That’s good news for you as a manager. While you can’t personally transform the corporate culture, you can influence the workplace climate and create meaningful and lasting change. Advocating a steward model of management, The Optimistic Workplace reveals how to:• Explore personal and organizational purpose—and align them for astonishing results• Overcome resistance and skepticism• Build camaraderie and deepen loyalty• Increase intrinsic motivation• Help your team find meaning in their work• Identify goals collaboratively and track progress• And moreExamples from companies large and small demonstrate how this people-centric focus ignites employee potential, increases innovation, and catapults the organization to new levels of performance. Far from being a wish-upon-a-star discussion of workplace happiness, this book presents an array of surprisingly simple strategies as well as practical 30-, 60-, and 90-day plans designed to focus your actions and make employee optimism not just a worthy goal—but a real and measurable result.

    Unfortunately, most people give in to the two worst enemies of success: they take the path of least resistance (in other words, they’re lazy) and/or they want immediate gratification: they don’t consider the long-term consequences of the actions they take today.No Excuses! shows you how you can achieve success in all three major areas of your life:1. Your personal goals.2. Your business and money goals.3. Your overall happiness.Each of the 21 chapters in this book shows you how to be more disciplined in one aspect of your life, with end-of-chapter exercises to help you apply the “no excuses” approach to your own life. With these guidelines, you can learn how to be more successful in everything you do—instead of wistfully envying others who you think are just “luckier” than you. A little self-discipline goes a long way...so stop making excuses and read this book!

    In Fish! the heroine, Mary Jane Ramirez, recently widowed and mother of two, is asked to engineer a turnaround of her company's troubled operations department, a group that authors Stephen Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen describe as a "toxic energy dump." Most reasonable heads would cut their losses and move on. Why bother with this bunch of losers? But the authors don't make it so easy for Mary Jane. Instead, she's left to sort out this mess with the help of head fishmonger Lonnie. Based on a bestselling corporate education video, Fish! aims to help employees find their way to a fun and happy workplace. While some may find the story line and prescriptions--such as "Choose Your Attitude," "Make Their Day," and "Be Present"--downright corny, others will find a good dose of worthwhile motivational management techniques. If you loved Who Moved My Cheese? then you'll find much to like here. And don't worry about Mary Jane and kids. Fish! has a happy ending for everyone. --Harry C. Edwards

    In thisnew edition of her classic guide to the art of effective listening, Madelyn Burley-Allen shows you how to acquire active, productivelistening skills and put them to work for you--professionally, socially, and personally. With her time-tested techniques, you'lllearn how to: * Eliminate distractions and improve your concentration on what isbeing said * Locate key words, phrases, and ideas while listening * Cut through your own listening biases * Interpret body language clues * Ask constructive, nonthreatening questions that elicit realinformation * Get others to listen to you * Master a whole range of listening skills that you can use on thejob and in your personal life Listening: The Forgotten Skill uses an interactive learningapproach with work-sheets, charts, graphs, and self-tests that helpyou pace and monitor your own progress.

    For more than a decade, Belle Linda Halpern and Kathy Lubar have applied the lessons and expertise they have learned as performing artists to the work of their company, The Ariel Group. Halpern and Lubar have helped tens of thousands of executives at major companies around the country and the globe, including General Electric, Mobil Oil, Capital One, and Deloitte. In Leadership Presence, they make their time-tested strategies available to everyone, from high-profile CEOs to young professionals seeking promotion. Their practical, proven approach will enable you to develop the skills necessary to inspire confidence, command respect, build credibility, and motivate others. Halpern and Lubar teach you: * How to handle tough situations with heightened confidence and flexibility * How to build your relationships to enhance collaboration and business development * How to express yourself dramatically and motivate others* How to integrate your personal values into communication to inspire others and become a more effective leader Learning the skills of the true performance experts, readers will understand why Leadership Presence is the key to dynamic and authentic leadership.

