Great Inventions That Changed The World by James Wei - Book review

Great Inventions that Changed the World

By: James Wei, Ph.D.

Published: July 24, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 360 pages
ISBN-10: 0470768177
ISBN-13: 978-0470768174
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.













"The greatest inventions make dramatic breakthroughs, and open new eras in human history", writes educator, multiple patent holder former Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Princeton University, James Wei, Ph.D., in his fascinating and comprehensive book Great Inventions that Changed the World. The author describes the most important human inventions that altered the entire course of history, and how inventions not only solved critical problems but also presented some new challenges for humanity.

James Wei recognizes the epochal importance of a revolutionary invention on the transformation of the world and the lives of all people. The author guides the reader on an exciting human journey of discovery and creation that spans millions of years. From the invention of the stone axe which had a profound impact on human evolution itself, to the discovery of fire making that facilitated the spread of people to all corners of the planet, to our post industrial computer and online world, inventions have aided and created fundamental changes in how people live and work. James Wei provides a complete overview of the inventions that rebuilt the world, and the inventors who made those seminal discoveries. At the same time, James Wei examines the fresh set of problems that accompanied the very innovations that enhanced the lives of so many people.

James Wei (photo left) understands the importance of innovation and inventions to the world as a whole. In the book, the author describes the truly landmark inventions and discoveries that changed society and the lives of people forever. Basing the impetus for innovation on basic human needs and wants, James Wei presents these basic driving forces as the historical and modern incentive to innovate constantly, and to create ever more inventions and new discoveries.

James Wei breaks the book down into sections that places these very human necessities and desires into a long term perspective. The author shows both the benefits of each great invention, as well as providing insights into the perils and problems associated with each new advancement. The sections of the book, categorized on needs and wants, are as follows:

* Work inventions
* Domestic life: Food, clothing, and housing
* Health and reproduction
* Security
* Transportation
* Information
* The good life
* Future challenges

For me, the power of the book is James Wei combines his own engineering and inventor based insights, with a long historical perspective, on the fundamental and world changing importance of the major inventions discussed in the book. The author presents the most important discoveries in a logical order, based on the category of human essentials or wants that they solve or enhance. James Wei utilizes his engineering and inventive skills to good use as he offers his deep insights into the inventive process, and the considerations given when seeking out a problem solving innovation.

The author offers a balanced approach to the subject matter as well. Far from being a simple hagiography of the innovators and their creations, James Wei takes a critical examination of the fresh problems and challenges that are posed by each new invention. Each of the innovations carries with it a dark side, and James Wei doesn't dismiss that characteristic out of hand. Indeed, he embraces that new challenge as an opportunity for fresh insights and innovations.

I highly recommend the very accessible and thought provoking book Great Inventions that Changed the World by James Wei, Ph.D., to any business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, history and technology enthusiasts, engineers, and students of history, technology, and engineering disciplines seeking a clear and engaging guide to the triumphs and challenges of the greatest inventions of all time. This book will also introduce the readers to some of the most creative innovators and problem solvers through the ages in a logical and readily understood format.

The Commitment Engine by John Jantsch - Book review

The Commitment Engine

Making Work Worth It

By: John Jantsch

Published: October 11, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1591844878
ISBN-13: 978-1591844877
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin














"A business is only alive to the extent that there is commitment", writes marketing consultant, speaker, and blogger John Jantsch, in his refreshing and purpose driven book The Commitment Engine: Making Work Worth It . The author describes the essential, but very often overlooked factor cf commitment, both within and outside the company. He shares the meaning of commitment and how to achieve a very high level of dedication on the part of both employees and customers.

John Jantsch understands that passion alone on the part of the entrepreneur, owner, or CEO is not sufficient to create commitment. That sense of commitment must be nurtured, cultivated, and spread throughout the entire company culture, customer base, and anyone who comes into contact with the company. This commitment development process takes time and patience until it becomes part of the very nature and makeup of everyone who is part of the internal or external parts of the organization. This complete immersion of commitment creates and emits a powerful sense of purpose, integrated into everything the company does, that spawns and develops loyalty from employees and customers.

John Jantsch (photo left) recognizes that the core characteristics that define a commitment oriented company exist, in varying degrees, within all companies. In a commitment engine driven business, however, the foundational building blocks form the bedrock of every decision and action taken by everyone within the organization. The factors that are most critical in the establishment of a commitment based company are clarity of strategy, organizational culture, and a widely based community that spreads far beyond the employees and customers.

John Jantsch divides his book into three overarching sections that encapsulate the core principles that comprise the commitment engine driven company. Each of the three basic pillars is further subdivided into chapters that delve more deeply into the overall concepts contained within the principles. The three foundation building blocks of a commitment driven organization are as follows:

* The Path: Clarity
* The Patron: culture
* The Promise: Community

For me, the power of the book is how John Jantsch combines his overall framework for what comprises a commitment based company, with the practical hands on strategies and techniques to make that effective organization a reality. The author outlines the principles that are essential to developing a commitment company through establishing a sense of purpose. John Jantsch provides the reasoning and guidance for achieving clarity and passion for the higher purpose of the company. The author demonstrates how that passion and sense of true purpose is propelled forward through the leadership, employees, and culture of the company.

John Jantsch offers a comprehensive examination and set of practices to create a superior customer experience that generates loyalty and an enthusiastic community far beyond the limits of employees and customers alone. To add further substance to the core principles of commitment, John Jantsch shares the stories of real world companies who have integrated the pillars of commitment successfully into their own organization.

I highly recommend the transformational and insight filled book The Commitment Engine: Making Work Worth It by John Jantsch, to any business leaders, owners, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers who are seeking a clear and concise blueprint for establishing and growing a commitment based enterprise. This book will lay the foundation for a purpose driven organization that has both an unshakeable company culture and a widely spread loyal community of passionate supporters.

Brian Dietmeyer: Poet and Warrior - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Business consultant, founder of Think! Inc., and author of the deeply personal and contemplative book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs, Brian Dietmeyer describes how to blend best of the spiritual revolution with the best of the material revolution to establish a successful and meaningful business. Brian Dietmeyer insights into why people become entrepreneurs, and how they are seeking something beyond what the corporate life has to offer. Instead of providing a simple how to guide to building a profitable company, Brian shares the meaning and philosophy of the entrepreneurial journey, Brian shares why it's important to establish your own definition of success, and rid yourself of externally imposed measures that may not be right for you. Brian offers the idea that as an entrepreneur, you are the business, and why and how to align your spiritual goals with your business goals.

