Book picks similar to
Changing the Game: Organizational Transformations of the First, Second, and Third Kinds by Eric G. Flamholtz
business
leadership
ec0n0mic
innovation
Winston Churchill, CEO: 25 Lessons for Bold Business Leaders
Alan Axelrod - 2009
Axelrod looks at this much-studied figure in a way nobody has before: he explores 25 key facets of Churchill’s leadership style and decision-making from his early years as a junior cavalry officer and journalist to his role throughout WWII and demonstrates how he was able to overcome near-impossible obstacles. Fluidly and engagingly written, each lesson is enlivened with a vivid vignette from Churchill’s life. As always, Axelrod’s penetrating analysis will instruct, inspire, and encourage those who lead business enterprises, large and small.
Execution Premium
Robert S. Kaplan - 2008
Yet most organizations struggle in this area--not with formulating strategy but with executing it, or putting their strategy into action. Owing to execution failures, companies realize just a fraction of the financial performance promised in their strategic plans.It doesn't have to be that way, maintain Robert Kaplan and David Norton in The Execution Premium. Building on their breakthrough works on strategy-focused organizations, the authors describe a multistage system that enables you to gain measurable benefits from your carefully formulated business strategy. This book shows you how to:Develop an effective strategy--with tools such as SWOT analysis, vision formulation, and strategic change agendasPlan execution of the strategy--through portfolios of strategic initiatives linked to strategy maps and Balanced ScorecardsPut your strategy into action--by integrating operational tools such as process dashboards, rolling forecasts, and activity-based costingTest and update your strategy--using carefully designed management meetings to review operational and strategic dataDrawing on extensive research and detailed case studies from a broad array of industries, The Execution Premium presents a systematic and proven framework for achieving the financial results promised by your strategy.
Business Reimagined: Why Work Isn't Working and What You Can Do about It
Dave Coplin - 2013
The future of work must be based on being open, on focusing on results, not process and on empowerment, not hierarchy. Dave Coplin, Chief Envisioning Officer at Microsoft UK, has been immersed in the technologies that are making waves in the workplace. This is his call to reimagine business. #bizreimagined
Big Ideas... For Small Businesses: Simple, Practical Tools and Tactics to Help Your Small Business Grow
John Lamerton - 2017
HERE’S HOW Are you struggling to find marketing ideas for your small business? Does your business plan consist of a few scribbles on the back of a napkin? Does the thought of learning “online marketing” scare you? Do you find traditional business books dull, or uninspiring? Have you read business biographies of the poster boys (Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Alan Sugar, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs etc), only to feel a sense of overwhelm, and a complete disconnect between what they achieved, and where you are right now? Do you want to grow your small business, without having to learn complex marketing strategies, and without being told to simply “work harder than everyone else”? If so, then “Big Ideas... for Small Businesses” could be the “lightbulb moment” you’ve been waiting for... Former civil servant John Lamerton has run more than 60 small businesses since 2000, making millions of pounds, and thousands of mistakes along the way. This book is a collection of the lessons and successes that he uses to coach and mentor hundreds of small business owners, teaching them to think bigger, work less, and design their business around the lifestyle they want. SOME OF THE “BIG IDEAS” THAT YOU WILL DISCOVER: - Why the “Dragons” hate lifestyle businesses, and why you should love them - How almost anyone could become a millionaire in their lifetime, given just £200 a month. - Why John blames Richard Branson for his early failures - How to get clarity on your business strategy, and bring that into your daily routine. - How to sell a dozen eggs for over £500 - The ONE thing that truly transformed John’s business - How to find, hire, (and fire!) your first employee. - Why every Luke Skywalker needs a Yoda. - EXACTLY how he made over £100k from ONE marketing campaign. - The five magic ingredients for success in almost any given field. JOHN LAMERTON is a lazy entrepreneur and investor. He balances running an ambitious lifestyle business with raising two young children. A former “hustler”, he now earns more money “working” 20 to 25 hours a week than he used to pulling all-nighters and “grinding” for 100+ hours per week. He now mentors fellow ambitious lifestyle business owners, teaching them how to design their business around their lifestyle.