    It provides a framework for analyzing and quickly adapting to future challenges. And it helps all board and staff members focus more clearly on your organization's priorities, while building commitment and promoting cooperation and innovation.But to be effective, your plan will need to address the special needs of the nonprofit sector. And for more than a decade, Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations has been the number-one source of guidance on all facets of strategic planning for managers at nonprofits of every size and budget. This thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded edition arms you with the expert knowledge and tools you need to develop and implement surefire strategic plans, including tested-in-the-trenches worksheets, checklists, and tables—in print and on the companion CD-ROM—along with a book-length case study that lets you observe strategic planning in action. Packed with real-world insights and practical pointers, it shows you how to: Develop a clear mission, vision, and set of values Conduct SWOT analyses and program evaluations Assess client needs and determine stakeholder concerns Set priorities and develop core strategies, goals, and objectives Balance the dual bottom lines of mission and money Write and implement a solid strategic plan Develop a user-friendly annual work plan Establish planning cycles, gauge progress, and update strategies

    Tom Neff and Jim Citrin, two of the world's experts on leadership and career achievement, know what it takes to succeed in a new position. Through compelling, first-hand stories, from CEOs like Jeffrey Immelt of GE and Bob Eckert of Mattel, You're in Charge--Now What? offers an eight-point plan to show you how to lay the groundwork for long-term momentum and great performance.

    And servant leadership—the idea that managing with respect, honesty, love, and spirituality empowers employees—helps individuals answer that calling. Bestselling author and former Fortune 500 executive James A. Autry reveals the servant leader’s tools, a set of skills and ideals that will transform the way business is done. It helps leaders nurture the needs and goals of those who look to them for leadership. The result is a more productive, successful, and happier organization, and a more meaningful life for the leader. Autry reveals how to remain true to the servant leadership model when handling day-to-day and long-term management situations, including how to: •Provide guidance during conflict and crisis•Assure your continued growth and progress as a leader•Train managers in the principles of servant leadership•Transform a company with morale problems into a great place to workPracticed by one-third of the companies on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, servant leadership is a thriving philosophy. Ultimately, Autry explores how it can be a valuable, refreshing, and rewarding approach to leading others in business life.“When I first read Jim’s work, I was thrilled. Finally, someone had clearly and con-cisely articulated these principles in a way that people can quickly adopt into their lives.”—from the foreword by Howard Behar, retired president, Starbucks“This is an awesome book. James Autry’s gift is that he brings lofty ideals down to earth with general illustrations that make them easy to understand and apply. I highly recommend it!”—Jack Canfield, coauthor, Chicken Soup for the Soul“The Servant Leader describes the kind of leadership upon which Starbucks Coffee Company has been built and is a concept that is closely aligned with our mission and guiding principles.” —Howard Schultz, chairman, Starbucks

    So how do you become one of them? How can you learn to “own the room”? This book will help you develop your leadership presence. According to Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins, leadership presence is the ability to consistently and clearly articulate your value proposition while influencing and connecting with others. They offer a simple and compelling framework, as well as practical advice about how you can develop your own personal presence.No matter where you sit in an organization, you can “own the room” if you are able to do two things well: first, demonstrate your authentic value and distinction, and second, connect to others in a positive way. Leaders who are able to be authentic while connecting with and impacting others have what the authors call a “signature voice”—a means of self-expression that is uniquely and distinctly their own. Once you discover and express your own signature voice, you’ll be ready to take your leadership presence to the next level.Filled with real-life stories and examples, Own the Room demystifies the concept of presence and gives you the tools you need to identify and embrace your unique leadership voice—and have a greater impact on the world around you.

    Sharan Merriam and Laura Bierema have infused each chapter with practical applications for instruction which will help readers personally relate to the material. The contents covers: Adult Learning in Today's World Traditional Learning Theories Andragogy Self-Directed Learning Transformative Learning Experience and Learning Body and Spirit in Learning Motivation and Learning The Brain and Cognitive Functioning Adult Learning in the Digital Age Critical Thinking and Critical Perspectives Culture and Context Discussion questions and activities for reflection are included at the end of each chapter.

