Business, Finance & Law Books

Book SynopsisSaudi Arabia, with its US alliance and abundance of oil dollars, has a very different economic story to that of Iran, which despite enormous natural gas reserves, has been hit hard by economic, trade, scientific and military sanctions since its 1979 revolution. Robert Mason looks at the effect that economic considerations (such as oil, gas, sanctions, trade and investment) have had on foreign policy decision-making processes and diplomatic activities. By examining the foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and Iran towards each other, and towards the wider Middle East and beyond, Mason seeks to highlight how oil policy, including oil production, pricing and security of supply and demand, is the paramount economic factor which drives the diplomacy and rivalry of these two pivotal regional powers. His book thus offers vital analysis for researchers of international relations in the Middle East and the processes involved in the formation of foreign policy.Trade Review`Robert Mason has written a conceptually engaging study which presents a welcome addition to foreign policy analysis in general and the foreign policies of Iran and Saudi Arabia in particular. Highly recommended for students of international relations and the politics of the Middle East.’ - Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, Professor in Global Thought and Comparative Philosophies, SOAS, University of London, `At a critical time in the Middle East, Robert Mason's analysis of the context for Iran and Saudi foreign policy – and the relations between the two states – is a valuable guide for both the possibilities and obstacles to diplomatic progress.’ - Scott Lucas, Professor of American Studies, University of Birmingham, `Robert Mason has produced a most detailed and analytically astute study of foreign policy in two critically important regional actors. In looking at Iran and Saudi Arabia comparatively, he has not only brought to the fore the complexities of (foreign) policy making in two prominent and competing Muslim states, but has also underlined the need to understand the drivers of foreign policy in these countries. Iran’s and Saudi Arabia’s policy choices may stem from the balancing of economic, ideological and geopolitical factors, but as Mason shows once these countries implement their chosen policies we are all then affected by them. To appreciate the importance of this comment you really must read this book!’ - Anoush Ehteshami, Professor of International Relations, Durham University, 'At a time when the Middle East is undergoing an intense political transformation following the onset of the Arab Spring and Iran and Saudi Arabia are able to overwhelm the role of foreign actors on regional issues, this book provides incisive research into understanding the ground components of the two states’ foreign policy behaviour based on the burdens of history, preserving state security, oil politics, domestic power dynamics, and the role of foreign powers.’ - Kayhan Barzegar, Director of the Institute for Middle East Strategic Studies, TehranTable of ContentsChapter One: Conceptualising Economic Factors in Middle East Foreign Policies Chapter Two: The Shaping Factors of Conflict and Containment in Saudi and Iranian Foreign Policy Chapter Three: Saudi Foreign Policy: Oil, Wahabism and `Riyal Politik’ Chapter Four: Iranian Foreign Policy: the Politics of Civilisation, Security and Economy Chapter Five: The Triangulation of U.S. Foreign Policy towards the Middle East Chapter Six: Economic Factors in Middle East Foreign Policies

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat can we learn from Islamic teachings that will take us closer to addressing today's most pressing development challenges, including forced migration and refugees, safeguarding and child welfare, gender-based violence, climate change, andpeacebuilding and conflict resolution?How can the mechanisms of charitable giving in Islam, such as zakat, sadaqah and waqf be used to fund development programmes?Islam and International Development is the culmination of extensive grass-roots experience of working among Muslim communities in developing countries, coupled with the commentary of academics and researchers. It includes analysis of successful projects that have respected and incorporated Islamic teachings into their design and delivery, so that development professionals and Muslim communities can work together to effect meaningful and sustainable change.Ajaz Ahmed Khan is a Senior Microfinance Adviser at CARE InternationalAffan Cheema is Head of Programme Quality for Islamic Relief Worldwide

Read more less

Book SynopsisFossil fuel subsidies are killing both people and the planet. By encouraging excessive consumption of fossil fuels, subsidies exacerbate pollution and climate change, make violent protests more likely, and waste huge sums that could be used far better. Yet for years there has been minimal progress in eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. This book explains what fossil fuel subsidies are, how they inflict harm and what steps are being taken to reduce them. It also shows why subsidies persist and why existing efforts have been so ineffective. Drawing lessons from countries which have tried to remove fossil fuel subsidies, it explains that the fundamental challenge to reform is not technical, but political. The catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic and the tragic war in Ukraine illustrate that fossil fuel subsidy reform will only succeed where it supports the achievement of things that really matter politically - energy security, protection from climate change, better air quality, and resources to improve people's lives. The book lays out a new agenda for action on fossil fuel subsidies, showing how a better understanding of the underlying political incentives can lead to more effective approaches to tackling this major global problem.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book analyzes global economic policies that impact rural communities, land use, food sovereignty and environmental justice. This is the 9th book in the Critical Development Studies series. It traces the global contours of contemporary agriculture, bringing a critical analysis of the origins of agribusiness in the US and its subsequent international signature. The investigation reveals that the industrialization of agriculture was a result of a dialectical movement of economic crisis and expansion, and the author''s analysis sheds new light on current debates about food sovereignty, agriculture technologies, international financial markets and farmland speculation. For those who are new to the study of agribusiness, this book provides a clear introduction to global trends. For those more engaged, it serves as a valuable overview, an excellent text for students involved in studies of agriculture and food sovereignty.

Read more less

Book Synopsis*A Sunday Times food book of the year 2019* *A Financial Times Restaurant of the Year 2019* *A Best Food Books of Autumn 2019 pick for the Telegraph* *A Food Book of the Year 2019 for The Week* Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job and starting a business of your own, cooking delicious food to make people smile? Anna Hedworth did. She opened Cook House: an award-winning restaurant housed in two shipping containers. Self-taught chef and proprietor Anna tells the story of how she plucked up the courage to realise her dream – from designing a restaurant, to menu planning, growing her own produce, foraging locally and cooking every day. Cook House is a book filled with more than 100 delicious recipes as well as a story to inspire the millions of others who dream of jumping ship. 'Anna is as impressive in her storytelling as with her food' JEREMY LEE. 'One of my favourite books of the last few years. Recipes I want to cook, things I want to eat... A book that surprised me and delighted me, one that is staying in the kitchen' RACHEL RODDY. 'Anna's food tastes like an idealised version of home to me. I want to cook – and more importantly, to eat – everything in this beautiful book' BEE WILSON. 'Inspiration on every page... This book makes you want to down tools and get cooking' JULIE JONES. 'Anna's enthusiasm bursts from the pages... Cook House made me laugh out loud and hungry. It's brilliant' JAMES WHETLOR.Trade ReviewAnna is as impressive in her storytelling as with her food -- Jeremy LeeInspiration on every single page... This book makes you want to down tools and get cooking' -- Julie JonesAnna's enthusiasm bursts from the pages... Cook House made me laugh out loud and hungry. It's brilliant' -- James WhetlorAnna's food tastes like an idealised version of home to me. I want to cook – and more importantly, to eat – everything in this beautiful book -- Bee WilsonOne of my favourite books of the last few years. Recipes I want to cook, things I want to eat... A book that surprised me and delighted me, one that is staying in the kitchen' -- Rachel RoddyEating at the Cook House feels like you are sitting in Anna Hedworth's kitchen * Olive Magazine *Gems don't come much more hidden than Cook House * Guardian *One of the 25 coolest restaurants in Britain * The Times *Imaginative, modern and "on trend" without being rootless or discordant * Daily Telegraph. *Her essays on the business are sprinkled with delicious recipes for the kind of food I'd happily eat every day * Sunday Times. *This book is full of recipes showcasing her inventive yet down-to-earth cooking, but also tells the inspiring tale of how she followed her dream to become a restaurateur * The Week *Filled with recipes that really make you want to cook * Forbes *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sweeping history of Athens, telling the three-thousand-year story of the birthplace of Western civilization, from Runciman Award winner Bruce Clark 'A stunning retrospect and beautifully written overview of one of the world's greatest cities' Paul Cartledge 'Courageously grand in scale yet sensitive to the details that make Athens' extraordinary history come alive' Sofka Zinovieff 'Bruce Clark brings an eye for the quirky, human detail, a pithy turn of phrase, and an affection for his subject honed over many decades' Roderick Beaton 'Bruce Clark's enchantingly readable history revealed how little I knew' Literary Review Dominated by the pillars and pediments of the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom, the ancient Greek city of Athens is for many synonymous with civilization itself. Athens: City of Wisdom tells the tale of a city that occupies a unique place in the cultural memory of the West. Each of the book's twenty-one chapters focuses on a critical 'moment' in the city's long history, from the reforms of the lawmaker Solon in the sixth century BCE to the travails of early twenty-first-century Athens, as a rapidly expanding city struggles with the legacy of a global economic crisis. Bruce Clark has a rich and revealing sequence of stories to tell – not only of the familiar golden age of Classical Athens, of the removal from the Acropolis of the Parthenon marbles by agents of the 7th Earl of Elgin in the early nineteenth century, or of the holding of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896; but also of the less fêted later years of antiquity, when St Paul preached on the Areopagus and neo Platonists refounded the Academy that Sulla's legions had desecrated. He also delves into Athens' forgotten medieval centuries, unearthing jewels gleaming in the Byzantine twilight, and tales of Christian fortitude and erratic Turkish governance from the four centuries of Ottoman rule that followed. Few places have enjoyed a history so rich in artistic creativity and the making of ideas as Athens; or one so curiously patterned by alternating cycles of turbulence and quietness. Writing with scholarly rigour and undisguised affection, Bruce Clark brings three thousand years of Athenian history vividly to life.Trade ReviewFrom Pheidias' Parthenon to Calatrava's Olympic Stadium, Bruce Clark has pulled off a stunning retrospect and beautifully written overview of one of the world's greatest cities. Athenophiles of all ages and stripes will find in Athens a cornucopia of city-related treasures -- Paul CartledgeA magnificent tour de force, drawing on the testimony of eye-witnesses across a span of 2,500 years. Bruce Clark brings an eye for the quirky, human detail, a pithy turn of phrase, and an affection for his subject honed over many decades -- Roderick BeatonA remarkable achievement. Courageously grand in scale yet sensitive to the details that make Athens's extraordinary history come alive, right up to the present day -- Sofka ZinovieffBruce Clark's enchantingly readable history revealed how little I knew and, perhaps more importantly, how little I knew of the ways it all fits together * Literary Review *A classic journalistic and academic analysis of the ancient and the modern * Irish News *An exhaustive yet compelling history of the Greek capital... Unmissable and highly informative * Financial Times *A triumph of a book that should be read by those who already know this city's importance and charm and those who want to. It is an extraordinary achievement * Economist *A comfortable, entertaining read which glides seamlessly from one chapter to the next * Kathimerini *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Britain's most popular railway historian, a concise, authoritative and fast-paced telling of how the railways changed the world. The arrival of the railways in the first half of the nineteenth century and their subsequent spread across every one of the world's continents acted as a spur for economic growth and social change on an extraordinary scale. The 'iron road' stimulated innovation in engineering and architecture, enabled people and goods to move around the world more quickly than ever before, and played a critical role in warfare as well as in the social and economic spheres. Christian Wolmar describes the emergence of modern railways in both Britain and the USA in the 1830s, and elsewhere in the following decade. He charts the surge in railway investment plans in Britain in the early 1840s and the ensuing 'railway mania' (which created the backbone of today's railway network), and the unstoppable spread of the railways across Europe, America and Asia. Above all, he assesses the global impact of a technology that, arguably, had the most transformative impact on human society of any before the coming of the Internet, and which, as it approaches two centuries of existence, continues to play a key role in human society in the twenty-first century. 'A lucid and engaging account of the far-reaching effects that trains have had upon society' The Railway & Canal Historical SocietyTrade ReviewChristian Wolmar – always a stimulating writer – presents a lucid and engaging account of the far-reaching effects that trains have had upon society * The Railway & Canal Historical Society *PRAISE FOR CHRISTIAN WOLMAR: 'Witty, fluent and opinionated' The Times, on To the Edge of the World. 'Fascinating... An excellent examination of one the most extraordinary engineering feats of the 19th century' Daily Express, on To the Edge of the World. 'I can think of few better ways to while away those elastic periods awaiting the arrival of the next eastbound Circle Line train than by reading [this book]' * Sunday Telegraph, on The Subterranean Railway *

Read more less

Book Synopsis*SHORT-LISTED FOR THE BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2020!* Are you a Customer Success Executive or making your way up the Customer Success ladder? Do you want to transform churn into maximum recurring revenue and growth? Are you looking for a clear route to an established framework? Are you determined to be proactive, rather than constantly firefighting, with your customers? Is your company invested in or implementing a customer-focused philosophy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book is for you! Customer Success is an emerging discipline for professionals pioneering revenue growth through customer relationships, outcomes, trust, loyalty, retention and referrals.The Customer Success Pioneer is a practical handbook for creating a best-in-practice Customer Success function from the ground up. It will help you ensure that your existing portfolio of customers become successful partners - delighted, committed and renewing - by putting in place processes that will work across your portfolio and into the future. This book will help you find the essential frameworks to maximise customer retention, recurring revenue and growth, build a productive and balanced team and excel as a Customer Success professional.Trade ReviewThe book provides a thorough overview on what is customer success. Most of the book expands on the author’s experience in building a customer success organization from the ground up. It’s rich with examples, including questions you should ask yourself, how to measure your success, how to scale your team etc. Definitely worth a good read. * Amazon.com *Table of ContentsList of figures xiiiAcknowledgements xvForeword xviiPart I Welcome to your journey 1Customer Success is…? 3How to use this book 19Part II Design. Implement. Measure. Evolve (DIME) 291.0 DIME cycle stage: Design 311.1 Research 321.2 Success is made of strong foundations and firm beliefs 451.3 Planning for Implementation 752.0 DIME cycle stage: Implement 1292.1 Commit and communicate 1302.2 Portfolio management 1452.3 Roles and resources 1573.0 DIME cycle stage: Measure 1653.1 Analysis and review 1663.2 Customer Health 1733.3 Demonstrating Value 1884.0 DIME cycle stage: Evolve 2054.1 Iterate 2064.2 Scale Customer Success 2194.3 Team development 233Key imperatives for your journey 249Glossary 253Resources 263About the author 267

