My Top Books for Business Networking 2012

Almost one year ago, I shared my top books of 2011 and it continues to be my most popular blog post, read and shared by thousands world-wide.

We’re heading into 2013, so it is high time to update this list! An important note, please click on book or title as I have written a separate post for many of the books. Enjoy, again please share!

Even I’m surprised to report that no one has knocked the #1 book off it’s perch! Work the Pond is still in the top of the Canadian business book list ten years after it was published. Why? It’s still the most readable, the most approachable to all ages, career types and the science of networking is something people really appreciate reading about. It continues to be the one book I personally feel anyone can pick up, get through and feel they have learned from. I have given away dozens of copies and personally own over 25 copies myself. They float in and out of my life on a monthly basis in my coaching and mentoring.

Coming in at number two is a 2012 supersized republished edition of Business Cards to Business Relationships! I’m so glad that Allison Graham the author of this book chose to rework and republish this book. It focuses not just on connecting but “building a profitable network”. It’s the “must-read” for the business set and the ultimate gift for the b-school graduate or career minded peer in your life.

Making a NEW appearance on this list is the “LinkedIn Log”. I’ve been an enthusiast of LinkedIn for quite some time now. But in 2013 it will no longer be a secret handshake, it has moved into the mainstream and career minded professionals of any sector can’t ignore this digital rolodex any more. This tiny little workbook ( not a textbook you actually fill it out ) is as small as a passport and can be filled out at a Starbucks in 20 minutes! Then, with confidence that you’re representing yourself in your own works, you create/update and upload your new profile.

Another new edition but familiar topic is the world of the “Introvert” or as I feel they should be called “thinkers”. Susan Cain’s book has rocked the free world. Her TED talk was one of the fasted viewed in the history of TED and she has been featured in almost every business media in the Western world ( check out this digital scrapbook I’ve made of her articles and videos ). If you are one or work with a thinker this is a MUST read, and a fascinating one too!

Moving up a notch to number 5 is Mark Maria’s book on “rainmaking”. There will never be a slow down in lawyers, financial planners, insurance professionals and accountants in this world. They need a special book on bringing in business and no one can hold a candle to Maria’s methodical strategy.

At #6 one of the most read books on networking in the world continues to be Keith Ferrazzi’s “Never Eat Alone” and his follow up book, the less intense but more authentic “Who’s got your back”. There aren’t many books I would call an “enjoyable read” but that’s still Ferazzi’s strength. I have grown so much more respect for one of the concepts he continues to champion, growing your own personal board of directors.

#7 moves out of the honourable mentions into the spotlight because it too has been republished and reworked to add way more value. Mark Bowden’s “Winning Body Language for Sales” will give anyone more confidence in how they communicate nonverbally and out loud. I’ll remind readers it’s a book not just about sales but about the building of relationships in business. It will help you to be you best and most authentic self when under pressure.

#8, how could I not mention the author with her own library of titles to choose from! Susan Roane is the international Queen of Connecting, the Mingling Maven. She has a book to help you at whatever stage of networking you need help with and was the first to mention the importance of a digital profile before anyone else on this list.

My last book is an unconventional but important read for 2013. I have no interest in the “social” side of social media. Social business is what I want to know more about. And no one has captured the “why” of social business like Scott Stratten in his book “UnMarketing” ( and if you want to know more about the “how” pick up his latest book, “The Book of Business Awesome/UnAwesome” )

My bookshelf on networking tops more than 75 now, I’ve had to put down so many in disappointment. But! There are several I have to mention because as they aren’t strictly about networking they continue to be the BEST books on the mechanics of human connection. When people ask me about the best of the best in my networking library, it is not complete without these five books:

1. Fascinate by Sally Hogshead
2. Convince them in 90 Seconds by Nicholas Boothman
3. Turn Small Talk Into Big Deals by Don Gabor
4. Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki
5. The Connectors by Maribeth Kuzmeski

Thank you for visiting and sharing this post with others in your network via Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and whatever new medium comes our way in 2013! Please add your favourites to the comments section below!

Connecting is my personal passion. I’m always at your service,

Paul Nazareth

 

Sign up for a free weekly tip from the authors of my #1 book!

Winning Body Language for Sales Professionals

Ok, full disclosure:

1. I blogged about this book in 2011, have shared this book with hundreds and have been a BIG fan because this book helped me when I was giving over 100 presentations a year.

2. After pestering the author to ask about tips for fundraisers, we kept in touch and I’m actually IN this book. Don’t worry, if it was terrible…..I would tell you.

