Business Book Summaries

It’s all too easy to think that CEOs need special knowledge or experience or ability to be able to function as CEOs. As a matter of fact, the primary ingredients for change are not at all complicated and require no special training. As Gal Borenstein tells us in his book “What Really Counts for CEOs”, they are nothing more - and nothing less - than will and courage.

The key to effective management is the possession of these correct tools, along with the understanding that a CEO cannot manage what he or she cannot measure. This must become ingrained in the CEO’s thinking. Otherwise, he or she will simply continue to measure statistics that don’t matter and to act, or not, in response to these unimportant figures.

Another important point is that every CEO must also understand that he or she did not create the culture or structure of the company he or she is heading. The company’s structure or culture has come to be as the result of many forces; the CEO may well be one of these forces, but most of them are institutional and existed and were already in play before the CEO came on board.

A CEO’s responsibility is to provide inspiration and vision. Ultimately his or her imagination and willingness to see it made a reality is far more important than the myriad details his or her managers present each day.

In many ways, the CEO is like a quarterback. As such, every CEO has the leadership responsibility and the power to coalesce or realign the departments and management teams under him or her into a streamlined system that supports the objectives. That is immense power, but what must also be understood is that CEOs must also deal with entrenched structures and with individuals who won’t supply the right information unless it is asked for, probed for, and demanded for.

The success and failure of a CEO is largely determined by how effectively this key task is accomplished. Although others have supporting roles to play as regards this task, and these may well be pivotal roles, the task of spearheading the team - as well as becoming the “fall person” should these efforts falter - is the CEO’s alone.

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, marketing, Gal Borenstein

Many people have a difficult time finding the motivation to get things done. The biggest misconception is that motivation will simply fall from the sky and everything will be swell. Unfortunately, that’s not how the world works. You need to be proactive!

Others wait for something “big” to happen so they will suddenly have the motivation they need to complete a task or push through a tough time. When this doesn’t happen, they lose their focus and fall off the task quickly. Instead of waiting for something to come to you, why not create your own motivation? You can… and it’s easier than you think!

Finding the Little Things to Motivate You
The first thing you need is an environment that is conducive to healthy motivation. What does this mean? Well, it means that you need a clutter-free workspace, a comfortable chair at your desk, and a computer monitor at a comfortable height. Ergonomics is very important when designing the area where you will be working. These little things can zap you of your motivation in a real hurry. After all, how can you be motivated if you have a sore neck and back all the time? You’ll be too busy worrying about carpal tunnel or back spasms than anything else!

Ask yourself honestly: “How much would my attitude change if I worked in a place that I actually liked to spend time in?”

The moment you work in an environment that is congruent with your needs, you’ll nearly instantly find the motivation to get started and follow through.

Identifying Your Motivational Factors
Everyone has different motivational factors so what works for your colleagues may not work for you. Instead, determine the unique things that excite and motivate you. Perhaps you can reward yourself with your favorite snack after completing an important task, or maybe you can have a friendly competition with your colleagues. Whatever it is, give yourself something to work towards!

You’ll find more motivation by sprinkling mini-rewards throughout your day for each little task you check off your to-do list. When you keep your motivational factors simple, you’ll keep the pressure off and get more done in less time.

How to Find Motivation on the Computer
Even your computer can be a source of motivational energy. Motivational desktop wallpapers can help you stay focused while you work. These desktop wallpapers are free downloads that give you motivation at your fingertips. When you think about how often you see your desktop, it makes sense to put some inspiring thoughts and images there. When you are ready to throw in the towel, just take a quick look at your desktop and just might find the inspiration you need to persevere through!

There are plenty of motivational images and quotes, so there’s no shortage of motivation right on your desktop. You can refresh your desktop wallpaper every day, week, or month as you see fit.

Using the power of motivating imagery is free and requires little time. This method is a prime example of finding motivation in the little things. So go get started!

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, motivation

What does success really mean to you? It’s important to clarify your thoughts, goals and desires before you can achieve success! You can’t work towards something passionately when you aren’t sure what the end result will be.

Success means many different things to different people. Unfortunately, the tendency is to view monetary gain as success. However, financial wealth is only a small part of overall success.