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt's hard to make change happen in HR. If you're a HR manager with good ideas on making things work better that's frustrating enough, but for organisations that fail to respond to the way the world is changing the results could be fatal. In this insightful, practical book the world's top HR disruptor - Lucy Adams - explains why HR needs to change its approach if it’s to be successful in transforming its organisations. She also shares workable strategies for getting your own HR team ready, preparing the ground in your organisation, designing your change and implementing it effectively. It's up to you to lead the way - here's what you need to make it happen. Trade Review"Excellent""Practical, pragmatic, common sense and really easy to read. Some great references to other books. Loved it.""Just read The HR Change Toolkit - thank you Lucy Adams! It’s brilliant.. love her writing style, fresh approach to HR and it made me feel like I’m not going mad in my recent frustrations with 'old-school' and treacle in HR. One call out that I've already been sharing with colleagues at work is the "EACH" concept.""Great book for HR professionals""Thoroughly enjoyed this book as much as the last one. The practical workbook was a great addition. It allows for reflection about how things are done and what you want to change. I now have some actual plans to implement with my business. Lucy’s view of HR in the workplace is refreshing and inspiring. Well worth a read and to refer back to.""Really made me stop and think about my mindset and approach in my job. I questioned the way I operate day to day and came away with a different approach to managing staff.""Engaging read with lots of practical tips. If you’ve been thinking about making some changes within your HR Department, this book will help you reflect on those changes and inspire you to get started with practical tools. Some great food for thought. Definitely recommend!""If you liked HR Disrupted is a no brainer to pick this one up. I don’t have “a career in HR” but I’ve been working with them in a coaching function and HR Disrupted was a very useful book to inspire that team and spark discussions. I have gone through this one in a couple days, it’s a quick read as honest and engaging as Disrupted (and not sure if intentionally but I think some parts are hilarious - that Sean Penn story was funny!), and I plan to use it to drive new conversations at work.""The HR toolkit is a useful and practical resource for me.""When I first read HR Disrupted I couldn't believe that there was someone out there brave enough to write about how HR had been doing it wrong which was something that I had been thinking for years! The HR Change Toolkit is more of the same, with really practical advice to implement a new way of doing things. The premise is simple treat your employees like Adults, Consumers and Humans. Its a very easy read, full of useful further resources. I am fortunate enough to work for a progressive employer so I am having so much fun implementing some new ideas.""My speciality (Rob Williams Assessment) is designing bespoke psychometric tests so I had already gained some HR change knowledge from introducing new recruitment processes. Reading this book expanded my understanding by covering similar transformation issues to those my start-up clients manage: dealing with constant change and understanding exactly who their key customers are." * Amazon *Lucy's writing style is both entertaining and informative, making you want to read on.A real straight talker with many practical / tangible takeaways - love the ''Getting rid of HR speak'' for example.If you're interested in a modern / forward thinking approach to HR, buy this book! * amazon.co.uk *Table of ContentsThe Frustration of Change Section 1: EACH of Us Has a Role to Play Section 2: Why HR Finds Change Hard Section 3: Prepare Your HR Team Build Your HR Team's Credibility Get Rid of 'HR Speak' Review Your Team's Beliefs and Skills Your Change Readiness Check Section 4: Prepare the Ground in Your Organisation Create Your Change Story What's Your Problem? The Scary Six Align HR With Your External Brand Build Useful Coalitions Get Regulators On Your Side Focus on Your End Customer Section 5: Design Your Change Don't Embark on HR Transformation Segment and Target Your Employees Create Employee Personas Beware Of The 90/10 Rule Think Products, Not Services How Product Designers Do it Design Experiences, Not Processes Section 6: Help Your Change to Happen Understand Why Humans Behave the Way They Do Lead Change the Human Way Empower Your Front Line Pilot Your Change Brand and Launch Your Change Make Use of HR Technology Measure the Impact Know Your Limits Section 7: A Test Case: Changing Performance Management Section 8: 20 Changes You Can Make Right Now Section 9: Essential Reading About the Author Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost books and presentations on networking stick to its behavioural aspects. This approach is necessary but not sufficient. Successful networking is about the successful initiation and nurturing of relationships with other business people, which requires emotional intelligence and an understanding of how to apply it in order to sustain networking relationships. When networking is not going well (or at all), many businesspeople’s response is ‘OK, I’m doing what you told me. How come it isn’t working?’ The answer is that people don’t so much need behavioural tips (though these are always useful and are included in this book), they need to understand why they are getting in their own way, and how to move aside. On the whole, people don’t successfully change their behaviour without understanding why they should. Network Better provides the necessary insight into what’s going on as well as many practical, tried-and-tested suggestions and encouragements to enable you to do just that.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor such a beautiful industry, there is a lot of ugly behind the scenes in modelling. Exploitation has always existed in the fashion industry, because it is so aspirational. By cutting through the smoke and mirrors, The Model Manifesto empowers and educates models to take control of their lives into their own hands and educates the public on the reality of what's involved in modelling. Leanne Maskell has drawn on her 13 years of experience working as an international model together with her legal background to create this easy-to-understand, A-Z guide in order to end exploitation of vulnerable models and wanna-be models. With contributions from top industry experts, The Model Manifesto includes solid advice on everything from mental health issues to paying tax. It covers every aspect of the modelling industry in detail to give an honest and realistic insider view, covering both the highs and the lows.The way to end the exploitation and the ugly in the industry is by education, awareness and building change from the inside out. Trade ReviewAmazon reviews: "A must read for young inspiring models. Educational and a real eye opener.""...A very informative and well-written book which is a must-read for anyone thinking of entering or participating in such a profession...""Great book, a must for any aspiring young model. Well done to Leanne Maskell for highlighting what goes on in the modelling industry.""A very well written and truly informative book. A really valuable and much needed insight into the modelling industry, with practical and sound advice on how to make the most out of the opportunities it provides.""From a young writer such a truthful insight into a up until now a close business. And very well written." * Amazon *"Loved it""...If you are a parent, a friend, or an individual who is wanting to begin a career as a model, please read this book asap.""This book is a must read for any model or aspiring model. Even those who aren't models and have a friend or family member who is, or other people in the industry will find this an interesting read. It's an A to Z on the modelling industry with advice on everything from how to build your portfolio to how to manage your money effectively and even how to stay safe at castings...""I've been modelling for a very long time and this book answered so many of the questions I've wanted to know for years! It covers everything you need to know about how to enter and navigate the industry - I found the chapters on tax and legal particularly interesting as this seems to be such a grey area, and it was so helpful to gain some clarity. This book is such a useful tool to have - thank you Leanne :-)""Fabulous book!! Couldn't recommend it enough for anyone desiring legit information about modeling worldwide! Hoping that this book does exceptionally well because it's a spectacular resource giving an insider's perspective! I should know because I've been managing fashion models for decades. ;-)""Informative and helpful for current and aspiring models. Practical advice from long experience in the modelling profession and three Industry." "...This book is a tremendous service to models and the industry at large. It is painstakingly well-researched by a woman who was in the trenches of the industry and who vulnerably shares some of her more trying, exasperating experiences in an effort save others from similarly painful, costly (both literally and emotionally), and even dangerous situations. As someone who has been in the entertainment industry for nearly 15+ years, I learned things that I should well have known before now -- if only there had been someone courageous enough to talk about them. Well, now there is." * amazon.com *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction A is for Agency B is for Book C is for Castings 7 D is for Dangers E is for Expenses F is for Finance G is for Gratitude H is for Hair and Skin Care I is for Instagram J is for Jobs K is for Knowing What to Expect L is for Legal M is for Measurements N is for Networking O is for Overseas P is for Posing Q is for Questions R is for Rejection S is for Sexual Exploitation T is for Tax U is for Unionising V is for Visas W is for Walk X is for X-Rated Y is for Your Career Z is for Zen Conclusion Manifesto for Change: A Call to Action Glossary Additional Reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisWomen make up the majority of university graduates. They enter the workplace in equal numbers with men. But many workplaces still operate with cultures developed over a century ago to reflect a predominantly male workforce and vastly differing social expectations. So all too often as women become parents they are forced to fix things in the only way they can - by downgrading their job expectations or dropping out of the corporate world. Anna Meller believes it’s high time we #Upcycled our jobs and careers to fit today's lifestyles and meet women's changed expectations. Her PROPEL model offers ambitious working mothers new possibilities for progressing their corporate careers. In this book, Anna leads you through an evidence-based six step process that supports you in finding the balance you need. Practical exercises enable you to craft a working arrangement that meets your employer’s expectations as well as your own aspirations, and to develop the key skills you need to maintain it.Trade Review"I loved the ideas and the scientific part of the book. It is useful especially nowadays when we are so connected online. Loved the book and the way the ideas were structured in a logical manner." * NetGalley *As a mother I was definitely someone who felt my career I had worked so hard for definitely no longer fitted in with my other life priorities. Anna's book pulls out some new ideas and themes around how you can re-design and re-craft your career to fit with the rest of your life. There are some super helpful checklists, great searching questions that are really well-worded to get you to ask yourself how you can apply these approaches to changing the way your career/life balance looks. * amazon.co.uk *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Part 1 Preparing to #Upcycle Chapter 1 The three things we need to #Upcycle (or why women struggle to lean in) Chapter 2 How to #Upcycle your corporate future Part 2 Your tailored #Upcycling strategy Chapter 3 Preferences Chapter 4 Roles Chapter 5 Options Chapter 6 Possibilities Chapter 7 Essential skills Chapter 8 Leadership Part 3 Power tools for #Upcycling Chapter 9 Introducing positive psychology Chapter 10 Parting thoughts Acknowledgements References About the author Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAre you running your business or is it running you? Running a small business can take over your life but it doesn’t have to be that way. Choosing and using the right technology and systems can transform the way your business works and this book shows you how! No matter how technophobic you are, Sorted! will quickly help you find the small changes that will make a big difference to your business. If you’re more tech savvy, you’ll love the ninja tips to take your business to the next level. Feel more confident in your choice of technology and systems for the future, because whatever your plans are, you need the right systems in place to help you achieve them. Trade ReviewI am half way through this book and I am finding it so useful. The advice that is given, along with the free downloads, actions and checklists are invaluable as a review of my business. I am sure that any new business owner would find it just as valuable.There are lots of free systems that "Sorted" can help you with, alternatives to paid versions to start you off when cash is tight. I am looking forward to reading the rest! * amazon.co.uk *Table of ContentsIn the beginning ..........................................................1 How to get the most from this book ............................ 1 1. Be realistic .................................................................... 1 2. Be committed .............................................................. 2 3. Be kind .......................................................................... 2 Systems vs tools .............................................................. 4 How to use this book ..................................................... 4 1. To solve a specifi c problem ....................................... 4 2. To help you plan your ideal business and then carry out the steps required to get there. ........... 5 Chapter 1: Getting started ........................................7 The SORTED Framework ................................................ 9 Rule 1. All businesses have three departments ......... 10 Rule 2. There are three stages of business.................. 11 Before you start choosing your systems and tools ... 14 How will you do your work? ........................................ 15 What is your business? ................................................. 17 Chapter 1 checklist ..................................................... 22 Chapter 2: Client attraction: getting customers ...25 Word of mouth ............................................................. 26 Offl ine advertising ........................................................ 26 Email marketing ........................................................... 27 What is email marketing? ............................................. 27 The rules of email marketing ........................................ 28 What does an email marketing tool do? ................... 31 Which system to use? ................................................... 35 Moving on from free tools ............................................ 36 Websites ........................................................................ 38 Domain names and web hosting ............................... 39 What do you want from a website? ........................... 40 What is the simplest way to get a website? .............. 44 Wordpress.com vs Wordpress.org ............................... 44 Measuring ...................................................................... 46 Google Analytics .......................................................... 47 Landing pages .............................................................. 48 What are the options? .................................................. 48 Social media ................................................................ 49 Facebook ....................................................................... 50 Twitter ............................................................................. 53 Instagram ....................................................................... 54 LinkedIn .......................................................................... 55 Social media scheduling ............................................ 56 What are the options? .................................................. 56 Chapter 2 checklist ..................................................... 57 Chapter 3: Delivery: great customer service .........59 How to consistently deliver above expectations .... 59 Standardisation: over-delivering’s best friend .......... 60 What are the options? .................................................. 62 Presenting your process diagrams .............................. 64 Standardisation tools .................................................... 65 Checklist tools ................................................................ 65 How to get started ........................................................ 67 What to do with all this information ............................ 68 Templates ..................................................................... 69 Customer Relationship Management Tools ............. 69 So what does a CRM tool do? .................................... 70 Why use a CRM tool? ................................................... 71 What are the options? .................................................. 73 HubSpot .......................................................................... 75 Keap ............................................................................... 75 Client communication ................................................ 76 What are the options? .................................................. 76 Creating content ......................................................... 77 Written content ............................................................. 78 Audio content ............................................................... 79 Video content ............................................................... 80 Webinars ........................................................................ 82 Online programmes and memberships ..................... 82 What are the ways of delivering an online course or membership programme?........................................... 83 Events ............................................................................ 85 Publicity .......................................................................... 85 Booking systems ............................................................ 85 Chapter 3 checklist ..................................................... 87 Chapter 4: Behind the scenes: make your life easier ................................................89 Keeping it all above board ........................................ 89 Things to think about ................................................... 89 Registering your business .............................................. 89 Insurance ....................................................................... 90 Data protection ............................................................ 90 Finance ......................................................................... 91 Bookkeeping vs accounting ........................................ 92 Accounting .................................................................... 93 The fi nance information you need to keep track of ........................................................................... 93 Accounting tools ........................................................... 95 Getting paid .................................................................. 98 Information storage ................................................... 102 Physical storage .......................................................... 103 Cloud storage.............................................................. 104 The internet and computers ..................................... 107 Internet ......................................................................... 110 Browsers ........................................................................ 113 Extensions ..................................................................... 117 Email ............................................................................ 118 What sort of email do you want? .............................. 118 Choice of email address – webmail or domain-based ............................................................. 118 Where to get a domain ............................................. 119 Email hosting ................................................................ 120 Email client ................................................................... 121 Calendars ................................................................... 131 Calendar options ........................................................ 132 Booking systems .......................................................... 139 Time and task management .................................... 141 Time management tools ............................................ 141 Time tracking ............................................................... 141 Task management ...................................................... 143 Simple tools .................................................................. 144 Offi ce tools ................................................................. 149 Word processing ......................................................... 151 Spreadsheets are cool ............................................... 152 Presentations ............................................................... 154 Cool tools .................................................................... 156 Make some space in your brain! Use a note tool ... 156 Make your business beautiful: design tools .............. 158 Capturing information: surveys and feedback ....... 159 Keep it safe… ............................................................. 165 What can you do? ...................................................... 166 Chapter 4 checklist ................................................... 168 Chapter 5: Bringing it all together .........................173 Choosing a new tool ................................................. 173 Requirements defi nition .............................................. 174 The ‘suck it and see’ method .................................... 175 Creating your action plan ........................................ 176

Read more less

Book SynopsisForget everything you’ve been told about maximizing Lifetime Customer Value. To take your business to the next level, you need a brand strategy that’s focused on attracting new customers, not exploiting existing ones. In this transparent digital age, smart business leaders know that profitable growth comes from helping customers, not exploiting them. Attractive Thinking sets out a ground-breaking methodology, developed during 30 years’ experience transforming brands for Pepsi, Mars, Miracle Gro and many high-end service businesses, to achieve exactly that. Discover the five key questions you must answer to create a better brand strategy and the tools to deliver it: clarity on what matters to customers; products and services that customers love; marketing that attracts them; and a team that is committed to delivering it. Attractive Thinking is a practical handbook for CEOs, managing directors and marketers who want to make the big-brand techniques work for them.Trade ReviewEngaging and easy to read book about building strong brand with a customer in mind. Attractive Thinking is about providing something that is just what the customer needs at that time. The art of doing this by answering five simple questions is described in the book. Although the questions are pretty simple, the way your business answers them determines future success in this competitive world. * NetGalley *Chris's book cuts through all the marketing mumbo jumbo and provides a clear road map for anyone putting together a brand or business strategy. A disciple of Byron Sharp’s marketing science, Chris explains in plain English how to create winning propositions that will attract more customers. Properly followed, the approach delivers buy-in across all levels and disciplines, so everyone feels involved and committed to the plan. That’s a winning combination; super clear strategy and cross company commitment. If you are faced with a growth challenge, especially in a new role, you should adopt some 'Attractive Thinking'. * amazon.co.uk *I loved this book. It had so many unusual insights in it. It introduced me to authors like Byron Sharp, who have produced important insights that are not readily understandable. Chris does a brilliant job of turning those ideas into prose that anyone can understand. This is a highly recommended book for anyone wanting to know more about marketing and branding. * amazon.co.uk *

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou must have felt the Itch. The urge to change gear, shift focus to your true talents, learn, travel, have an adventure. But somehow it hasn’t happened. While you’re spending your life ticking boxes, following regulations and expectations and ignoring your itch to do things differently, your incredible personal resources, dreams and plans remain untapped and dormant.But you are more capable than you think. Much more is possible than you dare to believe.This book invites you on a journey: scratch your every-year itch and discover an inexhaustible well of energy and lifelong development.Do try this at home!Trade ReviewI really enjoyed this book literally from the first page. Each chapter was the perfect length and packed a punch. She didn't ramble on and on like some self-help books. I definitely learned some things out of this one. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. "Reflect and act." * NetGalley *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe way HR is working isn’t working. A global epidemic of workplace unhappiness, poor engagement and high churn shows that our well-intended HR interventions just aren’t cutting it.So, how can we put the ‘human’ back into Human Resources? Combining her own research with 20 years’ experience of leading OD and cultural change, Kath Howard encourages HR leaders to think big and to think personal. Accessible and compelling, People Not Paperclips is a refreshing blend of practical insights, stories, and tools that will help you create an environment in which your people can do their best work. It explores how we can attract, recruit, develop and support our people with heart, and why this really matters.People Not Paperclips positions HR professionals at the forefront of cultural change bringing humanity back into the workplace.· Combines expertise in OD and Psychology with interviews with business and HR leaders· An accessible and practical guide for HR leaders to build a workable OD plan for their businessA practical toolkit for creating people-centred HR services, processes, and practices, with accompanying online materialsTrade ReviewThis book is a must read for both established HR professionals and those embarking on a career in Human Resources. It provides a platform to reflect on current people centred approaches and to establish new approaches for the future. The author writes with a refreshing level of sensitivity and compassion and the belief that we can rehumanize HR. The sections in the book are well structured to help you explore the topic through research, stories and personal experiences. It is in all our interests to release the potential in our employees and this book will help to rekindle our determination and resolve to find a way to give them the support they need. It is a guide that we can all turn to time and again. * amazon.co.uk *This book is a really great combination of theory, practical application and ideas to take forwards. Kath brings a really refreshing view of Human Resources which challenges your thoughts and I have found really inspirational. A really accessible and great read! * amazon.co.uk *This excellent book is a must read for HR professionals at all levels. HR directors will find it useful as will those starting out in their career. It is succinct and well written, unlike some professional tomes! It is easy to use and full of useful accessible information and guidance. * amazon.co.uk *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCollaborative Creativity is a powerful methodology for groups that uses short bursts of creative challenges to help people go beyond rational/conscious thinking and uncover, with constructive consequences, the emotional/irrational sphere that influences behaviour. It was developed by Peter Comber specifically for the complex environment of the healthcare industry, and this how-to manual for managers of healthcare companies offers practical advice on how to employ creative processes in their sector.Trade ReviewI'm not even finished with this book, and it's already clear to me that it is a 5-Star piece of writing and an incredibly practical resource.Having done considerable work with Peter Comber over the past 15 years, I can attest that he is the real deal -- and so is his book. I've seen, firsthand, how Pete gets the best thinking from groups of people, and this book shares his brilliant tips on how to capture that kind of lightning in a bottle.For anyone wanting to foster greater creativity and collaboration in their workplace, get this book. You'll be glad you did. * Amazon.com *Table of ContentsAbout the author ........................................................................ xiii Acknowledgements .........................................................................xv A brief introduction to Collaborative Creativity ................. 1 Part 1: The foundations of Collaborative Creativity ..7 The five forces of Collaborative Creativity .......................... 9 Self-discovery ............................................................................ 12 Empathy .................................................................................... 16 Invention................................................................................... 21 Realization ................................................................................ 27 Cohesion ................................................................................... 31 Five-in-one ............................................................................... 36 Making sense ..................................................................... 41 Exceptional pharma ........................................................... 47 Creativity and ideas ........................................................... 51 Part 2: How to use Collaborative Creativity .............59 Do-it-yourself .................................................................... 61 Terminology not jargon .................................................... 65 The eight principles of Collaborative Creativity ................ 69 Clearly stated objective ............................................................. 70 Rational and emotional responses ............................................ 72 Exercises are unique to each project ........................................ 74 Multiple, diverse exercises ........................................................ 76 Safe and stimulating environment ............................................ 78 Individual, team and group tasks ............................................. 81 Repetitive organizing structure ................................................. 82 Group discussion ending .......................................................... 83 The Collaborative Creativity project .................................. 85 Problem paper .......................................................................... 86 Project briefing ......................................................................... 86 Mapping .................................................................................... 87 Project statement and project design ........................................ 88 Project output ........................................................................... 92 The Collaborative Creativity session .................................. 93 Coach ........................................................................................ 94 Moderator ................................................................................. 94 Participants ................................................................................ 94 Other actors .............................................................................. 95 Collaborative Creativity session agenda .................................... 95 Designing a Collaborative Creativity session ............................ 96 Refining the session ................................................................100 Before and after the session ...................................................102 Collaborative Creativity exercises .................................... 105 Curating the flow of the exercises in a session .....................106 Inventing a creative exercise ..................................................110 Designing the worksheet and stimuli .....................................116 Collaborative Creativity exercise formats ........................ 119 Time travel ..............................................................................119 Lifebelt ....................................................................................121 Transforma ..............................................................................123 Collage ....................................................................................124 Identikit ..................................................................................127 Parallel universe ......................................................................129 Pre-session exercises ...............................................................130 Moderating ...................................................................... 133 Preparation ..............................................................................133 Session moderation .................................................................134 Deposition ...............................................................................141 Change and opportunity ................................................. 143 Quality office time .................................................................144 Mass distraction ......................................................................144 The soul in the machine ........................................................145 Signal-to-noise ratio ...............................................................146 Plastic brains ...........................................................................146 Trains and helicopters ............................................................147 Further resources ................................................................... 149 Further reading on how we think and act ............................................149 Further reading on creativity ..............................................................150

