When Hank Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, was appointed in 2006 to become the nation's next Secretary of the Treasury, he knew that his move from Wall Street to Washington would be daunting and challenging. But Paulson had no idea that a year later, he would find himself at the very epicenter of the world's most cataclysmic financial crisis since the Great Depression. Major institutions including Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Merrill Lynch, and Citigroup, among others-all steeped in rich, longstanding tradition-literally teetered at the edge of collapse. Panic ensnared international markets. Worst of all, the credit crisis spread to all parts of the U.S. economy and grew more ominous with each passing day, destroying jobs across America and undermining the financial security millions of families had spent their lifetimes building. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime economic nightmare. Events no one had thought possible were happening in quick succession,

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

A detailed look at how Warren Buffett really invests In thisengaging new book, author Prem Jain extracts Warren Buffett'swisdom from his writings, Berkshire Hathaway financial statements,and his letters to shareholders and partners in his partnershipfirms-thousands of pages written over the last fifty years. Jainuncovers the key elements of Buffett's approach that every investorshould be aware of. With "Buffett Beyond Value," you'll learn that,contrary to popular belief, Warren Buffett is not a pure valueinvestor, but a unique thinker who combines the principles of bothvalue and growth investing strategies. You'll also discover whyunderstanding CEOs is more important than studying financialmetrics; and why you need an appropriate psychological temperamentto be a successful investor. Reveals Buffett's multifacetedinvestment principles Discusses how Buffett thinks differently fromothers about portfolio diversification, market efficiency, andcorporate governance Highlights how you can build a diverse andp

Customize your delivery for maximum persuasive power. If you need the best practices and ideas for communicatingeffectively--but don't have time to find them--this book is foryou. Here are 10 inspiring and useful perspectives, all in oneplace. This collection of HBR articles will help you: - Pitch your brilliant idea successfully - Connect with your audience - Establish credibility - Inspire others to realize your vision - Adapt to your listeners' decision-making styles - Frame goals around common interests - Build consensus and win concessions - Neutralize stressful conversations

Supercharge your job performance and get where your want to beby becoming an ACTIVE LEARNER In today's highly competitive workenvironment, continuous learning is an absolute necessity--arequirement to keep up with the latest innovations in the field andincrease productivity. Learn Your Way to Success helps you spototherwise overlooked opportunities to learn and teaches you how totake advantage of them. It provides tools for setting a personallearning agenda, keeping track of what is learned, and determininghow to use that learning to improve performance in their currentjob, prepare for their next job, and plan their careers. Daniel R.Tobin has more than 30 years of experience in the learning anddevelopment field. He has founded two corporate universities(Digital Equipment Corporation's Network University and WangGlobal/Getronics Virtual University) and served as vice presidentof design and development at the American Management Association(AMA).

Why do good teams fail? Very often, argue Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman, it is because they are looking inward instead of outward. Based on years of research examining teams across many industries, Ancona and Bresman show that traditional team models are falling short, and that what's needed - and what works - is a new brand of team that emphasizes external outreach to stakeholders, extensive ties, expandable tiers, and flexible membership. The authors highlight that X-teams not only are able to adapt in ways that traditional teams aren't, but that they actually improve an organization's ability to produce creative ideas and execute them - increasing the entrepreneurial and innovative capacity within the firm. What's more, the new environment demands what the authors call "distributed leadership," and the book highlights how X-teams powerfully embody this idea.

