and guidance to women who want to succeed in their chosen fields of endeavor. However, another reason for reviewing both offerings is to alert our male readers to two excellent resources that are also great reads! I found very little content in either book that I wouldn’t hesitate to pass on to male readers sharing the same goals of success as any female readers. My hat is off to both authors.

Without giving away the content, let me offer a number of obvious reasons why this book is a “must read.”

  1. Very topical and relevant subject for all of the reasons mentioned above in the PINK magazine reference.
  2. A very easy and enjoyable read produced by a CEO/coach/consultant/TV host with a great deal of education, experience, and expertise to share on this crucial subject matter.
  3. Six concrete steps for conquering your fears and making the leap to success. Each step is clearly articulated and illustrated with inspiring stories and tips from women who have successfully completed each step.
  4. In-depth bios of 17 trail-blazing change agents who will act as mentors for you by sharing their stories of passionate achievement.
  5. A number of mini-bios of additional trail-blazers throughout the book to illustrate various tips, tools, and strategies.
  6. “Quick Tips” at the end of each chapter that summarize key points you’ll want to remember.
  7. “Power Links” at the end of each chapter to link you with interesting resources that provide additional information on the subject of focus within that particular chapter.
  8. Interesting statistics, charts, graphs, exercises, definitions, and questionnaires that make it extremely difficult to put this book down for even a moment.
  9. Direction to Helene Lerner’s popular web site (womenworking.com), which offers strategies on advancement, leadership, navigating work/life, and power networking contacts; free membership and newsletter; power contacts; great book reviews, interesting articles, etc. … a tremendous resource!

For those who are serious about conquering their fears and making the leap to success, this book is certainly a foundational “must read.”

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos

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Climbing the Ladder in StilettosClimbing the Ladder in Stilettos: 10 Strategies for Stepping Up to Success and Satisfaction at Work
by Lynette Lewis

I always admire an author with the ingenuity to formulate a book title that will hook a potential reader at 10 paces. This is obviously one of those titles, and you’ll have to admit it’s catchy. The one issue I do have with this title is the fact that 99.5% of male readers will march right past this offering assuming its content is advantageous for females only. That I can’t agree with. I first browsed through its content to see if it was something I’d want to suggest to the many female team leaders, supervisors, department heads, vice presidents, and CEOs we work with in our leadership programs. It took me only a few minutes to know that this book would be a valuable asset to anyone striving for success in their career pursuits.

When it comes to stilettos, I don’t know Jimmy Choos from Manolo Blahniks. I doubt if that’ll ever be a concern for me. Author and speaker-motivator Lynette Lewis doesn’t seem to be concerned either as her focus is obviously on your personal brand as opposed to a consumable wearable brand.

I personally believe the author meant to create a go-to-guide for life as a woman in today’s very competitive, global marketplace and working world. I also believe she achieved just that. However, I would venture to speculate that the majority of her content could easily be adapted and utilized successfully by any man who shared that goal of personal success.

Let me give you a few examples. I’m often faulted for giving away too much information in my reviews. Personally, I’m not even certain you can do that when it comes to the subject of career success. Regardless, let me spare the details and just whet your appetite by teasing you with her 10 strategies by title:

  1. Create a Purpose Statement for Life and Work
  2. Become Personally Whole
  3. Adopt Methods for Gaining New Joy and Satisfaction
  4. Discover Gifts in Surprising Places
  5. Follow the Four Principles of Promotion and Build Your Personal Brand
  6. Organize a Personal Board of Directors
  7. Implement Creative Tools That Maximize Everyone on the Team
  8. Follow an Approach to Speaking That Works Every Time
  9. Expand Your Definition of Mentoring
  10. View Your Life Through the Lens of Hope and Possibility

If you have the tendency to want to skip Strategy #8 because you’ve never been interested in “speaking,” think again, be patient, open your mind and hear what the lady has to say. She’s right on the money as she explains the many reasons, challenges and benefits to becoming a better speaker. It doesn’t matter if you’re speaking to one other person, a small committee, a mid-sized meeting, or an intimidating full house … the rewards of doing a good job can be extraordinary. The consequences of a poor performance can be disastrous! This one strategy alone can be decisive to your success even though it addresses a subject that many might prefer to avoid. Don’t make that mistake.