Brian Dietmeyer is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, November 29, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Business consultant, founder of Think! Inc., and author of the deeply personal and contemplative book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs, Brian Dietmeyer describes how to blend best of the spiritual revolution with the best of the material revolution to establish a successful and meaningful business. You will learn:

* Why clarity of vision and purpose is important for entrepreneurs

* How to treat success and failure in the same way

* How to define your own version of success that is truly your own

* How to establish entrepreneurship as you own heroic journey

Brian J. Dietmeyer (photo left) is a 20+ year veteran of sales, marketing and strategic planning. As Vice President with Marriott International, he led the National Account, Territory Management, Telemarketing and Teleconferencing Sales Forces. He’s a frequent public speaker and had published articles on Negotiations, Marketing Research, Business to Business Relationships and Adding Value. Mr. Dietmeyer is the author of two books: Strategic Negotiation and B2B Street Fighting - Next Generation Business-to-Business Negotiation.

Brian has been VP of Marketing on the Board of Directors for National Account Management Association and was the Chairman of the MPI Education Foundation Board. He completed his undergraduate studies at DePaul University with a degree in Liberal Arts. He holds a Masters Degree in Management from The JL Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and he’s a graduate of the Executive Development Program at the Aspen Institute/University of Maryland. He is also a certified Sales Trainer.

My book review of Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs by Brian Dietmeyer.

My book review of B2B Street Fighting - Next Generation Business-to-Business Negotiation by Brian j. Dietmeyer.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with business consultant, founder of Think! Inc., and author of the deeply personal and contemplative book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs, Brian Dietmeyer describes how to blend best of the spiritual revolution with the best of the material revolution to establish a successful and meaningful business. Brian Dietmeyer insights into why people become entrepreneurs, and how they are seeking something beyond what the corporate life has to offer. Instead of providing a simple how to guide to building a profitable company, Brian shares the meaning and philosophy of the entrepreneurial journey, Brian shares why it's important to establish your own definition of success, and rid yourself of externally imposed measures that may not be right for you. Brian offers the idea that as an entrepreneur, you are the business, and why and how to align your spiritual goals with your business goals on Blog Business Success Radio.

Poet and Warrior by Brian Dietmeyer - Book review

Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny

A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs

By: Brian Dietmeyer

Published: August 13, 2012
Format: Paperback, 104 pages
ISBN-10: 0985898704
ISBN-13: 978-0985898700
Publisher: Think! Inc.








"This book is intended to be both a business and human manual for moving from thinking about starting your own business to actually doing it", writes entrepreneur and and co-founder of Think! Inc., Brian Dietmeyer, in his deeply personal and contemplative book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs. The author describes both his own personal journey into entrepreneurship, but shares the common motivations, vision, challenges, and need for balance that is part of every business owner's individual path.

Brian Dietmeyer recognizes that the desire to start and manage one's own company is a deeply seated cultural goal. That same intended meeting with personal destiny is also a leap of faith into the unknown, fraught with challenges and obstacles, both internal and external to the would be entrepreneur. Through the offering of his own personal transition from corporate employee to business owner, Brian Dietmeyer provides important insights into why people take the entrepreneurial plunge, how they avoid external measurements of success that are not in alignment with their own vision, and how that vision becomes a reality through the viewing of the world through fresh eyes as both a poet and a warrior.

Brian Dietmeyer (photo left) understands that entrepreneurs require some ideas and philosophy about what he considers the soft side of entrepreneurship. Far away from the business and marketing plans, spreadsheets, and accounts, the author offers the opportunity for entrepreneurs to ask themselves what will make them personally successful in their own lives. Combining aspects of spiritualism and materialism, into the persona of the poet and the warrior, Brian Dietmeyer invites would be and current entrepreneurs to assess their own personal vision of their ideal life of success.

Brian Dietmeyer presents a complete guide to that very personal and individual entrepreneurial journey. He invites business owners to consider the following aspects of their own vision, actions, and clarity of purpose:

* Who am I to leave a perfectly wonderful life?
* The end is where we start from
* Detox: Purging ourselves of artificial success measurements
* You want to own it...it owns you
* I never take vacations and I don't take weekends off
* Wise choices: Decisions aligned to your own version of success
* It's time to get a Ph.D.
* Poet and warrior
* Meeting triumph and disaster and treating both imposters the same
* Sure, it's easy for you...I didn't sleep last night
* Loving kindness builds profit and brand equity
* Tie it all together
* Heroes

For me, the power of the book is how Brian Dietmeyer goes beyond both the standard personal development and how to run a business books, and takes a more philosophical perspective of the entrepreneurial journey. Utilizing his own business story, and those of other successful entrepreneurs, the author offers an alternative approach to really understanding and recognizing your own personal entrepreneurial vision. That vision is unique to each business owner, and as a result, that clarity of purpose and definition of success must be worked out by each and every entrepreneur.

Brian Dietmeyer doesn't provide his readers with the nuts and bolts aspects of starting and running a company. Instead, the author focuses on the inner life of the entrepreneur, and guides the person to find their own true path. To achieve success, the person must maintain a balance in their lives and business approach, presented in the metaphor of the poet and the warrior, creating a sense of calm and stress free life.

I highly recommend the clarity of vision oriented book Poet and Warrior - Balancing your spirit and professional destiny: A human guide for new and aspiring entrepreneurs by Brian Dietmeyer, to any would be and current entrepreneurs who are seeking guidance in focusing on aligning their personal business vision with their own concept of what success means to them. This book will help the business owner find their own inner poet and warrior, and develop personal balance on their own heroic business journey.

The Facts of Business Life by Bill McBean - Book review

The Facts of Business Life

What Every Successful Business Owner Knows that You Don't

By: Bill McBean

Published: October 9, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1118094964
ISBN-13: 978-1118094969
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.











"Just as there are facts of life that affect us on a personal level, there are facts of life that affect us as businesspeople, and business owners who ignore them are essentially setting their businesses up for failure rather than success", writes successful entrepreneur Bill McBean, in his comprehensive and real world experience based book The Facts of Business Life: What Every Successful Business Owner Knows that You Don't. The author describes how a business owner not only must be very competent in many different areas of business, but also understand the life cycle of a business, and how to adapt effectively to those inevitable changes.