    But today, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. It turns out that at work, most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return. Using his own pioneering research as Wharton's youngest tenured professor, Grant shows that these styles have a surprising impact on success. Although some givers get exploited and burn out, the rest achieve extraordinary results across a wide range of industries. Combining cutting-edge evidence with captivating stories, this landmark book shows how one of America's best networkers developed his connections, why the creative genius behind one of the most popular shows in television history toiled for years in anonymity, how a basketball executive responsible for multiple draft busts transformed his franchise into a winner, and how we could have anticipated Enron's demise four years before the company collapsed - without ever looking at a single number. Praised by bestselling authors such as Dan Pink, Tony Hsieh, Dan Ariely, Susan Cain, Dan Gilbert, Gretchen Rubin, Bob Sutton, David Allen, Robert Cialdini, and Seth Godin-as well as senior leaders from Google, McKinsey, Merck, Estee Lauder, Nike, and NASA - Give and Take highlights what effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation, and leadership skills have in common. This landmark book opens up an approach to success that has the power to transform not just individuals and groups, but entire organizations and communities.

    But how do you do that? There are countless leadership books, but how many will actually help a Taco Bell shift manager, a Fortune 500 CEO, a new entrepreneur, or anyone in between?Over his fifteen years at Yum! Brands, Novak has developed a trademarked program he calls Taking People with You. He spends several weeks each year personally teaching it to thousands of managers around the world. He convinces them that they'll never make big things happen until they learn how to get people on their side. No skill in business is more important. And Yum!'s extraordinary success (at least 13 percent growth for each of the last nine years) proves his point.Novak knows that managers don't need leadership platitudes or business school theories. So he cuts right to the chase with a step-by- step guide to setting big goals, getting people to work together, blowing past your targets, and celebrating after you shock the skeptics. And then doing it again and again until consistent excellence becomes a core element of your culture.This book has specific tools at the end of each chapter that will challenge you to reflect on how you're really doing on key aspects of leadership. And if you apply it, you'll immediately start to improve.You'll learn how to . . . • Get inside the heads of your people. You can't convince them of anything until you see the world from their perspective. • Think big. If your sales growth last year was 3.5 percent, don't aim for 4 percent this year, aim for 15 percent. Even if you fail, you'll probably do better than you would have with a smaller goal. • Practice "extraordinary authenticity." Show occasional vulnerability and admit when you don't have the answers. • Look for good ideas in unexpected places. Novak's team came up with Cool Ranch Doritos for Frito-Lay during a field trip to a grocery store's salad dressing aisle. • Choose a can-do mind-set. There's a huge difference between a boss who says "We can try this" and one who says "We can do this!" • Cheer for first downs, not just touchdowns. Publicly recognizing and rewarding small wins keeps everyone motivated for the long haul. • Get rid of cynics. In many teams one person will reject your values and spread negative energy. Moving that person out will show everyone else you're serious.Get ready to change the way you think about leadership-and more important, the way you practice it every day.

    However well intentioned they may be, leaders who deceive themselves always end up undermining their own performance.This straightforward book explains how leaders can discover their own self-deceptions and learn how to escape destructive patterns. The authors demonstrate that breaking out of these patterns leads to improved teamwork, commitment, trust, communication, motivation, and leadership.

    Rick Brinkman and Rick Kirschner armed a civility-starved world with no-nonsense strategies for dealing with difficult people with tact and skill. Since then, cell phones, the Internet, voice mail, and other technological wonders designed to bring people closer together have only made it that much harder to avoid "people you can't stand;" even worse, they've also created exciting new ways for annoying people to realize their talent for being pains in the butt.Updated and revised for the digital age, this new edition of Brinkman and Kirschner's bestselling guide shows readers how to successfully combat the whiners, grenades, tanks, snipers, close-talkers, pedants, and other rude, crude, and inconsiderate people who can ruin your day at work, in stores, on the street, in restaurants, at the movies, in waiting rooms, by fax, phone, and E-mail, and in cyberspace.

    An essential book that unlocks the secrets of highly successful groups and provides readers with a toolkit for building a cohesive, innovative culture, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Talent Code