As One: Individual Action, Collective Power by Mehrdad Baghai & James Quigley - Book review

As One

Individual Action, Collective Power

By: Mehrdad Baghai, James Quigley

Published: February 3, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1591844150
ISBN-13: 978-1591844150
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin













"Every day, millions of people around the world collaborate. We join, share and cooperate with others from different countries and backgrounds, across organizations and industries.The world continues to advance because people are problem solving, innovating, and collaborating to make things happen", write Managing Director of Alchemy Growth Partners, Mehrdad Baghai; and CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, James Quigley, in their groundbreaking and thought provoking book As One: Individual Action, Collective Power. The authors describe alternative approach to enhancing large group productivity through collaboration and encouraging a sense of common purpose.



James Quigley (photo left) and Mehrdad Baghai turn the traditional concepts of leadership upside down. The standard leadership models are the long standing command-and-control model and the more recent agile-and-adaptive model. The authors demonstrate how these two basic models are not the only leadership types for building collaborative organizations. Indeed, the authors consider the very limiting nature of only two choices to be false, and a leadership myth, that they destroy convincingly. For the authors, there are many alternative leadership paradigms that are much more effective than the standard models. As a result, the book presents a completely fresh way to examine and consider group leadership, that goes far beyond the usual limited choices, leading to much more effective group productivity and achievement.



Mehrdad Baghai (photo left) and James Quigley utilize effectively, the results of a landmark global leadership and collaboration research study, to develop their new concepts of building and leading group purpose. The study pointed to eight major archetypical leadership styles and their interaction with their group followers. In place of the traditional polarized collaborative theory, the authors present a richer and more personalized series of collaborative teams. The eight major archetypes are:

* Landlord and Tenants
* Community Organizer and Volunteers
* Conductor and Orchestra
* Producer and Creative Team
* General and Soldiers
* Captain and Sports team
* Senator and Citizens

These eight different archetypes provide a more flexible and workable continuum of models than the much more rigid dichotomy of approaches of the standard models.

For me, the power of the book is how Mehrdad Baghai and James Quigley combine the well researched conclusions of their groundbreaking global study with real world examples of the eight collaborative models in action. The authors provide descriptions of the eight collaborative archetypes and share examples of how and why each principle is unique, yet universal as well. With each leader and group having their own special characteristics, the opportunity for creative endeavor offered by the eight archetypes, provides for more flexibility, innovation, and group collaboration. The older two option concept lacks the depth of understanding and nuance that while leaders and groups may resemble one another at first glance, their internal dynamics and character are very different.

The authors describe as well how simply adding the two words "as one" to a phrase not only changes its meaning but also opens up a new and creative set of possibilities. By changing the wording of how concepts are framed, through inclusiveness and cohesion, the entire group will behave and create ideas in new and exciting ways. Being part of a group is a powerful motivator for all people, and a basic foundation of all societies, offers participants an opportunity to work toward a common cause. The eight different styles of leader and followers provide archetypes for various personalities to operate more effectively. The result is a much more productive collaborative effort for everyone including both the leaders and the followers.

I highly recommend the revolutionary and very practical book As One: Individual Action, Collective Power by James Quigley and Mehrdad Baghai, to anyone seeking not only a richer and more flexible approach to collaboration, but also how to implement the principles unique and common to all archetypical groups. The book provides the tools for establishing the most comfortable collaborative format and for putting it into action to achieve the best possible results.

Read the fascinating and paradigm altering book As One: Individual Action, Collective Power by James Quigley and Mehrdad Baghai, and begin to think as one when establishing collaborative teams and organizations. The collective power and creative capacity of the entire group will transform any group and lead to greatness.

Tags: As One: Individual Action, Collective Power, James Quigley, Mehrdad Baghai, collaborative leadership, business book reviews.

Crisis By Design by John Truman Wolfe - Book review

Crisis by Design

The Untold Story of the Global Financial Crisis and What You Can Do About It

By: John Truman Wolfe

Published: June 23, 2010
Format: Paperback, 196 pages
ISBN-10: 9780982201565
ISBN-13: 978-0982201565
Publisher: Roberts & Ross Publishing












"You wee, this crisis was and is a crisis by design. And there has been a coup d'etat - a hostile takeover - of our financial systems", writes former chairman of the Department of History at John F. Kennedy University and former senior bank credit manager John Truman Wolfe, in his explosive and controversial book Crisis by Design: The Untold Story of the Global Financial Crisis and What You Can Do About It. The author describes how the financial meltdown of 2008 was not an accident, or a surprise, but an intentional act committed by an international banking group.