But, luckily it doesn’t suck. Mark has gone over and above his last book to put together a powerful set of tips for not just sales professionals but those in the business of building relationships to succeed ( fundraisers, I’m talking to you! ).

And YES office dwellers this DOES mean you too!

Every time I recommend this book I have to remind peers it’s not JUST about influence. It’s about not having the other person shut themselves to what you’re saying before you’ve opened your mouth. Or, as the pro’s call it, non-verbal communication.

Mark is a private coach to Fortune 500 CEO’s, world leaders, celebrities and yes even the Prime Minister of Canada. But don’t hold that against him, he’s no Tony Robbins. Reading this book will help you to communicate better and be your most authentic self.

Mark writes for his clients, the CEO, “way too busy for this” types. Which is good because you’re probably way to busy right? Wrong, this book is crazy-practical! Each chapter ends with :

1. Theory to practise
2. Just do this now
3. A case study from someone who uses this skill daily

My part of the book is winning tips for fundraisers. Frankly, things Mark taught me to overcome in myself that resulted in proven social-profit success for me. I truly enjoyed the other tips from content experts and feel they add such a new valuable dimension to Mark’s content. There are so many myths busted and misconceptions set right. I love the chapter on how far to stand based on the topic of conversation and relationship between individuals.

Inside these pages you’ll find more than just body language, how to speak, walk, shake hands, say hello and goodbye – it will sound artificial but I can’t stress how this will empower you to get to know yourself, and be your best.

Three top chapters that end the book make it a must-read for 2013 success: Room set up and how to ensure the best conversations for building relationships and closing a deal. Coaching your team – one failing I find in so many business books is not telling the reader how to translate the knowledge! And lastly, and I can’t stress this enough to authors on networking and business communication, If you’re writing books in 2012 and beyond – it’s a social business world now! Remember to add things like body language for video, Skype and other mobile-communications. And Mark did! So valuable.

I have been recommending this book to hundreds of professionals of all ages and stages in their career. If CEO’s and heads of state call on Mark as someone who can help them be their best and most authentic self while still incorporating smart business communication methods – I hope you’ll find value here too.

I leave you with some resources. An audio interview with Mark, a video tip from Mark, from my beloved Globe and Mail and below that a bit about the book.

Thanks Mark for being so kind to a fan of your work. It is an honour to be a part of this amazing resource and your network, Paul

The Connected Company by Dave Gray with Thomas Vander Wal - Book review

The Connected Company

By: Dave Gray, Thomas Vander Wal

Published: September 18, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 144931905X
ISBN-13: 978-1449319052
Publisher: O'Reilly Media











"Customers are connecting, forming networked communities that allow them to rapidly share information and self-organize into powerful interest groups. Companies will have to be more responsive to customer needs and demands if they want to survive", write SVP Strategy, Dachis Group management consultant, Dave Gray; and Principal, InfoCloud Solutions, Thomas Vander Wal, in their visionary blueprint for the new business reality oriented book The Connected Company. The authors describe how customers have increased their power over the marketplace, how companies must understand that new power relationship, and share strategies for connecting with customers and thriving in the new wired world.

Dave Gray (photo left) and Thomas Vander Wal recognize that customers are utilizing the disruptive technologies of the internet and mobile, and forming networked information sharing communities faster than companies can cope with the changes. The authors point out that in the service economy, customers and their needs are part of the design process. With the ever increasing complexity of services, and the necessity of close interaction with customers, companies must overcome their tendency to move away from customers. To meet this challenge, companies must create, develop and enrich sustainable connections with their increasingly empowered customer base. The authors provide the solution of making the structural changes that transform an organization into a connected company, and offer the strategy for building an operating this emerging business model.

Thomas Vander Wal (photo left) and Dave Gray understand that their visionary connected company has a purpose. The authors share the important insight that a company cannot act as a machine, but is really a living, learning organism. The connected company learns through seeking and acting upon customer feedback, and with constant experimentation and the trying of new approaches.

The connected company works through what the authors describe as a pod based system they call a holarchy. The complex structure of this connected company formation is semi-autonomous, and able to respond quickly through their close connectedness with customers. At the same time, the pod structured company requires connected support platform systems to provide interaction, feedback, and resources. Through these multifaceted and interconnected platforms and pods, a company is able to learn and grow organically. The authors also describe the challenges and opportunities for leadership within the connected company structure.

