Articles

©2010 by Arthur L. Jue, Jackie Alcade Marr, and
Mary Ellen Kassotakis
Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 978-0-470-40543-7
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Today's workforce is more diverse than ever. In order to succeed, employees from different age groups, geographic locations, ethnic backgrounds, and levels of industry experience must learn to work together toward a common vision. To address this challenge, savvy businesses are looking to the emerging world of social media, a set of software tools that allows users to build relationships and solve problems together.

Social Media at Work, by Arthur L. Jue, Jackie Alcalde Marr, and Mary Ellen Kassotakis, is a comprehensive guide for businesses hoping to foster collaboration, communication, and contribution among employees and leadership. In the book, the authors outline the benefits of social media and provide step-by-step processes for designing and implementing specific strategies that harness its power. The book's framework draws on the vast experience of its authors, three organizational development gurus from Oracle.

Author : Jack Welch with Suzy Welch
Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers, 2005
ISBN : 0-06-075394-3
Pages :384
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The Big Idea

Jack Welch has been asked thousands of questions on getting business right. Even after his retirement as Chief Executive Officer of General Electric, his advice - on just about everything from coping with Chinese competition to devising killer business strategies - has been in great demand.

Most of the questions, however, come down to this one: What does it take to win?
First and foremost, winning is achievable. You must, however, learn what makes winning happen. “Winning” by Jack Welch provides readers with guidelines to follow, rules to consider, assumptions to adopt and mistakes to avoid.

Paul Chaney
©2009 by Paul Chaney
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-470-49927-6
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Social media has grown exponentially in the past ten years, gaining prominence not only as a social tool but as a marketing tool as well. In The Digital Handshake, Paul Chaney discusses the change that social media demands from traditional marketing strategies. According to Chaney, interruptive marketing is simply not effective with Internet audiences. Instead, the key to successful marketing is focusing on target audiences and connecting with them in their social networks and niche online communities. After gaining their trust and respect, the company can proceed to explain the services it has to offer.

Chaney describes in depth the many different types of social media that exist today and how to best utilize them to fit different business models. From large corporations to small businesses, Chaney demonstrates how effectively utilizing social media can raise profits, spread positive knowledge about a company, and create a meaningful and lasting relationship between a business and its customers.

Author : Timothy L. O'Brien
Publisher : Warner Business Books, 2005
ISBN : 0-446-57854-1
Pages : 263
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The Big Idea

Donald Trump is everywhere. No matter where you are and what you do, you’re bound to have heard of him.

Much has been said about the man behind the empire, but what really stands out is that although Donald Trump was a millionaire’s son, he was no slacker. He was not content to live a life of leisure off of his father’s money, a choice he could have easily made. Instead, he chose to improve upon his status through sheer wit, hard work, and acumen for business that borders on the mythological.

Few people know that the billionaire has suffered setback after setback, and was once on the brink of bankruptcy. But this book shares all, stepping stones and building blocks alike, in the life of Donald Trump, making him more human… and therefore all the more remarkable.

Author : Daniel Goleman
Publisher : Bantam Books
ISBN : 0-553-84023-1
Pages : 464
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The Big Idea

In this book, author Daniel Goleman reveals the skills that distinguish star performers in every field, from entry level jobs to middle-level to top executive posts. The book shows that the single most important factor is not IQ, advanced degrees, or technical expertise, but the quality called "Emotional Intelligence." This book shows that we all possess the potential to improve our emotional intelligence - at any stage in our careers, as individuals or as team members in an organization.

Author : John C. Maxwell
Publisher : Thomas Nelson Publishers 2002
ISBN : 0785265961
Pages : 230
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The Big Idea

John C. Maxwell, best-selling author of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, begins this book by sharing an article about how people define success. He reveals that most people who want to be successful misunderstand success, that it is an ideal situation incorporating impossible elements. Some want to have the beauty of a Cindy Crawford or the business acumen of a Bill Gates. He redefines success but stating what it is not. It is not wealth, not a feeling of success, specific possessions, power or achievement. He then cites specific examples of well-known personalities who had achieved all these but could still not consider themselves succesful.
He then sets out to present the idea that after studying the subject of success, success knows your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential and sowing seeds that benefit others. Then success is a journey, not necessarily a destination. This thinking frees an individual to become a success today and not at some distant time in the future.

