Lead from the Future: How to Turn Visionary Thinking Into Breakthrough Growth


Mark W. Johnson - 2020
    In business, they are last-name-only disrupters like Jobs, Bezos, and Hastings, and, in politics, they are such transformative figures as Mandela and FDR. They're bold and prophetic and at the same time pragmatic. They don't just promote change--they drive it, and they inspire and mobilize others to do the same.Although these leaders possess innate qualities that make them extraordinary, what truly sets them apart is their ability to turn their visions into action.In this timely and compelling book, Mark W. Johnson, cofounder of Innosight, and Josh Suskewicz, an Innosight partner, lay out a new and innovative approach to developing and executing the visionary ideas that drive breakthrough growth. This approach includes: Developing a mind-set that enables you to look beyond the present Translating your vision into a strategic plan that your team can align around and commit to Instilling visionary thinking into the processes and culture of your whole organization As practical as it is inspiring, Lead from the Future is the guide you and your team need in order to think clearly, creatively, and expansively, and then act decisively about what comes next.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less


Greg McKeown - 2011
    It’s about getting only the right things done.  It is not  a time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter.  By forcing us to apply a more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy – instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us.Essentialism is not one more thing – it’s a whole new way of doing everything. A must-read for any leader, manager, or individual who wants to learn who to do less, but better, in every area of their lives, Essentialism  is a movement whose time has come.

Dare to Lead


Brené Brown - 2018
    Now, based on new research conducted with leaders, change makers and culture shifters, she’s showing us how to put those ideas into practice so we can step up and lead. Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognising the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential. This is a book for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead.When we dare to lead, we don't pretend to have the right answers; we stay curious and ask the right questions. We don't see power as finite and hoard it; we know that power becomes infinite when we share it and work to align authority and accountability. We don't avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into the vulnerability that’s necessary to do good work.But daring leadership in a culture that's defined by scarcity, fear and uncertainty requires building courage skills, which are uniquely human. The irony is that we're choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders at the same time we're scrambling to figure out what we have to offer that machines can't do better and faster. What can we do better? Empathy, connection and courage to start.Brené Brown spent the past two decades researching the emotions that give meaning to our lives. Over the past seven years, she found that leaders in organisations ranging from small entrepreneurial start-ups and family-owned businesses to non-profits, civic organisations and Fortune 50 companies, are asking the same questions:How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders? And, how do you embed the value of courage in your culture?Dare to Lead answers these questions and gives us actionable strategies and real examples from her new research-based, courage-building programme.Brené writes, ‘One of the most important findings of my career is that courage can be taught, developed and measured. Courage is a collection of four skill sets supported by twenty-eight behaviours. All it requires is a commitment to doing bold work, having tough conversations and showing up with our whole hearts. Easy? No. Choosing courage over comfort is not easy. Worth it? Always. We want to be brave with our lives and work. It's why we're here.’

Kane and Abel / The Prodigal Daughter / Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less / A Quiver Full of Arrows


Jeffrey Archer - 1986
    4 Jeffrey Archer Novels -Kane and AbelThe Prodigal DaughterNot a Penny More, Not a Penny LessA Quiver Full of Arrows

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants


Malcolm Gladwell - 2013
    Now he looks at the complex and surprising ways the weak can defeat the strong, the small can match up against the giant, and how our goals (often culturally determined) can make a huge difference in our ultimate sense of success. Drawing upon examples from the world of business, sports, culture, cutting-edge psychology, and an array of unforgettable characters around the world, David and Goliath is in many ways the most practical and provocative book Malcolm Gladwell has ever written.