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost of us have experienced change being ‘done’ to us – badly. It really doesn’t have to be that way! This book is for managers who have tried to deliver business change but felt frustrated and disempowered by the experience. It is for people who want to stand up and make a difference igniting and inspiring successful change but don’t know where to start. This book is a complete toolkit for aspiring Change Superheroes!Lucinda Carney C.Psychol uses her decades of business experience to: · explain the repeated, human causes of failed change· uncover the secrets to delivering sustainable change· provide prospective Change Superheroes with the confidence to deliver their own successful business change· share case studies; downloadable tools and real-life examples of successful change.Let’s change the way we do Change!Trade ReviewThis was full of useful, practical tips but grounded in research - it does a good job of dealing with the real world not a theoretical business-school or unicorn view of the world.It's also an easy and enjoyable read - plenty to make you think without being dry. Overall I found it encouraging and positive and it maybe rekindled a belief that real change is possible to achieve. * Amazon.co.uk *A great read for some change thinking! 📚Love the format of the book, especially the summaries & mini case study examples after each chapter!Must say - it’s a great book for those who want to make a real difference in their organisation & bring creditability to HR & the wider business! * amazon.co.uk *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ................................................................ vii About the author ..................................................................... xi Introduction .............................................................................. 1 Part I The five Superpowers of a Change Superhero .....5 Chapter 1 Courage................................................................. 9 Chapter 2 Connecting with strategy ................................... 25 Chapter 3 Corroboration ..................................................... 41 Chapter 4 Communication ................................................. 55 Chapter 5 Collaboration ..................................................... 71 Part II Change Challenges ........................................85 Chapter 6 Individual responses to change......................... 89 Chapter 7 Personality and change ................................... 103 Chapter 8 Culture, values and leadership ........................ 115 Chapter 9 Cultural Challenges .......................................... 133 Part III Building a Change Master Plan .................... 145 Chapter 10 Build your Change League ............................. 147 Chapter 11 Planning large-scale change ......................... 161 Chapter 12 Building the Communication Plan ................ 177 Chapter 13 The process of large-scale change ................ 197 Conclusion ............................................................................ 213 Works cited ........................................................................... 217

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhatever you’re going through with your business, and whatever stage you’re at, this book can help. Entrepreneur Nick Suckley has built four start-ups and managed three exits over the last 20 years, through good and bad economic times and all the ups and downs, the challenges and joys, of being your own boss.He’s distilled his many years’ experience – good and bad – into these 75 life-lessons for starting, growing and selling companies. Start. Scale. Sell.will help you navigate your journey as a business owner. Discover:· the importance of acting like an entrepreneur – even before you take the plunge; · the simple Golden Rule for maximising profits· why investing in yourself and your own learning is so crucial· how to hustle and when to pivot· the secrets to building a strong brand and much more.These bite-sized lessons offer accessible, no-nonsense advice for even the most time-poor entrepreneur. It’s a blueprint for business success from an author who has been there, done it and has several T-shirts to prove it.Nick Suckley is a successful serial entrepreneur with the battle scars to prove it. Now you can take advantage of the lessons he learnt the hard way.Trade ReviewVery much enjoyed turning the pages on this one - a succinct and (very!) honest dose of reality for those who with plans to build, or be part of building, a business. The book cites 75 lessons, but you're left feeling like you've taken that little bit extra away too - the way the author humanises the journey through anecdotes is relatable, and leaves you thinking that you've been on the journey too. A particularly engaging writing style.A must read, and I hope that there will be another release soon (?)! * amazon.co.uk *Very practical tips from a serial entrepreneur who has been through the journey and converted his experience to short, useful and relevant tips which one can utilize in their own entrepreneurial journey. The book can be used as a blueprint through which we can navigate the startup setup starting from the basic ideation, sales target setting, funding and much more. With 75 practical lessons this book is high on information and advice and the style of writing on a one to one basis makes it an easy book to digest in a 1-2 straight sitting. Highly recommended both as a guide and a practical book on entreprenuership. * Netgalley *Table of ContentsPart 1 Lessons on how to get startedLesson 1: The Founder’s Mindset. Treat yourself as self-employed even if you have a job.Lesson 2: It’s all about spotting the opportunity. Is there a market for what you are doing?Lesson 3: Don’t underestimate how long it will take. Use the time from idea to execution wisely.Lesson 4: Take time with your business plan. You won’t think of everything but it will help.Lesson 5: The Six-Month effect. Hope for the best and plan for the worst. Lesson 6: Banks – beware Lesson 7: Look after your business by looking after yourselfLesson 8: How hard do I need to work? Have I earned my money today?Lesson 9: Push versus pull factors in getting startedLesson 10: Get real about where your sales will come fromLesson 11: Having little to lose in the early days means you can be ballsy. Don’t underestimate the power of offering an outside view.Lesson 12: Making money while you sleepLesson 13: Raising external investment: beware the pitfalls Lesson 14: Company valuations: getting to your first £1 million – and beyondPart 2. Lessons for the growth phaseLesson 15: Sweat equity: you can only sell shares in your company once, so be smart about how much you trade, and for what Lesson 16: Just do it Lesson 17: Walk the walk #1: establish your company valuesLesson 18: Walk the walk #2: decide what will you stand forLesson 19: Get your shareholdings right and adjust them if need be. It will avoid more serious problems down the line.Lesson 20: Understand how you make money. Get your finances in orderLesson 21: Why productivity matters Lesson 22: Manage your cash as if your life depends on itLesson 23: Why every company needs a war chestLesson 24: Hustling for growth. Why you should ask for business...but you can’t hustle for everLesson 25: Don’t be afraid to pivot. Especially if it is better for your customersLesson 26: It’s not all glory scaling a business. Be prepared to roll up your sleevesLesson 27: How to build successful joint venturesLesson 28: Growth phase: building a money-making machineSCALEPart 3: Lessons for Scaling Up: The Coming of Age phase Lesson 29: Perception is reality #1: how an office move can re-invigorate growthLesson 30: Perception is reality #2: your brand is far more important than you realiseLesson 31: Do you really need a non-executive board? Or should you be looking elsewhere?Lesson 32: Everyone needs an elevator pitch. Here’s how to write one.Lesson 33: Insight can be an effective way to engage with potential customersLesson 34: Get the right management information and use it to inform your decision making Lesson 35: How building a coaching culture can help you avoid problems before they become criticalLesson: 36: Red Team can help you make better decisionsLesson 37: Remove the temptation for fraud wherever you canLesson 38: The resource trap: how to ensure you have the right resource in the right places.Lesson 39: Diversification: take care when launching or investing in other businessesLesson 40: Pick your battles: when to let a legal challenge goLesson 41: The downside of a successful JVLesson 42: Building technology? Understand what you’re getting into, and the skills you’ll needLesson 43: Opportunistic approaches versus a planned exit. When should you start thinking (seriously) about an exit?Part 4: Lessons for Scaling Up: Surviving tough timesLesson 44: ShowtimeLesson 45: Be brutally realistic about how much business is on the horizonLesson 46: Bite the bullet – sometimes redundancies are better than endless uncertaintyLesson 47: Never make a loss. It means you will never lose controlLesson 48: Use the Power of Three to maintain focus and directionLesson 49: Every downturn is different. Sometimes you just need to sit it out Lesson 50: The Importance of investing in yourself. Why lifelong learning is importantLesson 51: Don’t agonise over rates of staff turnover. Employees are more mobile than ever and people are going to leaveLesson 52: Stronger marketing will bring more sales and help you survive a downturn.Lesson 53: How to identify and avoid poor performing sales peopleLesson 54: Hire slow and fire fastPart 5: Lessons for Scaling Up: Building Scale for SaleLesson 55: Your role as CEOLesson 56: The importance of scale: getting to £1m profitLesson 57: Why founder-shareholder alignment is critical Lesson 58: Boosting profitability: use the right toolsLesson 59: Ramping up marketing and sales: have clear product pitches and marketing messages - and use themLesson 60: Build a high-performance team – and be ready to give them the autonomy they need to make a difference Lesson 61: Getting sale ready – plan ahead and give yourself 12 to 18 months.SELLPart 6: Lessons for Selling UpLesson 62: Don’t allow a well meaning buyer distract you from the job you need to do post sale .Lesson 63: Timing and the economic cycle; the impact on deal structure Lesson 64: Don’t let your emotions get in the way of the right deal – focus on the bigger picture and don’t fixate on small details.Lesson 65: The right advisor can help you reach the widest audience of potential buyers. Beware doing it yourself.Lesson 66: Your Investor Memorandum is your shop window. Spend time getting it right; you can only sell your company once.Lesson 67: Meet as wide a range of suitors as you can. Demand can come from interesting places you hadn’t previously considered.Lesson 68: Think beyond the deal. Do not ignore the fact that you will be living with what comes after the transactionLesson 69: Don’t be afraid to walk away from a bad deal – even if it is from an appealing buyerLesson 70: Don’t be afraid to pause the whole process if need be. It’s emotionally tough but the right deal will come along eventuallyLesson 71: Deal structures and securing a premiumLesson 72: The deal that is right for the company may not be right for all the individuals concernedLesson 73: Anticipate due diligence – and prepare for it to be a full-time job when the time comes Lesson 74: Keep lawyers in their place. They can easily derail a dealLesson 75: Think about what happens post-sale

Read more less

Book Synopsis***BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2022 SHORTLISTED TITLE******THE PEOPLE' BOOK PRIZE 2022/23 SHORTLISTED TITLE***Struggling? You’re in the right place.In a world that’s obsessed with fast hacks, quick wins, and Instagram-perfection (cue “Everything is Awesome”) struggle has become a taboo. A sign that something’s gone horribly wrong. But what if we’ve got it all wrong about getting it wrong?What if struggle isn’t a battle to fight, a trap to avoid, or a sign of weakness? What if struggle is precisely where the magic happens - where we do our best, most important work?Whether you’re wading in treacle, waiting for the storm to pass or just damn tired of the hustle, this thought-provoking exploration will shine a surprising new light on the truth, beauty and opportunity hidden in life’s shittier moments.Author of the award-winning ‘How to be Really Productive’, Grace Marshall is known for her “refreshingly human” approach to productivity. Featured in The Guardian, Forbes, Huffpost and BBC Radio, her work as a Productivity Ninja has taken her from Norway to New York, helping thousands of people - from startup founders to corporate managers, artists to engineers, students and CEOs - to replace stress, overwhelm and frustration with success, sanity and satisfaction.Trade ReviewUplifting and inspiring! Written in short bite size chunks which makes this a really easy read. You’ll find yourself underlining, circling & highlighting nuggets as you read & probably want to reread it.Grace’s vulnerability shines through which makes this really accessible and real! * Amazon *I have a hard work story; for most of my life I have felt that if something was easy, I'd be looking for the catch. I'd over complicate and my brain would shift into multi-layer thinking ... when actually the simplest option was often the most effective. This is why I was drawn to the title of Struggle. I love how the author embraces the process of struggle and it's made me see that my over-complication tendencies are actually helpful. I don't have to get frustrated because it's important part of my creative process. Without this, I'd be unsatisfied that I've come up with the best outcome.I love how the book has been written in short, easy to read chapters and this will be one that I will come back to time and time again, just to open up on a page and read for a moment or two. Inspiration dripping from every chapter, and the references to personal stories just makes it so relatable. * Amazon *Table of ContentsThe full content of the book is still evolving, so below are some initial chapter examples within a three part structure.Part 1: SmarterWhat if we stopped seeing struggle as a battle to fight or a problem to fix? We see opportunity, not obstacle. Stop squeezing and our world expands. Oh shit.What is this shit?Wrong turn, right where the magic is The guy who gets all the complaintsThat thing that’s irritating youFight, Flight, or… Unlocking chaosThings we miss when we rageThe meaning we makePay attentionFind the treasureBeyond binariesLife, interruptedSmall victoriesSomeone else’s shitWhat about the dog? Objects in the mirrorPart 2: BraverWhat if we stopped seeing struggle as a wrong turn or a trap to avoid? We know we're right where the magic is created. We trust the process. We discover what's beyond the boundaries.The end of the world as we know itInto the unknownFeeling lostDivergent thinkingDead ends, new beginningsSuccess is not a straight line (heck it’s not even one line)The messy middleHot waterDoldrumsThe morning after Seasons and cyclesA beautiful life The cave you fearThe truth about couragePart 3: StrongerWhat if we stopped seeing struggle as a sign of weakness or failure? We stretch. We grow. We become stronger.We can do hard thingsStretch and growThe butterfly’s cocoonResilience, not immunityI get knocked downStruggle revealsUnintended superpowersThe beauty of not quite fitting inGrowth and maturityWho we becomeNew rules outside the comfort zoneLamentations and joyComrades and co-conspirators Alternatives to being the fixerSorry, not sorryJoy of not being able to do it allWhat makes you strong doesn’t make me weakThe world of the generous

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book was written to turn you ON – to ignite you from the core of your being! The contents are designed to vitally inspire you to cultivate meaning, passion, and purpose in the everyday moments, unleashing the very best version of you, every day. And then, you will be compelled to bring it – and bring it strong - to everything you do to make the contribution worthy of your one, precious life. People are motivated at their highest levels when they can connect their work contributions to a greater purpose and mission, and you as their inspirational leader can help them do so. The world desperately needs a sea change in an otherwise soul-sucking workplace that is draining the life out of its members. This book will transform you to be that force, standing strong in inspiration and purpose, igniting the vitalizing ripple through your team and organization. Starting with meaning and finishing with purpose, Part One is designed to get you fit for living and leading with “gusto.” Each chapter contains activities designed to transform you into a more impassioned and inspirational leader. Part Two teaches you how to unleash that newly found vibrant being to ignite your team members to realize their own greatness and elevate your organization’s cause to a higher contribution that betters the world. Work and the way business is done can be such profoundly powerful forces for good that elevate humanity – your impassioned, inspirational, and purposeful leadership is essential to creating a world we all want to live in. Your journey awaits – let’s get to work. Key features: · Provides a 6-point framework to live with passion and work on purpose · Inspiring stories from Alise’s radio show guests to illustrate key points · Application activities in each chapter to catalyze your transformationTrade ReviewI enjoyed Alise Cortez's book immensely and found great inspiration in many of the stories she includes.I think there is a time in everyone's life when this book will resonate and strike home. There are videos and worksheets to accompany the book, so if you give it time then the book will have more reach within. I certainly found more depth and interest in doing the activities and giving it some reflection time. I admit however, whilst I completed the book, I didn't complete all the activities (yet). However, if you're serious about this area of your life: do them! I'm sure they will add value. * NetGalley *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTIONPART ONE: GETTING YOU FIT FOR LIFE AND LEADERSHIPCHAPTER 1: MEANING – YOUR ULTIMATE SOURCE OF ENERGYLogotherapy as a Way of LifeWhat Will You Do with Your One, Precious Life?Your Lens – Your Unique Vantage PointMindset – Your Governing StarHugging Your Adversity – To Stake Claim to YourselfOn the Hunt for Gratitude – Be a “Moment Hunter”Ikigai – A Framework for a Meaningful LifeFinal Thoughts on MeaningCHAPTER 2: IDENTITY AND BECOMING – YOUR INTIMATE DANCE WITH LIFESo, Who Are You, Anyway? Self-Awareness is Job #1Form, Function, and Process of Formation – YOU as a Life ProjectThe Power of Storytelling – Crafting, Editing and Sharing YoursFinal Thoughts on IdentityCHAPTER 3: WELL-BEING – CARING FOR THE ENGINE THAT POWERS YOUPositive Emotions – Not Just for the OptimistsEmotional Intelligence – Your Distinguishing Super PowerConnection and Relationships – Your LifelineHuman Agency and Self-EfficacyGetting It Done – Savoring AccomplishmentMindfulness and MeditatingThe Right Kind of TensionFinal Thoughts on Well-Being CHAPTER 4: PASSION – YOUR UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLDSuffering and Pain – The Original Meaning of PassionWhat Do You Really Love?Employing the Curiosity ToolPassion – Energy, at WorkGet to It – Hustle!Grit – No, Not the Dirty Stuff Under Your NailsFinal Thoughts on PassionCHAPTER 5: INSPIRATION - BREATHING LIFE INTO YOUR BEINGBe Inspired – It’s an Action VerbInspired by PossibilitiesAuthenticity as an Opening to Experience and RelationshipsWhat Moves You?Creativity Can Come from the Most Surprising PlacesLife is “Awe-Some” – Don’t Miss ItCHAPTER 6: PURPOSE – YOUR REASON FOR BEING THAT MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACEUniquely YouDiscovering Your PurposeDeath – YoursAt Your Funeral – The EulogyHalf Time as the Game StarterFinal Thoughts on Purpose