John Truman Wolfe provides his startling evidence that the entire financial system of the United States was targeted for a crash and takeover. Along with the intended demise of the American economy, the US Dollar was also placed in the cross hairs for destruction. The author offers a compelling chronology of the events, that led to what he calls a coup, that go back decades into history. John Truman Wolfe points to these events as having been planned for a very long time, and they finally reached fruition with the market crash of 2008. Following those turbulent events, the author describes how at a meeting of the G-20 in London, what was called a "Financial Stability Board" was created to remedy the situation. The author takes the more controversial position that the board was intended to seize control of the global markets and economy.



John Truman Wolfe (photo left) presents a fascinating narrative filled with intrigue, thirst for power, and good old fashioned greed. The author names people, banks and other institutions, provides dates, and pinpoints the locations where the events described in the book took place. For John Truman Wolfe, what happened is nothing short of a tragedy for the American people, the US Dollar, and the economy as a whole. The author considers the entire series of events that led up to the 2008 financial crisis to have been planned and manipulated into occurring as they did. At the same time, John Truman Wolfe sounds the alarm about the rising level of public and private debt in America as the fuel for another financial disaster. The author shares his opinions on how the debt is part of a pending money meltdown that will collapse the economy.

For me, the power of the book is twofold as John Truman Wolfe provides a strong and well researched overview of the precarious state of the economy, and how it reached the precipice of disaster. The author also offers some practical and public oriented advice for the average citizen to follow. The advice ranges from protecting oneself from what he forecasts as an impending monetary collapse to steps for taking back the political process from the flatly named international cartel. This book serves as a wake up call, not only for Americans, but for people around the world to take charge of their own finances and to reclaim the political arena for the benefit of all people. As the author states, an economy that only benefits the few is doomed to collapse.

I highly recommend the idea challenging, but empowering book Crisis by Design: The Untold Story of the Global Financial Crisis and What You Can Do About It by John Truman Wolfe, to anyone seeking an alternative discussion of the events of leading to and following the 2008 global financial crisis. The reader may not agree with all of the author's points, but the book's footnotes section offers plenty of opportunity for the reader to do their own research on the topic.

Read the eye opening and compelling book Crisis by Design: The Untold Story of the Global Financial Crisis and What You Can Do About It by John Truman Wolfe, and discover there may have been much more to the 2008 financial crisis that thought or reported previously. This book will change the way you view the economy and guide you toward protecting your assets and your family, should the most dire predictions made by the author, come to pass.

Tags: Crisis by Design: The Untold Story of the Global Financial Crisis and What You Can Do About It, John Truman Wolfe, 2008 financial crisis, economics book reviews.

Michael Horton: Scrappy General Management - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Vice President for the Australian Chemical, Energy, and Natural Resources division of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), and author of the very practical and results oriented book Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results, Michael Horton, describes how all too often managers are assumed to know and understand how to manage when they are placed in a General Managerial position. That is usually not the case at all, and managers need training to avoid problems and help their staff and organization achieve success. Michael Horton shares some practical and common sense ideas for making the transition into the role of General Manager a smooth and productive one.Instead of buzzwords and homilies, learn the real secrets to success as a General Manager in any organization.

Michael Horton is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, April 7, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Vice President for the Australian Chemical, Energy, and Natural Resources division of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), and author of the very practical and results oriented book Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results, Michael Horton, describes how all too often managers are assumed to know and understand how to manage when they are placed in a General Managerial position. You will learn:

* Why new general managers are not always well equipped with the needed skills

* How to learn the managerial techniques essential for general manager success

* How to understand and master all areas of the general manager position

* How to become a better leader in the organization



Michael Horton (photo left) is Vice President for the Australian Chemical, Energy, and Natural Resources division of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), with responsibility for annual revenues of $360 million and a matrix responsibility for 2,000 people. Michael has 28 years experience in the Information Technology Industry, 21 years of that in a management capacity and has been employed at CSC since 1994. During his time at CSC, he has held senior management positions in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, Australia. Since 2000 he has also completed challenging assignments based in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Maidstone in the UK and San Diego, USA.

Michael holds an Associate Diploma in Applied Science from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, a Master of IT Management from Charles Sturt University in New South Wales and is Project Management Institute (PMI) certified. He is married, with two teenage children and enjoys surfing, sailing and holidaying at every opportunity.