Bill McBean recognizes that the successful business person demonstrates ability in all areas of the business. Since each of these parts of the business are interrelated, and depend upon one another, weakness in any of the areas can spell disaster for the company. Te author identifies seven areas that every business owner, whether in a start up business or a well established company, must understand and master. Bill McBean provides evidence the the seven overall concepts that successful business people know are easily implemented, easy for employees to learn and put into practice, the better the principles are understood, the better the odds of business success, that the concepts work as a team and create a solid business foundation, and that they produce real results as planned and expected for the company.

Bill McBean (photo left) understands that understanding the long term nature of a business, and how it evolves through various stages of development is critical to the success of the company. An astute business person must be able to adapt to those changes and meet the fresh challenges that arise with each new business phase. As a business evolves, it moves through five levels of business success. Each of these stages is not linear, despite their progression from one level to the next. The five levels are as follows:

* Level one: Ownership and opportunity
* Level two: Creating your company's DNA
* Level three: From survival to success
* Level four: Maintaining success
* Level five: Moving on when it's time to go

Bill McBean shares the seven important facts of business life that contain each of the five levels within them. The seven facts of business life are"

* If you don't lead, no one will follow
* If you don't control it, you don't own it
* Protecting your company's assets should be your first priority
* Planning is about preparing for the future, not predicting it
* If you don't market your business, you won't have one
* The marketplace is a war zone
* You don't just have to know the business you're in, you have to know business

For me, the power of the book is how Bill McBean provides a complete and readily understood blueprint for establishing and growing a successful business through all of its levels and stages. The author shares the crucial insight of the business life cycle, and the different challenges and opportunities that result from the transition from one stage to the next. Bill McBean shares the strategies and techniques for navigating these stages successfully, and for avoiding the mistakes and pitfalls that await the business person who fails to adapt to those ongoing changes.

The book is a very detailed road map, that explains the twists, turns, and course corrections that are essential at each stage of the business. Each of the chapters is self contained, and can be read in any order, and referred to later when each new phase of the evolution is identified for implementing the appropriate action. The author takes a holistic approach to operating a business, and explains carefully how each stage and fact of life is part of an integrated and mutually supporting whole.

I highly recommend the very practical and successful results oriented book The Facts of Business Life: What Every Successful Business Owner Knows that You Don't by Bill McBean, to any business person, regardless of whether they are new to business or have years of experience, and whether the company is a start up venture or an established organization. This book contains so much valuable advice and real world tested wisdom, that it is a must read for anyone with any connection to business who seeks critical insights into how a business is really operated successfully.

Trevor Blake: Three Simple Steps - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

Successful entrepreneur, life coach, author of the insightful and empowering book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life, Trevor Blake, describes how to regain control of your thoughts and your life to achieve a life of purpose. Trevor Blake provides the road map to removing negative thoughts from your brain, and replacing them with empowering ideas that create positive actions toward your life goals, Trevor presents the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience that demonstrate how the brain works and behaves under both negative and positive thoughts and ideas. Trevor shares his three simple steps for regaining control of those thoughts, and of your own life, Trevor also offers some practical and proven techniques for dealing with the negative and complaining people in your workplace. Learn how to empower yourself through a complete change in how you think, act, and respond to outside forces and stimuli. The result is life changing and leads you to your life of purpose.

Trevor Blake is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, November 27, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Successful entrepreneur, life coach, author of the insightful and empowering book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life, Trevor Blake, describes how to regain control of your thoughts and your life to achieve a life of purpose. You will learn:

* Why people find themselves feeling stuck in quicksand and sinking fast

* How the latest neuroscience discoveries confirm the impact of thoughts

* How three simple steps will empower a person to a life of purpose

* How to deal with the complainers and negative people in your workplace

Author of Three Simple Steps, Trevor Blake (photo left) was founder and CEO of QOL Medial LLC, a specialty pharmaceutical company he started in 2002 with a few thousand dollars and sold in 2010 for over 100 million. In 2006 he founded ANU, a unique not-for-profit dedicated to developing low side-effect cancer drugs.

Prior to this, Blake was VP Commercial Development at Ceptyr and Director Commercial Development at Orphan Medical. He has worked in the UK, Europe, and the USA with companies such as Biogen, 3M, and Lipha, and has won many industry awards, including marketing professional of the year.

He has an MBA from Durham University (UK) and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Royal College of Radiotherapy. He is also a graduate of the Royal Naval Academy, Britannia Royal Naval College.

My book review of Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life by Trevor Blake.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with successful entrepreneur, life coach, author of the insightful and empowering book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life, Trevor Blake, as he describes how to regain control of your thoughts and your life to achieve a life of purpose. Trevor Blake provides the road map to removing negative thoughts from your brain, and replacing them with empowering ideas that create positive actions toward your life goals, Trevor presents the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience that demonstrate how the brain works and behaves under both negative and positive thoughts and ideas. Trevor shares his three simple steps for regaining control of those thoughts, and of your own life, Trevor also offers some practical and proven techniques for dealing with the negative and complaining people in your workplace. Learn how to empower yourself through a complete change in how you think, act, and respond to outside forces and stimuli. The result is life changing and leads you to your life of purpose on Blog Business Success Radio.

Three Simple Steps by Trevor Blake - Book review

Three Simple Steps

A Map to Success in Business and Life

By: Trevor Blake

Published: August 23, 2012
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1936661713
ISBN-13: 978-1936661718
Publisher: Ben Bella Books











"I know that life can feel like you're thrashing around in quicksand. The harder you struggle, the deeper you sink, until you can't see how you'll ever be free. This doesn't have to be your experience", writes successful serial entrepreneur and life coach Trevor Blake, in his insightful and empowering book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life. The author describes how people lose control of their own lives, success and happiness, and shares his three simple and readily applied steps to regain control of your life and your future.

Trevor Blake understands how people who have gained control of their own lives share a powerful belief in that ability to guide their own destiny. The author also provides evidence that many people, who are even in possession of more of life's advantages, find their lives and destiny in complete turmoil. Trevor Blake shares his three simple steps to reestablish personal control over your thoughts, actions, and future. Basing his principles on the latest neuroscience breakthroughs, Trevor Blake shows people how to actually rewire their own brains for the removal of self destructive thinking, and replacing them with thoughts that empower their lives. Instead of the deadly self-sabotage experienced by many people, the fresh ways of thinking propel a person to living a life of purpose and satisfaction.