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow would you like to lead yourself towards extraordinary results without ever stopping yourself in your tracks? You are driven, goal-orientated and aspire to more: you are a leader, at work and at home. So, how do you step up to that next level? By getting out of your own way and pushing through your fears and past your comfort zone. But reaching that edge is scary... In Lead Beyond The Edge, Frederique Murphy provides you with the mind strategies you need to rewire your brain for success. You will know how to overcome any challenges to accomplish anything, anytime, anywhere. Discover scientific strategies to lead transformations from within. Learn by doing more than just reading to enhance your cognitive functions. Access a powerful 12-step framework to fire up your brain on command. You can lead beyond the edge but only if you know what to do when your brain resists. Thanks to Frederique’s actionable strategies, memorable science and personal stories, experience self-directed neuroplasticity by building this bold path and make your extraordinary happen! FREDERIQUE MURPHY is a leadership mindset strategist, who inspires and equips leaders to move through extraordinary change. With her Mountain Moving Mindset platform, as an international keynote speaker and award-winning consultant, she works with global organizations, tapping into the power of their leaders’ minds to rewire their brains for success. Frederique lives in Ireland with her husband, and off stage, you will find her baking, practicing yoga, hiking or dancing.Trade ReviewEnthusiasm bursts out of this book, as Murphy shares her framework for increasing self-confidence, overcoming self-doubt and limitations, and pushing beyond the comfort zone. She shows how her framework is underpinned by neuroscience and illustrates with case studies as well as her own personal story... If Frederique talks as she writes, I suspect she’s a great motivational speaker. Emily Hutchinson, Associate Editor (books), Director of Apply Psychology * The Psychologist *In reading this book you will appreciate how the author demystifies how to work with your brain, as she guides you step-by-step through the process of positive change that will enable you to see the clear path which will support you in achieving your goals and dreams. * Management Services *Table of ContentsFRONT MATTERPraise for ‘Lead Beyond The Edge’TitleDedicationEpigraph [‘Path’ quote from Henry David Thoreau]TOCList of Illustrations [x17]ForewordAcknowledgementsIntroduction [The Why]Prologue [Opens Story]BODYINTRO CIRCUIT [Launch]Problem [Being Fearless]Solution – What [Brain, Neuroplasticity, Fear]Solution – How [Framework] + IllustrationCIRCUIT 1: ACCEPT with Strategic Control [Belief] + IllustrationWire 1.0: Accept (1/3) [Inner Dialogue] + IllustrationWire 1.1: Strategic Control - Strategy (1/3) [Stop] + IllustrationWire 1.2: Strategic Control - Strategy (2/3) [Scribe] + IllustrationWire 1.3: Strategic Control - Strategy (3/3) [Sleep] + IllustrationWire 1.4: CIRCUIT 1 Recap and Transition to CIRCUIT 2CIRCUIT 2: ADOPT with Inspiring Resilience [Attitude] + IllustrationWire 2.0: Adopt (2/3) [Mental Rehearsal] + IllustrationWire 2.1: Inspiring Resilience - Strategy (1/3) (Notice] + IllustrationWire 2.2: Inspiring Resilience - Strategy (2/3) [Sense] + IllustrationWire 2.3: Inspiring Resilience - Strategy (3/3) [Learn] + IllustrationWire 2.4: CIRCUIT 2 Recap and Transition to CIRCUIT 3

Read more less

Book SynopsisHello. You’re a B2B SaaS marketer, right? Yeah, I thought I recognised you. What are you working on? What’s that? “Whatever the sales team needs to close the next deal?”It’s hard, right? The maniacal race to convert leads is an addiction for B2B tech companies. But such deal-driven focus means your marketing looks identical to that of your growing competitor set: complex, technical, boring, product-led sales messages spewed onto another whitepaper. It’s self-sabotage: ‘fail to differentiate, blend in, become invisible’.Sound familiar? Try being braver.Boring2Brave is a step-by-step guide to showing how B2B marketing done differently will increase your influence and ‘10X’ results. Stop being measured in metrics you’ve always known are meaningless and start building your company’s brand and value. Get off the treadmill. This book will equip you to inject audacity, invention and white-hot competitive advantage into your B2B marketing.Just by being brave.A former editor of Marketing Week Magazine, Mark Choueke’s 20-year career at the heart of global B2B marketing has seen him grow more than 50 B2B technology companies across the world.Trade ReviewBeing creative is important in any job. Being creative when you are in marketing is vital. This book is for those working in marketing and creative jobs, looking to brush up their creative stream and be brave. Very interesting and supportive. * NetGalley *A thought provoking read for B2B marketers at all levelsBoring2Brave is an illuminating read, throwing down the gauntlet to B2B marketers everywhere to raise their game and dare to be braver in their marketing activity. Brought to life by insightful – and amusing – examples from thought leaders across the industry, this is a great work that raises question we as marketers should all be asking ourselves: Do I want to spend my life writing ebooks? Are my creative skills really bringing genuine value to the business launching another inane newsletter? Or can I be better by being braver? A breath of fresh air in marketing strategy literature, Boring 2 Brave is a great way to reconsider your marketing activity and inspire new ways of thinkings for yourself, and across your wider business. * Amazon *Table of ContentsPrelimsAbout your author About this book ForewordMain text1) How The Hell Did We Get Here? View From Inside B2B’s Tech Marketing Bubble Shouldn’t "Technology Marketing" Be A Bit More Rock ’n’ Roll? Han Solo & C3PO: Only One Of Them Is 'B2B Tech Marketing'... Planet Earth 2016-2020 (and beyond): Why Your Customer Deserves More Why Are We B2B Marketers So Willing To Settle? B2C - Bravery2Creativity B2B - Boring2Brave The Boring2Brave Mindset: Be The Entrepreneur Within 2) Boring The ‘Safety’ Gamble: A Risky Game The Metrics Of Mediocrity Strategy And Tactics Without ‘Brand’ Winter Of Our Dissed Content The Five Boring Beasts of B2B Marketing The Sales Blog The White Paper The Webinar The E-BookThe Trade Event B2B Marketing’s Black Hole The Tale Of Two Daves Battery-Farmed “Creativity” 3) Brave Different Is Good Vive La Difference B2Beatles: Why John, Paul, George And Especially Ringo Should Be Your New Role Models ‘Fast And Slow’: How To Master Two-Speed Marketing True Impact vs Fake News: The Right And Wrong Analytics Grab A Spear: It’s Time To Slay Some Dragons Data vs Instinct And The Power Of Being Gutsy Trusting In Magic You Can’t Measure Learn To Brief Braver Making Bravery Profitable ‘Growth Two Ways’ - Personal and Organisational 4) Boring2Brave Don’t Look Before You Leap: Lessons To Apply Today Speaking Truth To Power (And Trying To Avoid Getting Punched By A Deputy Prime Minister) Frankensteins in Salt Lake City The Truth About Data Weaponise Your Instinct ROI: A Never-Ending, All-Out Sprint Brand Awareness: Growth While You Sleep Don’t Be A Marketer, Be A Go-To-Marketer ‘Brave’: A Happiness Mindset

Read more less

Book SynopsisLeadership is complicated.How do you become a great leader?Don’t leave it to chance.The Leadership Map demystifies the subject and provides every leader with a comprehensive framework to create and grow a successful business. It covers all the key elements you need to understand and build a successful business; from creating your vision, to developing your people, to executing on your strategy.The book is brought to life through stories based on the author’s knowledge and experience of working first-hand with CEOs of many businesses both large and small, private and public, national and international.Ian Windle is a pragmatist, not a theorist. The Leadership Map will bring clarity to your thinking and provide you with models, tools and techniques that will allow you to immediately put your ideas into action.Trade ReviewThis is an inspiring read - practical, with loads of examples, frameworks and strategies and personal reflections by the author. The chapters end with reflective questions, which would be the great basis of a journaling process, or discussion topics with a friend or colleague.... or simply to ponder. I read a lot of leadership books, and sometimes they can get a little repetitive, and end up just saying this one. The examples and questions make this one really engaging and I highly recommend picking this one. up! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm so pleased I've read it and will definitely return to it over the years. * NetGalley *Table of ContentsPart 1 – Strategic Decision FiltersChapter 1 – Find your PurposeBusinesses need to find their reason for being, or their purpose. It gives employees a reason to come to work in the morning and leaders a way of filtering their decisions into right and wrong. A Purpose can be as simple as ‘Disney’s’ Creating Happiness’. It informs how you act and will build in an emotional attachment to your business. Disney have a saying that for 100% of your time you have to be ‘on purpose’, but you can be ‘off task’, but you can never be ‘on task’ and ‘off purpose’.Chapter 2 – Create an Unreasonable DreamEveryone and every business needs a Vision, or Dream, that describes where they want to be. It builds in direction and excitement about the future and provides a clear direction to build your Strategic Priorities and Goals around. If it reasonable, it means that is can be done today and allows us to stay within our comfort zones, if it is unreasonable, then it means we have a stretch and grow to get there. That means learning and growth, energy and excitement follow. This is chapter is not about building a just a vision statement, this is about building a detailed Vision that brings the future to life for your top team and your people.Chapter 3 – Live your ValuesThe behaviours we show in a business are reflections of our culture. Great values in a business help to decide who you want to recruit, who you promote, who you reward and who you fire. They bring people together and show how you are different. This chapter looks at what good looks like, how values are used in business and how to create them in an authentic and engaging way for your business.Chapter 4 – Set your StrategyYour strategy is what makes you different versus your competition. It is your competitive advantage. A clear strategy allows you to align where you spend money, how you structure your business, which products and service to bring to market and which markets to do business in. It is the final decision filter for a business.Part 2 – People and TeamsChapter 5 – Challenge the Status QuoWe need to create agile businesses, where we are all flexible enough to change and grow constantly; we need to adopt a growth mindset. Leaders need to challenge the small tactical as well as the big strategic things in a business all the time. Not only do leaders need to challenge and be challenged, but they need to be able to reset the business to absorb the changes constantly so that a new normal can be quickly established.Chapter 6 – Develop your Dream TeamThe most important team in any business is the senior management team and its challenge is to become high performing and to embrace excellence. Great teams start with a set of common goals, a vision, a purpose and some values, the leader must then create a feeling of safety so that members feel they can take a risk and make a mistake. From this will start to flow a feeling of trust, but this can only be truly enabled through being vulnerable and showing who you are. This means that people will try new things and be open when they don’t work out. From deep levels of trust comes Challenge, which is at the heart of my Team Excellence Model. Teams that challenge each other as a matter of course, don’t make it personal and are capable of moving on, growing the team and starting to embrace excellence. After Challenge follows Commitment and Accountability which ultimately leads to great Team Outcomes.Chapter 7 – Engage the EmotionsChapter 7 covers the areas of motivation, happiness, positivity and engagement; all the areas that leaders must understand if they are to get the most out of their people. The only way to grow a business is to grow the people within the business. Growth means stepping outside your comfort zone and having the support from leaders to see you reach your goals. This chapter also covers the importance of creating a happy and engaged workforce who are prepared to put in the discretionary effort, because they will willingly follow you.Chapter 8 – Show GritResilience, which is at the heart of Grit, is a massive part of success. All businesses will hit challenging times and people within those businesses will have challenging times too, at times, just in their own part of the business. This chapter unwraps Grit and shows how to develop it in your team so that you can cope with what life and business throws at us.Part 3 – Strategy ExecutionChapter 9 – Create the Optimal StructureMost businesses create a hierarchical structure. It is the default setting in PowerPoint, if you look for a diagram on structure. The reality is that there are numerous types of structure that organisations can adopt, that will support the execution of their strategy. In this chapter we cover the main types of organisational sstructure that are adopted in today’s businesses, and discuss the pros and cons of each one. The Structures include: The Hierachy, The Matrix, The Core Plus and the Dynamic.Chapter 10 – Plan your Strategic PrioritiesEvery business needs a plan. This chapter explores what a good business plan looks like, what the contents should be and how to engage you team in creating one. It shows how to create an annual planning cycle and what it means to be strategic. It also discusses the importance of focus and not losing sight of what the most important priority is at any given time.Chapter 11 – Measure your SuccessYou manage what you measure, so what are you measuring? Everyone measures the financial aspects of a business, and this chapter explores the creation of a scorecard, based on Key Performance Indicators, that come from your Strategic Priorities. Your scorecard must not only show the essential financial indicators of a business but must also include how your people are feeling (e.g. staff engagement, churn), what you customers are saying about you (e.g.Net Promoter Score, number of projects from existing clients)and how good your systems and processes are supporting the delivery of your strategy (speed of delivery, number of faults, breakages etc. turnaround time).Chapter 12 – Execute through Great MeetingsMeetings should be the best part of your day, but they are often boring and inefficient. This last chapter shows what kind of meetings you should have, what the cadence should be, how they should be run and how to make them engaging and compelling.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen you become the final decision maker, everything changes. We all know that it's tough at the top. But nothing, nothing can quite prepare you for becoming CEO.Philip Levinson has experienced that What now?' moment as a rookie CEO. In Three Peaks Leadership, he shares the challenges he's faced and the lessons he's learned to help aspiring and new leaders prepare for life as a CEO.The book charts a typical CEO journey, starting in the foothills, looking ahead to the role and how you can prepare for it, before scaling the three peaks: the first 100 days in role running the business, and preparing your company and yourself for your exit. It's an expedition that needs the right preparation, mindset and approach, not to mention stamina, resilience and support. Three Peaks Leadership offers a unique route map for that journey. It's a hands-on guide, a framework of strategies, tools and techniques that will inform the rest of your career.Whether you're in the foothills or already scaling your first CEO summit, Three Peaks Leadership will show you the way.a book that senior managers should retain in the top drawer of their desk'Paul Durrant CEO, Conduit Group

Read more less

Book Synopsis***BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2022 SHORTLISTED TITLE***An insider’s view of the challenges that big businesses face in the developing world: the opportunities, pitfalls, political and personal challenges involved.Babs Omotowa has spent his life rejecting the status quo. His own career disproves the unthinking perception that Africans underperform in global businesses, and his insistence that issues such as community development, corruption, transparency and pollution belong on the corporate agenda alongside financial targets has helped big businesses to revolutionize their approach in the developing world.The remarkable story of ‘Hurricane Babs’ – from storeroom keeper to global VP – showcases the issues that big businesses face in developing countries and reveals how multinational companies and leaders can best navigate these challenges: with integrity and courage.Trade ReviewBabs Omotowa’s autobiography ‘From Storeroom to Boardroom’ is an inspirational read. Both very personal yet also dealing with issues of international significance such as ethical dilemmas in leadership, corruption in governance and addressing issues of climate change in the energy industry.A positive and uplifting read. * Amazon *STOREROOM TO BOARD ROOM BY BABS OMOTOWA - A MUST READ.The book is exciting, powerful, and inspirational... * Amazon *Table of ContentsAcknowledgementAbout the AuthorForewordIntroductionChapter 1 BeginningsChapter 2 DeterminationChapter 3 AmbitionChapter 4 Making ImpactChapter 5 VisionChapter 6 IntegrityChapter 7 CourageChapter 8 RelationshipsChapter 9 ReflectionsReferences