My book review of Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results by Michael Horton.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with Vice President for the Australian Chemical, Energy, and Natural Resources division of Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), and author of the very practical and results oriented book Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results, Michael Horton, as he describes how all too often managers are assumed to know and understand how to manage when they are placed in a General Managerial position. That is usually not the case at all, and managers need training to avoid problems and help their staff and organization achieve success. Michael Horton shares some practical and common sense ideas for making the transition into the role of General Manager a smooth and productive one.Instead of buzzwords and homilies, learn the real secrets to success as a General Manager in any organization on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results, Michael Horton, enhanced management techniques, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Scrappy General Management by Michael Horton - Book review

Scrappy General Management

Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results

By: Michael Horton

Published: October 7, 2010
Format: Paperback, 154 pages
ISBN-10: 9781600051487
ISBN-13: 978-1600051487
Publisher: Happy About











"You're not the leader of a section, or the team of a particular function - you're responsible for the whole shooting match, end to end. You are the business's general manager and the people look to you for their livelihoods. Yes, YOU!", writes Vice President, Chemical, Energy & Natural Resources Division at CSC Australia, Michael Horton, in his very practical and results oriented book Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results. The author describes how the new general manager can not only survive the promotion, but thrive in the position, for the benefit of the employees and the entire organization.

Michael Horton has been there. He has held the role of general manager, and experienced the initial feeling that perhaps he was not qualified for the role. With that personal experience in hand, Michael Horton shares valuable ideas and best practices to ensure the transition to the new position is a very successful one. The author addresses the usual organizational assumption that anyone who reaches the level of general manager already possesses the skills and experience necessary for the position. As Michael Horton demonstrates clearly, that is simply not the case. With many companies promoting younger, less experienced executives to a general managerial role, that older belief is less true now than ever before. Utilizing his own management experience, learned on the job under real world conditions, Michael Horton provides a no nonsense course in becoming an effective general manager.



Michael Horton (photo left) recognizes that a new general manager faces a steep learning curve, regardless of their experience level in the organization. As a result, the author advises keeping things as simple as possible. This advice is especially important as the general manager is in charge of so many events, people, and processes. If any of these dozens of responsibilities are ignored, the result can be a catastrophe. For Michael Horton, a great general manager avoids those disasters, through a combination of good planning, strong communication and people skills, and excellent execution. At the same time, Michael Horton provides some very unexpected, but truly important advice. He recommends that the general manager grow a strong backbone to stand up to the rest of the organization and its pockets of resistance to positive change and fresh thinking. At the same time, Michael Horton emphasizes the importance of managing both staff and external organizational relationships well. In the end, a general manager must practice self management to lead others toward the goals set out for them.

For me, the power of the book is how Michael Horton provides a strong combination of managerial theory and his personal experience. The advice shared in the book is both practical and universally applicable to small, medium, or large sized businesses. The author blends his common sense approach with strong visual aids, including charts and graphs, that help the new general manager visualize the concepts to enhance their effectiveness. Michael Horton recommends keeping things simple, and the book is arranged in a logical and concise format, that utilizes that principle. Overall, this book is an excellent guide for any new or experienced general manager to read and absorb. The concepts presented are both timeless and timely to boost the performance of the general manager, the employees, and the entire organization.

I highly recommend the idea packed and very engaging book Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results by Michael Horton, to any new or current general manager seeking real world techniques for not only surviving the transition to the position, but thriving in the job. This book dispenses with the frills and gets right to the core concepts of becoming an exceptional general manager.

Read the useful and lively book Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results by Michael Horton, and transform your career as a general manager into a success story. Picking up this book, and reading any page, will yield excellent advice that can be applied immediately with tremendous results.

Tags: Scrappy General Management: Common Sense Practices to Avoid Calamities, Catastrophes, and Lackluster Results, Michael Horton, enhanced management techniques, business book reviews.

Onward by Howard Schultz with Joanne Gordon - Book review

Onward

How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul

By: Howard Schultz with Joanne Gordon

Published: March 29, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
ISBN-10: 1605292885
ISBN-13: 978-1605292885
Publisher: Rodale Books












"Starbucks has always been about so much more than coffee. But without great coffee, we have no reason to exist", writes founder and CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, with reporter for Forbes magazine, Joanne Gordon, in their inspirational and business lesson packed book Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. The authors describe the challenge, undertaken by returning CEO Howard Schultz, to returning Starbucks to its roots as the means to facilitating a successful turnaround of the company.



Howard Schultz (photo left) with Joanne Gordon write what is really a love story. Howard Schultz, as founder of CEO of the famous chain of Starbucks coffee houses, is faced with restoring the flagging company back to its former glory and leadership in the industry. After eight years away from the company, Starbucks appeared to have lost its direction, and was losing both customer support and share value. The outlook wasn't good for the iconic brand, and Howard Schultz accepted the daunting task of rebuilding the company's tarnished brand image. To achieve that goal, Howard Schultz took the unusual step of returning to the organization's core values, and the reestablishing source of the company's pride. With this understanding of the human values embodied in the brand, its products, its customers, and its employees, Howard Schultz recreated the original company success story through an emphasis on values. This was a complete reversal of the focus on only growth and financial metrics that had led the organization away from its former path. The CEO re-instituted the human side of the company, along with its guiding principles, and that made all of the difference.



