Library
If and when you visit my office, I would make sure that you visit my library. Here is the next best thing. Please make yourself comfortable and stay as long as you like. Enjoy my book reviews and my suggested reading list. You are always welcome as it will change quite often.
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The Art of Worldly Wisdom
by Baltasar Gracian
Shambala Library 2003
171 pages
Writers and publishers are on a never ending quest to present us with the next cutting edge business management, or leadership book. The bookstores are filled with flashy covers and outrageous titles. Let us leave this publishing whirlwind of our modern technology driven, business world, and experience the writings of a controversial 17th century Jesuit monk, Baltasar Gracian.
His 450 year old writings are not controversial by our standards, because his timeless thoughts serve as the foundation for many of the leadership and managerial books of the last 100 years.
The book is arranged as a random collection of 300, one paragraph essays that present concise and insightful thoughts on such topics as:
· Be attractive,
· The wise do at once, what the fool does later
· Have no careless days
· Do good a little at a time, but often
· Know how to rely on yourself
At the end of the book there is an index that gives the theme of each essay with accompanying number for quick reference. This historic book has no agenda, no website, and no accompanying seminar series. It is merely the deep thoughts of a good person that have traveled through the centuries to remind us of the simplicity of being successful in a very complicated modern world.
I recommend The Art of Worldly Wisdom as a timeless book, that we should make time for every day.
Dr. Brian Beirl has a general dental practice in Seminole. In addition, he is an educator, author, presenter, consultant and business coach. Dr. Beirl is passionate in helping his clients live the life of their dreams. He may be reached through his web site at www.brianbeirl.com
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Coloring outside the lines
Jeffery Gitomer’s
Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude
How to find, build and keep a Yes! Attitude for a lifetime of success
Jeffery Gitomer colors our world with no-nonsense, edgy books that challenges us to look at ourselves and our businesses differently. His previously published; Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Black Book of Connections have created a strong following in the quick to read but long to ponder business book genre. He continues with this, his latest venture onto a crowded bookshelf. His Little Gold Book revisits one of the most written about subjects in the self development arena, positive thinking. But Gitomer transcends the worn path of just think positive literature by challenging us to find, build and keep a Yes, Yes, Yes attitude.
In the first pages, Gitomer states in no uncertain terms what books cannot do for us:
“You can’t gain a positive attitude by reading a book.”
“You can’t gain the self-discipline and the thought process by reading a book.”
With the pressure off we can then enjoy this fast paced and entertaining journey of self discovery. It’s not about thinking positive, it’s about our attitude. We all have attitudes, is yours a yes or a no attitude? Gitomer’s style of writing is an unveiled extension of his speaking style. It is fast paced, irreverent regarding dogmatic thinking, demands honest introspection and is thoroughly entertaining. There is, however, a clever method to his madness.
There is an amazing structure to this book that first stresses an analysis of the reader’s present state of mind. We must first become self aware of our true attitude. Through the use of self assessment questionnaires we learn of our true state of mind.
Next is the move toward specific actions that will aid us in developing a yes attitude. The author points out the subtle but pervasive negative actions of daily life, i.e. watching depressing, local news or violent movies that can undermine our attainment of success.
Finally, we are encouraged to create a Yes lifestyle that will insure that we not only identify a fulfillment attitude but attain, and maintain the highest level of our Yes attitude.
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It’s all about you
You, Inc.
by Harry Beckwith & Christine Clifford Beckwith
Warner Business Books
Copyright 2006
313 pages
There are many business books that you skim and then there is the rare book you want to read out loud to your business associates, family and friends. You, Inc. is such a book.
You, Inc. blurs the lines of business, self- improvement and motivation. Through the use of one to three page stories gleaned over his thirty years of consulting experience, Beckwith guides us through a journey of appreciating who we are and how we present ourselves to the world. In his chapter on communicating, he discusses the importance of lead lines, in both our speaking and our writing. In fact, this review is a conscious effort to have more interesting and appealing lead sentences.
Other topics presented are: What People Buy; Planning and Preparing; Listening and Speaking, Relating; Attitudes and Beliefs; and a tremendous discussion of Tactics and Habits. Here are just a few examples of the valuable insights found in the Tactics and Habits chapter: how to write and effective thank you; new cell phone etiquette; the importance of how we dress for business; including your briefcase, and why flattery will get you nowhere.