Author : James O'Shaughnessey
Publisher : McGraw-Hill Trade, 1998
ISBN : 0070482462
Pages : 325
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Overview

It is amazing to reflect how little systematic knowledge Wall Street has to draw upon as regards the historical behavior of securities with defined characteristics. We do, of course, have charts showing the long-term price movements of stock groups and individual stocks. But there is no real classification here, except by type of business. Where is the continuous, ever growing body of knowledge and technique handed down by the analysts of the past to those of the present and future? When we contrast the annals of medicine with those of finance, the paucity of our recorded and digested experience becomes a reproach. We lack the codified experience which will tell us whether codified experience is valuable or valueless. In the years to come we analysts must go to school to learn the older established disciplines. We must study their ways of amassing and scrutinizing facts and from this study develop methods of research suited to the peculiarities of our own field of work. - Ben Graham, 1946

Shel Holtz and John C. Havens
Forward by Lynne D. Johnson
©2009 Jossey-Bass
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0470293706
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Customers and investors demand much from modern companies. They require absolute integrity, full disclosure of financials and business practices, and dialogue with company managers, and in the age of social media they have the power to police those companies and spread "buzz" about them, both positive and negative.

In Tactical Transparency, Shel Holtz and John C. Havens write that these demands for transparency can render a business vulnerable, but that businesses have the power to turn this into strength. Companies such as Apple, McDonald's, and JetBlue Airways do not resist demands for transparency but meet and exceed them. They enjoy trust from their employees and considerable trust equity from customers. This helps them retain those customers after a crisis rather than having to regain them, and turns single sales into multiple sales.
However, transparency is not a matter of throwing open the doors and windows; it is well planned, implemented thoughtfully, and used to transform corporate culture and image.

Author : Franz Metcalf & BJ Gallagher Hateley
Publisher : McGraw-Hill 2002
ISBN : 0-07-121038-5
Pages : 170
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The Big Idea

Using the teachings of Buddha in real-world workplace situations, this little book of wisdom will inspire employees, employers, executives, and entrepreneurs alike with its practical answers to everyday problems dealing with the self, with others, and everyday decisions. You always have a choice on how you will react to pressures, and conduct yourself each day. It’s about how you use the freedom of choice in the moment to become a better worker, and to find your own path to enlightenment.

by Lon Safko and David K. Brake
John Wiley & Sons © 2009
840 pages
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Do you tweet or troll? Lurk or plurk? Do you have Facebook friends or a LinkedIn list? Are you a virtual world resident with a beguiling or scary avatar? What is your favorite aggregator or rich site summary (RSS) service? Are you happy with your Yelp rating? Do you have a Meebo login? You know Google, but do you know Redlasso or IceRocket? What is your favorite wiki beyond Wikipedia? Like it or not, it is increasingly difficult to function in today’s technology-obsessed world without becoming an Internet geek. You need to know how to get the most out of the Web. For that, turn to Lon Safko and David K. Brake. Their comprehensive guide to the perplexing online world explains the Internet-based social media, including how to use its networks and tools to build a marketing campaign. We recommends this smart, thorough, useful book to any businessperson who sees a single unfamiliar word in this paragraph.

Author: Rhonda Byrne
Publisher: Beyond Words Publishing
Copyright year: 2006
ISBN: 1-58270-170-9
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Author’s Bio: Author Rhonda Byrne, like each of us, has been on her own journey of discovery. Along the way, she brought together a superb team of authors, ministers, teachers, filmmakers, designers, and publishers to bring forth The Secret to the world,and through her vision, bring joy to millions.

Author’s big thought: The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers – men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying The Secret they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible. In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life – money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.

Author : Deepak Chopra. M.D.
Publisher : Amber-Allen Pub 1995
ISBN : 1878424114
Pages : 115
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The Big Idea

Dr. Deepak Chopra is a well-known author of more than 25 books. He is one of the leading spokespersons for a growing movement of physicians who are combining modern Western medicine with ancient Eastern healing methods. Chopra was formerly the Chief of Staff at Boston Regional Medical Center, and he has taught at Tufts University and Boston University Schools of Medicine. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is a short but insightful book that explains how simple actions can make a big difference. Some parts of it may appear abstract to those who have not experienced Eastern philosophy.