Alan S. Blinder offers the dual perspective of a leading academic macroeconomist who served a stint as Vice-Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board--one who practiced what he had long preached and then returned to academia to write about it. He tells central bankers how they might better incorporate academic knowledge and thinking into the conduct of monetary policy, and he tells scholars how they might reorient their research to be more attuned to reality and thus more useful to central bankers. Based on the 1996 Lionel Robbins Lectures, this readable book deals succinctly, in a nontechnical manner, with a wide variety of issues in monetary policy. The book also includes the author's suggested solution to an age-old problem in monetary theory: what it means for monetary policy to be "neutral." 作者简介： Alan S. Blinder is the Gordon S. Rentschler Memorial Professor of Economics at Princeton University and former Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

Discovering the Leader in You Workbook From the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) comes a highlyaccessible workbook based on the concepts outlined in the revisedand updated edition of Discovering the Leader in You. The workbookcontains a variety of questions and exercises designed to helpprofessionals reflect on, examine, explore, and discover conceptsand issues related to their role as leaders. Most of the activitiescan be completed while working through the book, others requiremore time, and some involve other people. To gain the greatestbenefit, it is suggested that all the activities be done asthoughtfully and as honestly as possible. Once you have completed the exercises and tasks outlined in theworkbook, you will be able to Clarify your purpose for leading, based on a clear leadershipvision and a core set of values Articulate your leadership strengths and areas fordevelopment Understand who you are as a leader in the context of both yourwork and your personal life

The real crash, the silent crash, had taken place over theprevious year, in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn'tshine and the SEC doesn't dare, or bother, to tread. The smartpeople who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzedby hope and fear; in any case, they weren't talking. The crucialquestion is this: Who understood the risk inherent in theassumption of ever-rising real estate prices, a risk compoundeddaily by the creation of those arcane, artificial securi-tiesloosely based on piles of doubtful mortgages? Michael Lewis turnsthe inquiry on its head to create a fresh, character-drivennarrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fittingsequel to his #1 best-selling Liar's Poker.

Managing people is fraught with challenges--even if you're aseasoned manager. Here's how to handle them. If you read nothing else on managing people, read these 10articles. We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Reviewarticles and selected the most important ones to help you maximizeyour employees' performance. HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People will inspire you to: ? Tailor your management styles to fit your people ? Motivate with more responsibility, not more money ? Support first-time managers ? Build trust by soliciting input ? Teach smart people how to learn from failure ? Build high-performing teams

The financial crisis and ensuing recession permanently changedhow business is conducted. Executives and other decision makers,pressured to accomplish higher goals with lower budgets, aredemanding greater levels of accountability from their people. Andwhen it comes to investing in business processes, they wantquantifiable proof that any new initiative will contribute tosolving problems, serving customers, and improving thebusiness. The Real Value of Training gives you the tools not only to provethat your program will deliver solutions; it goes one step further,so you can explain exactly how much it will deliver. Presented bytraining ROI expert Ron Stone, The Real Value of Training offers an11-step process for qualitatively and quantitatively measuring thevalue of training. Stone's methodology brings ROI to a new level of scrutiny andcredibility by helping you successfully: Collect critical performance data Analyze results and adjust for causal influence and sustainedimpact Assign a monetary value to busin

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.

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

Two top public-speaking coaches offer fresh advice on givingeffective speeches and presentations with the immediacy of aconversation. The best speeches don't sound like speeches, and the bestspeakers make listeners feel as though they are being addresseddirectly. The trick is to make every presentation as natural anddirect as a one-on-one conversation. This expert but accessibleguide reveals: - The six truths behind every conversation-and how to use them atthe podium - The three steps to inspiring any audience - The seven secrets for using voice and body language - The seven tools every speaker uses or misuses Whether addressing a few colleagues or a packed auditorium,readers will find practical and simple techniques for inspiringevery listener.

“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

How to Plan and Execute Strategy provides you with 24 practical steps for creating, implementing, and managing market-defining, growth-driving strategies. Encompassing every stage of the strategic process, this tactic-filled handbook shares exactly what you need to know in order to: Define your businesses Know your market Understand your opportunities and threats Set feasible goals and objectives Create the strategies to achieve your objectives Identify and set priorities Write your business plan Get the right people Communicate the strategy and obtain commitment Integrate across functions Execute with discipline Monitor results, evaluate, and react Every successful company has benefited from an excellent corporate strategy. With the proven techniques in this portable, hands-on guide, your business will reap the same rewards. How to Plan and Execute Strategy shows how to get a leg up on your competition and sustain