Read more less

Book SynopsisAre you a manager, stuck between pressure from senior leadership and the needs of your team? Do you sometimes feel that you’ve been robbed of your power, your influence… and your ability to actually achieve anything?! It’s time to Own Your Day.This practical collection of simple tools and techniques will enable you to successfully navigate the current environment. Based on first-hand experience from hundreds of organizations, Own Your Day provides an easy-to-apply mix of real-life case studies and specific guidance on the things that matter most to managers. Balancing strategy and delivery Preparation vs planning Developing and using your influence Being your authentic self Getting the best out of yourself and others Implementing change successfully Reclaim your autonomy, step into your authority, and Own Your Day. DIANA MARSLAND is a coach, mentor, lecturer and researcher focused on organizational behaviour and the impact of digital technology in the workplace. Her varied career has included roles in organizations as diverse as Halifax plc, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Fidelity Investments and the NHS.JULIE NERNEY is a serial entrepreneur, transformation expert, CEO, NED, Chair, lecturer and public speaker. With experience of every stage of organizational life, from start up through to disposals and acquisitions, she is a passionate advocate for authentic, purposeful leadership.Trade ReviewHelpful management toolThis book is a great resource for managers who are expected to implement constant change initiatives whilst grappling with the realities of managing delivery.The mix of theory & practice makes it easy to read & includes solutions to common issues - such as managing upwards as well as dealing with an uncertain work environment.I like the reflective questions which get me thinking about what I'm doing & the way I'm doing it. The research quotes from managers reassure me that I'm not alone! * Amazon *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsOur focus groups with a representative sample of managers across all sectors have identified the common challenges they face where practical support would be the most valuable. These have been organised into two primary themes, each containing the four most common challenges, an overview for which is provided below. Every section will include practical takeaways – tools, techniques, frameworks, experiential learning from case studies and, for those readers who want to find out more, signposting to other resources such as articles, podcasts or other publications. It will be prefaced by a foreword and finish with a master reference guide for the content.About the authorsOur grateful thanks to…PrefaceForewordPART ONE: OPERATING CLIMATE1 TAKING OWNERSHIP AND CREATING A GROWTH MINDSET1.1 Context is King1.2 Your mindset, their perspective1.3 Creating your own permission1.4 Don’t Fear Mistakes – it’s all about the Learning1.5 Recognising opportunities for changeRESOURCES2 PREPARATION VS PLANNING2.1 Being Future Focused2.2 Your Personal Clarity2.3 Dealing with uncertainty and setbacks2.4 Clarity of Purpose and OutcomesResources3 INFLUENCING FOR IMPACT3.1 Old vs New Power3.2 Knowing your Audience3.3 Building Reputation and Visibility3.4 Building a compelling argument3.5 The Importance of Context and TimingRESOURCES4 IMPLEMENTING CHANGE4.1 Understanding the Why4.2 The How trumps the What in successful change4.3 Changing BehavioursRESOURCESPART TWO: PEOPLEPEOPLE CENTRED LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT5.1 Authenticity5.2 Self-awareness5.3 Self-careRESOURCES6 GETTING THE BEST OUT OF OTHERS6.1 Let’s Start with Your Boss…6.2 Trust as the glue6.3 Creating a high performing teamRESOURCES7 HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS7.1 Feedback as the foundation7.2 The Importance of Clear Expectations7.3 Dignified exits: letting people go with clarity and kindnessRESOURCES8 MEETING MADNESS8.1 Purpose8.2 Preparation8.3 StyleRESOURCES9. CONCLUSION…AND THE NEW NORMALENDNOTESINDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisA brand is more than a snazzy logo – but what else is there to consider when building a brand? Do you really need a brand for business success? And what has intellectual property got to do with anything?A strong, authentic brand is what makes your business stand out from the crowd – and what drives long term success. But the branding industry can be an overwhelming minefield, full of conflicting advice and multiple disciplines – so how do you navigate your way through the process? That’s where Brand Tuned comes in. With the step-by-step TUNED methodology, you will:• define your brand to drive the business forward and help it stand out• know what brand promise will attract your ideal client• pick a name that will put you “front of mind”• ensure that the design elements you choose are distinctive and ‘ownable’• train your team to live the brand.Drawing from evidence-based research, interviews with experts, and years of experience supporting businesses, Brand Tuned is the first branding guide written by an intellectual property lawyer who specialises in trademarks and brands. By incorporating the principles of intellectual property law right from the start of the process, branding expert Shireen Smith will show you how to create and build the brand that is right for you and your business – while avoiding the potential pitfalls.Shireen Smith is an intellectual property lawyer specialising in trademarks and brands, with years of experience in marketing small businesses. Her TUNED framework is designed to guide you to create a brand that attracts sales for the long term.Trade ReviewAs someone dipping my pinkie toe into branding, marketing, and digital art, I found this book incredibly helpful. Her fresh perspective coming from a law background was instrumental in steering me on the right path with my business and I highly recommend anyone considering a path in branding or IP to pick this book up! It's a quick, informative read! * NetGalley *Well organized and perfectly written, Brand Tuned is a bedside book for any entrepreneur who takes their business journey seriously. It approaches branding as a strategy to help you to start your brand journey one step ahead. From its cleverly structured methodology to well-presented research, this book will surely become a guide for businesses of any size. * Amazon *Anyone involved with setting up or growing a business will benefit enormously from the insight provided by this book into the world of branding. All aspects are thoroughly covered in a way which is both enjoyably readable and positively instructive. * Amazon *Table of ContentsPart 1 – What is a brand and why does it matter?IntroductionThe UK TV program Grand Designs shows how a building project is achieved with the involvement of several disciplines. Creating unique Brand Tuned needs to similarly involve various disciplines. Intellectual property, in particular, is not an appropriate subject to leave till after the brand is created. As Steve Jobs highlighted, design means how it works, not just how it looks. The book explains how the Intellectual property dimension of brands impacts branding, and why visual identity needs to be the final step, not the first one. It incorporates interviews with subject experts from the fields of design, marketing, PR, digital marketing, SEO, and intellectual property valuationChapter 1 – What is A Brand? Why Is Branding Important?Understanding what brand and branding mean is fundamental to getting a better outcome from branding. CEOs and other target audiences of the book would benefit from developing their knowledge of branding. There are many myths and misinformation surrounding this subject, particularly the intellectual property dimension of it. I will try to interview a high profile individual for this chapter on the importance of IP, possibly Deborah MeadonChapter 2 – The 3 Fundamental Problems in BrandingThe branding industry includes many new media companies, such as web designers who provide branding services as a secondary activity. Many are unaware of the business purpose of branding, and the role of intellectual property in their work. The industry tends to separate branding from intellectual property, leading to problems. Unlike big business, founders of small businesses do not have a brand manager to take care of their brand needs. Even large companies can lack an understanding of the role of IP in branding. Richard Kirstein and Anne. H. Chasser & Jennifer C. WolfePart 2 – TUNED methodology - Think IP First1st Component of TUNEDChapter 3 – Using an inter-disciplinary approach to brandingThe world has changed, so must branding. It needs to take account of IP so IP and branding are dealt with together. Branding in the 21st century needs to be inter-disciplinary. This partly involves professionals expanding their expertise to include related disciplines, such as for lawyers to include branding as part of their skillset, or designers to also cover strategy, communications, marketing or PR too, A wider range of skills is especially needed when supporting smaller businesses. Focus on the Brand Rewired book, as well as considering Aaker’s book on Spanning Silos Anne. H. Chasser & Jennifer C. Wolfe. Lucy Wern, Seek comments from Aaker,Chapter 4 –Think IP First! Is the first component of TUNEDIP is about erecting barriers to entry, a moat around your business as Warren Buffet calls it. A review of what brand elements are protectable, and how these considerations impact the approach to designing a business and brand. Leaving IP till after Brand Tuned is the wrong way around. Branding needs to start with IP, and deal with designs last. International nature of IP principles will be highlighted. Stephen Robertson. A visual representation of the TUNED model.Part 3 – TUNED methodology - Understand your Market2nd Component of TUNEDChapter 5- Understanding Customers and Competitors Understanding your client and market are the focus of this chapter. Identifying what customers want and need is key to success for any brand. This involves knowing who your competition is, and what market you’re in. Competition is not just direct competitors. It also includes indirect competitors who may have similar offerings or entirely different ones that enable customers to achieve similar outcomes in different ways. This involves finding groups of people based on their psychographics, worldviews, life stage, priorities, attitudes to life, rather than focusing purely on demographics, and creating personas. Byron Sharp research findings. Mark Ritson, JP Hanson, Phil BardonChapter 6 - Key role of positioning.What moves the needle in branding? Here I will also look at the evidence-based research, and how it impacts brand strategy, outlining the Ehrenberg-Bass institute’s evidence-based research from Byron Sharp from his books How Brands Grow, and also from Jenni Romaniuk’s book Distinctive brand assets. They introduce fresh thinking that impact certain areas of branding such as purpose. and differentiation, The chapter considers positioning in more depth, highlighting Seth Godin’s distinction between positioning and differentiation. Byron Sharp, Jenni Romaniuk, Comments from Mark Ritson and Seth Godin will be sought too.Part 4 – TUNED methodology - Name it right!3rd component of TUNED Chapter 7 – Considerations When Choosing the NameDiscuss the different approaches to brand naming – “house of brands” and “house brands” and the hybrid approach to brand hierarchy. Coca Cola, and Proctor & Gamble case studies of brands that changed their approach to use an endorsed approach a few years ago. Jeremy Miller,Chapter 8 – Use own name?When is it appropriate to use the founder’s own name for a business? Pros and cons of using the founders name as the name of the business brand. Explore this topic thoroughly here so chapter 11 just refers back to this chapter when covering proper names as a type of brand name. Dell, Disney, Marks & Spencer, Clarks, and many other examples of brands using founder’s own name. Relevance of such a choice to the chapter on the importance of building own personal brand in business will also be touched on here and expanded upon in chapter 15. Jeremy Miller, Rand FishkinChapter 9 – How SEO, Online Visibility and Marketing impact brandingThe internet impacts every industry. It is constantly evolving and changing. Our approach to branding needs to keep up, and not hold onto outdated notions, such as the continuing emphasis on the need to own the .com domain of a proposed brand name. SEO considerations that impact marketing imperatives should not override branding fundamentals. Choosing generic brand names is misguided because branding involves using a unique and distinctive name. It’s doubly important to use a unique name when going global. There is widespread confusion about which considerations should prevail when it comes to names and keywords. Rand Fishkin Chapter 10 – Choosing the name.The right way to go about naming. 5 types of name: descriptive, suggestive, names that have a dictionary meaning, proper names, made up names. Why descriptive and certain other name choices, such as well-known initials that stand for something like KPI, key performance indicator should be avoided. Will illustrate types of name by using examples drawn from the latest Interbrand list of top 50 brands. Brand value and names. Darlene Hart of US Tax and Financial Planning. Stephen Robertson. Interbrand representative on naming. Part 5 – TUNED methodology- Establish the Brand Strategy!4th component of TUNED Chapter 11 – What is Brand Strategy? How does it impact branding?Setting the brand strategy plays an important part in developing and growing the brand to reflect the promise the business wants to be known for. It’s the pre cursor to naming and visual designs. Drawing from the book Marketing Myopia by Theodore Levitt this chapter covers the importance of thinking about business fundamentals such as ‘What business are you really in?’ Kodak and Blockbuster case studies. Also, 6 Ps are outlined for determining the brand strategy: Purpose, Principles, Positioning, People, Product, Personality. Michael Johnson. JP Hanson (Image of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs)Chapter 12 – How to plan your strategy.The core of your brand strategy is your vision, mission and values. These are the basis on which to build the strategy, and to use to align it to your products and processes. Asking a series of Why, What, Who and How questions to uncover some common areas of thinking needed to set the strategic direction of the brand, The strategy will play a major role in determining the brand story, and messaging, as well as internally to inspire and motivate the team. Consider the brand book and begin thinking about what messages to communicate and how. Part 6 – TUNED methodology - Drive the Brand Strategy!5th component of TUNEDChapter 13 Drive the Brand Strategy! – the fifth component of TUNEDOnce the strategy for the brand has been established involve designers to create a visual identity that can best reflect the brand promise. Marty Neumier’s ideas about importance of enabling the creatives who are designing the brand to revisit the strategy as part of considering the visual approach. Jenni Romaniuk’s book Distinctive Brand Assets impacts branding choices. The design considerations need to bear in mind what is ownable as IP. Jack Wills trade mark dispute case study, and example of Azrights development of Ram icon. Interviews with Marty Neumier, Jenni Romaniuk,, Laura Ries. Images of Azrights Ram icon. Jack Wills icon. Ehrenberg-Bass institute’s Owl icon. Visual icons of some famous businesses that evoke their names, Compare the Market logo. Nike’s swoosh, MacDonald’s M, Coca Cola’s bottle, Apple’s apple, Rolls RoycePart 7 – Brand buildingChapter 14 –Promoting the brand.Driving the brand strategy also impacts how you promote the brand internally and externally, and communicate brand messages. Draw from Byron Sharp’s How Brands Grow to illustrate some ways it impacts marketing and branding. Brand building on social media, being omni-present- being everywhere, visible, and recognizably the brand. Budget constraints for smaller businesses, and how to manage this as they grow. Promoting the brand internally to support the culture and to motivate the team to make on brand decisions. Using the brand to guide recruitment. Tony Hsieh, Katie BurkeRand Fishkin. Will Critchlow. Byron SharpChapter 15 – Personal, Business and Product BrandingDiscusses the importance of having clarity around your personal and business aspirations and aligning the two so you build the right business. Unless the founders own name is being used for the brand, it’s essential to promote a triage of brands, the brand name, as well as the personal brand of the CEO, and also key product brands. Trend towards using personal brands of individual team members to promote the business brand. Stephen Robertson.ConclusionThe environment of the 21st century calls for a rethink of society’s approach to branding. More education is needed for the many businesses that offer branding services to update their thinking, particularly around intellectual property and its role in branding. AppendixesDocument to assist when identifying a new name.Brand strategy document, including checklistsBrand book document and what needs to be included in it

Read more less

Book SynopsisTALES FROM THE ‘INDIANA JONES OF CULTURAL ADVENTURES’…From New York to Beijing, Paris to Juba, Moscow to Mexico City, Ken Pasternak’s distinguished career as a banker, management consultant, executive educator, author and keynote speaker has provided a wealth of experience with people and organizations internationally. In this book he shares some of the most memorable stories from his wide-ranging travels and his many encounters with different cultures, and draws out truths that still apply today in both life and business. ‘Inspiring!… Stories that pack profound insights… A great read for the fundamentals of business.’MARSHALL GOLDSMITHNew York Times #1 bestselling author of Triggers, Mojo, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.A former Director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Vice President at Citibank, Ken’s unique background combines experience in executive development, management consulting, institution building and corporate banking.He is the co-author of Managing Your Strengths and Performance at the Limit, Business Lessons from Formula 1 Motor Racing.Trade ReviewTravels and Aphorisms. This is one of those quick, read any way you want type books that you can read straight through or you can read a short chapter in a few hurried minutes, in any order you want. Those familiar with Christian daily devotional books will recognize the overall format, though this is a purely secular book based on Pasternak's near 50 years of travelling all over the globe as a high level corporate businessman. Filled with short yet interesting stories, many of them apparently already shared on his LinkedIn page in nearly the same (200 ish word) length, this is a great book for someone looking for a light read or a businessman looking for a business-oriented read with some solid truths in that space. Very much recommended. * NetGalley *Fun and enjoyable read. Beware this is not a business or investing book but a memoir of the author's life experience that was fun, unusual and memorable. After each small story there is a lesson learned that was informative and at times interesting. I enjoyed traveling to all the interesting places the author has been and experience some the most memorable moments especially the F1 stories. * NetGalley *This work is a series of short notes and stories, each of which is no longer than a single page, about various events in the author's life and what he has taken away from the experience described. Think a format similar to Aesop's Fables.This was a quick read for me. Each story was well-written and concise. This work would make an excellent gift book, or perhaps a restroom reader. * NetGalley *Love this book for its comfortable conversation, the feeling of the author's presence. It is easy to read and plenty to learn. Simple stories with simple conclusions that drive you through the wisdom of the author aka coaching you through storytelling. * NetGalley *

Read more less

Book Synopsis***THE PEOPLE'S BOOK PRIZE 2022/23 SHORTLISTED TITLE***Ever feel like you aren’t Enough? Overwhelmed by too many demands?Concerned about over-consumption and the climate crisisYou’re not alone. The Art of Enough is the challenge of our age.In a world full of pressure to be more, do more and consume more, this practical guidebook will help you find your own version of Enough. Enough is a springboard for self-belief, a healthy work pace and sustainable living, so you can move from striving to thriving. Weaving together ideas, stories and practices, The Art of Enough offers seven ways to ease away from the pull of scarcity and excess, towards flourishing with Enough; finding the balance and boundaries we all need for ourselves and for our world.Becky Hall is a coach, facilitator and speaker and has worked for over 20 years with teams, organizations and leaders, helping busy people all over the world create their own Art of Enough.‘If you want to have a better life and to make the world a better place then you must read this book. It is wise and practical and beautifully easy to read, everybody should read it’Charles Handy, bestselling author of The Empty Raincoat and The Second Curve.Trade ReviewFor people that constantly need/ want to do more, this book is AWESOME! Read it now. For people who worry they consume or buy too much, this book is AWESOME, too! Read it now. * NetGalley *So much of this book resonates with me. We are taught from an early age to strive to ' be good '. To do well at school , to be top of the class, to get the best exam results, to go on to the best university.Then when an adult , we want to be seen to be at the top of our career, to be thought well of by our peers. To holiday in lovely places, to have a fantastic home, and great relationships, well adjusted children. Rinse and repeat.This book almost gives you permission to step off that merry-go round , or at least the idea that you can look at life in a different way.A great thought provoking book. * NetGalley *This is an excellent book about finding balance in a driven world. About finding the place between scarcity and abundance where you can live happy and content. Sounds simple, and in a way, it is, but we are required to totally rethink our mindsets so that we stop competing and comparing and start looking properly at ourselves and our ambitions. I found it very positive and many of the ideas are easily transferable for me. * NetGalley *If you're at a crossroads in life this is a great bookI am in my early 20s and read this book after taking a job I didn't really care for in the pandemic. I was unsure of what path I wanted to take next and felt quite lost. Reading this book helped me to evaluate what was important for me in life and what I wanted my life to look like. I am now in a much better job, with a much healthier work-life balance and I feel this is due to the guidance this book gave me. * Amazon *This book is a MUST BUY for anyone who is looking for some thought provoking insight on their ability to "Be Enough", just as they are. It is laid out in a really practical and useful way, with exercises and summaries to allow us to "dip in and out" when we feel a need. The Art of Enough is a truly supportive resource when we feel the need to to find a way to unburden and unleash our natural power, to grab hold of the restricting boundaries of our limiting beliefs to grow beyond self sabotage. * Amazon *"a deeply human and hopeful book" Paul Heardman * Coaching at Work *I enjoyed this book and highly recommended it because of the author’s total commitment and passion for helping other people find their way to enough. * GoodReads *Table of ContentsPart 1: The inner challenge of BEING ENOUGHChapter 1: ART 1: ENOUGH MINDSET – Where are you coming from?In this chapter we will explore the thinking – the Mindset behind not being Enough. For some this can manifest as the well-known phenomenon imposter syndrome – a common result of not feeling good Enough – for others it might be a feeling of inadequacy around not being worthy, or clever or kind – the list goes on. We will be exploring how we can move our Mindset from one of Scarcity or Excess to Enough – sourcing our thinking from abundance.So we will:· Explore imposter syndrome – what it is and how to tackle it· Unpack the power of our mindset to frame our experience. · Look at the mindsets of Excess and Scarcity and how they might hold us back· Describe the principle beliefs of an Enough Mindset. · Look at how you can identify what mindset you are using and how you might go about changing it. Chapter 2: ART 2: ENOUGH PERMISSION - Write your own permission slipsIn ART 1 we looked at defining and describing the mindset behind being Enough. We focused on thinking and mental constructs. In ART 2, we are going to focus on feelings: how it feels to give ourselves permission to be enough – and what might make us feel that we do not have that permission. We will explore:· The concept of belonging and why it can have such a hold over what we are able to be in the present. · Where some of your deepest assumptions come from – whether they are serving you in the present and how you can dis-entangle yourself if you need to. · How you can re-write the script of your own belonging – giving yourself permission to be Enough· Articulating your core purpose and values· Writing your own permission slips to be fully yourself and grow in the way that fulfils you - Enough. Chapter 3: ART 3: ENOUGH PRESENCE - Listen to your body In ART 3 - Enough Presence – How to Embody a State of Enough we explore how to create the embodied energetic state of Enough. Having considered how to BELIEVE we are Enough and how to FEEL we are Enough – we now explore how we can be in a STATE of Enough. To do this we need to understand that we are one internal system – integrating Enough Mindset and Enough Permission in our state – how we show up in each moment – defined as Enough Presence. With Enough Presence, we create coherence in our system, our minds, bodies and energy - one moment at a time. We will:· Consider what presence is – and what it takes to create Enough Presence.· Explore what happens in our bodies when we lose balance; how we are programmed to respond to risk and danger. · Unpack research about neuroscience and our physiology that help us see and understand ourselves as an interconnected coherent system.· Explore how listen to what our head, heart and gut is telling us· Learn practices to bring us into the state of Enough Presence – that we can use in the moment, moving us away from Scarcity and Excess and into Flow.PART 2: The Outer Challenge of DOING ENOUGHART 4: ENOUGH BOUNDARIES - Create rules to keep you coherentThe globalized digital world we live in is so full of possibilities, choices and freedoms that our ancestors never experienced – and it is also massively complex. To live well in such complexity we need to find a way of giving ourselves structure so that we have Enough – not too much or too little. Of course, the boundaries we are talking about here are good boundaries – ones that give us structure and containment, which we need more than ever if we are to find the Art of Enough so that we can flourish.ART 4 looks specifically at how to create and keep good boundaries within the complexity of our lives and the high volume of demands on us. We’ll explore:· The importance of acknowledging what is, so that you can start to make choices· How nature does it - what we can learn about creating boundaries for our complex lives· Identifying what matters most· Understanding your energy patterns· Designing your days and protecting your focus· The joy of clear boundariesChapter 5: ART 5: ENOUGH RESOURCEIn ART 5 we explore the resources we need. This can mean internal resource – energy, capability, drive - or external resource – time, support, others to delegate to. Often when we are overwhelmed, we can feel disconnected from our resources. We will look at Enough Resource as a replenishable cycle - and will explore the habits that you can develop in order to sustain yourself in the face of life’s demands on you. Specifically, ART 5: Enough Resource will explore:· The cyclical nature of Enough Resource· The power of mapping what depletes and replenishes you· Burnout – how to avoid it and build powerful habits to sustain youPART 3: The together challenge of HAVING ENOUGHChapter 6: ENOUGH GROWTH – from size to transformationAs a society we massively over consume and throw away more each year than our forebears ever had in a lifetime. Our economies are measured in terms of GDP growth. This mindset and these behaviours have brought us to the brink of environmental collapse, and it has not made us happier either. In ART 6 we are going to explore the freedom of limits. Even the concept of Enough Growth can feel limiting or restrictive to some. For others it can be a byword for mediocrity and a lack of ambition. Here we are going to turn that thinking on its head and explore Enough Growth as the doorway to realising our ambitions, fulfilling our maximum potential and finding happiness. We’ll look here at how we can achieve Enough Growth – individually and collectively - so that we can flourish and thrive without it costing the earth. We will explore:· The Enough Growth cycle· The freedom of limits· The myth of never-ending growth· Doughnut thinking· When less is more· Dreams of transformationChapter 7: ART 7: ENOUGH TOGETHER - Only connectIn ART 7 we will explore the seventh part of the Art of Enough model – Enough Connection. We will look at the effect of connection on our sense of belonging, our sense of agency and our relationship with the world we inhabit. We will explore the impact of separation on us individually and collectively, and how we can move beyond both Scarcity and Excess towards Connection - a wholehearted, resourcing and restorative state of Enough. In this chapter we will look at:· Why we need Connection; the story of separation· Enough Connection with ourselves· Enough Connection with others· Enough Connection with the natural worldEpilogue: Enough Transformation