Joanne Gordon (photo left) and Howard Schultz point to the founding philosophy of Starbucks as a touchstone that formed the foundation of the turnaround. Howard Schultz holds the conviction that the sole purpose of a company is not just bottom line profitability. To truly be a successful corporation, the culture must also develop and live values that transcend the monetary concerns. One of those values is social conscience, and Starbucks had let that principle slip to the back burner. Howard Schultz reignited the flame of the organization's culture of humanity, and with it recreated the success of the corporation. At the same time, as CEO, he also reopened the ideas and innovations that created so many successful products, engaged the staff and customers, and transformed the organization back to its more human based roots. Along with social conscience, the company returned to the following values:

* Respect and dignity
* Passion and laughter
* Compassion, community, and responsibility
* Authenticity
* A great coffee experience

For me, the power of the book is how Howard Schultz, along with Joanne Gordon, convey a love story, a business story, and a very personal journey, all at once. For Howard |Schultz, the Starbucks brand has always represented values and humanity. When discussing company turnarounds, these important principles are so often overlooked, or even dismissed as irrelevant. For Howard Schultz, the recognition of the critical importance of people engaged in something larger than themselves leads to greatness. That important business lesson has been lost in recent years, and Starbucks slid away from that concept as well. A valuable lesson conveyed in the book is that a focus on growth and metrics will not succeed if the company fails to live a social and human mission. Instead of growth and stronger numbers, without the core values as a cornerstone, Starbucks lost customers and share value. The brand image lost its luster.

Howard Schultz also conveys a personal story of soul searching, difficult choices, and agonizing decisions. The resulting group of layoffs and store closures was not done without pain and intensive study and thought. The key lesson is that Howard Schultz was always guided in his choices and decisions by the core values of the company. With the humanity slowly being drained from the company culture, both is staff and the customer base, a strong return to human values was critical to the turnaround success.

The commitment to excellence was demonstrated by the crucial decision to close down all of the stores and rediscover the art of making and presenting the perfect espresso. This decisive action sent the message to all employees and customers that the Starbucks value system was back and central to the company's plans and service. The result was a resounding success. Principles and core values, when lived by the entire company, every employee, and every customer are good business. That is a lesson that companies need to to take to heart and practice to the fullest. It worked very well indeed for Howard Schultz and for Starbucks.

I highly recommend the landmark and must read book Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz with Joanne Gordon, to anyone seeking a deeper insight into the soul of a great company, or a richer understanding of the value of living the organization's core principles as a guiding philosophy. This book teaches business leaders that value driven companies are highly successful companies that will stand the test of time.

Read the destined to become classic book Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz with Joanne Gordon, and discover the key importance of humanity and core values in corporate strategy. Companies that are built on love are successful companies that with brands that endure. Starbucks is a valuable lesson in the success of a values driven organization, that almost lost its way, but returned to greatness with a reestablishment of its guiding core values as touchstones to live by.

Tags: Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Sou, Stephen Denny, corporate strategy, business book reviews.

Joanne McCall: Choosing The Right Book Publicist - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Well known publicist, and founder of McCall Public Relations Joanne McCall shares her tips for finding the right book publicist for your title. She describes how to decide if the publicist is the right fit for you. She also offers ideas for marketing your book successfully, and for utilizing the power of social media to help your title stand out in a crowded book marketplace. Learn as well, how to develop an author platform to boost credibility and sales.

Joanne McCall is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, April 5, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.



Joanne McCall (photo left) worked in broadcast radio for 18 years before founding McCall Public Relations, which gives her a unique perspective on, and rapport with, the media.

Joanne has been drawn to the world of news and information since she was a young girl. At 16, she wrote, directed, and performed a local bi-weekly radio show in her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. After earning a BA in communications, she landed her first radio job in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and worked in radio broadcasting over the next decade as a newscaster, interviewer, and radio host in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and finally Oregon, where she moved in 1991.

Drawing from her experience as a media insider, Joanne entered the public relations race at a gallop when she was hired as an events planner for a major retreat and conference center, organizing PR and handling thousand-people events for such giants as Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and Kenny Loggins.

In 1996, Joanne started her own publicity firm, which beautifully integrates her love for the pace and personalities of the media, her skills with listening to and understanding clients’ needs, and her ability to ignite excitement and buzz with the public.

Having established first-name-basis relationships with hundreds of top-tier producers, editors, and writers over the years, Joanne gets her authors featured in such national publications such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Good Housekeeping, and Self; on national television venues such as The View, Today, Dateline NBC, CNN, Oprah, Fox News Channel, EXTRA, and MSNBC; in daily newspapers such as The Seattle Times, The Dallas Morning News, and The Chicago Tribune; and on major market radio stations in cities all across the nation, including NPR.

