Business revolves around making decisions, often riskydecisions, usually with incomplete information and too often inless time than we need. Executives at every level, in everyindustry, are confronted with information overload, less leeway formistakes, and a business environment that changes rapidly. In lightof this increased pressure and volatility, the old-fashioned waysof making decisions–depending on intuition, common sense, andspecialized expertise–are simply no longer sufficient. Distillingover thirty years of groundbreaking research, WinningDecisions , written by two seasoned business advisers and worldleaders in behavioral decision studies, is a comprehensive,one-of-a-kind guide to the proven methods of making criticalbusiness decisions confidently, quickly–and correctly. Decision-making is a business skill which managers often take forgranted in themselves and others–but it's not as easy as some mightthink. The authors, whose expertise has been sought out by over ahundred companies, includi

In a book that looks at the power of collaboration, the authorsdefine eight archetypes of leaders and followers and then explainhow readers can take 60 different cases of successful collectivebehavior and apply them to their own organizations.

“I’ve got the name for our publishing operation. We just saidwe were going to publish a few books on the side at random. Let’scall it Random House.” So recounts Bennett Cerf in this wonderfullyamusing memoir of the making of a great publishing house. Anincomparable raconteur, possessed of an irrepressible wit and anabiding love of books and authors, Cerf brilliantly evokes theheady days of Random House’s first decades. Part of the vanguard of young New York publishers whorevolutionized the book business in the 1920s and ’30s, Cerf helpedusher in publishing’s golden age. Cerf was a true personality,whose other pursuits (columnist, anthologist, author, lecturer,radio host, collector of jokes and anecdotes, perennial judge ofthe Miss America pageant, and panelist on What’s My Line? )helped shape his reputation as a man of boundless energy andenthusiasm and brought unprecedented attention to his company andto his authors. At once a rare behind-the-scenes account of bookpublishing and a fascinat

Go from being a good manager to an extraordinary leader. If you read nothing else on leadership, read these 10 articles.We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articleson leadership and selected the most important ones to help youmaximize your own and your organization's performance. HBR's 10 Must Reads On Leadership will inspire you to: - Motivate others to excel - Build your team's self-confidence in others - Provoke positive change - Set direction - Encourage smart risk-taking - Manage with tough empathy - Credit others for your success - Increase self-awareness - Draw strength from adversity

In this instant New York Times Bestseller, Geoff Smart andRandy Street provide a simple, practical, and effective solution towhat The Economist calls “the single biggest problem in businesstoday”: unsuccessful hiring. The average hiring mistake costs acompany $1.5 million or more a year and countless wasted hours.This statistic becomes even more startling when you consider thatthe typical hiring success rate of managers is only 50percent. The silver lining is that “who” problems are easily preventable.Based on more than 1,300 hours of interviews with more than 20billionaires and 300 CEOs, Who presents Smart and Street’s A Methodfor Hiring. Refined through the largest research study of its kindever undertaken, the A Method stresses fundamental elements thatanyone can implement–and it has a 90 percent success rate. Whether you’re a member of a board of directors looking for a newCEO, the owner of a small business searching for the right peopleto make your company grow, or a pare

YaYa CEO Ferrazzi works with "Inc." writer Raz to explain theguiding principles he has mastered over a lifetime of reaching outto explain what it takes to build the kind of lasting, mutuallybeneficial relationships that lead to professional and personalsuccess.

Companies have long engaged in head-to-head competition insearch of sustained, profitable growth. They have fought forcompetitive advantage, battled over market share, and struggled fordifferentiation. Yet in today’s overcrowded industries, competing head-on resultsin nothing but a bloody “red ocean” of rivals fighting over ashrinking profit pool. In a book that challenges everything youthought you knew about the requirements fro strategic success, W.Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne contend that while most companiescompete within such red oceans, this strategy is increasinglyunlikely to create profitable growth in the future. Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more then ahundred years and thirty industries, Kim and Mauborgne argue thattomorrow’s leading companies will succeed not by battlingcompetitors, but by creating “blue ocean” of uncontested marketspace ripe for growth. Such strategies moves—termed “valueinnovation”-create powerful leaps in value for both th

A compelling vision. Bold leadership. Decisive action.Unfortunately, these prerequisites of success are almost always theingredients of failure, too. In fact, most managers seeking tomaximize their chances for glory are often unwittingly settingthemselves up for ruin. The sad truth is that most companies haveleft their futures almost entirely to chance, and don’t evenrealize it. The reason? Managers feel they must make choices withfar-reaching consequences today, but must base those choices onassumptions about a future they cannot predict. It is thiscollision between commitment and uncertainty that creates THESTRATEGY PARADOX. This paradox sets up a ubiquitous but little-understood tradeoff.Because managers feel they must base their strategies onassumptions about an unknown future, the more ambitious of themhope their guesses will be right – or that they can somehow adaptto the turbulence that will arise. In fact, only a small number oflucky daredevils prosper, while many more unfortunate, bu

The legitimate use of force is generally presumed to be therealm of the state. However, the flourishing role of the privatesector in security over the last twenty years has brought this intoquestion. In this book Deborah Avant examines the privatization ofsecurity and its impact on the control of force. She describes thegrowth of private security companies, explains how the industryworks, and describes its range of customers – including states,non-government organisations and commercial transnationalcorporations. She charts the inevitable trade-offs that the marketfor force imposes on the states, firms and people wishing tocontrol it, suggests a new way to think about the control of force,and offers a model of institutional analysis that draws on botheconomic and sociological reasoning. The book contains case studiesdrawn from the US and Europe as well as Africa and the MiddleEast.