Interspersed at appropriate intervals are the inspiring stories told by the Harry Beckwith’s wife Christine. She has battled and is victorious over cancer. Her stories add a balance to the book, to remind us all of priorities and where our business lives should rank with our personal relationships.
Harry Beckwith’s first three books: What Clients Love; The Invisible Touch; and the bestselling, Selling the Invisible; set the stage for this remarkable book. Keeping with the spirit of his message to enjoy ourselves in what we do, allow me to close with this.
I would recommend that You Inc.lude this book in your library.
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Made To Stick
Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
By Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Random House 2007
304 pages
If you or your business is stuck, you may have to get stickier!
Not so long ago, the state of Texas had a roadside littering problem to match its size. Faced with the monumental task of getting the attention and changing the habits of the proud and independent Texan, the state came up with a slogan covered in stickum; “Don’t Mess with Texas”. In the first year, littering was reduced by 29% and the state saved over one million dollars.
Avis found itself trailing Hertz every year. The reason that you know what comes next is because they became sticky. They embraced their #2 position and became the “We Try Harder” company. Subway sandwiches may be healthier but what we remember is Jared lost over 250lbs eating them. JFK (a sticky set of initials) grabbed the imaginations of an entire nation with the words;” put a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth" within a decade.
What makes ideas stick? According to the authors/brothers Chip and Dan Heath, stickiness has the following attributes: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions and stories. Their book is filled with memorable examples of creating stick in all areas of our lives. When you present yourself and your product, do you create, and use the attributes listed above? The authors present this example from journalism. Journalists are taught that a lead line (the first sentence or thought) is what grabs the attention of your audience. If you do not take advantage of your first and only chance to capture your audience it is known as “burying the lead”. What could you uncover or reveal to your prospects so you can avoid “burying the lead”.
Is your advertising accomplishing what you intend? Are you memorable to your clients? Is their emotion allied with creditability in your presentations? In short, are you and your business Made To Stick?
Dr. Brian Beirl is an educator, author, presenter, consultant and business coach. Dr. Beirl is passionate in helping his clients live the life of their dreams. He may be reached at: BrianBeirlDDS@BBeirl.com
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Strengths Finder 2.0
By Tom Rath
Gallup Press
175 pages, with additional internet access
Reviewed by: Dr. Brian R. Beirl
Strong Words
We are a people that root for the underdog, that rejoice in the hero that prevails over all odds. We aspire to be the person that overcomes their shortcomings to attain their, once in a lifetime, victory.
Tom Rath’s book has nothing to do with this.
What are you good at? Tasks and thought processes that come easy to us are a gift. The premise of Rath’s philosophy is to discover your strengths and work on and in your world of those strengths. Our co-workers have their own set of strengths and together we can accomplish much by each of us recognizing the strengths of others.
So what are your strengths? That is the beauty and power of this cutting edge book. Strengths Finder 2.0 is a blend of a book and the internet. At the back of the book is a sealed code number that allows you to gain entrance to a Gallup Strength Finders testing site. Carefully researched and proven questions reveal your personal strength themes. This testing instrument will make your five dominant strength themes immediately available to you. Returning to the book, you then discover how to apply your themes. There are 34 chapters, one for each theme. There are also action plans that recommend how to work best on your self and with people of different strengths. In addition, the website has an incredible amount of content and suggestions for using this information in the work place. I bought a book for all my employees and not only has it been fascinating, but also has created a more productive and “understanding” office environment.
I strongly! recommend this book.
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Break from the Pack
How to Compete in a Copycat Economy
By Oren Harari
Reviewed by: Dr. Brian R. Beirl
Are your customers just satisfied? If so, your business is running with the pack and falling behind the leaders in your industry. Businesses approaching their customers in the traditional way will be left in the dust.
As a senior consultant and lecturer with Tom Peters for twelve years, the author’s pedigree is evident in his live seminar writing style. Oren Harari is passionate and direct. The book is organized in three parts.
In Part 1, Resisting the Pull of the Pack, there are numerous contemporary business examples that illustrate the perils of “playing it safe” in the copycat economy. We may see ourselves in these varied examples, but the author immediately presents us with concrete actions to help the reader begin to formulate a plan for his own business. He presents the EMBER test for innovation; is your product Extraordinary? Does it Matter to customers? Does it Break new ground? Does it encourage Evolvement? Is it Real?