Different Areas of Success
Because there are different areas of success, you can be successful in one area and unsuccessful in others. In order to develop a plan for your success, you need to make your own list of areas that are relevant to you. To achieve overall success in life, you’ll need to examine your priorities in each area.

For many of us, there are 3 main components of success. In your personal plan for success, there may be even more. Be sure to include any areas that are important to you.

Here are the 3 main areas, along with some tips and techniques to help you evaluate your priorities and formulate your success plan:

1. Career. To evaluate your career, contemplate these questions:
* Do you desire a higher status position?
* What amount of income would make you happy?
* Would you simply like to feel appreciated by your boss?

Any number of things can be used to measure your success when it comes to your career.

* In your career evaluation, be sure to determine what strengths and weaknesses you have that can help or hinder you from achieving your goal.

2. Emotional. These questions can guide you to important considerations for your emotional success:
* Are you satisfied with your relationships?
* What have you learned so far that could help you do better in the future?
* If you have children, do you feel successful in how you’re raising them?
* Is your marriage a happy one?

3. Health. Are you doing everything you can to improve your overall well-being? Maybe a change in diet and exercise is in order. Take a moment to evaluate whether you’ve achieved success in this area or if there’s room for improvement. If your health can use a boost, make a plan to start implementing changes in your daily routine that lead to a healthier lifestyle.

The Journey to Success
Your journey to success will have highs and lows throughout your life. There will be mistakes and disappointments. You may experience a setback at some point. The beauty is that you can get back on track and move closer to your goals at any time.

You may achieve new levels of success at different times in your life and career. As you progress in your job, start a family, and get involved in giving back to your community, your definition of success may change, as do your priorities. Go with the flow; it’s okay for your outlook on life and your meaning of success to change over time.

Love what you do! Life is too short to be stuck doing something you despise. To achieve success in life, work with what you’ve got. Focus on your strengths and interests and do the things that bring those to the forefront of your life.

Challenges and obstacles are opportunities for improvement and further success. Everyone has setbacks at some point in their lives. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be human. The successful individual has the confidence that he can and will do better!

Every so often, it’s very important to step back and re-evaluate your idea of success. There are so many changes in life and with each one you’ll find that your priorities change also. Never underestimate the power that comes from persistence and experience, just don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, success

If you focus too much on getting one thing done perfectly, you place all else at risk by doing so. As a matter of fact - and this is a seeming paradox right here - such a perfect product can never be perfect.

Resources are finite. Time and money wasted is time and money gone forever. And a waste of time and money means some other positive thing that could have happened, didn’t. So you need to apply a “good enough” rule to your work to make sure that you don’t just get one thing done excellently, but many things done well.

Sam Carpenter provides us with an excellent example in his book “Work the System”. A 100 percent flawless document that took forever to create, he says, carries an imbedded imperfection: The extra time spent creating the masterpiece – the extra 2 percent – is lost forever, therefore the finished product carries an imbedded taint, and catch 22 – you can never call it “perfect.” Your work and your written procedures should be “good enough.”

So, Sam says, you need to make your procedures detailed but don’t make them TOO detailed. They should be good enough so the desired results are consistently produced, and so someone “off the street” can execute them - but no more.

See it this way, he adds: In putting your procedures together quickly, you are reaching a kind of perfection – the perfection of a useful product created without waste. That’s another seeming paradox right there, but at this point unraveling both paradoxes - this and the one mentioned at the start - should be easy!

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, Sam Carpenter

Many people don’t realize that true wealth-building strategies are nothing if not holistic: they can only really work if they build up your life mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. The words “health” and “wealth” actually come from the same root, which means “wholeness” in the sense of being complete. When we do things to make our lives wealthier, we should also be doing things to make our lives healthier.

This isn’t just “airy-fairy” or “feel-good” stuff, mind you - it really does work. All of the top thinkers advocate approaches like this in one form or another, so it would really benefit you to open your mind and adopt such approaches, if you haven’t yet managed to do so!

Attract Wealth by Working
Surely, to attract wealth we have to be in business in some way, shape, or form. If we aren’t doing some kind of work, we aren’t attracting wealth.

It’s necessary to do some sort of work in order to attract wealth. This is even true of those who are financially independent. Granted, financially wealthy people don’t need to work on anybody else’s clock, but don’t be fooled, they’re still overseeing to ensure that work gets done.

