S. Air Force, Dan Ward explored these questions during tours of duty at military research laboratories, the Air Force Institute of Technology, an intelligence agency, the Pentagon and Afghanistan. The pattern he noticed revealed that the most successful project leaders in both the public and private sectors delivered top-shelf products with a skeleton crew, a shoestring budget, and a cannonball schedule. Excessive investment of time, money or complexity actually reduced innovation. He concluded the secret to innovation is to be fast, inexpensive, simple, and small.FIRE presents an entertaining and practical framework for pursuing rapid, frugal innovation. A story-filled blend of pop culture and engineering insight, FIRE has something for everyone: strategic concepts leaders can use as they cast a vision, actionable principles for managers as they make business decisions, and practical tools for workers as they design, build, assess and test new products. Plus, there's a funny story about buying a dishwasher.

    Mark has too much to do, too many priorities, too much stress, and too little time.As he struggles to balance his many responsibilities without cracking under the pressure, Mark takes a break to attend the circus with his family. There he has a surprising conversation with a wise ringmaster. He leaves with a simple but powerful lesson: Trying to get everything done is like juggling elephants -- impossible.So Mark begins to think about his work, family, and personal life the way a ringmaster thinks about the many acts in a three-ring circus. He discovers that managing his various acts can be fun and easy once he changes his attitude and follows his new friend's ongoing guidance. Mark soon realizes:- If you keep trying to juggle elephants, no one, including you, will be thrilled with your performance. - A ringmaster cannot be in all three rings at once. - The key to the success of a circus is having quality acts in all three rings. - Intermission is an essential part of any good circus.Juggling Elephants is a wonderfully lighthearted guide for everyone who feels like they're about to be squashed. It will help you better focus your time and energy, so you'll be able to enjoy more of the things that are important to you. Above all, it will teach you how to run your circus, instead of letting the circus run you.

    Based on Don Lowry's True ColorsÒ model, you will discover tips for understanding, appreciating and relating to each style. Lighthearted anecdotes convey concepts in �real life� situations, offering immediately useful methods for resolving conflicts, opening lines of communication, and enhancing personal effectiveness. Convenient reference lists and a set of color character cards are included for easy determination of your True Colors spectrum. The end result is a celebration of the uniqueness in yourself and others.

    It's responsible for unlocking limitless creativity and influence. It's known to reduce stress, improve decision-making skills, and make you a better leader. What is it? Reading. And it's the single best thing you can do to improve yourself professionally.Reading more and better books creates opportunities for you to learn new skills, rise above your competition, and build a successful career. In Read to Lead you'll learn- why you need to read like your career depends on it- the five science-backed reasons reading will help you build your career- how to absorb a book into your bloodstream- a technique that can double (or triple!) your reading speed- tips on creating a lifetime reading habit- and moreIf you want to lead a more satisfied life, have more intelligent conversations, and broaden your mind, you need to read to lead!

    His liberating message: you'll be more successful if you stop struggling so hard to plan or control your success. Messy is a deeply researched, endlessly eye-opening adventure in the life-changing magic of not tidying up' Oliver BurkemanThe urge to tidiness seems to be rooted deep in the human psyche. Many of us feel threatened by anything that is vague, unplanned, scattered around or hard to describe. We find comfort in having a script to rely on, a system to follow, in being able to categorise and file away.We all benefit from tidy organisation - up to a point. A large library needs a reference system. Global trade needs the shipping container. Scientific collaboration needs measurement units. But the forces of tidiness have marched too far. Corporate middle managers and government bureaucrats have long tended to insist that everything must have a label, a number and a logical place in a logical system. Now that they are armed with computers and serial numbers, there is little to hold this tidy-mindedness in check. It's even spilling into our personal lives, as we corral our children into sanitised play areas or entrust our quest for love to the soulless algorithms of dating websites. Order is imposed when chaos would be more productive. Or if not chaos, then . . . messiness.The trouble with tidiness is that, in excess, it becomes rigid, fragile and sterile. In Messy, Tim Harford reveals how qualities we value more than ever - responsiveness, resilience and creativity - simply cannot be disentangled from the messy soil that produces them. This, then, is a book about the benefits of being messy: messy in our private lives; messy in the office, with piles of paper on the desk and unread spreadsheets; messy in the recording studio, the laboratory or in preparing for an important presentation; and messy in our approach to business, politics and economics, leaving things vague, diverse and uncomfortably made-up-on-the-spot. It's time to rediscover the benefits of a little mess.