Adam L. Penenberg
©2009 Adam L. Penenberg
Adapted by permission of Hyperion Books
ISBN: 978-1-4013-2349-3
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The information landscape is changing – that much is clear. In a few short years, communications technology has morphed into a more pervasive, flexible, and complex force than most people could have imagined. In the process, it has changed the way we think, the way we play, and the way we work. How should the smart businessperson respond to this new reality?

In Viral Loop, journalist and professor Adam L. Penenberg explores this technological revolution and explains how the smartest businesses are getting out in front and cashing in. Penenberg relates the stories of companies like eBay, Facebook, Friendster, Google, Netscape, and PayPal, analyzing what these companies have in common and what separates the victors from the also-rans. All of this adds up to a rough blueprint for success in an increasingly mobile, interconnected, viral world.

Author : Napoleon Hill
Publisher : High Roads Media, 2004
ISBN : 1932429239
Pages : 348
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The Big Idea

This book is a collection of principles for the attainment of wealth and financial independence. It was written by Napoleon Hill at the behest of American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, who was fascinated with success and wanted to understand why some men became successful while others in very similar circumstances did not.

Over two decades, Hill interviewed 504 people, including such luminaries as Ford, Wrigley, Wanamaker, Eastman, Rockefeller, Thomas Edison, Woolworth, Darrow, Burbank, Morgan, Firestone, and three United States Presidents. Most of those interviewed began in poverty, with little education and influence. Yet, they all managed to become very successful at amassing staggering amounts of wealth. Hill distilled his findings into a 13-step formula that begins and ends with very basic principles.

Author : Jeffrey Liker
Publisher : McGraw Hill, 2003
ISBN : 0071392319
Pages : 330
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The Big Idea

Toyota first caught the world's attention in the 1980s when consumers started noticing that Toyota cars lasted longer and required fewer repairs than American cars. Today, the company is the world's most profitable car manufacturer, consistently producing high-quality cars using fewer man hours and less on-hand inventories. To this day, Toyota continues to raise the bar for manufacturing, production development and process excellence.

The Toyota Way explains the management principle and business philosophy behind Toyota's success. It narrates Toyota's approach to Lean Production (known as the Toyota Production System) and the 14 principles that drive Toyota towards quality and excellence. The book also explains how you can adopt the same principles to improve your business processes, while cutting down on operations and production costs.

Author : Chip Conley
Publisher : A Fireside Book, Simon & Schuster New York 2001
ISBN : 0-684-86516-5
Pages : 287
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The Big Idea

The boy wonder of the American travel and hospitality business shares the secrets of his success. The characteristic traits of a rebel – passion, vision, instinct and agility- as illustrated by Virgin’s Richard Branson, The Body Shop’s Anita Roddick, and the author himself, are described here in a guidebook for today’s daring new entrepreneurs.

The principles in this book apply universally to anyone who wants to create a humane and empowered workplace, whether you are from a nonprofit organization, in the government or a private business. A new kind of fast company leader is rising to power in the business world. Rebel leaders are rewriting the rules.

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
©2009 by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN: 9780470743089
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Business marketing has come a long way since the days when the public believed everything they were told in advertisements. In the age of the Internet, people can check the Web 24/7 for information, and companies realize they need to change the way they market themselves. Businesses need more than just a great product; they need to earn the public's trust. Trust has become a valuable commodity. In Trust Agents Chris Brogan and Julien Smith present strategies for businesses and individuals to build online relationships with consumers that foster trust.

The authors stress that they in no way want the reader to think people can use others or build false trust just to sell products. That is not the purpose of being a trust agent. The Internet is a place where trust has not been previously established, so people are justifiably leery of it.

The Internet is also a transparent medium, which means nothing can be hidden there. Whatever is written and posted about a product or person will remain on the Web forever. Businesses need to know how to use that transparency as an asset. Digital natives, the people most familiar with the new gadgets of digital media, understand that transparency and use it to their advantage. They keep track of everything said about them online.

By Joel Comm with Ken Burge
228 pp. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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The quality of our lives is only as good as the quality of our relationships. Interactions shape not only our personal but also our business lives. With the continuing advancements in technology, no longer are our social circles necessarily limited by whom we meet in person. The advent of social networking technologies like Facebook, My Space, and Twitter have advanced the fostering of new relationships into cyberspace, to people who we have actually never met in person. People with similar interests can follow each other and share discussions over great distances. Companies can use this same power to better serve and communicate with their customers.