Trevor Blake (photo left) recognizes that people face challenges in their lives but he offers the encouraging message that no one has to remain in what he calls the quicksand of hopelessness. Instead of indulging in negative media messages, destructive emotions, discouraging self talk, and listening to complaining and pessimistic people, the author shares a way to break free of that downward pull.

The solution that anyone can incorporate into their own thoughts and life is based on what Trevor Blake calls the three simple steps. The three straight forward steps are as follows:

* Reclaiming your mentality
* Creating winning ideas
* Transforming ideas into action

With the three steps as the foundation of a person's thoughts and actions, they are better prepared to avoid the destructive people in their lives or workplace. Trevor Blake offers nine ways for dealing with those chronic complainers in your life or at work:

* Become self-aware
* Redirect the conversation
* Smother a negative thought with a positive image
* Don't try to convert others
* Distance yourself when possible
* Wear the invisible "mentality shield"
* Create a private retreat
* Transfer responsibility
* Forgive your lapses

For me, the power of the book is how Trevor Blake provides a readily understood framework for regaining control of one's life with the practical exercises to achieve that empowerment. The author presents a clear and concise blueprint to not only remove yourself from the quicksand of self-destructive thoughts and actions, but also guides a person along the path to regaining control of their own thoughts and lives. Trevor Blake backs up his principles with the latest discoveries in neuroscience that confirm the impact of thoughts on the activity within the brain. The science also demonstrates how new neurons and pathways are created and rerouted to establish fresh modes of thought and action.

To help personalize the concepts, and to illustrate their effect in the real world, the author includes a number of interesting and engaging anecdotes and personal stories. The addition of the practical techniques to deal with negative people in the workplace are an added and useful part of the book as well.

I highly recommend the transformational and readily applicable concept filled book Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life by Trevor Blake, to anyone seeking an honest and results oriented road map to achieving real control over your own life. This book offers a course of action that will guide you to success and happiness, and a life filled with purpose, as you fulfill your personal destiny.

Beyond The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by C. James Jensen - Book review

Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind

By: C. James Jensen

Published: March 14, 2012
Format: Paperback, 214 pages
ISBN-10: 1937503941
ISBN-13: 978-1937503949
Publisher: Waterside Publications












"You can bring into your life more power, more wealth, more health, more happiness, and more joy by learning to contact and release the hidden power of your subconscious mind", writes executive coach, consultant, and company adviser, C. James Jensen, in his empowering and very practical book Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind. The author describes how to better understand the important relationship between your conscious and your unconscious mind, and shares the exercises and practices to create a better life though harnessing that crucial connection.

Jim Jensen updates the writings of Dr. Joseph Murphy on the power of the subconscious mind for a modern readership. The author augments the prior work with the latest breakthrough discoveries on the functioning of the human brain. The author presents the concept that an individual doesn't acquire personal power. That power is already found within oneself. The key is to understand and draw upon that power and infinite internal wisdom to achieve success and happiness. Jim Jensen shares the practices and techniques for opening oneself to the power of the subconscious mind within yourself. The result will be a positive manifestation of events and fresh breakthrough ideas in the outer world.

C. James Jensen (photo left) understands that all of a person's experience, actions, conditions, and life events are a reactions stemming from your subconscious mind to their thoughts. It is not the thing that is believed in, but the mind's own beliefs that creates the outcome. The author advises people to stop their internal negative self talk, stop the fears, end false beliefs, and superstitions, and believe instead in the timeless wisdom and truths that create positive results.

Jim Jensen proposes that people utilize the power of visualization to produces desirable outcomes. For both individuals and business people seeking an important innovation or breakthrough, the author shares the five steps to creative problem solving. The Five steps are as follows:

* Define the problem: Find clarity through writing it and understanding it
* Gather data: The data can be internal in the subconscious or external data
* Attempt to solve the problem consciously: Work on a solution and options
* If there is no clear solution, take a break and sleep on it
* Get your conscious mind busy elsewhere: Let the subconscious mind work on it

For me, the power of the book is how C. James Jensen combines a strong theoretical and science based framework for understanding the power of the subconscious mind with the practical exercises to draw on its unlimited power. The author cites numerous scientific studies of the brain, and how it operates, to support his concepts. The key point made by Jim Jensen is that a person doesn't have to live with constant failure, hardship, and emotional pain. The author describes them as simply manifestations of the subconscious mind at work.

In place of the negative thoughts stored in the subconscious mind, Jim Jensen guides the reader to utilizing the unlimited power residing in the subconscious to manifest itself in positive outcomes including success, emotional well being, and happiness. The book includes the techniques for using both the conscious and subconscious minds to achieve breakthroughs in both one's business and personal lives.

I highly recommend the transformational and clarity building book Beyond the Power of Your Subconscious Mind by C. James Jensen, to anyone seeking to rid themselves of their emotional baggage, their negative self talk, and to unleash the empowering wisdom of the subconscious mind to achieve a better life. This book and its timeless teachings will serve you well in your quest for success and happiness in all areas of your life.

Self Leadership by Andrew Bryant & Ana Kazan - Book review

Self-Leadership

How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out

By: Andrew Bryant, Ana Kazan, Ph.D.

Published: August 21, 2012
Format: Paperback, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 0071799095
ISBN-13: 978-0071799096
Publisher: McGraw-Hill












"In life and in business, before we lead others we must be able to lead ourselves", write international thought leader on self leadership, Andrew Bryant; and Visiting Scholar at North Carolina State University, Ana Kazan, Ph.D., in their empowering and research based book Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out. The authors describe how self leadership, and intentionally influencing oneself, will create the empowering conditions for leaders to achieve their goals.

Nadrew Bryant and Ana Kazan recognize the value of self leadership for those who believe they can live a positive and productive life, and influence those around them to travel the same course. The authors share how a leader must think effectively, behave congruently, and relate in empathetic manner. Through their research and experience, the authors point out that self leadership is needed to achieve all three goals. They also offer the wisdom the the three qualities are also part of what comprises a great human being. The authors provide evidence that in the modern world of flattened hierarchies, global teams, and empowered and and engaged people, a fresh approach to leadership is required. The authors present the concept and practice of self leadership as fulfilling that new style leadership role.

Andrew Bryant (photo left) and Ana Kazan understand that leadership of oneself provides the basic foundation for leading others. For the authors, leadership begins on the inside and is then projected outward to achieve any organizational goals or programs. The practice of self leadership builds the leader's own self confidence level for empowering others to achieve their goals. A self leadership focused individual is also more self aware and is more calm in times of stress, and much more resilient following times of stress or crisis.