Read more less

Book Synopsis“The beauty of the ABCDE model and toolkit is that it is simple but not simplistic, it’s user-friendly and works in practice.”Joanne Gubbay, Former Head of Learning and Development, Slaughter and MayLead your team of lawyers to new heights with this tried-and-tested toolkit, based on 25 years’ practical experience of getting the best out of lawyers.Leading Lawyers distils 25 years of experience at helping people do just that into one easy-to-read practical toolkit. Based on the successful ABCDE methodology, this guide will help you identify your natural leadership style, identify the various needs and personalities in your team of lawyers, and align everything to become a truly impactful and supportive leader.Packed with real-life inspiring examples, ready-made tools and memorable tips, Leading Lawyers will help you reflect on your own communication preferences, and use what you learn to get different stakeholders and different personalities on board.From scoping the project with a client to reviewing progress and success, from on-boarding a new team member to tackling a stubborn problem, there are examples each step of the way and opportunities to plan how to use the approach in practice, so you can become an even more effective team leader.SALLY SANDERSON is a multi-award-winning consultant to law firms. Specialising in leadership, emerging leaders, people and project management, she uses personality profiling to increase self-awareness and speed up development. Her ABCDE approach has been used by thousands of lawyers across the world with outstanding results.Trade ReviewCame across this book and a great insight to how lawyers think and work and lead their teams. The ABCDE model and toolkit appears user friendly. * Amazon *This book is a super easy to read and extremely useful with great practical insights. * Amazon *Table of ContentsPart 1Provides an overview of the ABCDE model which helps leaders to get better results from their teams. Then each section of the model is explored in detail, with case study examples, and with opportunities for you to do some planning on how to use it in practice. If you have never considered your own personality preferences, after the overview you might like to use Part 2 before reading the detailed sections in Part 1. Part 2This section explores different leadership styles and how they link to the ABCDE model. It should help you to identify your own style preferences. We start by looking at leaders with a very clear style where one personality preference dominates their way of communicating. But most people have more than one preference in their style, so we look at a range of leaders commonly found in law firms who represent a combination of two or three preferences. You may well recognise the style of some of the case study leaders.Part 3This section gives you some tips on how to work with and align those with different personalities – whether a team member, a boss or a client. It will help you to adapt your own style when you need to do so to motivate, influence and manage others. It will make you aware of which parts of the ABCDE message different personalities listen out for, which parts motivate them and which parts they might ignore, which could lead to lower levels of performance. This section aims to help you get the best out of your interactions with all those important for your team’s and project’s success.Part 4This is the first part of the ABCDE toolkit. It provides a series of ABCDE conversation tools to help you in different situations where you are leading and managing a project team – whether for clients or for internal projects such as for business development or making your firm more competitive. Tools include scoping and planning, briefing the team, delegating part of a project, reviewing progress, reporting to stakeholders and conducting an end of project/matter review.Part 5The second part of the ABCDE toolkit focuses on conversation leaders have with individual team members from when they join the team through to delegating, praising, coaching, tackling problems, performance reviews and development planning. Whether a team member is a high flyer, a solid performer or struggling, you can adapt these tools to give them the support they need to deliver their best.AppendixThis section gives you some links to personal profiling tools which are compatible with the ABCDE model: DISC, Insights and Social Styles.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom special duties selection to an earthquake on the side of Mount Everest, from a gunfight in Afghanistan to a year of endurance challenges, Tim Bradshaw has had to develop a robust toolkit and mindset to enable him to overcome serious challenges in hostile circumstances.What’s remarkable is that he achieved these feats in the face of imposter syndrome and depression. Tim’s mantra is ‘Because I can’, because whatever you’re facing, you can do so much more than you think. This is a toolkit to help you take on any challenge. Whether you’re making an attempt on Everest or taking the next big career step this toolkit will make you more effective.Tim attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst aged just 19. His first job was to lead 37 soldiers. Since then, he has served as a surveillance and target acquisition patrol soldier and covert human intelligence officer. In 2015 he attempted to climb Mount Everest to persuade mental health sufferers to ask for help. After a year of physical endurance challenges, he is now a Director of Sandstone Communications, an international leadership and team building consultancy.Trade ReviewThis was a surprisingly quick read...and yet, for being so "quick," it really packed a punch!I loved the concepts of mapping out what-ifs in advance (with the caveat that it can all be shot "when things get real")...We often reserve the retrospective for events that didn't happen as expected, and...why is that? Seems like we could stand to study the events that go well so we can score more of them!Developing a toolkit also intrigued me, with its emphasis on skillsets and use cases for outcome achievement (focusing more on the outcome and less on the process used to get there).And, of course, the covid pandemic had to make an appearance. Bradshaw's company had focused on in-person, face-to-face training and events--so they had quite the opportunity to pivot, and quickly, when the world shut down in March 2020. Talk about putting the lessons he writes about here to good use, and to the test. The fact they succeeded is a testament that they work! * NetGalley *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsIntroduction: How does it start? Part 1: Intelligence not information 1. Build a toolkit 2. What is real?3. So what?4. Actions onPart 2: Think in circles 5. Be wary of process 6. OODA loop 7. Collaborate and empower Part 3: FEAR 8. False expectation appearing real 9. Fight or Flight 10. Relieve pressure Part 4: Understand the “In order to…”11. Why are we doing this 12. Enable resilience 13. Avoid the dangerous middle 14. A bad day is normal Part 5: It’s always about the people 15. Build a network 16. Rapport17. Reassure and direct18. Management v Leadership Conclusion: Go back around the circle Epilogue: #BecauseICan ambassadors Claire + Zoe Winthrop Chantal Cummings What next: Project Dakar: A robust guide to achieving the aim.

Read more less

Book Synopsis***BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2022 SHORTLISTED TITLE***Starting a business is one of the most exciting things you can do. It’s also one of the most daunting. There’s so much that can go right, and so much that can go wrong.That’s why you need to understand and minimise the legal and commercial risks involved. When your new business is built on rock, you can relax in the knowledge that you won’t lose access to life-changing opportunities or waste time and energy on fighting legal challenges. Instead, you’re free to get on with what you do best — coming up with fresh ideas, finding ways to make them a reality, and selling your products or services to an ever-expanding customer base.This book makes the complicated aspects of start-up law simple. In everyday language, it walks you through the key legal and commercial considerations. Setting up your corporate structure for maximum advantage Discovering your risks and how to minimise them Finding out the best sources of investment Learning how to value your company Negotiating with investors for long-term success MICHAEL BUCKWORTH is a qualified solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, and the founder of Buckworths (www.buckworths.com), the only law firm in the UK working exclusively with start-ups and high-growth businesses. He has a passion for entrepreneurialism, and has advised countless start-ups over the last ten years. He’s been ‘entrepreneur in residence’ at London South Bank University and University College, London, for several years, and is a regular speaker at industry events.Trade ReviewMichael's book is exactly what every cofounder should have in their locker when embarking on a new venture.Overall the book is a thoroughly comprehensive guide for what to do & what not do when trying to build a sustainable business.Each chapter covers different legal / operational elements that all start ups from ideation to funding ought to be aware of and address.Michael makes the information relatable by ending each chapter with a summary of an example case study of a founder who goes through the regular challenges at each particular stage of getting their business off the ground.The content is in an easily digestible format which is great given the density & complexity of the knowledge being shared. * Amazon *Table of ContentsBuilt on Rock: Table of ContentsBuilding your start-up on rockMeet LucioPART ONE: Launching your business1. Setting up your company: avoid the barriers and traps2. Dodging the pitfalls: identify and manage risk3. Protecting your brand and intellectual property: secure your intangible assets4. Bringing in help: incentivise employees and contractors5. Looking after your liabilities: your customer contract6. Understanding data protection law: use it to your advantagePART TWO: Raising investment7. Where to find funding: the investment landscape8. How to value your company: make your equity go further9. When to raise funds: get your timing right10. Making your business attractive to investors: understand investor tax relief11. Seal the deal: receiving funds and issuing sharesSolid foundationsStart-up checklistThe authorAcknowledgements

Read more less

Book Synopsis** Business Book Awards 2023 Finalist **Have you ever seen a competitor get great headlines and thought, ‘Hey! Why wasn’t that us?’ Get insider secrets to find out how to set your business apart and cut through the noise, using media coverage How to prepare your business to become a go-to authority for journalists from day one The end-to-end process of getting media coverage, demystified How to align media relations with your growth strategy and scale coverage Included: An invaluable media relations toolkit with actionable templates, scripts and cheat sheets for transformational resultsFELICITY COWIE is a media relations troubleshooter for some of the world’s leading organisations and former BBC News and Panorama journalist. She’s worked on 100,000 story pitches from both sides and now makes her insider secrets available to YOU..."A must-read for founders. This is truly a game-changing guide" Eileen Burbidge MBETrade ReviewIf you are serious about harnessing the real power of media relations for your business and yourself as an entrepreneur thought leader, then Exposure is a must read. Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa * Lioness Weekender, Lionesses of Africa *...very educational... The overall approach...is very creative and if you've never dealt with journalists you definitely need to read this book because it can be your step by step guide on this process. * NetGalley *I think many people who've built a business or a social presence find media coverage scary....Felicity shows us how a journalist's mind works which makes pitching them much easier. The early part of the book broke some of my misconceptions then the latter parts gave me a framework to actually make successful pitches. The style is welcoming and easy to follow. I run multiple brands and will keep referring back to this book whenever I need to ramp up coverage. * Amazon *Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTSForeword by Eileen BurbidgeIntroduction ‘Why wasn’t that us?’ What is media relations? How can media relations help YOUR business? Chapter 1 You need scrutiny, not ANOTHER strategyMedia relations starts in the guts of your business. Can you articulate what you do in 50 words? What are your key business objectives – are there holes and conflicts and how to use holding statements and key lines to take Where’s the proof – case studies What Journalists Think When You Pitch (A-F)Chapter 2 Demystified: How you get media coverage, end to endJournalism is not a dark art. It’s a long-established and hierarchical industry with strict rules and non-negotiable deadlines. The main rules which journalists are bound by: Time The main rules which journalists are bound by: Teamwork A timeline of how the pitching process all works What Journalists Think When You Pitch (G-K)Chapter 3 Business first, story secondNever fall in love with your story over your business. Matching your core business objectives to stories Timing is everything: When do YOU want this coverage (and why)? Finding the right journalists What Journalists Think When You Pitch (L-P)Chapter 4 Tomorrow’s chip paper or the feeding frenzySuccess! You get your coverage. But this immediately leads to two new challenges. Your coverage is over before it starts, or it accelerates. And you need to plan for both before you start out. Amplifying all media coverage Planning for and coping with intense media interest: For the business owner Planning for and coping with intense media interest: For the business and its wider relationships What Journalists Think When You Pitch (Q-U)Chapter 5 Implementing infallible processesMost businesses don’t know where to put media relations. Embedding tried and tested tools Briefing to recruit the right skills – in house Briefing to recruit the right skills – agency What Journalists Think When You Pitch (V-Z)Media Relations Toolkit How to write a press release with the only template you will ever need How to find the right journalists cheat sheet How to pitch your story to any journalist in 7 steps (with script) Critical housekeeping to avoid knowledge loss and reinventing the wheel/How to store media contacts and coverage How to create a job description/invitation to tender/request for proposal to get the right skills Method to describe your business concisely using a 50 Mighty Words quadrant to check/keep everybody is on the same page through opportunities and risks Key termsAcknowledgements

Read more less

Book Synopsis** Business Book Awards 2023 Finalist **Coaching Outdoors offers a journey of professional development, personal development and enriched wellbeing.Coaching Outdoors supports practitioners to step outside and make the most of what nature can offer the coach, client, organisation and planet. It contains essential practical advice and activities, together with engaging case studies and research – all laid out in an accessible and logical format.Discover how to: Articulate the benefits of coaching outdoors from a place of experience Contract for psychological safety outdoors Find resources in nature Collaborate with nature as a coaching co-facilitator Engage with nature when working remotely with clients Coaching Outdoors is the first handbook specifically on the value of coaching with nature. It is an invitation to leave the fast-paced, technology-focused world and reconnect with what really matters, in an environment where we were born to thrive.LESLEY ROBERTS BEd, MSc is an executive coach and adventurer who has been coaching outdoors since 1999. Her academic research focused on how nature can support coach and client. After 16 years with Mars Inc she founded Brave Conversations, working with global teams and individuals to unlock their potential. In 2019 she founded Coaching Outdoors to bring the benefits of partnering with nature to as many people as possible.Trade ReviewAn interesting approach to coaching...Nicely done. * Netgalley *Does exactly what is says on the tin. The ultimate guide to this subject. Essential for any coach. * Amazon *This book is essential reading for anyone interested in getting the best out of themselves and others, insightful and inspiring.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPRELIMS Foreword by Neil Reynolds, Mars Inc What you will find in this book MAIN CONTENTPART 1 – Setting the Scene About the author and introduction A brief orientation to coaching in general What is coaching outdoors? & Coaching outdoors in the context of other types of coachingWhy has Coaching Outdoors become Topical? Why has being outdoors become so talked about now – a comment on society today Today’s business world Covid-19 Peter Hawkins challenge Benefits from Being Outdoors The evolutionary human connection with nature Benefits of being outside Positive effects of nature Research into walking outside and coaching and walking PART 2 – Getting StartedChoosing the Right LocationThe differences between extreme adventures, hill walking and a walk in the park City, rural, office grounds Where to go, what is appropriate and what isn’t? What practicalities need to be considered? Green space/blue space research ACTIVITY - Self-coaching walk Contracting What’s different to indoors? What do I need to include? ACTIVITY - Practice with a client Weather Where’s your comfort zone? Where’s your clients comfort zone? ACTIVITY – Self-exploration walk Kit What to wear What to take ACTIVITY – Self-exploration walk/Reflection exercise Psychological Safety Considerations How locations can support a variety of issues ACTIVITY – Plan for a client session & re-tweak contract if necessary Give it a GoACTIVITY – Prompt to give it a go in a client session & reflectPART 3 – The Circle of BenefitsBenefits for the Coachee Space Perspective Creativity Presence Side by side Benefits for the Coach Nature as Co-facilitator/The Evoked Companion Speed of connection Depth of conversation Presence Bravery Benefits for the Organization Making the business case Overcoming resistance Wellbeing/Resilience A new way of working for faster results Longevity of impact It’s all about how you introduce it Benefits for the Planet It all starts with our relationship with nature Personal responsibility Personal choice PART 4 – Who am I to Coach Outdoors?Your purpose ACTIVITY – Self-Coaching & JournalingYour personal outdoor practiceModel for time outdoorsYour outdoor coaching practiceACTIVITY – Elevator pitchPART 5 – Nature as Co-FacilitatorOpportunities for The Coach – Making the most of the outside environmentMore than just taking the worksheet outsideNature as a mirror Stories and examples ACTIVITY Metaphor Stories and examples ACTIVITY Constellations Stories and examples ACTIVITY Seasons Stories and examples ACTIVITY Give it a Go Trust your intuition ACTIVITY – Prompt to give it a go in a client session & reflect PART 6 – Teams & Remote WorkWorking Outdoors with Teams What is the difference to working with an individual? What to be aware of Opportunities for teams/team coaches Stories and examples Working Remotely with Nature Over the phone Over computer (including examples, ideas and top tips) PART 7 – Final ThoughtsThe Future of Coaching OutdoorsConclusionCoaching Outdoors is accessible and multi-beneficial for most and appropriate for many, brining benefits to both coach, client and organization.END MATTERAppendices Sample map of an outdoor space for coaching Check-list of things to inform client about Check-list of things to bring; coach and client List of ideas for working with nature indoors Risk Assessment form AcknowledgementsReferences

