An Apple Store customer asks for the latest iPhone in blackbut suddenly changes to white when he sees others choosing it. Acitizen of a former communist country picks~ a drink at random;soda is soda, he says. A young man and woman decide tomarry--knowing that they'll meet for the first time on theirwedding day. In THE ART OF CHOOSING, Columbia University profes- sor SheenaIyengar, a leading expert on choice, asks fascinating questions:Are our choices innate or created by culture? Why do we sometimeschoose against our best interests? How much control do we reallyhave? What's the relationship between choice and freedom? Drawingon her award-winning, discipline: spanning research, thisremarkable book illuminates the joys and challenges ofchoosing--and shows us how we can choose better, one choice at atime.
Technological advances and the global marketplace are changingthe way we live and work. Doing the work you love is the critical factor to personal fulfillment and economic success. Noone understands this more than Laurence G. Boldt, whose Zen andthe Art of Making a Living helped many carve out new andrewarding career paths. But how do you find the courage to startthe search for a new career? And how do you tap into your own bestresources to discover what you want to do and what you’re good at?This remarkable guide offers simple yet profound strategies to helpyou answer those questions by focusing on four key elements to besought in any life’s work: Integrity, Service, Enjoyment, andExcellence. Boldt has reduced the quest for meaningful work to itsessence and will lead you to an understanding of what you could andshould be doing with your life.
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
Michael Goldhaber, writing in Wired, said, "If there isnothing very special about your work, no matter how hard you applyyourself you won't get noticed and that increasingly means youwon't get paid much either. In times past you could be obscure yetsecure -- now that's much harder." Again: the white collar job as now configured is doomed. Soon.("Downsizing" in the nineties will look like small change.) Sowhat's the trick? There's only one: distinction. Or as we call it,turning yourself into a brand . . . Brand You. A brand is nothing more than a sign of distinction. Right? Nike.Starbucks. Martha Stewart. The point (again): that's not the waywe've thought about white collar workers--ourselves--over the pastcentury. The "bureaucrat" on the finance staff is de factofaceless, plugging away, passing papers. But now, in our view, she is born again, transformed frombureaucrat to the new star. She works in a professional servicefirm and works on projects that she'll be able to brag about yearsfrom now. I call
Cathie Black is the wise, funny mentor that every woman dreamsof having. She was a pioneer in advertising sales at a time whenwomen didn’t sell; served as president and publisher of thefledgling USA Today ; and, in her current position as thepresident of Hearst Magazines, persuaded Oprah to launch amagazine. In 2006 she was named one of Fortune’s “50 Most PowerfulWomen in American Business” for the seventh consecutive year. Now,in the exuberant, down-to-earth voice that is her trademark, Cathieexplains how she achieved “the 360° life”—a blend of professionalaccomplishment and personal contentment—and how any woman can seizeopportunity in the workplace. No matter where you are in your career, Basic Black offersinvaluable lessons that will help you land the job, promotion, orproject you’re vying for. At the core of the book are Cathie’scandid, personal stories. She walks us through her decision to riskdropping a huge ad agency that handled the USA Today campaign in favor of a small bo
In his bestselling first book, Getting Things Done ,veteran coach and management consultant David Allen presented hisbreakthrough methods to increase efficiency. Now "the personalproductivity guru" ( Fast Company ) shows readers how toincrease their ability to work better, not harder—every day. Basedon Allen’s highly popular e-newsletter, Ready for Anything offers readers 52 ways to immediately clear your head forcreativity, focus your attention, create structures that work, andtake action to get things moving. With wit, inspiration, and know-how, Allen shows readers how tomake things happen—with less effort and stress, and lots moreenergy, creativity, and effectiveness. Ready for Anything isthe perfect book for anyone wanting to work and live at his or hervery best.
"Oh, screw it, let's do it." That's the philosophy that has allowed Richard Branson, inslightly more than twenty-five years, to spawn so many successfulventures. From the airline business (Virgin Atlantic Airways), tomusic (Virgin Records and V2), to cola (Virgin Cola), to retail(Virgin Megastores), and nearly a hundred others, ranging fromfinancial services to bridal wear, Branson has a track recordsecond to none. Losing My Virginity is the unusual, frequently outrageousautobiography of one of the great business geniuses of our time.When Richard Branson started his first business, he and his friendsdecided that "since we're complete virgins at business, let's callit just that: Virgin." Since then, Branson has written his own"rules" for success, creating a group of companies with a globalpresence, but no central headquarters, no management hierarchy, andminimal bureaucracy. Many of Richard Branson's companies--airlines, retailing, andcola are good examples--were started in the face of
"This is not another 'how to start your own business' book,but rather one man's struggle to find meaning and fulfillment inwork, latching onto elephants when needed, but mostly flying solowithout a net." -Booklist Social philosopher and international business guru, CharlesHandy provides a firsthand account of how we got here and where weare headed. Handy takes us on his life's journey, looking back tosuch topics as his childhood and education and how they prepared(or, rather, did not prepare) him for a career in business; thechanging nature of organizational life within the context of theold economy and the new; the great variety of capitalism around theworld; and, through it all, his struggle to find meaning andfulfillment in work. This book is both a poignant personal memoirand a deep reflection on the past and future of world capitalism,with all its possibilities and pitfalls.