The authors point out the positive benefits for the individual from self leadership:

* Self awareness
* Self confidence
* Finding meaning and purpose
* Decreased stress
* Increased happiness
* Better relationships

The authors also share the benefits that self leadership provides for the overall organization:

* Engaged and empowered workforce
* Improved goal setting and results
* Faster and better decision making
* More creativity and innovation
* Reduced conflicts
* Collaborative team efforts

For me, the power of the book is how Andrew Bryan and Ana Kazan combine the theory of self self leadership with the practices and techniques to develop self leadership within oneself. The authors build a solid case for self leadership as the foundation for overall organizational leadership. The principles of self leadership can be taught readily to everyone within the organization. The book contains the necessary practices and exercises to develop self leadership, as well as providing the reasons for developing the skills.

What the leader must do to become a successful leader is to practice the principles outlined in the book. The authors also present the science behind the concept of self leadership. The research findings demonstrate how people learn and benefit from the principles of self leadership. Those principles then expand outward to strengthen and enhance the entire organization.

I highly recommend the personal development breakthrough book Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out by Andrew Bryant and Ana Kazan, Ph.D., to any leaders at any level of an organization who are seeking a practical and results oriented guide to establishing a solid character based foundation for leadership. This book will not only transform you into a more effective and successful leader, but will empower your entire organization as well.

Ethics of Big Data by Kord Davis - Book review

Ethics of Big Data

Balancing Risk and Innovation

By: Kord Davis

Published: September 28, 2012
Format: Paperback, 82 pages
ISBN-10: 1449311792
ISBN-13: 978-1449311797
Publisher: O'Reilly Media














"The swelling ranks of organizations that increasing depend on big-data technologies include dozens of familiar names and a growing number you've never heard of", writes former business strategist and technical consultant Kord Davis in his clear and concise book Ethics of Big Data: Balancing Risk and Innovation. The author describes how large companies, in possession of vast amounts of personal information and data, face many ethical challenges regarding their policies on privacy and identity.

Kord Davis recognizes that companies face real ethical dilemmas and potential for abuse due to their collection of massive quantities of data through an array of big-data technology. The author points out that big data also has an impact on brand quality, customer relationships, and revenue. Due to the enormous volume of information collected by big-data technology, the data can have far reaching consequences, serious repercussions, and move ever faster in its effect on those same brands.

Kord Davis provides insights into how this increasing pressure from big data forces companies to reexamine their organizational values and ethical behavior. With more ways for brands and customers to engage, communicate, and interact, these ever more pressing ethical questions must be considered and become part of the company behavior.

Kord Davis (photo left) understands that while the ethical questions are usually framed in terms of individuals, that the real impact of how the organization acts on its values have far deeper ramifications. The author addresses the implications of big data for both individuals and for companies. As a result, Kord Davis offers analysis of how both individuals and organizations of any size or type mus understand the handling and applications of data. The author considers the benefits, risks, and unintended consequences of this immense volume of data on very large numbers of people.

Kord Davis finds four common principles in the framework for the ethics of big data. Those four components are as follows:

* Identity: The relationship between online and offline identity
* Privacy: Who and how is access to data controlled
* Ownership of data: Who owns it and what are the responsibilities of holders
* Reputation: Is the data trustworthy

For me, the power of the book is how Kord Davis combines an analysis of the ethical and values based challenges of big data, with a practical strategy for ensuring the organization behaves ethically with that data. The author provides evidence that the very overwhelming volume of data collected is changing the very way people value privacy, identity, ownership, and reputation. Big data is reshaping the ethical values surrounding those key elements, and the behavior that results from that value change.

With that values shift, it's critical for organizations to develop strategic and tactical plans to overcome the rift between ethics and behavior. The author demonstrate how to create alignment between values and practices. Kord Davis also recognizes that with the immense volume of data, that any policy will have unintended consequence, and recommends anticipation of unexpected outcomes from innovative treatment of big data.

I highly recommend the balanced values and ethics based book Ethics of Big Data: Balancing Risk and Innovation by Kord Davis, to any organizational leaders, executives, managers, entrepreneurs, watchdog groups, public policy makers, and individuals who are concerned with ensuring that big data is treated and handled in an ethical manner. This book raises important questions, and offers practical and readily applicable strategies for maintaining values that benefit the customers, employees, brands and the organization as a whole.

Black Friday Ends

Black Friday: The Aftermath

The 3 Power Values by David Gebler - Book review

The 3 Power Values

How Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency Clear the Roadblocks to Performance

By David Gebler

Published: May 1, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 1118101324
ISBN-13: 978-1118101322
Publisher: Jossey-Bass












"The road to high performance begins with understanding how your company's culture affects your people's behavior and performance", writes speaker, attorney,and thought leader on ethics and corporate culture, David Gebler, in his insightful and ethical culture creating book The 3 Power Values: How Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency Clear the Roadblocks to Performance. The author describes how to remove the corporate cultural roadblocks, that prevent employees from living the right values within their organizations, and for serving their customers.

David Gebler understands the importance of company culture to the overall performance of the organization. The author also understands that employees already possess the values and ethics, but those values and ethics are all too often obstructed by decisions and practices of the organization. David Gebler proposes removing those impediments to acting on the right values. He demonstrates that strong ethical behavior is also good for business profitability. The author provides the three cultural pillars that remove those systemic barriers that deter values based actions. David Gebler shows leaders how to encourage and reward ethical behavior that transforms the overall organizational culture to an ethics based one.

David Gebler (photo left) recognizes how a toxic corporate culture has a negative impact on the decisions made within the organization. The deep chasm that exists between the stated company values, and those practiced in the daily routine is all too often out of alignment. The author shares the principles for realigning company values with the innate ethical values of the employees.

The author points out the destructive cultural practices that lead to toxicity within the culture through the derailment of ethics and values. Those three roadblocks to ethics and values based behavior are:

* Self-deception where the employee overlooks the risks and questionable action
* Rationalization where an unethical decision may achieve a short term goal
* Disengagement where problems linger due to apathy
*
David Gebler bases the cultural transformation, to countering the hijacking behaviors, through the internalizing and practicing of three power values. Those three values are:

* Commitment that connects values with goals to engage employees
* Integrity to build trust that the values behavior will continue
* Transparency where an open culture encourages expression of values

For me, the power of the book is how David Gebler combines a comprehensive analysis of the root causes of a toxic company culture with the three power values that transform the organization to one based on values. The author shines a strong light on the misalignment within organizations, where the policy may be one of values and ethics, but the real behavior may be unethical and even illegal in nature. David Gebler correctly points out that employees want to act in an ethical manner. The problem for them is the barriers placed in the path of taking the proper values based actions.