Sync or Swim: A Fable About Workplace Communication and Coming Together in a Crisis


Gary Chapman - 2014
    But his team members—and Mother Nature—had other plans. An ambitious yet naïve sheepdog is called upon to lead Monarch Enterprises, a troubled organization on a beautiful isle. Confronted with broken systems and challenging personality types, Sam must learn how to marshal his team before the imminent storm washes everything away. Along the way, he gleans valuable lessons from an unlikely mentor: a wise, old puffin.This delightful, quick read will:Teach you communication techniques that enhance teamwork and productivityBring to life the principles used by hundreds of successful organizationsProvide relevant, practical insights based on real-world experiencesStimulate lively and positive interaction (discussion guide included)Based on the principles successfully used by major corporations, health organizations, over 250 colleges and universities, government agencies, churches, and non-profits

Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders


Joel Manby - 2012
    After the show aired, many of the 18 million viewers wrote to him about the profound impact of his servant leadership. How does a person achieve that level of success without arrogance or pride? In Love Works, Joel Manby introduces us to the power of Christlike love in the workplace. After years of leading thousands of men and women, Manby has proven that leading with love is effective, even in a business environment. Manby challenges leaders to allow integrity and faith to guide leadership decisions, outlining seven time-proven principles that break down the natural walls within corporate cultures, empowering managers and employees, disarming difficulties, and cultivating an atmosphere that builds long-term success. Manby also leverages the undeniable truth that love builds healthy relationships at home---why not use the same behavior to build healthy relationships at work?

The Greatness Guide: Powerful Secrets for Getting to World Class


Robin S. Sharma - 2006
    We can have a significant impact on the world around us—if we so choose. If you are looking to craft an extraordinary life, The Greatness Guide is the powerful and practical handbook that will inspire you to get to world class in both your personal and professional life. Passionate, provocative, and full of big ideas that will challenge and inspire, The Greatness Guide is one of those rare books that will release your potential and awaken your best self.Leaders, top entrepreneurs, and high-performance organizations in more than 40 countries have turned to Robin Sharma, one of the world's most trusted advisors on personal and business mastery, for his deeply insightful advice on getting to greatness. In this much-awaited book, you will get an insider's look at the tools, tactics, and techniques that have transformed so many of Robin's personal and organizational clients.Make the leap today and learn what the best do to become even better. The Greatness Guide will show you exactly how to experience remarkable results in each of the important areas of your life while enjoying the journey of living. You will discover the personal practices of successful people, and learn necessary tools for achieving work-life balance. The Greatness Guide will help you meet your highest potential and live an extraordinary life.

Ice to the Eskimos: How to Market a Product Nobody Wants


Jon Spoelstra - 1997
    YOU.You've got a problem.You've got a product that's not first in its class.It's not even second.You've got to find a way to market that product.What Are You Going To Do?You're going to read this book, that's what.Let's face it. There comes a time in the life of every business when a product or service does not sell up to expectations.Maybe your product is outmoded. Or hasn't been positioned correctly. Or is competing in a crowded market. Whatever the reason, Ice to the Eskimos is dedicated to helping you reclaim that lost ground. It's about taking a product or service and turning it into a winner. If you've got a product that is not the best in its field, then you will love Ice to the Eskimos. Take the principles Jon Spoelstra writes about and run hard with them—you'll be amazed by the results.Written by the former president of the hapless New Jersey Nets, Jon Spoelstra is the man responsible for tripling that team's lagging revenues in just three years and increasing the season-ticket holders base by 250 percent. This guy knows what he's talking about. What everyone else had seen as a lost cause, Spoelstra saw as an outstanding opportunity to reawaken a tired and beaten product to achieve unprecedented profitability.Not just for sports marketers, this lively, entertaining book successfully makes the jump from sports to whatever your product may be. The techniques Spoelstra perfected while working for teams in the NHL and NBA—from innovative packaging to image overhaul—apply to any product in any company. The numerous winning examples are sure to make Ice to the Eskimos a must-read for anyone with a product or service to sell.Ice to the Eskimos is sure to be an instant marketing classic. It will show millions of readers how to market their product...sometimes even after they've given up hope. By using the powerful techniques in this book, you too can learn to achieve the impossible and market ice to the Eskimos.