Joanne McCall blogs at Book Publicity Central.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with well known publicist, and founder of McCall Public Relations Joanne McCall shares her tips for finding the right book publicist for your title. She describes how to decide if the publicist is the right fit for you. She also offers ideas for marketing your book successfully, and for utilizing the power of social media to help your title stand out in a crowded book marketplace. Learn as well, how to develop an author platform to boost credibility and sales on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: McCall Public Relations, Joanne McCall, book marketing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Trish Stevens: Ascot Media Group and Reliant Public Relations Partnership - Interview

President & CEO of Ascot Media Group, Inc., Trish Stevens was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her exciting new business partnership with CEO of Reliant Public Relations, Monica Foster.

Thanks to Trish Stevens and Monica Foster for their time, and for the interesting and informative responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.

What was the background to forming this partnership between Ascot Media Group and Reliant Public Relations?

Trish Stevens: After hearing from authors how they had poured their heart and soul into a book only to find out that getting it published left little for publicity, we put our heads together to come up with a plan that would be affordable for authors and still cover our own costs. We teamed up in such a way that Ascot promotes the Plan, and Reliant handles the processing.

How does this partnership serve authors better as their publicists?



Trish Stevens: Because we have the ability to reach tens of thousands of media personnel, we eliminate the middle man (the one-on-one publicist) and the author handles contact with the media directly. We get the media attention they need – they become their own publicist – all for a nominal fee!

One of the new initiatives you are employing is Author 333. How does this concept work to benefit authors, publishers, the media, and your company?

Trish Stevens: First of all, we have made the cost so affordable ($333) we give authors equal opportunity to hit the top! Publishers can promote several book titles at one time and still pay a great deal less than hiring a one-on-one publicist, ultimately increasing their Return on Investment (ROI). The media actually prefers to read ‘Teasers’ so our way simplifies the process – it is short and to the point versus reading an entire press release. The new Plan benefits us because it attracts authors in volume. Word-of-mouth and results are key!



Trish Stevens, Ascot Media Group (photo left)

How does this initiative revolutionize how authors approach publicists on a cost basis?

Trish Stevens: It revolutionizes the whole process – the author becomes his/her own publicist by dealing directly with the media. It actually eliminates the cost of an individual publicist completely.



How can one firm working alone charge a high fee, while two firms working together charge so little in fees. How does this counter-intuitive concept work?

Trish Stevens: We believe that traditional PR firms do not understand the ROI for authors. Celebrities need publicists but it is not economically feasible for new authors or those who have not yet hit the big time. Once they hit the NY Times best-selling list, they can afford a publicist. We give them an opportunity they normally would not get without a publicist – we get them out there, we get them the attention, and we get them recognized!!



Monica Foster , Reliant Public Relations (photo left)

How important is it for authors to consider working with a publicist in today's crowded book marketplace?

Trish Stevens: Many authors do not have the funds to hire an individual publicist but that doesn’t mean they should give up. In reality, the most important thing to consider is that they need to get their book out there – and that means any way they can! However, if they have the funds or have a busy lifestyle, e.g., a celebrity, physician or lawyer, it would be beneficial for them to hire a publicist to handle every detail. There are so many new authors who are typically ‘writers with day jobs’ – people with a dream who have often worked on their book for years and finally get it published – only to realize they can’t afford thousands of dollars to pay a PR firm for publicity. This is where the Author 333 Plan comes in.

How can this low cost venture help even more authors find success?

Trish Stevens: It’s all about exposure – we write a 6-line Teaser with their approval and distribute it to tens of thousands of media personnel – what better way to give them the opportunity to get in front of the ‘majors’ and a shot at the top!

What is next for Trish Stevens and Monica Foster, and for this new partnership venture?

Trish Stevens: Since our goal is to get clients the recognition they deserve and a chance to achieve maximum success, we see the Author 333 Plan as just another step in this process. It is a win-win for all concerned – the author, Reliant and Ascot! We welcome you to visit our site and view client testimonials at: http://www.ascotmedia.com/testimonials.html. As for future ventures, well, we’ll just have to wait and see…

Tags: Ascot Media Group, Trish Stevens, Monica Foster, Reliant Public Relations, business interviews.

Stephen Denny: Killing Giants - Author interview

strategist and marketing consultant, and President of Denny Marketing, Stephen Denny, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about his thought provoking and insightful book Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry.

Stephen Denny describes how a small player in any industry can topple the giant industry leader through a combination of brains, street smarts, and agility.

Thanks to Stephen Denny for his time, and for his thoughtful and fascinating responses to the questions. They are greatly appreciated.





What was the background to writing this book Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry?