Author : Dr. Spencer Johnson Foreword: Kenneth Blanchard
Publisher : 2000 Vermilion UK, Random House Group Ltd.
ISBN : 0 09 181 697 1
Pages : 96
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The Big Idea
Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life – whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money, or spiritual peace of mind. Cheese is what we think will make us happy, and when circumstances take it away, different people deal with change in different ways. Four characters in this delightful parable represent parts of ourselves whenever we are confronted with change. Discover how you can let change work to your advantage and let it lead you to success!

Rick Mathieson
©2010 Rick Mathieson
AMACOM
ISBN: 978-0814415726
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We live in an on-demand economy where information is literally at our fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Long gone are the days when consumers sit idly by as advertisements are pushed to them through a single medium at a time. In this on-demand economy, content is no longer just about consumption, but also about creation, participation, collaboration, and exhibition. Technology has evolved the world of online media from "new media" to "now media" and has irreversibly transformed the way we work, learn, and interact. In this ever changing world of social networks, constant connectivity, and perpetually digital lifestyles, marketers are having a great deal of difficulty keeping up with this landscape. In The On-Demand Brand, Rick Mathieson reveals 10 essential guidelines marketers should follow for building on-demand brand experiences. With insights based on Mathieson's experience as a strategic marketing consultant, as well as advice from executives of highly innovative brands, marketers will glean a better understanding of how to stay one step ahead and succeed in this on-demand economy.

Author : Marcus Buckingham
Publisher : Simon & Schuster Ltd., 2005
ISBN : 978-0743263269
Pages : 304
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The Big Idea

Everyone wants sustained success. Unfortunately, only few are able to attain this so longed for success. This is not because of a lack of effort or lack of determination; if anything, a good number of people even expend large amounts of effort and display overwhelming determination but still don’t quite make it there. A majority of people don’t experience sustained success because they don’t know where to focus their time, energies and resources on.

These focal points are exactly what you need to know to succeed. “The One Thing You Need to Know” will let you in on the single thing you need to know and focus on as a manager, a leader, or simply, as an individual in order to reach great heights and stay there.

Chris Anderson
©2008, Chris Anderson
Adapted by Permission of Hyperion
ISBN: 978-1-4013-0966-4
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For about eight decades, since the dawn of star-struck Hollywood's heyday, our consumer culture has been based primarily on a popularity contest. The market landscape looks something like this: A relatively small number of "hits" (blockbuster movies, platinum albums, bestselling books) gobble up the largest share of the public's dollars while hundreds of thousands of lesser-known songs, movies and other items languish in relative obscurity, rarely (or never) to be discovered or purchased.

However, the hit parade is about to come to an end, according to author Chris Anderson in his book The Long Tail. His assessment: thanks to the sheer mass of those "other" obscure items and the lightning-fast information dissemination and infinite shelf-space of the internet era, a vast collection of less mainstream but no less valid consumer choices has been brought to the attention of the buying public-a growing tempest of choice that can make more money for a smart company than any blockbuster hit ever could.

Author : Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen
Publisher : Harmony Books
ISBN : 0-609-60949-1
Pages : 388
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The Big Idea

Imagine this: You receive a phone call from the estate of a long-lost relative. You have inherited a million dollars in cash! It's waiting for you in a Swiss bank but there is one catch: The key to the safety box is hidden in a silver container at the summit of Mount McKinley in Alaska. The instructions are clear: you must personally climb the mountain within 12 months. If you don't the money is lost forever. Becoming an Enlightened Millionaire may not be nearly as difficult as this task. But it is similar. Almost anyone can be a millionaire, but it takes proper preparation, right mentorship and a time-tested path to being an enlightened millionaire. Read on and find out.

Karen Sobel Lojeski
©2010 by Karen Sobel Lojeski
Adapted by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-470-42280-9
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In Leading the Virtual Workforce, Karen Sobel Lojeski addresses a global leadership crisis. She makes the case that old leadership models need to be reshaped for today's virtual workforce. The speed and pace of technology has forever changed the way people work. Through interviews with business leaders she describes what great leaders do differently to thrive in the globally connected enterprise. Lojeski presents a dynamic new leadership model custom-built for today's workforce realities.