    

    Because of that, he is constantly going the extra mile handling the mail – and sometimes watching over the houses – of the people on his route, treating everyone he meets as a friend. Where others might see delivering mail as monotonous drudgery, Fred sees an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those he serves.We’ve all encountered people like Fred in our lives. In THE FRED FACTOR, Mark Sanborn illuminates the simple steps each of us can take to transform our own lives from the ordinary – into the extraordinary. Sanborn, through stories about Fred and others like him, reveals the four basic principles that will help us bring fresh energy and creativity to our life and work: how to make a real difference everyday, how to become more successful by building strong relationships, how to create real value for others without spending a penny, and how to constantly reinvent yourself. By following these principles, and by learning from and teaching other “Freds,” you, too, can excel in your career and make your life extraodinary. As Mark Sanborn makes clear, each of us has the potential be a Fred.THE FRED FACTOR shows you how.

    These stories range the full spectrum - covering motherhood, relationships, career, lifestyle, health and more - and are at times both raw, moving and poignant. These conversations have shaped Jules' own life, helping her navigate her role as a career woman, mother, daughter and wife of one of Australia's most popular musicians, Guy Sebastian. Like a good catch-up with your girlfriends, Tea & Honesty relays many of these conversations as well as sharing some of the most personal and vulnerable moments of Jules' own journey that she has kept close to her heart - until now. Inspired by these conversations, her book covers the knotty emotions of guilt, comparison and identity to passion, purpose, community, kindness and more.Offering snippets of heartfelt life advice from well-known contributors such as Kate Ritchie, Emma Isaacs, Camilla Franks, Rachel Finch and Neale Whitaker, with beautiful quotes and break out inspiration, this is the perfect treat to curl up on the sofa with, cup of tea in hand, or to give your favourite friend or family member to let them know that they are not alone.

    Great ideas often come from a simple spark: A soccer player on the New Zealand national team notices all the unused wool his country produces and figures out a way to turn them into shoes (Allbirds). A former Buddhist monk decides the very best way to spread his mindfulness teachings is by launching an app (Headspace). A sandwich cart vendor finds a way to reuse leftover pita bread and turns it into a multimillion-dollar business (Stacy’s Pita Chips).   Award-winning journalist and NPR host Guy Raz has interviewed more than 200 highly successful entrepreneurs to uncover amazing true stories like these. In How I Built This, he shares tips for every entrepreneur’s journey: from the early days of formulating your idea, to raising money and recruiting employees, to fending off competitors, to finally paying yourself a real salary. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever dreamed of starting their own business or wondered how trailblazing entrepreneurs made their own dreams a reality.

    Check out what women are already saying about Find Your Strongest Life. Brooke: When I read the "Ten Myths" that opened the book, I was completely hooked. The statistics are interesting and fresh. I also related to the problem that sets up the book: "Which parts of me should I cut out?" As I read, I could see myself in the Marcus's big-picture analysis and statistics. The early part of the book made me anticipate a breakthrough. And Marcus delivered. Overall, he explains a woman's dilemma perfectly . . . in fresh terms with a unique spin. The main ideas in each chapter were so engaging. Chapter 6 in particular is worth the price of the book. I have already started looking for strong moments in my life, and I want to tell every woman I know to do the same. It is definitely life-changing. Rebecca: It was really good. It was awesome. And to be honest, perfect timing for my life. I'm REALLY in that place. I can't tell you how badly I've been depressed for the last several months just trying to figure out what to do differently so I'm not so miserable. On one hand, I'm grateful I have a job still. I have a mortgage and bills and all that. But on the other hand...I can't continue to work at a job that gets me nowhere, is not rewarding, not challenging, and mentally drains me. I really have started avoiding my family because I've become so rude and snippy. It's a bad cycle. BUT...God willing this year (sooner than later) I will be able to put this behind me and do what I love :) Even if it's making half as much money. Thanks for thinking of me to read this. I needed it!Delaney: I was on a plane as I finished reading the manuscript. I was going to be with my daughter who is a law student. As I finished the pages, Marcus helped me gain a new understanding of myself that stood out like a neon sign: I am the person who helps others build infrastructure, get through situations ,and set everything right.  It goes beyond motherhood. I am an event planner by birth. I see big pictures and the components necessary to get from vision to execution.  The content helped me to reframe my own thinking. Very helpful. I'm excited to take the online test and see which role I'm born to play. Jennifer: As a working mother, I found the concept of the book fascinating.  There are daily struggles of trying to balance being the perfect wife, mother, and employee, and the book helped me truly understand how to navigate all those demands.