Too many companies are managed not by leaders, but by mere roleplayers and faceless bureaucrats. What does it take to be a realleader—one who is confident in who they are and what they stand forand who truly inspires people to achieve extraordinaryresults? In this lively and practical book, Goffee and Jones draw fromextensive research to reveal how to hone and deploy one’s uniqueleadership assets while managing the inherent tensions at the heartof successful leadership. Why Should Anyone Be Led By You? will forever change how we view,develop and practice the art of leadership, wherever we live andwork.
If you’ve ever wondered how investors continue to see substantial market-beating investment returns with portfolios that just seem to grow and grow, The Little Book that Saves Your Assets: What the Rich Do to Stay Wealthy in Up and Down Markets will reveal some secrets. David Darst, also known as Mr. Asset Allocations, shows you how to use savvy asset allocation strategies that you can use to invest like the rich do. This dynamic and easy-to-understand book allows you to rethink your asset allocation strategies and make the leap from mediocre to stellar returns.
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
From the man the Wall Street Journal hailed as "theguru of Revenue Management" comes revolutionary ways to recoverfrom the after effects of downsizing and refocus your business ongrowth. Whatever happened to growth? In Revenue Management, RobertG. Cross answers this question with his ground-breaking approach torevitalizing businesses: focusing on the revenue side of the ledgerinstead of the cost side. The antithesis of slash-and-burn methodsthat left companies with empty profits and dissatisfiedstockholders, Revenue Management overturns conventionalthinking on marketing strategies and offers the key to initiatingand sustaining growth. Using case studies from a variety of industries, smallbusinesses, and nonprofit organizations, Cross describes no-tech,low-tech, and high-tech methods that managers can use to increaserevenue without increasing products or promotions; predict consumerbehavior; tap into new markets; and deliver products and servicesto customers effectively and efficiently
The bestselling guide to seizing opportunity in the workplace,from the woman at the pinnacle of the Hearst magazine empire Every woman dreams of having a wise, funny mentor who understandsthe challenges she faces. Now, Cathie Black—one of Forbes's "100Most Powerful Women" and Fortune's "50 Most Powerful Women inBusiness"—offers invaluable lessons that will help you land thejob, promotion, or project you're vying for. You'll find out how tohandle interviews, which rules to break, and why you should makeyour life a grudge-free zone. Filled with surprisingly candid,personal stories and advice, this is the only career guide you'llever need.
Practical ideas from the best brains in Business A sharp, jargon-free guide to the core curriculum of an MBAprogram, MBA in a Book shows how to master the big ideas ofbusiness and use them in a practical way to build and enhancecareer success. “In the world of business, ideas matter. . . . Some of the sharpestminds in the business world give perceptive looks into innovation,marketing, finance, strategy, and leadership, providingstimulating, useful perspectives on these core topics.” —Larry Bossidy, retired chairman and CEO of Honeywell Internationaland coauthor of Execution: The Discipline of Getting ThingsDone Great business thinkers such as Michael Porter, Rosabeth Kanter,and Bill George of Harvard Business School; Paul Argenti of theTuck School at Dartmouth; Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of Yale; Peter Sengeof MIT; the entrepreneur and inventor Dean Kamen; and the financialinnovator Michael Milken are just a few of the best brains inbusiness, providing the intellectual nourishment that will help youplay
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 Take on the Street , Arthur Levitt--Chairman of theSecurities and Exchange Commission for eight years under PresidentClinton--provides the best kind of insider information: the kindthat can help honest, small investors protect themselves from thedeliberately confusing ways of Wall Street. At a time when investor confidence in Wall Street and corporateAmerica is at an historic low, when many are seriously questioningwhether or not they should continue to invest, Levitt offers thebenefits of his own experience, both on Wall Street and as itschief regulator. His straight talk about the ways of stockbrokers(they are salesmen, plain and simple), corporate financialstatements (the truth is often hidden), mutual fund managers(remember who they really work for), and other aspects of thebusiness will help to arm everyone with the tools they need toprotect—and enhance—their financial future.