As a social science researcher and an esteemed business consultant, Marcus Buckingham (First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths) has spent considerable time studying the big picture. This wide-angle approach led him to an unexpectedly narrow conclusion: There is a core concept to even the most complex topic. What he has discovered in The One Thing You Need to Know is that single "controlling insights" exist for a whole range of situations, and when properly applied, can encourage exponential improvement and lead to precise action and results. In applying this concept to managing, leading, and individual performance he has pinpointed the single element necessary for achieving success in each of these three key positions. Buckingham acknowledges the subtleties of the topic and his goal is "not to make these subjects simpler, merely clearer." And what could be clearer than one thing? The challenge lies in filtering out the nonessential matters and distinguishing "between what is merely import

American capitalism is in dire straits, caught in a perilouspattern of increasing volatility, decreasing investor returns, andongoing bad behavior by executives. And it's getting worse. Sincethe turn of the twenty-first century, we've seen two massivevalue-destroying market meltdowns and a string of ethics breaches,including accounting scandals, options-backdating schemes, and thesubprime mortgage debacle. Just what is going on here? Is it theinevitable decline of the American economy? Is it the new normal ina technology-enabled global marketplace? Or is it possible that thevery theories we've embraced to underpin our capital markets areactually producing these crises? In "Fixing the Game", Roger Martinreveals the culprit behind the sorry state of American capitalism:our deep and abiding commitment to the idea that the purpose of thefirm is to maximize shareholder value. This theory has led to amassive growth in stock-based compensation for executives and,through this, to a naive and wrongheaded linkin

The little black book of marketing is here. Marketing guru Peter Fisk's inspirational manual of marketing shows you how to inject marketing genius into your business to stand out from the crowd and deliver exceptional results. Marketing Genius is about achieving genius in your business and its markets, through your everyday decisions and actions. It combines the deep intelligence and radical creativity required to make sense of, and stand out in today's markets. It applies the genius of Einstein and Picasso to the challenges of marketing, brands and innovation, to deliver exceptional impact in the market and on the bottom line. Marketers need new ways of thinking and more radical creativity. Here you will learn from some of the world's most innovative brands and marketers from Alessi to Zara, Jones Soda to Jet Blue, Google to Innocent. Peter Fisk is a highly experienced marketer. He spent many years working for the likes of British Airways and American Express, Coca Cola and Microsoft. He was the CEO of

Since Peter Senge published his groundbreaking book The FifthDiscipline, he and his associates have frequently been asked by thebusiness community: "How do we go beyond the first steps ofcorporate change? How do we sustain momentum?" They know thatcompanies and organizations cannot thrive today without learning toadapt their attitudes and practices. But companies that establishchange initiatives discover, after initial success, that even themost promising efforts to transform or revitalizeorganizations--despite interest, resources, and compelling businessresults--can fail to sustain themselves over time. That's becauseorganizations have complex, well-developed immune systems, aimed atpreserving the status quo. Now, drawing upon new theories about leadership and the long-termsuccess of change initiatives, and based upon twenty-fiveyears of experience building learning organizations, the authors of TheFifth Discipline Fieldbook show how to accelerate success and avoidthe obstacles that can stall momentum. The

Great decisions depend on judgment calls, but in a complicatedand fast-changing situation (like a modern business), no oneleader's knowledge and perspective is sufficient to make themwisely. Some decision-makers have found ways to tap the collectivejudgment of their people - and leaders of other groups can profitfrom them. What's the story behind great decisions? Isdecision-making the responsibility of one leader or should it reston the shoulders of the collective team? In "Judgment Calls",authors Tom Davenport and Brooke Manville share twelve stories oforganizations that have successfully tapped the diverseperspectives and deep knowledge of their people to build anorganizational decision-making capability - a competence they saycan make the difference between success and failure. We know greatdecisions depend on judgment calls; and in today's fast-movingworld, there's more pressure than ever to make quicker decisions tokeep the organization moving at the speed of business. But theknowledge of one pers

You can't ask for more than efficient, effective operations.Or can you? Given today's business landscape--increasing customerdemand, global competition, lower trade barriers--being good isn'tenough. This groundbreaking guide provides the knowledge and toolsyou need to transform your organization from a well-run company toa relentlessly innovative company. Innovation expert JeffreyPhillips has helped businesses around the world achieve thedream--the implementation of innovation as a consistent businessdiscipline. In Relentless Innovation, he reveals his secrets forthe first time. Phillips argues that today's typical businessmodels actually impede innovation because they place so much focuson efficiency, cost cutting, and short-term gain. Does thisdescribe your business model? If it does, you need to revisit yourapproach and redefine your idea of what success actually is. Youmay find that your "business as usual" processes actively rejectinnovation efforts. Relentless Innovation has everything you needto