Read more less

Book Synopsis** Business Book Awards 2023 Finalist **"Nothing connects people to engage emotionally with your business better than a well-told story – your story.”From mega-large corporations to tiny start-ups, every…. single…. business always has a story to tell. Before people choose to buy your product or service, or respond to a call to action, they need to understand how you will solve their problem or fulfil their needs.Storytelling for Business reveals why storytelling remains the most impactful way to create a meaningful and sustainable connection with the people who matter the most to your business, and how to tell YOUR story well. For more than 25 years, storytelling has been at the core of everything Rob Wozny has accomplished as an intrepid senior journalist, creative content strategist, and proven business communicator. Leveraging his passion and experience for storytelling, Rob works with business owners and leaders to understand their goals and align them with business storytelling ideas, personalized to attract and engage the people that matter most to them.Trade ReviewA direct book with actionable advice, great for anyone working in marketing or looking to expand their own social media outreach. How to tell a story that builds a business or brand, this book focuses on the "business" side but plenty of examples and advice for everyone making money online. * NetGalley *Storytelling in business cannot be underestimated because it is widely used for successful communication. This book tells you about the importance of storytelling as well as coaches in creating and delivering stories that can make a difference and impact. I'd say you can find a good way to structure (several options that fit multiple purposes) a story [and] platform to deliver it as well. * NetGalley *...this is well structured, clearly written, and includes good examples. Since we're wired for stories, this is a good skill for everyone to have whether it's to tell a joke or something that happened to you. Use it at work or home. Recommended. * NetGalley *Storytelling for Business is a very well-written, insightful book and one I will be recommending and buying as gifts for the communications pros in my life.Whether you are a senior communicator or just starting out this book is filled with resources and tips to help you engage your audience. The case studies throughout are relevant and thought provoking, demonstrating the power of a good story. This book can be read cover to cover in just a few days, but I guarantee you'll be picking it up and thumbing through well-worn pages for advice and inspiration for years to come. * Amazon *Table of ContentsPrologueChapter 1: The Story Behind The StoryChapter 2: The (Growing!) Need for StorytellingChapter 3: Build Your Own Media NetworkChapter 4: Choose Your ChannelChapter 5: Managing The MediaChapter 6: People PowerChapter 7: Audience AnalysisChapter 8: When a Story Goes SidewaysChapter 9: The Inside StoryChapter 10: Making Measurement MatterChapter 11: The Stories You Tell YourselfEpilogueAcknowledgmentsAbout the Author Chapter OneChapter one explores what makes a compelling story for your business, including the structures, tools, strategies, and the science behind why people are influenced by the power of storytelling. The chapter gives you a fulsome perspective on what you need, while providing the peace of mind that less is sometimes more, when “more” is so readily and easily available.Chapter TwoChapter two examines the (growing) need for storytelling in companies and organizations, along with the benefits of investing in storytelling for business. The chapter offers the most important reasons why business storytelling is such a worthwhile endeavour for your business, correlated by evidence of return on investment.Chapter ThreeChapter three explains how to build your own media network to distribute your storytelling content, complemented by ideas and concepts on how to maximize the storytelling for your business. The chapter cautions not to become overwhelmed by near-infinite options and how to decide what media ultimately is best for the story of your business.Chapter FourChapter four dives into why people consume content on social media, making your storytelling amendable to your stakeholders via these platforms (your own media network), plus some of the other channels of communication your business can incorporate into your business storytelling.Chapter FiveChapter five delves into one of the most impactful channels of amplifying your business storytelling – the mainstream media, whose own social media networks are in some cases more powerful than some of their own traditional channels. While a palatable storytelling option, the chapter covers some of the risk and reward of working with the media.Chapter Six Chapter six showcases the most important element of storytelling for business - people. Along with how to choose your storytellers, chapter six shows you how to prepare them to communicate your messages effectively and accurately, while coming across as genuine and interesting. Chapter SevenChapter seven identifies who are the most influential people you need to reach to take a desirable course of action, influenced by the storytelling of your business. The chapter goes into greater detail on how they think and act in relation to your storytelling content, and how and where to find them.Chapter EightChapter eight guides you through how to respond and recover if the story of your business does not go as planned, generating a negative response, or inadvertently harming the operations of your organization. Presented as When a Story Goes Sideways, this chapter covers some strategies to prevent sideways stories from occurring in the first place and who you need on your team to help you with this important risk-mitigation strategy.Chapter NineChapter nine looks inward to tell the story of your business from an internal perspective. Your internal stakeholders, especially your employees, are the most powerful storytellers within your networks. The chapter explores how to identify and empower them to be your organization’s ultimate ambassadors.Chapter TenChapter ten investigates why measurement matters in storytelling for business. The chapter explains some of the leading benchmarks and tools to measure if your storytelling succeeded in supporting the goals of the organization, and how you can leverage them to track ROI.Chapter ElevenChapter eleven reveals that storytelling for business is not always an easy journey, but certainly worth taking the risk as the benefits can be profound and rewarding, both personally and professionally. The chapter provides some guidance and advice on storytelling perseverance in the face of some detractors who may try to knock you back, but elucidating you to the bigger storytelling picture.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEver come away from a conversation thinking ‘I could have handled that better’?Soft skills are a dark art, but one you are already using when you are at your best.With her simple NALED framework, Lucy Harrison has already helped hundreds of leaders be at their best more often. Now you too can choose to hold a different kind of conversation.Designed and road-tested with busy industry managers, this guide and toolkit will help you improve team engagement, ideas and performance.LUCY HARRISON is the founder of leadership consultancy the Harrison Network, delivering training and coaching in organizational development with a focus on human-centred leadership.Foreword by Adrienne Kelbie, CBETrade Review“If you are someone who likes their self-help books to be chock-full of good, simple exercises, this book won’t disappoint and, as some of the case studies show, at the very least it will give you the confidence to have the difficult conversations even if they don’t always end in success....A useful, potentially even essential companion guide for anyone in the industry charged with managing a team.” * Nuclear Future *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsForeword Introduction The five strands of NALED – an overview Notice Acknowledge Listen5.5 STOP Explore Do Applying NALED in a Nutshell How do I know it’s making a difference? Challenges you might face Stories from the front line About the authorAcknowledgements

Read more less

Book Synopsis“The system you need to make bold changes in your career” Daniel H. PinkWe’re experiencing a work revolution, with an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine how, when, and where we do what we do. Now is the perfect time to take more control over your work/life and maybe even finally take the leap into going it alone, whether by starting your own business or turning your passion into a career.Ollie Henderson shares the lessons he’s learned by interviewing entrepreneurs, business leaders, and world-renowned experts on his chart-topping podcast Future Work/Life. Forget work/life balance, the secret to navigating a career transition today is to create a flywheel that aligns all parts of your work and life and harness small wins to help build the momentum you need to succeed. Take control of your long-term future using a proven step-by-step process Develop the confidence to transform your career by focusing on becoming an expert in your niche Adopt a creative and experimental approach to your work/life that delivers consistent, measurable results Cultivate a network of global collaborators to support your transition and generate new opportunities Experienced founder and CEO Ollie Henderson pivoted his career while juggling the pleasures and pressures of raising a young family. He believes work/life balance is a myth. Rather than seeing career and personal life as two opposing forces, Ollie argues that the secret is to design an integrated approach that allows them to work in harmony.Trade ReviewHave been following Ollie’s podcast for a while now, so decided to give his new book a try and delighted I did. Many excellent tips which I’ve already started incorporating into my future career and personal goal plans. * Amazon *This is tremendously engaging and gives really actionable insights that will allow me to build a process for my own evolution. * Amazon *...packed full of practical tools and advice on how to reimagine your life and career for the better AND without fear. It provides you with everything you need to take the leap into a new future with absolute confidence. * Amazon *Really interesting new angle with lots of practical tools of how we can make our lives (both work and personal) better designed for the busy new world we live in. * Amazon *As a career coach, I speak with countless people who are looking to change the way they work and live. This book provides fantastic insight and is an excellent resource to really get the juices flowing on what career change can look like. I especially like the practicality of the exercises. * Amazon *Best book I’ve read in years. Really clear ideas about how to rethink the all important work/life relationship. Feeling motivated after reading this! * Amazon *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsEach chapter will include two short case studies, and end with practical exercises and a further reading list. Contents Foreword Preface After his career pivot collided with a global pandemic, Ollie Henderson spent 18 months on a mission to redesign his work/life.The insights he gained, including speaking to entrepreneurs, business leaders, and world-renowned experts on his successful careers podcast, led to him rejecting the idea of work/life balance.The result is a new approach that builds on the lessons of legendary companies to give readers the tools to navigate their own career transitions effectively. PART 1: The power of the flywheel Forget work/life balance. You need a flywheel Rapid changes in the workplace mean many more now understand they need to adapt and evolve to stay ahead within companies or by ‘going it alone’. Increased digital connectivity has opened up new opportunities but can cause overwhelm as we struggle to focus on the important things. We need to align career and personal life, so they work in harmony. The Work/Life Flywheel provides the tools to create an ever-evolving process that works to your rhythms, helps you identify your intrinsic motivations, and is compassionate towards the non-linearity of your life. 2. How Amazon became an unstoppable force Introducing Jim Collins’s flywheel framework. How businesses of different types have benefitted from the ‘flywheel effect’, whether inadvertently or by design. The importance of constantly experimenting and evolving. 3. Why the flywheel will work for you Interconnected components of the flywheel feed into each other, creating complementary benefits and building momentum. Establishing the right mindset creates the right conditions for creativity and problem-solving. Building the right connections allows you to generate the feedback you need to learn, which leads to breakthroughs. The breakthroughs help validate or improve your thinking, which feeds into a positive mindset of progress and purpose. PART 2: Building your flywheel4. Mindset: Are you ready for this? Understanding what drives you and what’s motivating your desire for more autonomy. How creating more Flow in your life will increase a feeling of purpose, improve productivity and drive performance. Why establishing a positive and proactive approach to your physical, mental and financial health is critical to your career development. The role of curiosity and opening your mind to new experiences. 5. Creativity: The robots are coming The world of work is changing – you’d better get creative if you want a long, successful career. Creativity is not just art or playing music, but applies to how we design companies, create cures to disease and solve disputes. Explore where creativity contributes to flow, particularly the skills/challenge balance and working at our edge. Growth of creator and passion economy, including the 1000 True Fans and 100 True Fans models, and the power of ‘niching down’. Developing a new approach to how you manage your time that optimises for creativity. 6. Experimentation: Testing, testing Thinking about yourself as a scientist, testing out your ways of being creative – writing, creating videos, problem-solving, generating new business ideas – in different environments, and approaching different tasks. Get over your imposter syndrome, and don’t be afraid to fail - that’s part of the process. Too much thinking and not enough action results in no progress – use technology but most importantly, people to test out ideas and get feedback. Measure what matters – creating clear, ambitious goals is essential to validate your ideas. 7. Connections: Network effects Increased connectivity means we don’t need to limit people we work with to those in our locale. So, how do you cultivate your global network? As we focus on our niche, how do you identify the people that can help us progress? Digitisation has led to more fractured lives, so giving is as important as receiving in building connections. Feedback through social platforms achieves quantitative scale in our testing; discussing it with someone provides qualitative feedback. Using content creation to nurture relationships. Networking for introverts and how to create teams of other like-minded, independent workers. 8. Learning: Positive education We’re going to be living a lot longer, and you need to be prepared to keep learning and reskilling. Monetising your skills in entirely new ways is vital, as human creativity and attention become the most precious resource of the 21st century. Alternatives to formal education and taking responsibility for your own career development. Creating mastermind groups. Think about macro and micro-learning– what are the global trends that you need to be aware of; what areas of focus give you unique insights. 9. Breakthroughs: Work less, achieve more The value of small wins to gain momentum in your flywheel. What to do when the process doesn’t go to plan and how to feed that learning into establishing the right mindset to ‘go again.’ Countering burnout and the feeling that you’re on a treadmill, not a flywheel. Measuring progress and how it relates to purpose. Macro-breakthroughs vs micro breakthroughs – how to use each of them to build momentum. The importance of reflective moments to the evolution of your flywheel. PART 3: Propelling you forward10. Work-in-progress We’ve been around the flywheel once, but this is just the start. How to iterate and evolve each stage of the process. Why a vital part of the process is adapting and sharing your experiences with your new community of co-collaborators. Trusting the process and how to get over self-doubt. AcknowledgementsIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisNothing really prepares you for what it’s like to become a board trustee of a charity you believe in; nothing, that is, until now.This book talks you through how to become a brilliant board trustee, carry out your roles effectively and even enjoy the experience.Written by a current board member, for boards and their trustees, each chapter outlines the key approaches to take to become part of an empowered and brilliant board. Discover the principles of Governing with Purpose, and find out why governance and leadership are core values for board trustees.Above all, it speaks to the value of your role in leading a charity to achieve its objectives.Brian Cavanagh has over 25 years’ experience of governance and leadership in the public sector in Scotland. He is the CEO of Calibrate, a mentoring consultancy specializing in strategic leadership and board governance for the charity sector in UK and Ireland. Brian chairs an SME in Scotland and is a board member of a housing association in Ireland.Trade Review"..an incredibly valuable resource for anyone new to the world of charity governance and an apt refresher for any existing trustee" Changing the Chemistry * Changing the Chemistry *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsIntroductionPart 1 First PrinciplesChapter 1 Governing with purposeWhat does it mean for board members, understanding your why as a board member and reimagining your roleChapter 2 – What does good board governance look like?Setting out foundations of how board members add value, understanding roles and the power relationships around the board and outwith the board roomChapter 3 Governing Cause Organisations - keeping to purposeA wider look at what governing in a values-based organisation in regulatory framework means - and the challenges and opportunities that entails. Part 2 - Critical relationshipsChapter 4 The key relationship: Primus inter pares - the ChairIdentifying the different types of Chair/CEO combinations and outlining the best balance for Governing with PurposeChapter 5 The key relationship; the CEOSetting out the roles of the CEO and exploring the different approaches and their impact on relationships with the board.Part 3 revisiting the rolesChapter 6 Effective decision makingWhat are the key components and techniques that make for good decision making? How much should be delegated and what is the role of CEO and senior management in that? What roles do committees have in managing and assessing risk, and above all how do the personality types of board members impact upon decision making?Chapter 7 Groupthink versus Dissent - getting the balance rightExamining the nature of constructive challenge and the dangers of Groupthink and Dissent - and how board members play out their roles of collective responsibility and personal and moral views as a core to Governing with PurposeChapter 8 Strategy versus Scrutiny - getting the balance rightExploring the dilemma how Boards often feel more comfortable in their scrutiny role yet getting more involved in the shaping of strategy is where boards need to be – chapter outlines how boards should manage that dilemma Part 4 Re-imagining PurposeChapter 9 Governance as LeadershipIntroducing the concept of governance as leadership to improve general board effectiveness, and how boards can realise their powerChapter 10 Board as Ambassador and InfluencerExploring the under-realised importance of a board member as ambassador and influencer – and hoe boards can offer real added value and demonstrate their leadershipChapter 11 The Learning BoardShowing that Governing with Purpose can only be fully realised through the development of a learning board, with thoughts on how to achieve thatChapter 12 – Recruit and Renew Showing to how to develop successful succession planning and board renewalAppendix oneThe Holy Grail – the perfect board meetingAppendix twoRoles and responsibilities

Read more less

Book Synopsis**The People’s Book Prize 2022/23 Shortlisted Title**Dreading Monday? Feeling stuck in your career? Frustrated with your boss?Here’s the ouchy (but awesome) bit: The only person who can fix it is you.Beth Stallwood is a sought-after coach, facilitator, speaker and consultant, specialising in helping people find more joy at work, and helping organisations nurture their people. She’s distilled years of experience into the practical WorkJoy toolkit, inspiring you to take ownership of your working life by: Breaking free from ‘work/life balance’ and un-blurring your boundaries Reframing relationships with your organisation, boss and support squad Letting go of limiting beliefs and crafting big goals that won’t go in the bin You’ll spend more than a third of your lifetime working, so there’s no better time to take the wheel and start creating more WorkJoy than right now. bethstallwood.com/Trade ReviewExcellent book. I love the concepts, the examples/stories and the very practical excercises. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to feel more joy at work.Brilliantly set out, easy to take on board, whether you read or dip into it, it's the worklife manual that everyone should be given on their first day at work!Table of ContentsTable of ContentsForewordAcknowledgements The WorkJoy Mindset The WorkJoy Formula The WorkJoy Method Part 1: Mindset / Head Stories Lives Careers Part 2: People / Heart Squads Bosses Moodhoovers Organisations Part 3: Actions / Hands Goals Habits Hurdles ConclusionRecommended additional reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisCould your ‘small’ business be a Blue Whale just waiting to break the water?Whether you’re in your third week or third decade of business, no matter what your current turnover is or what life stage you’re at, it’s never too late to re-evaluate your goals and your ambitions. But if you’re ready to grow your business after several years of trading, you might find that most of the advice and support out there is aimed at new start-ups.Phil Teasdale took the decision to transform his own company 20 years ago, and since then he’s been helping other established businesses grow and transform with the help of his innovative, practical Blue Whale Plan.Swimming with Blue Whales will change both you and your business – this is your invitation to become part of the pod.A successful small business owner himself, Phil Teasdale has spent the last 20 years working with over 6,000 small businesses in the UK, US and Australia, identifying and developing growth opportunities.Recognising that most small businesses and small business owners do not fit the traditional myth of the high-growth start-up ‘unicorn’, he is much more interested in working with ‘blue whales’: businesses with a longer gestation, who choose a different, more sustainable route to growth.Trade ReviewA perfect strategy bible for businesses who want to create growth and stability...really clear & concise, full of brilliant tips, & an easy one to dip in & out of as you progress. - LinkedInI've read lots of business books, but never one like this. Insightful and full of great ideas learnt through experience. - Amazon 5*Really well written and easy to follow. No doubt I will be putting this plan into action. - Amazon 5*I recognise both myself and my business in so much of this book. The writer recognises the business frustrations I have faced and lays out a clear plan to move forward for that elusive growth and momentum I have wanted for years. Really well written and easy to follow. No doubt I will be putting this plan into action. - Amazon 5*Phil's book is a real eye-opener when it comes to business ideas, mixing professional wisdom with personal experiences. His inventive whale metaphor stands out, making complicated stuff easy and fun to grasp. His accessible writing style breathes life into theory, giving us a chance to get in tune with Phil's thoughts as a successful business owner. One of the high points for me was the focus on achievable slow growth. The tasks are practical and great for new business owners to use for their own needs. - Amazon 5*Table of ContentsForewordChapter 1 The definition of a Blue Whale business or a Blue Whale business ownerChapter 2 The baleenChapter 3 The ventral pleatsChapter 4 The gestationChapter 5 The dorsal finChapter 6 The dorsal ridgeChapter 7 The tail flukeChapter 8 The blowholeChapter 9 The eyeChapter 10 Size and growthChapter 11 The pectoral fins and innovationChapter 12 The past to influence the future mindset of Blue WhalesSummary How to release yourself and your business into the open waterAcknowledgementsThe authorIndex