Does free information mean free people? At the start of thetwenty-first century we were promised that the internet wouldliberate the world. We could come together as never before, andfrom Iran's 'twitter revolution' to Facebook 'activism',technological innovation would spread democracy to oppressedpeoples everywhere. We couldn't have been more wrong. In "The NetDelusion" Evgeny Morozov destroys this myth, arguing that 'internetfreedom' is an illusion, and that technology has failed to helpprotect people's rights. Not only that - in many cases the internetis actually helping authoritarian regimes. From China to Russia toIran, oppressive governments are using cyberspace to stifledissent: planting clandestine propaganda, employing sophisticateddigital censorship and using online surveillance. We are all beingmanipulated in more subtle ways too - becoming pacified by the net,instead of truly engaging. This book is a wake-up call. It shows ushow our misplaced faith in cyber-utopia means the West risksmissin
From experts at McKinsey Company's world-renowned growthpractice comes a highly practical, field-tested approach toinitiating and sustaining growth in companies of all sizes. .Growth unleashes benefits beyond the economic. It revitalizesorganizations and invigorates the people in them, creating energy,a sense of purpose, and the glow of being on a winning team. Likethe alchemy of old, it seeks to transform the everyday into theexalted by means that seem little short of magical. Yet growth isoften elusive, achieved at unacceptable costs, or managed in fitsand starts. Based on over three years of research and applicationat high-performing companies around the world, The Alchemy ofGrowth is a comprehensive, practical approach to initiating,achieving, and sustaining profitable growthtoday and tomorrow. Asthe book shows, the secret is to manage business opportunitiesacross three time horizons at once: extending and defending corebusinesses, building new businesses, and seeding options for thefuture. The Alchemy
The Profit Zone, a Business Week Top Ten Book of the Year,examines 12 of today's great success stories--from GE toSwatch--and reveals how vital adaptations kept these companies onthe edge of the ever-changing profit zone. Charts graphsthroughout.
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.
Jesus Built an Inspired Team. You Can, Too. Laurie Beth Jones has given hundreds of thousands of businessreaders insight into how the ideas of Jesus can be used to enhanceperformance. In Teach Your Team to Fish , Jones focuses onone of the most critical areas for anyone in business: teamwork.Leaders today face their greatest challenges not only in definingstrategies and getting updated information but also in gettingdiverse human beings to pull together without falling apart. Jesus is a role model for team leaders everywhere. Teach YourTeam to Fish offers dozens of stories from the Bible, showinghow Jesus managed his team of disciples and other followers, withsuggestions for how to apply these lessons to real-worldteambuilding and management problems. It offers guidance andinspiration on: ? How to excite your team members in order to motivate them ? How to ground them so they’ll be realistic about what can beachieved ? How to transform them into a truly well-functioning team ? How to release them int
In THE FINANCIALCRISIS INQUIRY REPORT,the facts about thefinancial and economic crises that engulf the world will speak forthemselves. Formed in May 2009, the Financial Crisis InquiryComission (FCIC) is a panel of ten commissioners chosen by the U.S.Congress to explain what happened , why it happened, and what couldhave been done to prevent it. On December 15th, 2010, thecommission will release their official report to the President,Congress , and the World. 金融危机调查报告将合盘托出席卷全球的金融与经济危机的来龙去脉及真相,并让事实来说话。2009年5月由十名专家组成金融危机调查委员会授命于国会,专门负责调查金融危机成因,进而总结教训、提出改进建议。他们就20多项议题展开了重点调查。2010年12月15日美国金融危机调查委员会将向美国总统,美国国会和全世界公布其终的调查结果,并授权美国小布朗出版公司授权以图书的形式向全球发行其官方调查报告。
What is that makes urban myths so persistent but many everydaytruths so eminently forgettable? How do newspapers set aboutensuring that their headlines make you want to read on? And why dowe remember complicated stories but not complicated facts? In thecourse of over ten years of study, Chip and Dan Heath haveestablished what it is that determines whether particular ideas orstories stick in our minds or not, and "Made to Stick" is thefascinating outcome of their painstaking research.Packed full ofcase histories and thought-provoking anecdotes, it shows, amongother things, how one Australian scientist convinced the world he'ddiscovered the cause of stomach ulcers by drinking a glass filledwith bacteria, how a gifted sports reporter got people to watch afootball match by showing them the outside of the stadium, and howhigh-concept pitches such as 'Jaws on a spaceship' ("Alien") and'Die Hard on a bus' ("Speed") convince movie executives to investvast sums of money in a project on the basis of almost noinformati