Also remember that people don’t get wealthy overnight. Yes, there are your lucky lottery winners who wake up rich after buying a single ticket, but more often than not, wealth is earned by hard work. Patience is just as important as charting your progress toward wealth. If your current job isn’t meeting your needs to reaching financial freedom, then take action and look for a job that will pay you more.

Attract Wealth Spiritually
Wealth is energy, and energy by its nature must flow. The independently wealthy people who keep money working for them are creating, maintaining, and growing an energy flow, and that is a spiritual endeavor. Another spiritual principle for wealth creation that is widely recognized amongst those who are financially successful is tithing, which isn’t necessarily tied to any religion.

Tithing is a principle that instructs a person to give away at least 10% of his money whether it’s weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually to noble causes that have nothing to do with seeking profit. These causes are supposed to be things such as charities and philanthropic projects.

Those who are financially successful say that what you give away returns to you in greater measure. So when they do noble things with their money, they not only benefit others, but they benefit themselves, because that spiritual energy returns to them and brings them even more wealth than they give out. It’s an endless and beneficial cycle.

Local schools, libraries, places of worship, park and recreation departments, or children’s organizations are all deserving of your support.

Attract Wealth with Positive Thinking
Mentally, we attract wealth by creating a positive mental state where we fully understand and believe that we deserve to be wealthy. Emotionally, we create within ourselves an attitude of gratitude. Having an attitude of gratitude (even for wealth that we don’t actually have yet) charges up our wealth attraction magnet and helps to bring about that which we know is coming to us.

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, wealth, money management

Making more money and getting out of debt is a top priority for many adults. Even though paying down a considerable debt may feel overwhelming, taking just a few simple steps can make a debt-free life a reality. This is a continuation of yesterday’s entry on the same topic.

1. Think about How Much You Need to Work
When you’re lining up work or contemplating a new job, think about your expenses and make sure you can earn the money you need to live comfortably. Keep in mind how many hours you can work while still having time for the things you love to do. Consider if you’re eligible to work overtime. A few extra overtime shifts a month could make a considerable difference in paying off some debt.

2. How Much is Your Time Worth?
When you’re considering a job or a commission, you need to think about making sure you’re getting paid what you are worth.  If you are worth more money, don’t take jobs that pay significantly less unless there is a compelling reason to do so. Try negotiating with your employer for an increase in salary, a higher hourly rate, or a performance bonus structure. If you have experience in a highly specific field it generally earns you a higher salary.

3. Avoid Late Charges on your Bills
Avoid late charges on your monthly bills by using your debit or credit card to pay them off automatically. Set up online banking with your credit card company so each month your bill will be paid automatically. No more forgetting to mail the check or going into the bank!

4. Keep the Thermostat Low
When you want to keep your bills low, you will find that one of your heftiest bills will be the heating bill, especially if you live somewhere cool. Learn to wear layers of clothing and agree on a preset temperature with your family. Installing an electronic thermostat allows you to program the times and the temperatures so no one has to touch the thermostat.

5. Buy Good Quality Items
It might seem counterintuitive, but buying more expensive things that are of a higher quality can be useful when you’re looking to save money.  Quality things break less frequently so you don’t end up buying the same items over and over. This doesn’t mean you have to shop for designer clothing that’s out of your budget range. Simply look for higher quality items and buy fewer clothing pieces this season.

6. Buy Locally
When you’re looking to buy produce, take the time to buy from local vendors.  Not only will the food taste better, but you won’t be billed the extra transport costs and you’ll be supporting local business. Visit the local gift shop for that birthday gift rather than heading to the mall. Or have dinner at a local restaurant rather than a chain restaurant. You’ll likely save money on gas while supporting your local businesses.

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, money management

At the end of the month, do you realize that you have less money in the bank than you thought you’d have? Where’d the money go? Did you save it or spend it? Or can’t you account for it?

If you are looking to save money for an investment or a big expense like a vacation, car or home – or even if you don’t have any big-buck purchases to make – you need to implement money management tips. Everyone would be better off managing their expenses and saving more money, especially in times such as these. Remember that managing your money doesn’t mean you have to give up your entire life. You just need to be a little more mindful of your cash flow.