Stephen Denny: An email. A former direct report sent me a note telling me she was, as she put it, “stuck between 2 giants.” I hit reply and before I knew it, I’d gone 500 words. And I was just getting started. I thought it would be rude at that point to hit “send” – think of that coming over your Blackberry – so I ended up writing the book instead.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the course of my career, both on the brand and consulting sides of the table, fighting these sorts of uphill battles. Capturing the right strategies and putting them on paper was a natural progression.

Many small business people believe that they simply can’t compete, let alone thrive, against the dominant company in their industry. You disagree with that idea. Why do you say that?

Stephen Denny: I spoke to over 70 “giant killers” and profiled 33 different companies across 13 countries – from Silicon Valley to the townships of South Africa - who told their stories in their own words of how they out-maneuvered or just killed the giants they faced. They often spoke with the confidence of retrospect, but clearly their struggles weren’t easy. The good news, though, is that they were ultimately successful. It can be done, in other words. And these “giant killers” can teach us ways to do it.



Stephen Denny (photo left)

Being a small business has many advantages that large companies lack. What are some of these advantages and how can they level or even take over the playing field?

Stephen Denny: When giants become giants, their problems change. Global distribution and consistency become more important that craftsmanship. They started hiring and rewarding different kinds of people. The void left behind is an area many successful “giant killers” end up filling.

Another is the encroaching presence of risk avoidance. Big company executives are paid to say “no” to risky things. The larger the company, the more risk averse they often become. They hire and reward people who fit neatly into their existing pre-conceptions, as a result. Risk is bred out of the company culture. As a result, bold product innovations – Method detergent, Sam Adams beer, Vibram FiveFingers shoes, Schweitzer Engineering digital protective relays – are only possible in cultures where such risk is embraced.

How can the small company find and add new customers right under the giant company's nose?

Stephen Denny: The best – and most counter-intuitive – way is to look forward to the giant’s big spending and capitalize on the flood of highly qualified traffic that ensues. Adobe provided a wonderful example of converting retail shoppers at the point of purchase with in-store demonstrations during a significant competitive merchandising event. This doesn’t just apply to physical stores, either. A story from Oslo University illustrated how leveraging the giant’s keywords drove search and ultimately enrollments for this “giant killer” higher education brand.

So let them spend the big dollars and drive the eyeballs and the foot traffic. That’s the most qualified crowd of potential customers you’ll ever see. Meet them there and convert them one by one.

Many people believe that the giant companies set the ground rules of the game in their industry. How can a small company create their own rules to compete with the big company?

Stephen Denny: Jim Koch told me that he set out to change how Americans thought about beer and is personally responsible for re-writing the rules of how we, in this country, all relate to this 10,000 year old human tradition. He is the proverbial father of the craft brewing movement. Look to Eric Ryan of Method, the original standard bearer for the sustainably formulated detergent industry. Cricket Holdings is re-writing how brand managers allocate advertising budgets with a “pay per lead” fixed cost business model. Lots of disruptive examples in Killing Giants.

Are there some real world success stories of small companies who took on the giants and won?

Stephen Denny: Often it’s a case of maneuvering to find a slipstream where the giant just doesn’t want to go, but there are plenty of examples where the “giant killer” just killed the giant it faced. Look at GoDaddy, now #1 in domain name registration and growing the fastest in its space. Look at Baidu, clearly #1 in search in their home market of China. Read about Searle Canada’s brilliant launch of their arthritis drug, Arthrotec, or Oi Mobile’s emergence in Brazil.

There are many categories where “giant killers” could quickly gain momentum and swamp the former giants in their spaces. Inspirational stuff!

What is the first step a small business person should take toward out-competing the giant in their industry?

Stephen Denny: First things first: create meaningful separation. Getting your messaging – the “arc of your story” – nailed down is the first step. Once you know who you are, all things are possible. Everything you do, from your website to your customer service to your product design, becomes an “eigen value” – a self-defining entity, something that could only come credibly from you. Nothing happens without a clear sense of who you are, who you’re not, and what you’re willing to leave behind and walk away from.

MINI is “an impossibly small car” for most – but for many, its size is the crystallization of how they feel about fun, responsibility, and stewardship in what Jim McDowell would call this ‘post-materialistic’ consumer landscape. Polarize your market. Let them choose you – or actively choose to not choose you.

What is next for Stephen Denny?

Stephen Denny: What’s next is spreading the gospel of Killing Giants. I find that speaking to companies and organizations about these ideas is tremendously powerful. Many businesspeople have unstated fears about competing and delivering the message live helps open them up to new possibilities. Once we cross this threshold, developing the right attack plan is an exciting process for everyone.

We all come from cultures where the archetypal story of the hero emerging and defeating the giant is central to our belief systems. Importantly, the hero then returns to the people and bestows the gift on them. In a life of business, this story resonates. It’s powerful. It’s also very timely. There’s plenty to do! Let’s get to work!