Organizational goals may require stepping outside of the ethical bounds to achieve the results demanded by the strategy. The systemic practice of bad ethical behavior may lead to short term gain, but as the author demonstrates, that profit is not sustainable. Instead, David Gebler makes a strong bottom line business case for ethical decisions and actions. Good ethics are shown to also be good business.

I highly recommend the essential and values based company culture building book The 3 Power Values: How Commitment, Integrity, and Transparency Clear the Roadblocks to Performance by David Gebler, to any organizational leaders, executives, and managers seeking a clear and concise blueprint for creating an ethical company culture. This book will realign values with actions, reengage employees to reignite their passion, establish an ethics based organizational culture, and boost the overall company bottom line

Devora Zack: Managing For People Who Hate Managing - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio

CEO of Only Connect Consulting, Inc. and author of the entertaining and very results oriented book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself, Devora Zack describes why the manager's personality may not fit what they thought they knew about managing. Devora Zack shares her techniques for personal self assessment so managers can determine whether they are feelers or thinkers. With this understanding in place, a manager can create a flexible managerial style that fits those traits and those of the individual staff members. Devora Zack guides managers through the process of flexible communication with employees, and how to avoid the pitfalls that await unwary managers now in charge of former colleagues. Devora shares how to treat employees how they want to be treated, and how that may differ from the manager's usual approach. Learn how to be effective, successful, and happy as a manager by being yourself.

Devora Zack is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, November 22, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

CEO of Only Connect Consulting, Inc. and author of the entertaining and very results oriented book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself, Devora Zack describes why the manager's personality may not fit what they thought they knew about managing. You will learn:

* What causes managers to dislike their job

* How understanding your own personality as feeler or thinker creates flex

* How communicate better with employees through flexibility

* How to develop charisma to be successful, effective, and happy

Devora Zack (phhoto left) CEO of OCC, Inc., is an expert speaker, strategy consultant, and executive coach. She is the author of Networking for People Who Hate Networking (Berrett-Koehler/ASTD Press 2010) and Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself (Berrett-Koehler/ASTD Press 2012).

Ms. Zack has served as a visiting faculty member of Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management’s Leadership Skills Program for 15 years, teaching MBA students from across the world.

Ms. Zack holds an MBA from Cornell University where she was a full-tuition merit scholar. Her BA, magna cum laude, is from University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication. She is honored with memberships in Phi Beta Kappa and Mensa.

She is a certified practitioner in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Ms. Zack has also worked as an investigative reporter, emergency counselor, actress, and disc jockey in the U.S. and Italy.

My book review of Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself by Devora Zack.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with CEO of Only Connect Consulting, Inc. and author of the entertaining and very results oriented book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself, Devora Zack,as she describes why the manager's personality may not fit what they thought they knew about managing. Devora Zack shares her techniques for personal self assessment so managers can determine whether they are feelers or thinkers. With this understanding in place, a manager can create a flexible managerial style that fits those traits and those of the individual staff members. Devora Zack guides managers through the process of flexible communication with employees, and how to avoid the pitfalls that await unwary managers now in charge of former colleagues. Devora shares how to treat employees how they want to be treated, and how that may differ from the manager's usual approach. Learn how to be effective, successful, and happy as a manager by being yourself

on Blog Business Success Radio.

Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life by Garret Kramer - Book review

Stillpower

Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life

By: Garret Kramer

Published: June 5, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1582703884
ISBN-13: 978-1582703886
Publisher: Atria Books/Beyond Words











"Stillpower is pain free,yet so dynamic it has the potential to change your life - both on and off the playing field", writes high performance coach, and founder and managing partner of Inner Sports, LLC, Garret Kramer, in his success building and transformational book Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life. The author describes how external strategies for achieving top performance in sports, business, and life are not only ineffective, but also counterproductive. The author offers an alternative approach that focuses on the person's state of mind.

Garret Kramer understands that true source of developing excellence is through one's own internal mental processes. High performance individuals, ranging from leading executives to professional athletes have long searched for that elusive formula that leads to peak achievement levels. The author provides evidence that the search for answers and techniques outside oneself is insufficient to gain the desired results. Indeed, Garret Kramer considers these external components are usually ineffective or even result in frustration and worse results. The key insight presented by Garret Kramer is that willpower, long thought to be the rod to success, is precisely the wrong approach. Instead, the author shares the internal concept of stillpower to replace the failed concept of willpower.

Garret Kramer (photo left) recognizes that the personal experiences of athletes and executives is very often not in alignment with the demands, strategies, and coaching of business and sports leadership. The result is a lowered performance level as the individual finds themselves fighting against their own innate skills and personality. The external applications of goal setting, willpower, and more work and practice fail when they fail to work with the person's inner state. To replace these external remedies, the Garret Kramer guides the individual inward with the concept of stillpower.

The author provides the keys and insights found within, through the principles of stillpower. Those principles as discussed in the book are as follows:

* The misconception: Athletics teach life lessons
* Unbounded effort, willpower, and insight
* Coaching, wisdom, and success
* Clear thinking, resilience, and life beyond the scoreboard
* The ultimate coaching dilemma: An athlete's state of mind versus behavior
* The neutrality of the outside world
* Sports, judgment, and life outside from the inside out
* Mind, body, and performance
* Every athlete's birthright
* The freedom to win

For me, the power of the book is how Garret Kramer makes the powerful connection between the athlete's or executive's state of mind with their overall performance. The author takes a holistic approach to coaching and leadership that considers the mind and body as one complete whole. The traditional approach worked against this mind and body unity by emphasizing external forces and approaches that neglected the person's internal state of mind.

Garret Kramer considers that misaligned approach to one of attempting to achieve success through the pain and suffering of sheer willpower. In its place, the author guides the individual toward the internal journey of stillpower, where the person calms their mind and enters into a zone of calm success. Garret Kramer also provides stories and examples of the stillpower principles in action to illustrate their effectiveness in the real world of high level sports.

I highly recommend the mind and body aligning and internally calming book Stillpower: Excellence with Ease in Sports and Life by Garret Kramer, to anyone seeking a proven and effective guide to establishing a very high level of performance without the pain of externally applied misalignment nostrums. This book will change the way you think about achieving peak performance and success.