I very much enjoyed the many quotes and stories the author shared of incredible women who made that precarious climb up the ladder while keeping their proverbial stilettos and heart intact. Through these revealing examples, Lynette Lewis shares the secrets to purposeful work and focused dedication to her time-tested strategies.

One last observation … quickly review the author’s 10 strategies listed above. Which, if any, would you consider to be beneficial to women alone? Personally, I found all of them to be enlightening, significant, inspirational, and necessary for anyone accepting the challenge of mastering that traditional ladder of success! Therefore, if you’re a man who is second-guessing the value of this book that was written with women in mind—for fear that it may threaten your manhood—you have other problems that demand your attention!

Whether you’re stuck in a dead-end job or are living the career of your dreams, Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos should be among the must-read books in your personal and/or business library.

(This book review was originally published in 2007 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 15.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

The Must-Have Customer

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The Must-Have CustomerThe Must-Have Customer: 7 Steps to Winning the Customer You Haven’t Got
by Robert Gordman and Armin Brott

One of my favorite authors, “Anonymous,” once said: “You can tell whether a person is clever by his/her answers. You can tell whether a person is wise by his/her questions!”

Veteran business consultant Robert Gordman believes success in business is simple: It’s literally there for the asking. What he advises executives to ask—and keep asking—are questions that help them understand what their company does well, what it could do better and what its competitors do that lures customers away. Of course, listening without bias and incorporating that feedback into a strategic plan is essential as a follow-up strategy.

The expertise you’ll find within these pages was developed through more than 30 years of business consulting and executive management for retail companies. You’ll learn the tactics and wisdom Gordman used to help dozens of companies, such as IBM and Berkshire Hathaway, improve their sale range from about $10 million to an astounding $80 billion!

The seven steps and the lists of survey questions he shares with you are simple and easily applicable to any business. When I realized this, my thought was obvious. If so elemental and obviously productive and successful, why in the world isn’t everyone doing it? I’m not even sure Gordman can answer that one as this is one of the great mysteries in the history of organizational management. The author shares a number of examples—from Coca-Cola to JCPenney—of companies that failed to employ the seven simple steps successfully and suffered the consequences as a result. He asserts that most companies do not die of natural causes but from poor decision-making that drives away profits, one customer at a time. Take the time to do a little research and you’ll find that the majority of business authors and consultants would tell you exactly the same thing after years of observation. Apparently, many see but few learn and respond.

I don’t want to demean Gordman’s “7 Steps to Winning the Customer You Haven’t Got” in any way. I say that because his strategy has been proven to be very effective time and time again—for those who have applied it. However, I think you’ll agree that each of his 7 Steps are very basic and considered by some to be nothing more than “common sense” … or maybe we should call them “uncommon sense” because so few are taking advantage of them. After close examination of each step, you’ll understand why so many companies have failed over the years and how to avoid that same fate while enjoying sustained, profitable growth.

  1. Who are our Must-Have Customers?
    The author gives you tools to identify three customer groups and what they mean to your business.
  2. What Is Our Market Position?
    Gordman will show you how to determine where your customers have positioned you and how to use that information to create a business strategy that will attract more customers while meeting the needs of those you have.
  3. Sweet Spots and Why You Need One
    Identify and define your “sweet spot.” Then learn how to study the competition and how to use research to develop a business plan that ensures that your company’s sweet spot remains defensible.
  4. Why Are Our Satisfied Customers Buying from Our Competition?
    Learn why satisfying your customers isn’t enough and why you must create undying loyalty. Then face the frightening reality that will bring you success: Fire the customers who are more trouble than they’re worth.
  5. Critical Success Factors: Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
    Learn the difference between what’s important for your company and what’s critical. Build a strategic plan and receive the tools you need to develop two or three critical initiatives to assist you in outlining cohesive goals that everyone in your organization can work toward.
  6. Must-Have Employees
    Use the questions in this chapter to discover why Must-Have Employees are so critical to your success.
  7. Are We Communicating Effectively with Our Must-Have Customers?
    Learn why increased sales don’t necessarily translate into increased profits and how and why this step is so essential to your future.

(This book review was originally published in 2005 as one of the Top 10 Books – Edition 14.)

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.