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My book review of Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry by Stephen Denny.

Tags: Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry, Stephen Denny, market competitiveness, business author interviews.

Killing Giants by Stephen Denny - Book review

Killing Giants

10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry

By: Stephen Denny

Published: March 31, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1591843839
ISBN-13: 978-1591843832
Publisher: Portfolio/Penguin













"What connects each is a desire to do the impossible, every day: kill the giant in their industry", writes strategist and marketing consultant Stephen Denny in his thought provoking and insightful book Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry. The author describes how a small player in any industry can topple the giant industry leader through a combination of brains, street smarts, and agility.

Stephen Denny takes the provocative position that the small competitor in an industry can out think and out compete the leader in that same field. The concept that a Goliath in the market can be felled by a little David is counter to conventional thought. When considered objectively, and without the fear of being trampled by the behemoth, the idea that the little guy can prevail takes on new meaning. The small less bureaucratic business, is much more nimble and able to respond to changes in the marketplace and the overall economy, than the much slower moving giant. This ability to act quickly decisively, serves to level the playing field on behalf of the giant slayer. What is critical for the small player is to think and act in new and exciting ways, and take advantage of smallness, to displace the established industry leader.



Stephen Denny (photo left) reminds the would be giant killer that the market conditions of today actually work in favor of the small player. The economy and the marketplace of the past, that worked to the benefit of the giants, no longer exists. Stephen Denny points out that the giants, being slow and resistant to change, have not yet grasped the evolution in the marketplace. As a result, customers can be taken right under the nose of the oblivious giant. Stephen Denny not only provides a detailed examination of both giants and giant topplers, but also offers ten very intriguing strategies for taking down the unwary colossus. The tactics are presented in the form of tales of giant killing successes, and what worked for the smaller competitor. The stories not only contain overt lessons, but on additional examination yield up also deeper philosophies of winning what is on the surface an unfair game. For the would be defeater of giants, the stories are more than just a collection of case studies, but are a series of stories of reinventing the marketplace to one that tilts the scales toward the small company.

For me, the power of the book is how Stephen Denny describes both the theory and the process for defeating the giant in any industry. The author presents a solid case on behalf of the smaller, more responsive competitor as holding much more power than they usually believe they possess. Stephen Denny points out that not all giants are identical, and this important factor also works to the advantage of the would be giant killer. The differences in the forms and sizes of the largest players offer different options and opportunities for the small company. The author illustrates each of the book's ten strategies through intriguing stories, in a self contained chapter format. The tactics can be read sequentially, or as stand alone lessons from the real world.

To his credit, Stephen Denny resists the usual desire on the part of business book authors to offer standard advice and best practices. Instead of this usual technique, the author shares the stories of companies who overcame the challenges presented by facing an overpowering giant in their market. What the stories provide, that the simple reciting of advice does not, are the variety of giants and of the types of smaller companies that defeat them. A combination of the tactics employed by the successful giant slayers, or any one of their methods, might work for any small business. What is important is the understanding, as conveyed so well by Stephen Denny, is that small is a virtue and an advantage in today's marketplace. The old rules no longer apply, leaving the giants more vulnerable to being overwhelmed than ever before.

I highly recommend the essential and must read book Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry by Stephen Denny, to anyone seeking to dislodge the seemingly invincible leader from their industry. This book will change forever the way that you view the large players in your market. Instead of being dazzled by their sheer size or market share, you will discover how to identify and exploit their structural weaknesses.

Read the industry transformational book Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry by Stephen Denny, and be prepared to challenge the leaders in your industry for market supremacy. You will soon learn that the bigger the giant, the harder they fall.

Tags: Killing Giants: 10 Strategies to Topple the Goliath in Your Industry, Stephen Denny, market competitiveness, business book reviews.

Victoria Livschitz: Founder & CEO of Grid Dynamics - Interview

President and CEO of global leader in scaling mission-critical systems Grid Dynamics, Victoria Livschitz, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about her company, and about the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the technology industry.

Thanks to Victoria Livschitz for her time, and for her comprehensive and informative responses. They are greatly appreciated.

When you founded your company, you noticed that some of the problems that had confronted large companies were becoming a problem for Web 2.0 companies as well. What were those challenges that online companies faced?

Victoria Livschitz: I read recently a study from IBM that stated by end of 2010 the total amount of digital information in the world doubled every 11 hours. I did not know this statistic before but it did not surprise me in the least. Five years ago when I founded the company, the trend towards the explosion of data and the enormous aggregation of processing via the Internet was crystal clear for me. What we thought about the scalability problem 10 years ago is child’s play in today’s terms.

