No, membership is not dead, argues author Sarah Sladek. But associations do need to change their thinking and their models. In The End of Membership As We Know It: Building the Fortune-Flipping, Must-Have Association of the Next Century, Sladek offers practical, proven ways that associations can respond to changes affecting participation such as the generational shifts in the workforce, social changes, and technology-eased access to content and community.The End of Membership As We Know It explains:How niche the new competitive advantage is Why organizational culture has an enormous impact on recruitment and retention What emerging member-prospects value and want Why and how to focus on member ROI instead of program ROI How to craft and deliver compelling benefits rather than features How to extend your reach Which emerging models are taking root and showing promise Providing numerous real-world examples along with specific guidance, The End of Membership As We Know It is a must-have guide for moving your membership model into the future.

    

    While talking with numerous clients, investment manager Hilliard Macbeth realized that Canadians have far too much of their investment capital and savings tied up in expensive real estate when better opportunities are about to appear in other asset classes. He argues that Canada is in the midst of a real estate bubble, and there will soon be a crash in house prices.What can Canadians do to be prepared financially for retirement and to take advantage of the "once in a lifetime" buying opportunity that will follow the bubble bursting? All these answers can be found in When the Bubble Bursts.

    A prominent bank CEO seems on the verge of a nervous breakdown.In Washington D.C., a former Wall Street regulator checks into a hotel using the name of a hedge fund manager for an illicit meeting with a prostitute. In a D.C. suburb, the CFO of a beleaguered mortgage giant chooses a drastic personal end to “relentless pressure”.In a picturesque suburb of Zug, Switzerland, the CFO of a major insurance company decides to end his life. In London, a financier kills himself in a way he once said he never would.In her new memoir, Janet Tavakoli shines a bright light on the money-driven culture of Wall Street and Washington, and the life and death consequences of our decisions that put profit above all.Approximately 16,000 words of text (not including front and back matter and references. 105 total pages)Praise for Decisions"Tavakoli takes us on a scenic tour of the recent lowlights of Wall Street and Washington...demystified and rendered tragically human. It's a compelling tale.” Jake Bernstein, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting "Merrill Debauchery Only Begins This Woman's Tale... 'Neither Bill nor I believed Calvi committed suicide,' Tavakoli writes. 'Bill joked that he'd never hang himself. It was too gruesome.'"Bloomberg News "Janet Tavakoli is a born storyteller with an incredible tale to tell. She takes us on a br /isk journey from the depravity of 1980s Wall Street to the systemic recklessness that crushed the global economy.”Nomi Prins, author of All the Presidents' Bankers “An authority on credit derivatives, has written a reflective memoir about life in the world of finance. Tavakoli is not a woman who employs words carelessly, and when she says fraud she means ... fraud.” All About Alpha Praise for Janet M. Tavakoli“She knows her stuff, has strong opinions, and turns a colourful quote.” Financial Times “Janet Tavakoli knows more about the inside of the financial world than nearly anyone else!”Jim Rogers, Author of Street Smarts - Adventures on the Road and in the Markets“Intelligent analyst whose command of the arcane world...mixed with a brutally honest analytical framework makes it a pleasure to read her work.” Asia Times Online

    Monty fell hard for her and, despite strong family opposition on both sides, they would marry.Valerie was keen to have a large brood and, though her pregnancies were difficult, she gave birth to four children. But they were not enough and in 1947 she adopted the first of three more children who were designated to be playmates for her own. It was a social experiment that would end in tears, as would the fortunes of the iconic company, destroyed by the glue that once bound it together - family.Rocky Road is the story of this chocaholic clan and the creative and eccentric woman who dominated it. Behind the irresistible sweetness of Darrell Lea lay a family who made bitter sacrifices to succeed in the candy business.