(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed) Published in 1776, in the sameyear as the Declaration of Independence, "The Wealth of Nations"has had an equally great impact on the course of modern history.Adam Smith's celebrated defense of free market economies waswritten with such expressive power and clarity that the firstedition sold out in six months. While its most remarkable andenduring innovation was to see the whole of economic life as aunified system, it is notable also as one of the Enlightenment'smost eloquent testaments to the sanctity of the individual in hisrelation to the state.

A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principalcharacteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact;and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appearless random, and more predictable, than it was. The astonishingsuccess of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. For NassimNicholas Taleb, black swans underlie almost everything about ourworld, from the rise of religions to events in our own personallives. Why do we not acknowledge the phenomenon of black swans untilafter they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, is thathumans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should be focusedon generalities. We concentrate on things we already know and timeand time again fail to take into consideration what we don’t know.We are, therefore, unable to truly estimate opportunities, toovulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate, and categorize, andnot open enough to rewarding those who can imagine the“impossible.” For years, Taleb has studi

The path to your professional success starts with a criticallook in the mirror. If you read nothing else on managing yourself, read these 10articles. We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Reviewarticles to select the most important ones to help you maximizeyourself. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself will inspire youto: - Stay engaged throughout your 50+-year work life - Tap into your deepest values - Solicit candid feedback - Replenish physical and mental energy - Balance work, home, community, and self - Spread positive energy throughout your organization - Rebound from tough times - Decrease distractibility and frenzy - Delegate and develop employees' initiative

A bold and revolutionary thinker’s legacy for how business canmeet the greatest economic challenge in decades... It’s no secret: everyone knows that the way most companies dothings is screwed up. Surprisingly, though, herein lays the biggestopportunity for improving growth and profitability in a world inwhich consumers are tapped out and competition is coming from thedevastating combination of low-wage countries with highskills. For more than a decade, following his landmark Reengineering theCorporation, Michael Hammer did “deep dives” into the processes ofcompanies in every imaginable business—from oil refineries tosoftware developers, factories, retailers, and hospitals—tounderstand the nuts and bolts of how they do their work, and thento advise them how to do it differently to become faster, cheaper,better. The results were the right product, at the right time, withthe right price and quality—businesses that not only ate thecompetitions’ lunch but their breakfast and dinn

Managing people is fraught with challenges even if you're aseasoned manager. Here's how to handle them. If you read nothingelse on managing people, read these 10 articles. We've combedthrough hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selectedthe most important ones to help you maximize your employees'performance. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People will inspireyou to: Tailor your management styles to fit your people Motivatewith more responsibility, not more money Support first-timemanagers Build trust by soliciting input Teach smart people how tolearn from failure Build high-performing teams Manage your boss

In our lightning-fast digital age, a company can facehumiliation and possibly even ruin within seconds of a negativetweet or blog post. Over the last year companies such as BP,Goldman Sachs, and Toyota have experienced serious blows to theirimages that could have had reduced impact if their leaders hadimplemented reputation management into their business strategy andculture. There is no one in either the corporate or academic spherewith greater expertise in the area of corporate reputation than Dr.Daniel Diermeier. An award-winning professor at the Kellogg Schoolof Management, Northwestern University, Dr. Diermeier has blazed apath in understanding the significance of reputation management anddemonstrating how a company can create a program so powerful thatit can help turn a potential public disgrace into a public imagesuccess story.

Adam Smith's masterpiece, first published in 1776, is thefoundation of modern economic thought and remains the single mostimportant account of the rise of, and the principles behind, moderncapitalism. Written in clear and incisive prose, The Wealth ofNations articulates the concepts indispensable to an understandingof contemporary society; and Robert Reich's new Introduction forthis edition both clarifies Smith's analyses and illuminates hisoverall relevance to the world in which we live. As Reich writes,"Smith's mind ranged over issues as fresh and topical today as theywere in the late eighteenth century--jobs, wages, politics,government, trade, education, business, and ethics." "From theTrade Paperback edition."

Now in a striking new hardcover edition, Fooled by Randomnessis the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you thinkabout business and the world. Nassim Nicholas Taleb–veteran trader,renowned risk expert, polymathic scholar, erudite raconteur, andNew York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan–has written amodern classic that turns on its head what we believe about luckand skill. This book is about luck–or more precisely, about how we perceiveand deal with luck in life and business. Set against the backdropof the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken forskill–the world of trading–Fooled by Randomness providescaptivating insight into one of the least understood factors in allour lives. Writing in an entertaining narrative style, the authortackles major intellectual issues related to the underestimation ofthe influence of happenstance on our lives. The book is populated with an array of characters, some of whomhave grasped, in their own way, the significance