The authors divide the book into five overarching sections to ensure that the reader understands the main pillars of the connected company format. The five sections are as follows:

* Why change?
* What is a connected company?
* How does a connected company work?
* How do you lead a connected company?
* How do you get there from here?

For me, the power of the book is how Dave Gray and Thomas Vander Wal combine a strong theoretical framework of the connected company, with the practical strategies for developing and maintaining a vibrant, learning, and growing company. the authors present their case for the integration of a customer focus into the fresh connected company system. The new structure forms an interactive feedback mechanism with the new empowered customer. Instead of being disrupted by the customer, the connected company leverages and utilizes that connected customer community to offer more services that the customer wants.

The authors present a series of strategies and techniques for transforming a company from the previous business model, to the connected company model. They also offer a fresh leadership model for working with this fresh business approach. The authors also describe some of the challenges that face leadership, and how to avoid the potential pitfalls.

I highly recommend the insightful and landmark book The Connected Company by Dave Gray and Thomas Vander Wal, to any business leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who are seeking a fresh approach to creating a responsive and customer focused company that welcomes feedback and input from the empowered customer base. This book will transform your organization to meet the challenges of the new technological realities.

Improving Profitiability Through Green Manufacturing by David R. Hills & J. Barry DuVall - Book review

Improving Profitability Through Green Manufacturing

Creating a Profitable and Environmentally Compliant Manufacturing Facility

By: David R. Hillis, Ph.D., J. Barry DuVall, Ph.D.

Published: September 19, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 248 pages
ISBN-10: 1118111257
ISBN-10: 1118111257
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.












"Now many believe that manufacturing in the United States is too cost both in dollars and harm to the environment. This is not true. There are ways to make manufacturing sustainable and profitable while meeting environmental obligations and requirements", write independent manufacturing consultant David R. Hillis, Ph.D.; and Professor in the Department of Technology Systems at East Carolina University, J. Barry DuVall, Ph.D., in their complete systems approach based book Improving Profitability Through Green Manufacturing: Creating a Profitable and Environmentally Compliant Manufacturing Facility. The authors describe how profits don't have to be sacrificed to environmental sustainability, or that care for the environment doesn't have to be reduced for profits, and provide real proven techniques that demonstrate how profitability and the environment can work together effectively.

David R. Hillis and J. Barry DuVall understand that manufacturing plants can be highly profitable while complying with or exceeding the environmental standards set by local, state, and federal governments. For the authors, there is no contradiction between profit generation and good environmental stewardship. Instead, the authors provide strong evidence that care for the environment and profits work well together. The authors open the book with a complete explanation of why a holistic approach that considers profitability while sustaining the environment are really a single and unified goal. The authors present a comprehensive overview of the unity of profits and environmental sustainability,a and not as a contradiction at all.

J. Barry DuVall and David R. Hillis recognize the most appropriate format for establishing a comprehensive manufacturing process, where both profits and the environment are considered, is through the entire system. As a result, the authors offer a complete explanation of the concepts of profits and green manufacturing. The next portion of the book is devoted to the practical strategies and techniques for establishing and maintaining a profitable manufacturing system that meets or exceeds all environmental standards and regulations.

The authors divide the book into sections that focus on the various aspects of green manufacturing as a comprehensive and fully integated system:

* Manufacturing: Product life cycles, waste, and regeneration
* Building a decision making process
* Environmental regulations, standards, and profitability
* Case studies: The principles in real world manufacturing settings
* Overview of tools used to improve manufacturing operations
* The facility: The plant, location, and sustainable design
* Applying the profitable and compliant process chart

For me, the power of the book is how David R. Hillis and J. Barry DuVall combine a strong theoretical reasoning and framework for profitable green manufacturing, with the proven and practical strategies for developing a profitable process that is also environmentally compliant. The authors make a tremendous case that profitability and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive goals. The authors demonstrate clearly that the two goals are not only compatible but are also symbiotic in their approach. The authors provide a series of illustrative case studies that show the principles at work in real world manufacturing plants.

The authors present a clear step by step blueprint for create and maintain a profitable manufacturing process with an integral environmental component. The holistic and systemic approach to green manufacturing is convincing and will change the way that business and government agencies view the sustainability of a manufacturing process.

I highly recommend the holistic and knowledge building book Improving Profitability Through Green Manufacturing: Creating a Profitable and Environmentally Compliant Manufacturing Facility by David R. Hillis, Ph.D. and J. Barry DuVall, Ph.D., to any business leaders, manufacturers, design specialists, building and plant builders, public policy makers, environmental groups, practicing engineers, engineering and manufacturing students, elected officials, and anyone interested in green manufacturing who are seeking a clear and concise road map to establishing and maintaining a complete system that is profitable and environmentally sustainable. This book will change your mind forever about profit and the environment as green manufacturing works for both goals.