    They bridge the gaps between the individual and the collective, the person and the purpose. The most successful and effective HR professionals see their careers as a calling, and their work, though driven by corporate goals, is graced by a sense of purpose, a profound generosity, and a love for what they do and the constituencies they serve.HR from the Heart is a book for HR practitioners who love their jobs -- or want to. Libby Sartain, one of the country's top human resources executives, reveals how HR professionals create a synergy between business objectives and the needs and wants of employees. This inspiring book is equal parts motivational message and how-to, confessional and career guide. Filled with stories from Sartain's considerable experience, HR from the Heart offers a first-hand perspective on forging relationships, selling HR to the company, taking diversity beyond ""by the book,"" keeping policy in perspective, and more -- all while making the right career moves, staying engaged, and forwarding the strategic goals of the company."

    But despite their education and hard work, too many African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans still find unique obstacles on the path to senior management. And there are too few minority mentors available to help them understand and overcome these challenges. Keith R. Wyche, a division president at a Fortune 500 company, is the perfect mentor for ambitious minority businesspeople at all levels. His book is filled with thought-provoking insights and practical advice based on his own experiences and those of the many people he has counseled. He discusses the importance of:Understanding corporate culture--and the impact it has on your career Being visible--because you can't get ahead if nobody knows who you are Staying current--why minorities must be continuous learners Good Is Not Enough also includes anecdotes from prominent CEOs such as Ken Chenault of American Express, Richard Parsons of Time Warner, and Alwyn Lewis of Kmart.

    a canine-human Esther Perel' The ObserverWouldn't you love to know what your dog was thinking?The truth is that your dog is communicating with you all the time but, unless you know the signs, you aren't picking up on what your dog wants you to know. Louise Glazebrook is a dog behaviourist, trainer and television presenter who specialises in teaching people how to understand and connect with their dogs. In The Book Your Dog Wishes You Would Read, Louise tackles everything from bringing the right dog home, understanding body language and breed behaviour, responding to common behavioural issues, to the toys and games that you and your dog will both love.Most dog trainers focus on the dog, but Louise focuses on you, the owner, giving you the skills and confidence to interpret your dog's needs and behaviour and build a better, happier relationship for life.

    Cross answers this question with his ground-breaking approach to revitalizing businesses: focusing on the revenue side of the ledger instead of the cost side. The antithesis of slash-and-burn methods that left companies with empty profits and dissatisfied stockholders, Revenue Management overturns conventional thinking on marketing strategies and offers the key to initiating and sustaining growth.Using case studies from a variety of industries, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations, Cross describes no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech methods that managers can use to increase revenue without increasing products or promotions; predict consumer behavior; tap into new markets; and deliver products and services to customers effectively and efficiently. His proven tactics will help any business dramatically improve its bottom line by meeting the challenge of matching supply with demand.

    He sold encyclopedias door to door, worked as a hotel night clerk, and took a job as a $7,200-a-year advertising copywriter with the hopes of maybe one day becoming a creative director. Instead, he became head of the world's largest restaurant company at the ripe old age of forty-seven. While David never went to business school, he did learn from the greatest of teachers--experience--and plenty of other very smart people as well: Magic Johnson on the secret to teamwork, Warren Buffett on what he looks for in the companies he buys, John Wooden on ego, and Jack Welch on one thing he'd do over. Now he wants to share with you what he discovered about getting ahead and getting noticed; motivating people and turning businesses around; building winning teams and running a global company of nearly one million people; and always staying true to yourself. "The Education of an Accidental CEO" is filled with David Novak's street-smart wisdom: From his formative years...- Walking through your anxieties- Avoiding the poison of stereotypes- Staying "right-sized" - Breaking through the clutter From his years as an ad executive and chief marketing officer ...- How not to roll over like Fluffy the dog- Seeing yourself as a brand- When to pull the plug on the Super Bowl As the COO of Pepsi Cola and then as president of KFC and Pizza Hut ...- Why a gold watch can have less value than a floppy rubber chicken- Knowing when "the answers are in the building"- Knowing when to do nothing- What it takes to revitalze a company And as CEO of Yum! Brands, Inc. ...- How to "shock the system"- How to avoid the slow-no's- Managing two up and two down David Novak's ideas for building an entire culture around reward and recognition--getting everyone from division presidents to dishwashers to buy into recognizing the achievements of others--is studied by other companies and discussed here in great detail. Whether you are the CEO of a global conglomerate or a budding entrepreneur, there is something here that will help you get where you want to go.