    God wants you to let go of whatever makes you stop. John Mason launched an all-out attack on mediocrity in his best-selling books "An Enemy Called Average" and "You're Born an Original-Don't Die A Copy". In this book you'll find 52 new nuggets of truth that will break down the barriers to excellence in your life. Think about it... - Don't belittle...be big - Impatience is one big "get-ahead ache" - Bite off more than you can chew - Constantly frustrate tradition with you creativity and imagination - Stay out of your own way - When you're trying to be like someone else, the best you can be is number two - Paths without obstacles don't lead anywhere John Mason's practical principles, scriptural motivation and godly wisdom will put unfulfilled dreams where they belong - out of your life!

    Today we use margin just to get by. This book is for anyone who yearns for relief from the pressure of overload. Reevaluate your priorities, determine the value of rest and simplicity in your life, and see where your identity really comes from. The benefits can be good health, financial stability, fulfilling relationships, and availability for God's purpose.

    Managing for the first time is even harder.A new start-up comes on the scene filled with a team of talented people. The start-up grows, the team expands, and those early joiners all of a sudden are responsible for leading a team. Just a few years prior, these folks were barely able to figure out their own roles in their crazy, ever-changing company. Now, as managers, they are expected—often without any direction or role models—to know how to develop,coach, structure projects, review, and set expectations for a whole bunch of new, incredible people. First-timers want to quickly learn what it takes to be a successful manager—like they learned how to code, how to design, how to sell—and put those learnings into practice. But what does it mean tomanage, and how do you teach someone to be a good manager?Enter Rachel Pacheco, an expert at helping start-ups solve their management and culture challenges. Pacheco, a former chief people officer and founding team executive at multiple start-ups, conducts research on management and works with CEOs and their managers to build the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly scaling organization. In Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers, Pacheco shares these skills, along with cutting-edge research, data, anecdotes, how-to exercises, and more, to help overwhelmed employees become expert managers.

    She shows how to build a workforce that’s positive, committed, passionate...how to really motivate people, even on a tight budget...how to lead with authenticity, clarity, consistency, and inspiration. These skills offer powerful, quantifiable business value. They are completely learnable--and this book is the fastest way to master them. It distills the world’s best thinking on getting the best from people: the truth, and nothing but the truth!

    Each habit is explored in detail. You'll learn about the triggers that prompt them and the ways in which they hurt your productivity. Most importantly, you'll receive actionable tips you can use immediately to curb the bad habits that are holding you back and create healthier, more productive habits in their place.A Blueprint For Better Time Management!The 30-Day Productivity Plan gives you the tools to make the most of your time. It gives you the steps along with a simple system for putting those steps into action.Here's a sample of what you'll learn in this fast-paced action guide:-A simple formula for creating to-do lists that actually work-How to slash the amount of time it takes you to complete any task-How to stop being a people-pleaser and catapult your productivity-5 tips for designing your workday so you can avoid working overtimeImagine how the extra time you'll have after putting these tips into practice will improve your life:-You'll experience less stress-You'll enjoy more time with your family-You'll be able to pursue personal hobbies-You'll have the freedom to be more spontaneousAnd that's just scratching the surface.The 30-Day Productivity Plan will show you how to create a rewarding lifestyle while still getting things done. You'll learn:-How to create a diet that improves, rather than hinders, your productivity-A 6-step system for breaking your procrastination habit-6 easy tips for curbing your social media addiction-The productivity-killing effect of television and how to deal with it-How to control your inner critic and regain confidence in yourselfAre you ready to reap the benefits of high productivity? Would you like to get things done more quickly so you'll have the time you need to pursue other passions? You need The 30-Day Productivity Plan. In this action guide, you'll discover:-6 ways to leverage your body's natural rhythms to get more work done-The one addiction nearly everyone suffers from (and how to crush it!)-4 actionable tips for taking advantage of the Pareto principle-5 steps to creating reachable goals that motivate you to be more productive-An 8-step formula for avoiding - or recovering from - burnoutBonus Material Included In The 30-Day Productivity PlanI've included an entire chapter devoted to helping you curb the behaviors that are destroying your time management efforts. You'll learn a simple, 10-part system for breaking these bad habits and replacing them with behavioral patterns that boost your productivity.Take Action Today!The choice is yours. You can keep doing what you're currently doing and experience the same frustrating results. Or take action to improve how you manage your time.Download your copy of The 30-Day Productivity Plan today and create a more rewarding lifestyle!