Contagious: Why Things Catch On
Jonah Berger - 2013
People don't listen to advertisements, they listen to their peers. But why do people talk about certain products and ideas more than others? Why are some stories and rumors more infectious? And what makes online content go viral? Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger has spent the last decade answering these questions. He's studied why New York Times articles make the paper's own Most E-mailed List, why products get word of mouth, and how social influence shapes everything from the cars we buy to the clothes we wear to the names we give our children. In this book, Berger reveals the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission. Discover how six basic principles drive all sorts of things to become contagious, from consumer products and policy initiatives to workplace rumors and YouTube videos.Contagious combines groundbreaking research with powerful stories. Learn how a luxury steakhouse found popularity through the lowly cheese-steak, why anti-drug commercials might have actually increased drug use, and why more than 200 million consumers shared a video about one of the seemingly most boring products there is: a blender. If you've wondered why certain stories get shared, e-mails get forwarded, or videos go viral, Contagious explains why, and shows how to leverage these concepts to craft contagious content. This book provides a set of specific, actionable techniques for helping information spread - for designing messages, advertisements, and information that people will share. Whether you're a manager at a big company, a small business owner trying to boost awareness, a politician running for office, or a health official trying to get the word out, Contagious will show you how to make your product or idea catch on.
Becoming a Millionaire God's Way: Getting Money to You, Not from You
C. Thomas Anderson - 2004
Dr. Anderson combines biblical principles with expert financial advice, equipping readers with the tools they need to attain the riches they deserve. An invaluable resource for current or would-be investors or entrepreneurs, this book not only inspires readers to become educated about finances but also spurs them on to action and compels them to move forward confidently to achieve their financial dreams. New content includes callouts and new chapters on how to invest safely in today's market and on understanding that Jesus wasn't poor.
Harvard Business Review on Change
Richard Tanner Pascale - 1998
Here are the landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious business people in organizations around the globe. From the seminal article "Leading Change" by John Kotter to Paul Strebel on why employees so often resist change, Harvard Business Review on Change is the most comprehensive resource available for embracing corporate change--and using it to your company's greatest advantage. Articles include: Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail by John P. Kotter; Building Your Company's Vision by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras; Managing Change: The Art of Balancing by Jeanie Daniel Duck; The Reinvention Roller Coaster: Risking the Present for a Powerful Future by Tracy Goss, Richard T. Pascale, and Anthony G. Athos; Changing the Mind of the Corporation by Roger Martin; Why Do Employees Resist Change? by Paul Strebel; Reshaping an Industry: Lockheed Martin's Survival Story by Norman R. Augustine; and Successful Change Programs Begin with Results by Robert H. Schaffer and Harvey A. Thomson.
Managing by Values: How to Put Your Values Into Action for Extraordinary Results
Kenneth H. Blanchard - 1996
This timely book suggests instead a "Fortunate 500" list, based on the quality of service available to customers and the quality of life accessible to employees. Managing by Values shows how all stakeholders in a company can win based on their commitment to a common purpose and a set of shared values emphasizing stability, continuity, and growth, all in an ethical context. More than a "must read," this book is a "must do" that shows organizations, owners, managers, and employees how to create and apply a plan to ensure they survive - and thrive.
The Thinker's Toolkit: 14 Powerful Techniques for Problem Solving
Morgan D. Jones - 1995
An invaluable resource for any manager or professional, this book offers a collection of proven, practical methods for simplifying any problem and making faster, better decisions every time.
Uncontainable: How Passion, Commitment, and Conscious Capitalism Built a Business Where Everyone Thrives
Kip Tindell - 2014
A new category of the retailing industry was born - storage and organization. Today, with stores nationwide and with more than 5,000 loyal employees, the company couldn't be stronger. Over the years, The Container Store has been lauded for its commitment to its employees and focus on its original concept and inventory mix as the formula for its success. But for Tindell, the goal never has been growth for growth's sake. Rather, it is to adhere to the company's values-based business philosophies, which center on an employee-first culture, superior customer service and strict merchandising. The Container Store has been named on Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies To Work For" list for 15 consecutive years. Even better, The Container Store has millions of loyal customers.In Uncontainable, Tindell reveals his approach for building a business where everyone associated with it thrives through embodying the tenets of Conscious Capitalism. Tindell's seven Foundation Principles are the roadmap that drives everyone at The Container Store to achieve the goals of the company. Uncontainable shows how other businesses can adapt this approach toward what Tindell calls the most profitable, sustainable and fun way of doing business. Tindell is that rare CEO who fully embraces the "Golden Rule" of business - where all stakeholders - employees, customers, vendors, shareholder, the community - are successful through a harmonic balance of win-wins.