National Geographic Space Atlas: Mapping the Universe and Beyond by James Trefil - Book review

Space Atlas

Mapping the Universe and Beyond

By: James Trefil, Ph.D.

Published: November 6, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1426209711
ISBN-13: 978-1426209710
Publisher: National Geographic Books













"Space Atlas is a visual guide to the universe,starting with our own solar system and reaching out to the farthest galaxies and the mysteries of multiple universes", writes Robinson Professor of Physics at George Mason University, James Trefil, Ph.D., in his comprehensive and beautifully illustrated book Space Atlas: Mapping the Universe and Beyond. The author describes and explains the planets, stars, and galaxies; as well as more exotic objects and concepts including black holes, string theory, and the idea of the multiverse, in non-technical and engaging language.

James Trefil recognizes the awe and wonder of the stars, planets, and the entire universe. With profuse illustrations and over ninety pages of richly detailed star maps, the author guides the reader through the solar system, across the Milky Way, and beyond to other galaxies and to the edge of the known universe. James Trefil shares insightful information about the planets, stars, and galaxies and how they fit into the grand form of the universe. Each chapter begins with an orientation of the topic through four star charts that display the night skies, in full color, from our vantage point here on Earth. Each chapter devoted to a specific planet, within the solar system, contains a detailed map of the planet's surface.

James Trefil (photo left) offers a complete guided tour of all of the solar system planets, their moons, and such features as the asteroid belt, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort cloud. The author combines his own background in physics, which adds tremendously to the forces at work across the universe, to the geographical and cartography aspects of the various worlds, stars, and other exotic space objects. From the big bang to an explanation of dark matter to the many remaining mysteries of space, the author shares his knowledge clearly and concisely for the reader.

The author divides the space atlas into three overarching chapters, plus an epilogue. Those sections are as follows:

8 the Solar System: Formation, planets, moons, and other objects
* The Galaxy: The Milky Way and other galaxies
* The Universe: Cosmology, structure, and its birth and death
* The Mysteries: Topics include string theory and multiverse possibility

Included in the book are the following enhancement features:

* 50 space maps, including 47 never before published
* 80 images from outer space
* 57 diagrams of key theories
* 278 fascinating statistics
* 300+ pages of up to date space information

For me, the power of the book is how James Trefil combines clear and succinct information about space with illustrative maps, star charts, and photographs that enhance that information. The author is a physicist, and his knowledge in that field enriches the understanding of the subject matter. At the back of the book are several detailed appendixes that provide additional data to supplement the material in the main book.

An added feature of the space atlas is the engaging foreword written by Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Overall, this is an extraordinary book, packed with the latest knowledge, informative and detailed maps, stunning photographs, and very useful charts. This is precisely the type of superior atlas that is expected from National Geographic; and they deliver on that promise with this deluxe edition.

I highly recommend the valuable and endlessly fascinating book Space Atlas: Mapping the Universe and Beyond by James Trefil, to anyone with an interest in space, the universe, or science in general. This book, with its lavish illustrations is a tremendous addition to the subjects of astronomy, physics, geography, and science in general.

Street Freak: A Memoir of Money and Madness by Jared Dillian - Book review

Street Freak

A Memoir of Money and Madness

By Jared Dillian

Published: September 11, 2012
Format: Trade Paperback, 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1439181276
ISBN-13: 978-1439181270
Publisher: Touchstone










"If you're a trader, it is important to exercise the illusion of control,because the reality is that you're not in control of anything", writes former trader for Lehman Brothers, and founder of the daily market report The Daily Dirtmap, Jared Dillian in his eye opening and deeply personal book Street Freak: A Memoir of Money and Madness. The author describes his career as a trader at the now defunct Lehman Brothers, rising from rookie associate to head Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) trader. That transition from former military, working class person to trader who handled trillions of dollars in value, is only one part of the author's story.

Jared Dillian shares a story that goes far beyond the peaks and valleys of his Wall Street trading career. The author delves into the serious issue of his bipolar and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Neither condition was diagnosed, and both were heightened and covered up by Jered Dillian's manic trading activity. The author takes the reader on a roller coaster ride through the trading floors of Lehman Brothers, where he made and lost millions of dollars, all while attempting to maintain his sanity. Jared Dillian was battling his personal demons in a world where his psychological and medical conditions were valued for the results they created for the company.