The Fear & Anxiety Solution by Friedemann Schaub - Book review

The Fear and Anxiety Solution

A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind

By: Friedemann Schaub, MD, Ph.D.

Published: November 1, 2012
Format: Paperback, 264 pages
ISBN-10: 1604078561
ISBN-13: 978-1604078565
Publisher: Sounds True











"This book, which is based on my program, approaches fear and anxiety not as problems or disorders, but as symptoms of and information from you r subconscious mind when you're out of balance and alignment with yourself", writes physician specializing in cardiology, and molecular biologist, Friedemann Schaub, in his empowering and inspirational book The Fear and Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind. The author describes how fear and anxiety, rather than being the actual disorder, are merely symptoms of a deeper imbalance within a person's life, and he shares a practical guide to transforming those symptoms and manifestations of slow self esteem and insomnia into a more purposeful life.

Friedemann Schaub understands the serious emotional pain that people experience from their feelings of fear and anxiety. Instead of treating these conditions as the problem, the author delves more deeply into the subconscious drivers behind these and other manifestations of personal imbalance. Those inner turmoils, pent up emotions, and feelings of inadequacy form the basis of the subconscious appearing as fear and anxiety. Friedemann Schaub offers a road map to guide people along the journey to understanding their inner subconscious upheaval, and for ridding themselves of the fears and anxiety that appear as a result of these unresolved internal conflicts.

Friedemann Schaub (photo left), through his study of the latest research findings in neurophysiology, recognizes that many beliefs surround the feelings of fear and anxiety are not true. For the author, these often paralyzing emotions are the result of inner conflicts. Tapping into the subconscious is the key to unlocking these all too painful feelings. These hidden emotions may manifest themselves as addictions, low self esteem, or a sense of isolation from others and society. As a result, Friedemann offers a completely fresh approach to alleviating the underlying subconscious turmoil that are the real causes.

The author provides a four part plan that includes the following foundational principles:

* Awareness
* Flexibility
* Choice
* Readjustment

Friedemann Schuab breaks down the four pillars into an actionable blueprint as follows:

* An overview of fear and anxiety
* The principles of change
* Facts and fiction about fear and anxiety
* The subconscious mind and the root causes of anxiety
* How to find out what you want and how to get it
* Look who's talking: Addressing negative self-talk and mind-racing
* To wholeness and beyond: Resolving inner conflicts
* Time to let go: How to release emotional baggage from the subconscious mind
* Core alignment
* Breaking through to self-empowerment
* Keep moving forward: How to stay empowered and in balance

For me, the power of the book is how Friedemann Schaub combines a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental causes of anxiety, with a practical step by step blueprint to alleviating those deep inner conflicts. The author goes beyond the usual misconceptions and superficial analysis of fear and anxiety and addresses the deeply held inner turmoil that cause that anxiety. Instead of treating the outward symptoms and personality manifestations of these subconscious issues, Friedemann Schaub goes directly to the core of the pain.

The author backs up his guidance principles with the latest research findings in neurophysiology, providing a strong scientific basis for his concepts and path to personal empowerment. Unlike many books that present homilies and nostrums, Friedemann backs his plan with solid medical science and expertise. To help personalize the principles outlined in the book, the author also shares some case studies of the concepts with real people, as illuminating examples.

I highly recommend the transformational and personal change oriented book The Fear and Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind by Friedemann Schaub, to anyone who is feeling fears and anxiety in their lives and is seeking a healing guide that addresses the real subconscious based causes. This book will help you get to the root of the pain, end those inner turmoils, and live a purposeful life.

The Financial Professional's Guide to Communication by Robert L. Finder, Jr. - Book review

The Financial Professionals Guide to Communication

How to Strengthen Client Relationships and Build New Ones

By: Robert L. Finder, Jr.

Published: October 18, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN-10: 0133017907
ISBN-13: 978-0133017908
Publisher: FT Press










"As financial professionals we share a common purpose that cannot be better said than 'We help clients build, manage, protect, and transition wealth'", writes Managing Director of a national financial services firm, Robert L. Finder, Jr., in his very practical and straight talking book The Financial Professionals Guide to Communication: How to Strengthen Client Relationships and Build New Ones. The author describes how the most effective financial professionals are the ones who are best able to communicate effectively with their clients, and shares the techniques for improving those essential skills for any financial adviser.

Robert L. Finder, Jr. recognizes that financial planners must first understand themselves what is their role, and why their services are important and valuable to clients. The author points out how critical it is for investment professionals to develop and maintain a high level of trust with their clients. To create this high level of trust, a financial guide must be able to communicate with the client on a basis of complete honesty and full understanding. Robert Finder describes how many professionals either talk down to their clients, or use a condescending tone of voice. At other times, the investment adviser will speak in incomprehensible jargon and technical data that goes over the head of the client.

Robbert L. Finder (photo left) offers a more effective alternative approach of listening carefully, speaking as a peer, and providing understandable advice that is right for the investor. The successful adviser understands their purpose, and is able to communicate it effectively to clients to provide clarity and confidence. The trusted adviser possesses the skill and discipline to listen carefully to the goals, aspirations, and the questions shared by the client in an open, non-judgmental and non-argumentative manner. The effective professional speaks clearly, with confidence in their knowledge and their ability to provide real assistance, and conveys that important and sought after clarity of goals and purpose.

Robert L. Finder, Jr. demonstrates how the accomplished financial professional continues to practice and polish existing communication skills for continued and constant improvement. The author provides the following chapters to develop and enhance the adviser's communication skills:

* Defining your core
* The secret of listening
* Your financial professional will see and hear you differently now
* Please, tell me more
* * Any simple questions?
* The secrets of speaking
* Just get rid of them
* What did he say?
* The eyes say it all
* Are you a substance abuser?
* It's showtime
* Wise emperors
* Let the dance begin

For me, the power of the book is how Robert L. Finder, Jr. combines a strong theoretical base for improved communication while providing the essential skills to ensure success. The author provides the reasoning behind the techniques, as well as the exercises, to provide context. The author offers a client focused approach that considers both the needs and the dignity of the investor. Robert Finder knows from experience that not all clients are familiar with the industry jargon, but not all are completely out of their element either. The author recommends listening openly and with empathy, to ensure a connection that is based on real trust.