The secret key to unlocking our full potential-from Joe Vitale, high-profile contributor to The Secret The Key reveals the ultimate secret of attracting wealth, health, success, happiness, or anything else that we want from life. From author and self-help guru Joe Vitale, The Key builds on his bestselling book The Attractor Factor, and goes beyond the mega-hit book and movie The Secret, which features Vitale. The Key shows how a person must first rid themselves of unconscious self-limiting beliefs if they want to reach their full potential and attain the things they say they want from life. Inside every person are "counter-intentions" that actually attract the things they don't want and prevent them from getting those things they do. The Key reveals ten proven ways to remedy the situation and end self-sabotage forever. For anyone who knows they can achieve more but doesn't know why it isn't working for them, The Key reveals the psychological and unconscious limitations that are holding them back. Li

Based on the best-seller Phonics Pathways, a complete approachto teaching phonics and early reading Dolores Hiskes has developed a wealth of helpful teachingaides based on her best-selling book Phonics Pathways. This boosterpack includes 46 double-sided flash cards that illustrate thesounds and spelling patterns of the English language; SpeakingPathways, a lively 35-minute audio CD that demonstrates the soundsof spoken English; and three fun phonics games: WordWorks, whichreviews and reinforces phonics reading skills, Blendlt, whichreinforces knowledge of beginning spelling patterns, and The TrainGame, which features individual "train car" cards that kids puttogether to make longer words. Companion CD demonstrates the sounds of spoken English Contains games that have been classroom-tested and proveneffective Offers aides that are at once challenging and a fun way to learnreading skills These powerful phonics teaching tools can be used with beginningreaders, English language learners, d

"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.

The international bestseller The Toyota Way explained thecompany's success by introducing a revolutionary 4P model fororganizational excellence-Philosophy, People, Process, and ProblemSolving. Now, in Toyota Culture, preeminent Toyota authoritiesJeffrey Liker and Michael Hoseus reveal how Toyota selects,develops, and motivates its people to become committed to buildinghigh-quality products-and how you can do the same for yourcompany. Toyota Culture examines the ?human systems? that Toyota has putin place to instill its founding principles of trust, mutualprosperity, and excellence in its plants, dealerships, and officesaround the world. Beginning with a look at the evolution of theToyota culture and why its people are the heart and soul of theToyota Way, the authors explain the company's four-stage processfor building and keeping quality people: Attract, Develop, Engage,and Inspire. Drawing upon numerous examples from Liker's decades of researchas well as Hoseus' insider access as a Toyota

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 swansuntil after they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, isthat humans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should befocused on generalities. We concentrate on things we already knowand time and time again fail to take into consideration what wedon't know. We are, therefore, unable to truly estimateopportunities, too vulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate,and categorize, and not open enough to rewarding those who canimagine the "impossible." For years, Taleb has studied how we foolours

"...serious research explained with interesting real lifestories and presented in a short concise format. I think you'llclick with it too."

Leaders Talk Leadership is an impressive collection of interviews with some of the world's most respected corporate leaders and management scholars. Edited by Ashby and Miles of the preeminent executive search firm Heidrick and Struggles, this compilation of thought leadership spanning industries and geographies addresses the key issues facing executives today such as governance, leadership and strategy, how to lead in volatile times or through a corporate transformation, how to best leverage human capital and how to achieve competitive advantage in today's environment. Some of the CEO's featured in the book include Ken Chenault, of American Express, Steve Reinemund of PepsiCo, Heinrich von Pierer of Siemens, Ken Lewis of Bank of America, Edward Tian of China Netcom, Fred Smith of FedEx, Hank McKinnell of Pfizer, A.G. Lafley of Proctor and Gamble, Klaus Zumwinkel of Deutsche Post World Net, William Haseltine of Human Genome Sciences, Linda Sanford of IBM, Larry Weinbach of Unisys and Michael Dell of Dell Comp