The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance
Gerald J. Langley - 1996
The authors explore their Model for Improvement that worked with international improvement efforts at multinational companies as well as in different industries such as healthcare and public agencies. This edition includes new information that shows how to accelerate improvement by spreading changes across multiple sites. The book presents a practical tool kit of ideas, examples, and applications.
Change: Learn to Love It, Learn to Lead It
Richard Gerver - 2013
We face new challenges every day in our jobs and in our personal lives. Those who can handle change are the most fulfilled. Those who fear change will find it hardest to thrive. As a head teacher, Richard Gerver famously transformed a failing school into one of the most acclaimed learning environments in the world - in just two years. As a hugely popular speaker and author, he now helps individuals and companies to embrace change. This book is his powerful personal reflection on change, full of wisdom and practical insights. Whether you are leading a company through change or looking for a new direction in life, let Richard Gerver be your guide.
Start Something That Matters
Blake Mycoskie - 2011
That’s the breakthrough message of TOMS’ One for One movement. You don’t have to be rich to give back and you don’t have to retire to spend every day doing what you love. You can find profit, passion, and meaning all at once—right now. In Start Something That Matters, Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, one of the fastest-growing shoe companies in the world, and combines it with lessons learned from such other innovative organizations such as Method Products, charity: water, FEED Projects, and TerraCycle. Blake presents the six simple keys for creating or transforming your own life and business, from discovering your core story to being resourceful without resources; from overcoming fear and doubt to incorporating giving into every aspect of your life. No matter what kind of change you’re considering, Start Something That Matters gives you the stories, ideas, and practical tips that can help you get started. Why this book is for you: • You’re ready to make a difference in the world—through your own start-up business, a nonprofit organization, or a new project that you create within your current job.• You want to love your work, work for what you love, and have a positive impact on the world—all at the same time.• You’re inspired by charity: water, method, and FEED Projects and want to learn how these organizations got their start. • You’re curious about how someone who never made a pair of shoes, attended fashion school, or worked in retail created one of the fastest-growing footwear companies in the world by giving shoes away.• You’re looking for a new model of success to share with your children, students, co-workers, and members of your community. You’re ready to start something that matters.
Source: The Inner Path of Knowledge Creation
Joseph Jaworski - 2011
Jaworski came to realize that traditional analytical leadership approaches are inadequate for dealing creatively with this complexity. To effectively face these challenges, leaders need to access the Source from which truly profound innovation flows. Many people, including Jaworski himself, have experienced a connection with this Source, often when called upon to respond in times of crisis—moments of extreme spontaneity and intuitive insight. Actions simply flow through them, seemingly without any sort of conscious intervention. But these experiences are chance occurrences—ordinarily, we don’t know how to access the Source, and we even have a blind spot as to its very existence.In an extraordinarily wide-ranging intellectual odyssey, Jaworski relates his fascinating experiences with quantum physicists, cognitive scientists, indigenous leaders, and spiritual thinkers, all focused on getting to the heart of the Source. Ultimately, he develops four guiding principles that encompass the nature of the Source and what we need to do to stay in dynamic dialogue with it.Using the combination of narrative and reflection that made Synchronicity so compelling, Jaworski has written a book that illuminates the essential nature not only of visionary leadership but also of relationships, consciousness, and ultimately reality itself.
Agency: Starting a Creative Firm in the Age of Digital Marketing
Rick Webb - 2015
These specialists have begun forming shops of their own - the new modern version of the agency. Increased marketing fragmentation and brand's need for specialists means that the time has never been better for a freelancers or niche service providers to build their own small firms. All they're missing is the guidance they need to find their footing.While specialist agencies and freelancers are highly skilled, most have a lot to learn about the mechanics of starting and running an agency. Many of these specialists come from a different background than those who traditionally started agencies: they come from the internet, not the ad world. In Agency, Rick Webb provides a comprehensive guidebook - giving readers the knowledge, strategies, and understanding they'll need to make the exciting transition into a modern creative services firm. Drawing from his experience running his own digital ad agency and working with countless innovative tech start-ups, Webb focuses not just on how to get started, but how to survive in a competitive marketplace. This is a hands-on master class in everything that the agency manager needs to know. From understanding small business banking, to deciding how to price a job and manage procurement, to winning new business, Agency provides everything from basic business and leadership skills to insider tips and industry information. Webb outlines the shape of the ecosystem in which new agencies will be finding their place. Packed with personal anecdotes from his time starting and running the highly successful Barbarian Group, Webb provides practical techniques for building an agile company.Modern agency upstarts need a different sort of education, and Agency provides a remarkable crash course.