In Part 2, How to Break from the Pack, he continues with five steps to lead our businesses from the reactive to the innovative. 1) lead institutionally, 2) lead with profound authenticity, 3) lead with genuine caring, 4) lead with turbo speed, and 5) lead with the individual customer in mind. This section concludes with some very different thinking on mergers and acquisitions.
In Part 3, How You Can Lead the Pack, the author presents a 12 step Recovery Program. This informative and entertaining section personalizes all that has come before by helping the reader formulate a plan for change. We’re asked to analyze our long-term career goals, find our own paths, believe that our customers are more important than investors and employees, and get personally engaged.
Oren Harari has broken from the pack in the writing of this book. The bookshelves are filled with books written by consultants that amount to page after page of case studies of their clients. This book breaks that tradition with numerous concise steps for owners, managers and employees of any business, large or small, to break from the pack and lead. He encourages us to innovate with confidence because the future of our businesses and those that we serve depend on it.
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The Power of Nice
How to capture the Business World with Kindness
By Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval
Short and Sweet
Reviewed by Brian R. Beirl DDS
Nice is healthier, earns more money, and spends less time in court.
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Nice is putting your head on the other person’s shoulders.
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Nice is telling the truth.
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Nice is not fighting over the last piece of pie, but baking a bigger pie.
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Nice is Samsung and Sony joining forces to create significant market share in the highly competitive flat panel television arena.
In a business world that many times embraces the “looking out for #1” mentality, it is refreshing to be reminded of how simple and productive business relationships can be.
The Kaplan Thaler agency has enjoyed incredible success in the highly competitive advertising business. Thaler and Koval’s book illustrates the simple premise that telling the truth, listening, partnering, and simply treating your fellow workers, and competitors, with kindness will reap you far greater rewards than the “us or them” mentality.
To illustrate this point, by simply listening to a frustrated CEO of an insurance company, the Kaplan Thaler advertising agency learned that his greatest concern for the future of his company was the simple fact that nobody could pronounce his company’s name. They were the first to listen with compassion to his lament. Because of their implementation of a new campaign, the insurance company’s sales rose 55% in the next few years.
We all know now how to pronounce AFLAC!
The Power of Nice does not profess to be a groundbreaking book of newfound wisdom; it is, rather, an enjoyable read that reminds us that we all have what it takes to succeed in business. In fact, if you take anything from this book, give it back.
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Get Out of Your Own Way
The five keys to surpassing everyone’s expectations
by Robert K. Cooper Ph.D.
Reviewed by: Dr. Brian Beirl
Think back to a presentation or staff meeting where a significant change was proposed. Were you immediately more focused, energized, and maybe even fearful? Brain research indicates that your primitive brain went into its protection mode. Any change in our environment may be dangerous until proven otherwise. Is that moving shadow a tiger, or just the wind? According to Robert Cooper, it is not only important to recognize how our brain works, but it is possible to control it for predictable possible outcomes.
Robert Cooper broke onto the national scene with his New York Times bestseller, The Other 90%. In this first book he encourages us to utilize the untapped potential of the unused 90% of our brains. In Get Out of Your Own Way Dr. Cooper gives us actual techniques to turn on the parts of our brains that are required for different tasks. However, he not only focuses on the individual, but on how striving for our potential will influence our businesses. As an international business consultant, he points out five key areas that individuals and companies must address to move to the next level and continue to grow to their full potential.
The key areas are:
- Direction, not motion. It’s not how busy you are, or how fast you’re moving. It’s moving in the right direction.
- Focus, not time. It’s not just long hours; it’s putting your attention on what matters most.
- Capacity, not conformity. It’s not about copying others, but applying hidden potential in new ways.
- Energy, not effort. It’s not about trying harder; it’s getting the right things done.
- Impact, not intentions. It’s not about wanting or lofty goals. It’s measuring the difference you have made in others’ lives.
When we recognize we are on the non-productive side of these key areas, we can implement the techniques presented by the author to activate and control our brain to move to the productive side.
Robert Cooper’s books are inspiring, educational and filled with practical applications that can be implemented immediately. We recommend this book for your bookshelf, but it will not remain there long, as we are confident that you will want to share this book with your staff and business associates. |
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