1. Budget Your Eating Expenses
When you’re looking at where you spend your money, you might be surprised that so much of it is spent on take-out or restaurants. Limit the number of times you go out every week and start planning your menus when you cook at home.  This will make a huge difference in your grocery bill.

2. Map Out Your Expenses
Write down everything you buy. Don’t worry about obsessively reviewing your list every day, but take the time to make it accurate. You’ll find that there are plenty of unnecessary purchases you can eliminate from your budget without thinking twice. This is a great way to track your cash expenses, which includes all the times you stop for coffee, go out for lunch, or stop by the dry cleaners. Write down every penny spent and review it the end of each month.

3. Pay Your Bills on Time
This goes without saying, but keep in mind that missing your payments on your bills will make the late fees pile up.  This should also be a reminder to make sure that you return your library books or DVD rentals on time. Set up automatic bill payments and you’ll never have to worry about late fees again.

4. Reduce Unnecessary Expenditures
One of the most common money-wasters is paying for goods and services you really don’t need. For example, how many television channels do you really watch? Chances are good that there are a few dozen channels you simply never turn to.  Call your telephone, television, and wireless phone companies and ask if your plan is the most cost effective. If you don’t use call waiting or text messaging, don’t pay for it. In addition, once you’ve taken stock of all the things you’ve bought, determine what it is that you buy that you don’t really need, and then resolve not to buy it or them again.

5. Stop Traveling Unnecessarily
To deal with the skyrocketing prices of gas and overall cost of transportation and travel, be stricter with your trips. Go out only when absolutely necessary. For those times when you really do have to go out, try alternate methods of transportation, especially for frequent or shorter trips. Get a bike, try the bus or train when you travel, or walk if you’re heading somewhere closer.  Take some time and really analyze where your gas money is going. If you can’t use public transportation to get to work, consider carpooling with someone else in your company. This reduces the wear and tear on your car and will save you gas money, especially if three or four people share the ride.

6. Get Your Family Involved
Saving money and using these money saving tips will be easier if you have your whole family on board, supporting the effort together. After all, these are good money lessons to teach children of all ages.

Don’t be intimidated with the idea of saving money. Just by implementing a few of these tips each month - and sticking with it - will help you keep more money in your bank account!

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, money management

Have you always wondered how to become a visionary person? It’s important to understand that having a vision is different than actually being a visionary.

The person who possesses vision is one who sees potential developments and events that may occur in the future. The visionary is the one who actually takes action to make the vision become a reality. Becoming a visionary can make a world of difference in your work and in your life.

The Mindset of a Visionary Person
It’s important to understand that the visionary does, in fact, have vision upon which their actions are based. A visionary doesn’t do things for the sake of doing them; rather, the visionary makes very calculated decisions which will succeed in fulfilling their vision.

When complications arise in the life of the visionary, they see them as anything but complications. Most visionaries will simply view an obstacle as a learning experience they can use for self-development. They feel that the challenge enlightens their mind to new understanding. The visionary is not at all a victim of circumstance, but rather a creator of circumstance and productivity. So when challenges in the office rear their heads, the visionary first deals with them by casting them as challenges that can be learned from, instead of obstacles to success.

Steps to Becoming a Visionary Person
Now that you understand the basics of what a visionary is, it’s time to transform the person you are today into a new person for brighter tomorrows! By following the steps listed below, you can become a visionary:

1. Appreciate people. This means ALL people – not just certain people you care about. Learn to appreciate the special and not so special talents, skills, and personalities of others because you never know what lesson you’ll learn from them.

2. Accept responsibility. You should never accept the position that you’re a victim of circumstance. You alone are responsible for the things you experience, the choices you make, and the outcomes of those choices and experiences. Placing blame on others for your choices or mistakes is not only childish but will prevent you from learning from these mistakes and improving your life.

3. Strive to learn and improve. You should know and understand that the job of self-improvement is never ending. It’s a constant cycle, and it revolves consistently as we advance through life. Working to improve yourself, the lives of those around you and the world will make you one of the top visionaries that the world has ever seen! By taking steps to improve yourself and looking for ways to improve the world, you’ll begin to think about solutions more creatively.

4. Discover the positive effect of challenges. You must understand and approach all situations as if they’re a lesson and you should always strive to learn something from them.