Jared Dillian (photo left) recognized that his career and his life were spiraling out of control. Faced with the possibility that he lacked what he considered the necessary skills of a successful trader, the author felt his world collapsing around him. A failed attempt at suicide, and a growing sense that he was going mad, found Jared Dillian mired at rock bottom. In the end, the author arrives at the realization that more than his own emotional challenges, the trading environment was an unhealthy one for him. In a flash of insight and self awareness, Jared Dillian considers the trading desk world to be insane.

The culture of Lehman Brothers encouraged socio-pathic and manic behavior. The result of that culture norm was not one that worked in favor of the company over the long term. Lehman Brothers, with its culture of paranoia and dysfunction went bankrupt. When the stock market melted down in 2008, the culture of the company was ill suited to respond to the challenge. Not understanding or even considering its own flaws, the organization blamed outside forces. In the end, Jared realized that as world of Lehman Brothers was collapsing, that he could live a normal life again.

For me, the power of the book is how Jared Dillian shares his personal story openly and without flinching on the the often painful details. Along with his own journey, the author offers a rare glimpse inside the rough and tumble trading desk world, with all of its dysfunction and excitement on full display. Jared Dillian recreates the hectic and manic world, of the last era of Lehman Brothers, through the eyes of a person whose personality and emotional makeup were strangely suited to the overall company culture.

At the same time, however, those same personal attributes led to the author's complete emotional breakdown. In a world where the structure was unsustainable, and the endgame was the complete failure of the Lehman Brothers company, anyone could be destroyed emotionally by it. The author tells his own story, of an average person in an insane world, and how he regained his own normal life.

I highly recommend the tumultuous and riveting book Street Freak: A Memoir of Money and Madness by Jared Dillian, to anyone seeking a clear eyed view of Wall Street in its grittiest and most morally and ethically bankrupt form. The book is a real page turner, that reads like an adventure novel, but the events portrayed in this story are very real and affect people's lives.

Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll wins the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award 2012

New York, November 1, 2012: Steve Coll today won the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award 2012 for Private Epmire: ExxonMobil and American Power, published by The Penguin Press, Allen Lane. The book is a hard-hitting investigation of the notoriously secretive ExxonMobil Corporation, beginning with the Exxon Valdez accident in 1989 and closing with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

The award, which recognises the book that provides 'the most compelling and enjoyable insight into modern business issues', was presented this evening to Steve Coll in New York by Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times and chair of the panel of judges, and Lloyd C. Blankfein, chairman and chief executive officer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

Steve Coll saw off strong competition to win the £30,000 prize. Each of the five runners-up received a cheque for £10,000.

Lionel Barber said, "Private Empire is forensic, nuanced and extremely well written. It is the story of ExxonMobil, one of the world's most powerful companies. Through a series of compelling narratives, it covers Exxon's huge geopolitical footprint and its influence. No other book on this year's shortlist exposes so much information that we did not know."

Lloyd C. Blankfein commented, "Steve Coll's meticulous reporting led to a compelling work on one of the world's most important and impressive companies. We congratulate him for his effort."

Steve Coll (photo left) author of Private Epmire: ExxonMobil and American Power

Steve Coll is most recently the author of the New York Times bestseller The Bin Ladens. He is the president of the New America Foundation, a non-partisan public policy institute headquartered in Washington, D.C., and a staff writer for The New Yorker. Previously he worked for twenty years at the Washington Post, where he received a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism in 1990, travelled widely as a foreign correspondent, and served as the Post's managing editor between 1998 and 2004. He is the author of six other books, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller Ghost Wars. He lives in Washington and New York.


The distinguished judging panel for the 2012 award included:

Vindi Banga, Partner, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice, London Business School

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President, American Action Forum

Arthur Levitt, former Chairman, United States Securities and Exchange Commission

Jorma Ollila, Chairman, Royal Dutch Shell

Shriti Vadera, Director of Shriti Vadera Ltd, Non-Executive Director, BHP Billiton and AstraZeneca

The other short listed entries:

• Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and PovertyDaron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson (Crown Business, Profile Books)

• The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: Risk-taking, Gut Feelings and the Biology of Boom and Bust
John Coates (The Penguin Press, Fourth Estate)

• Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography
Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster; Little, Brown)

• What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits Of Markets
Michael J. Sandel (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Allen Lane)

• Volcker: The Triumph of Persistence
William L. Silber (Bloomsbury Press)