Character Makes a Difference: Where I'm From, Where I've Been, and What I Believe


Mike Huckabee - 2007
    That same day, Tucker resigned, and Huckabee would serve as governor of Arkansas until 2007, winning many national honors along the way. Character Makes a Difference is Mike Huckabee’s biographical account of how he handled that potentially major constitutional crisis and why he believes character is the key issue in everyone’s life, “in the work you do, the candidates you vote for, the people who look to you for leadership.”

High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way


Brendon Burchard - 2017
    After extensive original research and a decade as the world’s highest-paid performance coach, Brendon Burchard finally reveals the most effective habits for reaching long-term success. Based on one of the largest surveys ever conducted on high performers, it turns out that just six habits move the needle the most in helping you succeed. Adopt these six habits, and you win. Neglect them, and life is a never-ending struggle.  We all want to be high performing in every area of our lives. But how? Which habits can help you achieve long-term success and vibrant well-being no matter your age, career, strengths, or personality? To become a high performer, you must seek clarity, generate energy, raise necessity, increase productivity, develop influence, and demonstrate courage. This book is about the art and science of how to practice these proven habits. If you do adopt any new habits to succeed faster, choose the habits in this book. Anyone can practice these habits and, when they do, extraordinary things happen in their lives, relationships, and careers. Whether you want to get more done, lead others better, develop skill faster, or dramatically increase your sense of joy and confidence, the habits in this book will help you achieve it. Each of the six habits is illustrated by powerful vignettes, cutting-edge science, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world daily practices you can implement right now. HIGH PERFORMANCE HABITS is a science-backed, heart-centered plan to living a better quality of life. Best of all, you can measure your progress. A link to a professional assessment is included in the book for free.

Itil for Dummies, 2011 Edition


Peter Farenden - 2012
    It breaks down the 5 stages of the service lifecycle into digestible chunks, helping you to ensure that customers receive the best possible IT experience. Whether readers need to identify their customers' needs, design and implement a new IT service, or monitor and improve an existing service, this official guide provides a support framework for IT-related activities and the interactions of IT technical personnel with business customers and users.Understanding how ITIL can help you Getting to grips with ITIL processes and the service lifecycle Implementing ITIL into your day to day work Learn key skills in planning and carrying out design and implementation projects

The Heart of Change Field Guide: Tools And Tactics for Leading Change in Your Organization


Dan S. Cohen - 2005
    Kotter's Leading Change became a runaway best seller, outlining an eight-step program for organizational change that was embraced by executives around the world. Then, Kotter and co-author Dan Cohen's The Heart of Change introduced the revolutionary "see-feel-change" approach, which helped executives understand the crucial role of emotion in successful change efforts. Now, The Heart of Change Field Guide provides leaders and managers tools, frameworks, and advice for bringing these breakthrough change methods to life within their own organizations. Written by Dan Cohen and with a foreword by John P. Kotter, the guide provides a practical framework for implementing each step in the change process, as well as a new three-phase approach to execution: creating a climate for change, engaging and enabling the whole organization, and implementing and sustaining change. Hands-on diagnostics—including a crucial "change readiness module"—reveal the dynamics that will help or hinder success at each phase of the change process. Both flexible and scaleable, the frameworks presented in this guide can be tailored for any size or type of change initiative. Filled with practical tools, checklists, and expert commentary, this must-have guide translates the most powerful approaches available for creating successful change into concrete, actionable steps for you and your organization. Dan Cohen is the co-author, with John P. Kotter, of The Heart of Change, and a principal with Deloitte Consulting, LLC.

The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences (Financial Times Series)


Matt Watkinson - 2012
    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.

The President


Parker Hudson - 1995
    Mid-way through his term, a secular-humanist President becomes a Christian and has to decide how his new worldview must change his policies. His wife, children, siblings, staff and the entire nation grapple with how his new faith informs his actions. Meanwhile, terrorists are plotting to detonate a nuclear warhead in New York. The many strands of the story all come together in Manhattan as the terrorists use the World Trade Towers to launch their attack, the center of action is a place called Ground Zero and one of the characters yells, "Let's Roll" near the end. The President is a gripping action thriller with a strong Christian message for the individual and the nation.