Read more less

Book Synopsis"We’ve all gotten stuck working with people we don’t like. Thankfully, Deb Mashek has written a lively, actionable book to fix that. Combining her expertise as a psychologist and her experience as a consultant, she reveals how we can earn trust, repair relationships, and create collaborations that bring out the best in us.” Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLifeMany people have mixed feelings about workplace collaboration. On the one hand, they know collaboration is essential to achieve complex goals. On the other hand, they know collaboration is a slog. People pull in different directions. There’s desperately little communication and even less follow through. One person ends up doing all the work. The result? Friction mounts. Projects fizzle. Great people walk.Here’s why: very few of us ever receive any formal training in how to collaborate well.In Collabor(h)ate, Deb Mashek draws on her deep experience as a relationships researcher and collaboration facilitator to reveal everything you need to know to make workplace collaborations less painful and more productive.Dr Deb Mashek is an experienced business consultant, professor, higher education administrator, and national nonprofit executive. She applies relationship science to help people collaborate better. Learn more at: www.collaborhate.comTrade ReviewWhen collaboration is done well it creates an exponentially better end result but when done poorly it can create low morale, low output and a whole host of other problems. The book teaches readers a framework for collaborating better and explains the dynamics of solid team/group work. * LinkedIn *...essential reading for anyone who wants to improve collaboration and relationships in the workplace. I cannot recommend Collabor(h)ate highly enough. It is a game-changer. * Amazon *Deb Mashek is the guru of all things collaboration. She provides leaders and teams a paradigm for working better together. Deb taps her life experiences, research and business acumen in developing this easy-to-read and still super-substantive resource for all teams everywhere. Collabor(h)ate is full of great stories AND practical models and tools you can use right away. * Amazon *The Mashek Matrix is genius, akin to Stephen Covey's Four Quadrants. The launch of this book marks a paradigm shift in our business culture. -- Nina Bianchi * Amazon *Relatable, actionable, and empirically-based - this book is a must-read for any professional looking to improve their workplace relationships and productivity. * Amazon *The Mashek Matrix, nine strategies to positively influence collaborative relationships , and insight into understanding and managing interdependence are worth their weight in gold. * Netgalley *For a short book, it's exceptionally powerful, and one I would not hesitate to recommend. * Netgalley *"People in the corporate world, particularly those who’ve been consistently disappointed by collaborations, will find a great deal of clear thinking in these pages. An upbeat and pro-active method for improving collaborations in the workplace and beyond" - Kirkus ReviewsTable of ContentsFRONT MATERIALPrefacePART 1: FOUNDATIONS OF COLLABORATIONChapter 1. What is collaboration and why is it so dang difficult?What is "collaboration" anyway? | Mixed feelings about collaboration? You're not alone | Putting the H in collabor(h)ate | Why is collaboration so dang difficult? | So why bother? | Why aren't we taught how to do this? | Fear not: this learnable (and relationship theory can help) | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 2. Two relationship dimensionsYour workplace relationships matter | Relationship quality: Is your collaboration relatively good or bad? | Interdependence: To what extent are you and your collaborators mutually dependent on each other? | The Mashek Matrix | Moving from collabor(h)ate to collaborGREAT | You, your team, your organization | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 3. Improving relationship qualitySet clear expectations | Behave accordingly | Avoid telling yourself stories about others | Talk about yourself | Cultivate we-ness | Engage in novel and challenging work | Bring the donuts | Be responsive | The power of personality | Attachment anxiety and avoidance | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 4. Changing interdependenceFrequency of interaction | Diversity of activities | Strength of influence: Tasks | Strength of influence: Consequences | Deciding how to decide | Maintaining boundaries | Individuals and their roles | Tools employed | Organizational values | Rituals and processes | Capacities and supports | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationPART 2: COLLABORATIVE CHALLENGES (AND HOW TO ADDRESS THEM)Chapter 6. Diagnosing and remedying the 12 most common collaboration challengesHow to use this section | Dropped balls | Uneven workload | "My way or highway" | No capacity to give | Under preparation | Disengagement | Going rogue | Last minute contributions | Inconsistent contributions | Stealing credit | Dodging hard conversations | Mushy roles | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 7. Special collaborative contextsCross-functional | Skip rank | Cross-cultural | Inter-generational | Other power dynamics | Difficult personalities | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 8. When to get the heck out of there4 horsemen of the apocalypse | Process loss vs. sudden death | Chaos and toxicity | Teams in crisis | Should I stay or should I go? | The things you cannot change | Don't be a doormat | Growth after breakup | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationPART 3: LIVING IN A WORLD OF COLLBORGREATChapter 9. Further developing your collaboration chops: Professional development for you and your teamUnderstanding the impact of your behaviors | Finding the courage to change | Options and interventions for you as an individual | Options and interventions for your team and organization | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 10. Hey, you're collaborGREAT!Taking the H out of collabor(h)ate | Choosing which stone soups to contribute to | Identifying, vetting, and committing to collaborators | Learning to say "yes" vs knowing when to say "no" | How to be in the room where it happens | Helping others level up | It takes a village | Here's the point | Questions for reflection and integrationChapter 11. The Collaborators' VowBACKEND MATERIALBonus chapter: Collaboration in friendships, family, community, and lifeReferencesAcknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisLife and work continue to evolve, and so must your leadership. Thriving in today’s business environment requires conscious, inspirational leadership, a fresh understanding of the world we find ourselves in, and a whole new playbook anchored in meaning and purpose. You need a set of strategies and applications that enable you to create an experience in your organization where your people give their best, feel fulfilled in their work and relationships, can work toward realizing their potential, and will persevere alongside you in service of the company’s mission.Not only will you and your team be completely rejuvenated and elevated by exercising this kind of agency, but your business will be transformed to perform at much higher levels of productivity, creativity, and results. Meaning and purpose are essential ingredients to unleash the potential of everyone in your stakeholder community, powerfully uniting them, to increase your organizational impact and relevance. Here is your opportunity to transform the Great Resignation into your Great Revitalization.DR ALISE CORTEZ is a management consultant specializing in meaning and purpose, an organizational logotherapist, the host of Working on Purpose radio and Chief Purpose Officer at Dr Alise Cortez and Associates. She works with forward-reaching organizations to develop conscious, inspirational leaders and enable them to transform their organizations into high functioning, profitable enterprises by activating meaning and purpose.Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsForeword by Dr. Lance SecretanIntroduction: First Aid for the Exhausted, Overwhelmed or Lost LeaderPART ONE: THE ‘WHAT’ OF G.U.S.T.O.Chapter One – G: Gumption -- Your Business as an Enlivening Force for Good (What)Your Business Can Breathe Vital Life Back into YouConscious Capitalism, the Super Hero to Power Your BusinessYour Business Beautiful, Intelligently DesignedThe Long Play in BusinessKey Points SummaryChapter Two – U: Urgency – Wake Up and Turn Fast! (When and Where)From Autopilot to a Constant Drive for Improvement The Cry for Work-Life Harmony in the Great ResignationThe Call for Wellbeing amid a Mental Health CrisisFluid Location and the New Focus on Where Work Gets DoneKey Points SummaryChapter Three – S: Sustainability in an Interdependent World (Why)On Becoming Wise Homo SapiensYour “Living Organization” in Today’s Stakeholder Capitalism WorldFrom an “Ego Economy” to a “Living Economy”Sustainability and ESG as a Business ImperativeKey Points SummaryChapter Four – T: Therapy that Enlivens Hearts and Souls Through Meaning (How)That Workforce Hungers for Deep MeaningEnter Logotherapy: The Surprisingly Simple Path to Activate MeaningThe Playground of Work – Where Meaning is ActivatedDoctor’s Orders: Motivate Through MeaningKey Points SummaryChapter Five – O: Ownership Culture that Unites All Stakeholders Through Purpose (Who)What is Purpose, and Why Does it Matter?Purpose as Today’s Driving Business ImperativeYour Parliament of PurposeKey Points SummaryPART TWO: THE ‘HOW’ THROUGH N.O.W.Chapter Six – N: Nurture Through Mindfulness (IQ)Perform a Human Capital Process and Procedure AuditFocus on and Nurture Individual StrengthsBanish Your “High Performance” Programs and Embrace “Momentum”Re-Tool Feedback and RecognitionVitalize Well-Being in Your Workplace Remove Toxicity that’s Killing Your Culture Measure and Increase Employee Engagement and FulfillmentDeconstruct Time and Place in Today’s Nimble WorkplaceElevate Your Team by Leveraging AI and RoboticsKey Points SummaryChapter Seven: O: Open the Heart (EQ)Become a Caring Leader Who Celebrates “Everyone Matters”Manage Through Meaning ™Bring Passion Back to the WorkplaceInspire “Love in Work” and Spread JoyStomp Out Fear and ToxicityEncourage Social or Job PurposingIncrease Relational Connection and Belonging Through DEIBLive the ESG+R Standard Every DayKey Points SummaryChapter Eight: W: Wake the Soul (SQ)Do the Work – Be a Leader Worth FollowingAdd Inspiration to Evolve Your Leadership PracticeDetect Your Company’s Purpose – Your Unique Way of Being and ServingEmbed Your Company Purpose into Every Operational AspectHelp Your Team Members Discover Their Own PurposeElevate Your Company Purpose with BeautyAccept the Summons of Syntropy – Reaching to Our Higher PotentialKey Points SummaryConclusionSelect Bibliography

Read more less

Book Synopsis** Business Book Awards 2023 Finalist **‘Amazing book: Clever, insightful, relevant, and actionable.’ Dave UlrichIf you find discussions of inequality painful, aggravating, exhausting, or even scary, it’s time to explore the elephant.Growing the Elephant is the story of Advantage - Earned and Unearned. Earned Advantage is the part of the Elephant we know. Work hard – get rewarded; form relationships – get opportunities. But while anyone can earn Advantage, some have more opportunity than others. That’s the story of Unearned Advantage.Unearned Advantage is the part of the Elephant we avoid. It is so hard to talk or even think about that those with it ignore or deny it while those without it are exhausted or incensed by it.Growing the Elephant is for anyone working to increase innovation, performance, and inclusion by building practices and mindset to meet and stay with what's difficult. It is for leaders and contributors at any level and those who help them build and sustain diversity, equity and inclusion.A seasoned human resources executive, CHRIS ALTIZER, MBA, MA consults and coaches executives and lectures on business, management. and inclusive leadership. He has led teams and worked with senior leaders across industries around the globe. His research and work have been published in journals and covered by Forbes Magazine. Chris practices and teaches mindfulness, yoga, and martial arts. GLORIA JOHNSON-CUSACK, MPA, is a servant leader and changemaker who consults to leadership teams and boards of public and private foundations committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, financial security, and health. She lectures at Columbia University and serves as Board Chair of the Firelight Foundation supporting communities in Africa. She holds degrees from American University and Columbia University.Trade ReviewThe advantages of leveraging diversity through inclusion have been widely recognized, if not often successfully reaped, for decades. Why is it that now we are all so focus on this topic. Amazingly there are still a lot of people who choose to ignore this, while there are ways to ensure you are not seen as disrespectful. Chris Altizer and Gloria Johnson-Cusack not only provide explanation to recognize diversity but also use it through true life examples -- Monique Vander Eyken * HR Director *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsChapter 1: IntroductionA Word from the AuthorsIntroducing the ElephantGrowing the Elephant – Our Approach and IntentAn Approach to Reading this BookGrowing and Learning - Not Always ComfortableClosing Chapter 1 - Terms and the TeamWhy No 'Disadvantage'?Chapter 2: Recognizing AdvantageThrough the Eyes of…The Authors on RecognizingRecognizing Advantage - What Am I Looking At?Recognizing Earned AdvantageEarned Advantage ExerciseThe Unearned Opportunities for Earned Advantage – Unearned AdvantageSources of Unearned AdvantagesUnearned Advantage: Who We AreWhence you cameSTOP – Begin to See the ElephantRecognizing the Entire ElephantThe Discomfort of Recognizing Unearned AdvantageEmotional Awareness of Advantage ReflectionA Brief Introduction to Windows of ToleranceChapter SummaryChapter 3 Working with Advantage – the MindsetThe Team Explores Advantage Mindset – Fixed or Growth?The Growth Advantage MindsetExploring MindsetThe GAM ExerciseAlvin Explores IntentionsWhat They Are, How They WorkMaria’s GAM Intention.The GAM of Whence You (we) CameYvonne’s Intention – Self Compassion (and Robert’s, Too)Advantage Compassion – for Yvonne and Robert (and the rest of us)Chapter SummaryChapter 4 Growing Earned AdvantageUnconscious Biases – Seriously Uncomfortable… Little Things That Add UpThe Turbulence of Language Ownership – Claiming the BaggageMicroaggressionsAwareness of MicroaggressionClaiming More Baggage - Unpacking Gender Personal PronounsUnpack Some BaggageLiterally Harder to Carry - DisabilityGrow the Good – Feel the RealWatering the Seeds of Earned Advantage - RAINGrowing Earned Advantage – Things You Already KnowGrowing Earned Advantages for Two, PleaseAsking for Opportunity for Earned Advantage3 Kinds of AwarenessIncreasing Awareness?Claiming “Woke” – The unPolitics of the Growth Advantage Mindset (a box)GAM Leadership - and FollowershipChapter SummaryConclusionGrowing Earned Advantage - the Fertilizer of CourageHolding More Unearned AdvantageHolding or Supporting Less Unearned AdvantageAppendixDynamics of AdvantageAwareness of Advantage Exercise:TBC - Additional Resources & ReadingResources 84Background Design Statement - Chris Altizer 86Advantage, Not Privilege 86

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou’ve come this far… How do you move your career forward from here?Once you reach middle to senior level in your profession, you require different skills to allow you not only to carry out your day-to-day role effectively and positively, but to also continue your career progression and fulfil your potential.Simply being technically proficient and having expert knowledge isn’t enough any more. You need to develop other capabilities related to communicating, engaging with others and dealing with every professional scenario effectively and confidently.This book will help you master these skills to successfully navigate your current role and prepare for your next, so that you can increase your job satisfaction and progress your career.Joanna Gaudoin helps bright, knowledgeable people with great technical skills and experience improve their non-technical skills, so they progress their careers and boost their firm’s performance. She has run her business for over a decade and has worked with thousands of people, both individually and in groups. Now she wants to help YOU stand out and develop the skills you need to succeed.Trade ReviewI now look at the day to day running of my business very differently. A must read for any management team. * Amazon *This book is well worth a read. Love the section on personal branding - so important! * Amazon *I would encourage anyone, at any point in their career, even if senior, to read this book. You’ll be surprised about how the seemingly small things you’re doing (or not!) have a huge impact on how you are perceived and how you are managing your career. * Amazon *This is a rare, comprehensive and very readable resource to help you with understanding yourself, the sometimes confusing world of work relationships and how to approach things differently. * Amazon *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsAbout this book Section 1 - It all starts with you Chapter 1 – You can’t help but impact others Chapter 2 – What you wear matters Chapter 3 – The power of body language Chapter 4 – What you say and how Chapter 5 – Managing yourself in the time you have Section 2 – The relationships you need Chapter 6 – The Foundations of great relationships Chapter 7 – Internal Relationships Chapter 8 – Building external relationships Chapter 9 – Common people challenges Section 3 – Professional scenarios Chapter 10 – Online Presence Chapter 11 – Meetings & Presentations Chapter 12 – Day-to-Day Communication Chapter 13 – Changing roles Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisRemote working is here to stay.But 65% of remote workers say they feel isolated, and many managers struggle to know how to support them.In Your Resource is Human award-winning marketer and global remote business leader Melissa Romo explores the five unspoken remote work emotions, and identifies the five remote-ready leadership behaviors that can help all teams, large or small, rise above the sometimes emotional undertow of working apart.This book aims to give remote leaders the counsel and courage to embrace empathy, adapt their communication and inspire optimism that will drive culture, build connection and help their people do their best work.Melissa Romo has more than 20 years’ experience as a business leader for FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies around the world and has spent more than a decade building, leading and working in globally dispersed teams. She earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management, where she studied organizational behavior and leadership, has been recognized as a marketing and advertising industry “40 Over 40,” and is a regular speaker on communication, content and community for business events around the world. https://www.melissaromoauthor.com/Trade ReviewThis brand-new, brilliantly written book, based on revealing interviews, allows CEO’s to understand the work-at-home phenomenon with more clarity and sensitivity to create a better workforce..a riveting business book, written by a skillful and intelligent executive. * LinkedIn *This is an important topic. Everyone leading a team - or who wants to ultimately lead a team - should read this book. * LinkedIn *If you are looking for straightforward tools and specific actions you can take to support your team and create the conditions for them to thrive in hybrid work, this book is for you. It's carefully researched and filled with relatable stories that make it an enjoyable and quick read. * LinkedIn *I highly recommend leaders furnish this book to their managers and teams. The thing that sets this book apart from the many articles, blogs and books written about remote work is how Romo shares actionable knowledge and information. She gives leaders the “how” to improve as remote leaders rather than just detailing the current challenges and theories. * Amazon *...a fantastic book that will help anybody build the skills to ensure your teams stay engaged, stay focused, and stay happy. * Amazon *Table of ContentsTable of ContentsYour Resource is Human: Remote work’s emotional pitfalls and how courageous leadership can help teams rise aboveForeword - Jay Shetty, bestselling author of “Think Like a Monk” and host of the podcast “On Purpose”Introduction - Who this book is forSection I - Identifying the 5 emotional pitfalls of remote workWhile your people might love the flexibility and independence of remote work, more challenging emotions are at play on some level all of the time. A good leader has a clear-eyed understanding of these and is on the lookout for them at all times.Diagnostic: How well do you read emotional signalsChapter 1 - IsolationHow remote work contradicts our human need for connectionChapter 2 - GuiltHow we punish ourselves for unproductive daysChapter 3 - BoredomWhen the empty room does not inspire motivationChapter 4 - ParanoiaCareer progression, politics and wondering if ‘out of sight means out of mind’Chapter 5 - DepressionThe devil’s workshop: Being alone during personal crises, existential dread, blues and fatigueSection II - Behavior blueprints: mastering your remote-ready leadershipEmpathetic leadership while remote is different than empathetic leadership in person. This section will help you apply 5 leadership behaviors to help you manage effectively in a remote context, confidently embracing the emotional realities your team are navigating every day.Diagnostic: How ready are you for remote-ready leadership?Chapter 6 - Checking inQuestions to ask and how to know when to ask them + 5 conversation startersChapter 7 - Building trustCreating a safe place to confide, and what to say when they do + 5 conversation startersChapter 8 - Setting boundaries How to show care and compassion without being a pushover + 5 conversation startersChapter 9 - Managing performanceBalancing high expectations with personal constraints + 5 conversation startersChapter 10 - Communicating with optimismRemote-ready leadership and how the leader is every remote team’s North Star + 5 conversation startersConclusionFurther ReadingAbout the Author

Read more less