The author stresses building rich and meaningful relationships, that will be sustained over the years, as the investor's portfolio grows and develops. The investment professional becomes almost a part of the client's family, with their intimate understanding of the client's financial situation and goals. Only through superior interpersonal communication abilities is this deep relationship possible.

I highly recommend the insightful and relationship oriented book The Financial Professionals Guide to Communication: How to Strengthen Client Relationships and Build New Ones by Robert L. Finder, Jr., to any financial professionals who are seeking to improve their interpersonal communication skills to develop deep, long term relationships with their clients and their families. This must read book will ensure that the adviser communicates well, wisely, and with complete honesty.

The Entrepreneurial Instinct by Monica Mehta - Book review

The Entrepreneurial Instinct

How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business

By: Monica Mehta

Published: August 21, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 0071797424
ISBN-13: 978-0071797429
Publisher: McGraw Hill










"Everything you need to take rewarding risks and start a financially successful business is already inside you", writes investor and adviser to entrepreneurs, and managing principal of Seventh Capital, Monica Mehta, in her pioneering and insightful book The Entrepreneurial Instinct: How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business. The author describes the traits and personal habits shared by successful entrepreneurs, and reveals the science behind their behavior.

Monica Mehta recognizes that the actions and activities of successful self-employed people has a basis in neuroscience. Their actions follow a framework of behavior that is different from those of most people. Monica Mehta demonstrates how the actions of successful entrepreneurs and the framework in which they they think and act, are learned behaviors. The author provides evidence that everyone has the built in ability to achieve entrepreneurial success. Monica Mehta offers an explanations that transforms the mystery, surrounding entrepreneurial acumen, into a process that can be learned and applied by anyone.

Monica Mehta (photo left) understands that the critical element of entrepreneurial thinking and behavior is instinct. The author points out that successful entrepreneurs rely upon those basic instincts, take risks, and develop a wealth generating business. The instinct guides the entrepreneur into areas of risk, and how that ability to take and manage risk is part of everyone's innate brain chemistry.

Monica Mehta outlines the framework that entrepreneurs develop and utilize instinctively, and shares the strategies and techniques for learning how to tap into this inborn ability. The author describes how entrepreneurs understand acceptable risk instinctively. The author also points out how successful entrepreneurs discover and grasp opportunities that they find all around them. The two main sections of the book, encompassing risk and opportunity, are as follows:

* Using Instinct to take rewarding risks
* Using instinct to launch a a financially successful business

For me, the power of the book is how Monica Mehta combines observation of the entrepreneurial instinct in action, with the neuroscience that makes that instinct an inborn component of everyone's brain. The author presents a compelling case that entrepreneurship is instinctual, and that all people possess the inborn ability to achieve success in their own businesses. The author maintains that these innate skills are systematically removed by society, and that only a few notable entrepreneurs avoided the process.

Monica Mehta presents evidence that while the skills have been replaced by other worldviews, the innate abilities remain intact. The author shares the latest neuroscience discoveries about the brain to bolster her case. She also offers a series of case studies and anecdotes that provide insights into the minds, actions, and habits of successful entrepreneurs. The author considers their success stories commonplace enough to indicate a framework and a pattern of behavior. This framework can be learned by anyone, in the view of the author.

I highly recommend the intriguing and engaging book The Entrepreneurial Instinct: How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business by Monica Mehta, to anyone seeking a groundbreaking and science based book on why entrepreneurs achieve success, and how anyone can emulate their instinctual framework of success. This book will change the way you view entrepreneurs, and how they accomplish their feats of business acumen.

Managing for People Who Hate Managing by Devora Zack - Book review

Managing for People Who Hate Managing

Be a Success By Being Yourself

By: Devora Zack

Published: August 27, 2012
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 1609945735
ISBN-13: 978-1609945732
Publisher Berrett-Koeler Publishers, Inc.











"Learning techniques to reverse your secret hatred of managing ban have a colossal impact on your work life - to infinity and beyond", writes award winning entrepreneur, CEO of Only Connect Consulting, and author of the entertaining and very results oriented book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself. The author describes how management is really about people, and offers the skills to incorporate the manager's own personality traits into their management style, resulting in more engaged employees and less frustrated managers.

Devora Zack understand that managers face unexpected challenges in their new roles and unexpected situations. The author shares the concept of understanding oneself as the key to effective management. Devora Zack guides managers to place themselves along a spectrum to determine if the individual is either a feeler or a thinker. With this insight in place, the author provides series of exercises and techniques to put this personal reflection into action. Devora Zack offers ideas for managers to adapt their approach to employees based on the feeler and thinker concept to create more meaningful engagement. The author expands this personality assessment premise, to include both introverted and extroverted managers, to ensure their success as well.

Devora Zack (photo left) recognizes that to manage others effectively, managers must be also fully understand and manager themselves. To connect with employees, and establish effective lines of communication, managers need to become more flexible in their approach to their staff. Managing their own attitudes and outlook goes far toward creating a climate of trust and respect.

Devora Zack presents strategies and techniques for guiding managers toward establishing their own strengths, personality, and best selves in their management style. The author covers the following aspects of the manager's worldview and flexibility:

* Why your hate it: Discovering your personal management style
* Who are you: Personal self assessment
* But I liked my real job: Adapting to the transition to manager
* Flex for success: Adapting your approach to employee personalities
* Lonely at the top: Managing former colleagues and peers
* Being bossy: Treating others as they want to be treated
* Don't cry in my office: Firing someone with less damage
* Charisma 'n' you: Being successful, effective, and happy

For me, the power of the book is how Devora Zack presents a very hands on survival guide for managers through a combination of wisdom and humor. The author offers a personality based approach to managing where a leader applies their own traits to their role. This alignment of feeling or thinking profiles helps a manager to be more flexible in communicating and connecting with staff members. The author presents enlightening case studies, as part of each chapter to further illustrate each concept in the real world.

Devora Zack demonstrates how personal self awareness, and understanding of the preferences of employees, creates a more effective workplace. To assist in the self assessment process, and to ensure that the key points of each chapter are fully understood, the author provides hands on work sheets and exercises for each major point.At the end of the book, the author also offers bibliography of other books for further study, to assist managers further deepen and improve their skills.

I highly recommend the engaging and very practical book Managing for People Who Hate Managing: Be a Success By Being Yourself by Devora Zack, to any reluctant or dissatisfied managers who may be starting to dislike their job, or who are already hating the position completely. This book will guide you on the journey to liking, and even loving your role as a successful and effective manager.