5. Take action to make your dreams come true. It’s wonderful to set goals and have dreams, but if you never put anything into action, the thoughts and dreams are futile.

As you can see, it’s easy to learn how to become a visionary. If you start to follow these steps in your everyday life, you’ll soon find that you’ll become well liked, happier, healthier, and more successful in every facet of life!

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, vision

Mistakes are part and parcel of any learning process, and they should be seen as such. Our society nowadays, however, condemns mistakes and punishes those who commit them, so it’s no surprise that people in general walk softly and are altogether too cautious for their own good. It’s no wonder then that not a lot of people these days seem to be achieving very much, if they’re so afraid of committing errors that they don’t push themselves far enough to achieve too many things!

Key thinkers such as John Maxwell agree. In his book “The 360° Leader”, he states that where learning the art of leadership is concerned, people must definitely be open to trying new things and making mistakes in order to get anywhere – and the earlier the better as well. If you want to succeed, says Maxwell, you need to learn as much as you can about leadership before you have a leadership position. Good leadership is learned in the trenches. Leading as well as they can wherever they are is what prepares leaders for more and greater responsibility.

Becoming a good leader is a lifelong learning process. If you don’t try out your leadership skills and decision-making process when the stakes are small and the risks are low, you’re likely to get into trouble at higher levels when the cost of mistakes is high, the impact is far reaching, and the exposure is greater. Mistakes made when you’re at the top cost the organization greatly, and they damage a leader’s credibility.

How do we become the people we desire to be? We start to adopt the thinking, learn the skills, and develop the habits of the person we wish to be. But of course that sort of process involves trial and error, blunders right and left and mistakes galore – as well as learning from them and improving.

If you want to be a successful ANYTHING, you have to push yourself to try new things and learn to do them well. And key to that is to keep an open mind regarding making mistakes. We have to be open to making mistakes and learning from them, because there is no other way for us to improve – as leaders, as employees, and as people in general.

Technorati tags: book summaries, business books, business productivity, self improvement, John Maxwell, The 360 Degree Leader

The fear of public speaking is extremely common. Have you ever wondered why this is the case, though? It tends to be a social fear because we don’t want to appear stupid in front of others. After all, what could be more embarrassing than making a fool of yourself in front of a large group of people – many or most of whom you don’t even know?

Here are ways to overcome your fear of public speaking:

1. Be Prepared. Making every preparation before the big event will help give you confidence. Planning out every detail will help to put you at ease.

* Know your material.  If you’re worried about rambling off course, try to have very detailed outlines and notes of what you’re going to say. Then, stick to the notes when you are speaking. You should know your material well enough that your eyes are not glued to the paper for the entire speech.

* Know your audience. Be aware of why the audience has come to listen to you speak. If it’s a special occasion, then be prepared for the importance of the event. This may make you more nervous, but it’s better to know beforehand.

* Know the conditions under which you will speak. Check the lectern and microphone ahead of time to make sure everything is working properly. Check out the room and visualize how the speech will go so you can make your entrance and give your speech with confidence.

* Practice your speech as many times as possible. You can practice alone, in front of a mirror, or even in front of some friends. Recording yourself giving your speech can also be helpful.

2. Relax Before Opening Your Mouth. This can take an enormous amount of effort, but by following a few simple steps, you’ll find that you can relax and speak as you normally would. And after a few practice runs, you might even find that you enjoy public speaking!

* Visualize the audience as being on your side. They’re friends waiting to hang upon your every word. If you feel this way your body language will reflect that in your speech.

* Don’t hesitate to take deep breaths and pauses when needed. For example, when you’re called on to speak, take several deep breaths before leaving your chair. When you reach the lectern, thank the person who introduced you and then slowly count to 3 in your head before speaking.

Implementing these tips will give you time to collect your thoughts and calm your nerves. You’ll be less likely to start rambling and you’ll start to feel your muscles slowly begin to unwind. If necessary, look at your notes and prepare what you’re going to say before opening your mouth.

If you’re worried about looking foolish in front of others, simply eliminate the possibility. If you’ve come prepared and relaxed about the event, then you’re no fool! You’re an intelligent human being with something special to offer the audience. Never forget it!