    Williams and it "ragtag army of part-timers" took on a Goliath-sezed insurance industry.

    The honest, entertaining and often surprising autobiography of one of our favourite Loose Women.

    This sizzling biography goes deep in-depth, relating exclusive interviews with past flames and flings, to shed light on the unique charisma and magnetism of one of America's most respected and desired movie stars.Among the startling revelations: A longtime girlfriend who describes Jack's reaction when he at last discovered the long-buried, dark secret of his childhoodJack's notorious penny-pinching, such as the time he came home from a movie set with a doggie bag of catered Mexican foodThe woman Jack "shared" with Robert Evans and Warren BeattyThe night Christina Onassis, who'd had a fling with Jack in Los Angeles, got mad at him for seducing a girl in her party at XenonThe beauty queen who was still married to drug dealer Tom Sullivan when she was drawn to JackThe beautiful, talented costar who showed up at Jack's house at 1 A.M. and what happened when live-in girlfriend Anjelica Huston answered the intercomThe night Steve Rubell ran around Studio 54 saying, "We got to keep Ryan O'Neal and Jack Nicholson away from each other. There's going to be a big fight."Why Rebecca Broussard refused him when Jack asked for her hand in marriage in 1993, even after having two children with himWhy Katharine Hepburn's goddaughter still loves Jack and has spent years looking for a man who can measure up to himDiane Keaton's reaction to Jack passing gas during filming of a love scene for Something's Gotta GiveJennifer Howard, who found Jack's lovemaking "very oomph! He knows what he's doing. You can kind of just let go. Let him le-e-e-ad the way!"In Jack, Edward Douglas offers us a provocative, fascinating portrait of the man, the legend, the star: Jack Nicholson.

    They have a loud voice, a wealth of choice and their expectations are higher than ever. This book covers ten principles you can use to make real world improvements to your customers’ experiences, whatever your business does and whoever you are. For managers, leaders and those starting a new business, the book shows that making improvements customers will appreciate doesn’t need to be complicated or cost a fortune.

     Author James Muir shares unique insights on how ‘closing the sale’ can be done with a natural, non-pushy sales strategy that breaks the stigma often associated with professional sales. Everything has changed. The latest science shows that old, counter-productive closing tactics backfire and hold you back. In The Perfect Close you will learn a closing method that is nearly always successful (in the 95% range). It’s zero pressure and involves just two questions. It’s a clear & simple approach that is flexible enough to use on every kind of sale at every given stage. It can be learned in less than an hour and mastered in a day. It is especially helpful for new and inexperienced salespeople and professionals who dislike the “stigma” of selling or find the selling process awkward or uncomfortable. In The Perfect Close: The Secret to Closing Sales you will learn: A simple method to closing that is nearly always successful (95% range), is zero pressure & involves just two questions. How traditional closing techniques damage trust & what you can do remain on emotionally higher ground. How to close more sales in way that makes clients feel more educated, in control and see you as a facilitator & consultant. A proven and repeatable process for advancing sales that can be used in any kind of sale at any given stage. How to add continuous momentum & advance your sales in a way that results in more closed business & faster closed business. A natural way to close that doesn't require that you change your personality or become someone you're not. How to completely eliminate the stress & tension that some people feel when it comes to asking for commitments. How to add value on every sales encounter. Everything you need to know to advance every sale to closure The Perfect Close represents the best practice in closing sales today. Apply it yourself and discover how this simple technique along with being genuinely authentic creates the highest levels of success and happiness. This is more than a just a book. It's a sales training course that outlines step-by-step what you need to do to advance your sales to closure. If you are new to sales, make this the first book you read. It will teach you how to be effective immediately and will literally teach you the rest of the steps in your sales process. If you are an experienced professional looking for ways to improve your performance, this book will help take your closing skills to a whole new level. SPECIAL BONUSES! With this book you will get access to a myriad of complimentary online resources including: The Perfect Close Reference Model, The Perfect Close Mind Map, Opportunity Research Forms, Encounter Planning Forms, Sample Meeting Agendas, The 21 Closing Secrets Reference Guide, Special Reports and more. Print them out and use these resources to help you while selling or just to refresh what you've learned.