The challenges and the opportunities I saw five years ago were: how one can design and deliver a system, which is scalable and elastic, without paying a huge engineering price? Why is it a challenge—because everybody needs it, because it has to be pervasively available, and because a simple application written overnight by a college dropout with the next great idea about web service should be very rapidly developed and deployed and work successfully to support their business model. Delivery of transparent scalability and elasticity is what the world needs badly and has no fixed recipes for. That was the reason I founded Grid Dynamics, to be a part of this quest.

How did handling peak user and processor loads become such a widespread problem?

Victoria Livschitz: I believe the computing is intrinsically elastic, meaning the amount of hardware needed to process a piece of software changes from a function call to a function call, from one input parameter to another, and also depends on the state of the environment where and when the processing occurred. The first 50-60 years of computing did not produce a technological and economical answer of how to let bursting software to consume required hardware resources in a sensible way. Of course in the world of intense Internet traffic patterns we have extreme cases of bursting.

There is always an event which causes an enormous response in the amount of Internet searches, in the amount of twittering, or number of buyers interesting in procuring the next iPod in the next few minutes. The technology services became global and they became a social phenomenon when a little local news can generate a huge spike in demand. Spikes that affect millions or sometimes billions of people mean that in computing we need to manage peaks of unprecedented magnitude.



Victoria Livschitz (photo left)

The Study of Entrepreneurship has found that between 2004-2007 women founded only 1 % off high tech companies in the US. What challenges have you faced as a woman entrepreneur in a high tech field?

Victoria Livschitz: I have to say that entrepreneurship is hard – period. I would say that 90 percent of the challenges facing entrepreneurs are common to both men and women. There are still a few which put us apart. Entrepreneurship is a very time and life consuming activity. It is more like an obsession, especially when you are in a very high-tech business. Theoretically, if a start-up founder is a college-aged kid who has not much social responsibility such as a family, I do not see a lot of difference in patterns for men or women. However, many successful companies are not started by such young people in the greater scheme of things.

Most start-ups are launched by seasoned professionals; people who have reached a higher lever of maturity; or, the pinnacle of their corporate careers. They learned a lot about technology creation and can apply their wisdom and connections to building their own companies. They are mainly middle aged and that means that there are a lot of social and family responsibilities on their shoulders. This does make a difference between men and women. For a woman in her 30’s or 40’s to part with a job and dedicate herself entirely to the new business means that her domestic responsibility will unquestionable suffer. If she has a husband and children, it will have a profound effect on the family.

But it is also a kind of double jeopardy. Not only as a wife and mother are you not able to do what you did before for your family, but another part of the family (the husband and children) has to do more than they did before. It is not easy. Not easy on a woman, not easy on her family. There is another part of the problem. Entrepreneurship is such an intense and high stress activity that in order to sustain the consistent and permanent stress, to perform at your peak every day, every hour, you have to have some place where you can come to decompress, a place where your family and friends give you unconditional love and support.

You can say that a man with family and kids is going into such a business facing similar problems, but again the barrier is higher and implications are tougher for a women entrepreneur.

Many start-up entrepreneurial ventures struggle with achieving profitability, yet your company was profitable from day one. How did you become profitable so quickly?

Victoria Livschitz: Grid Dynamics is a service business. In my opinion, service companies should be profitable quickly, as they don’t have long non-revenue generating start-up periods such as product companies or expensive manufacturing facilities. I started the company with $15,000 of start-up capital, and then looked for creative ways to bootstrap operations without cash. For example, I contracted with one offshore development company that was willing to take stock options instead of cash for their engineering services for the first 6 months of development and another that was willing to give me a long period of time – up to six months – on paying their services fees, so that I could bill my client and get the money long after the engineers were paid their salaries.

I was also very lean with overhead, doing everything myself, including sales, marketing, account management, technical design, operational management, even accounting. Since I started without venture money, and until I raised the first capital years later, we had to be profitable always, or die.

You left the corporate world to start your own company. That bold step is one that you must not have made lightly. What caused you to become an entrepreneur, rather than remain in with Fortune 500 employers?

Victoria Livschitz: Well, for me entrepreneurship was not a question of “if”, but a question of “when”. I got my first taste of the entrepreneurship within a few months after immigrating to the U.S. when I set up a professional chess academy with my husband…basically a private chess school. It was our first business, which allowed us to support the family and put ourselves through college. When I became a high tech professional I began thinking about a number of business ideas. Understanding the work-life balance challenges for women, I did not start my company sooner because those years were dedicated to my family. I have three children and it was not until my youngest turned six years old that I could seriously consider the possibility of leaving my job at a Fortune 500 company and start my own business.

Ultimately, a big part of my decision was a matter of the right timing. I saw a business opportunity as the industry was going through gigantic paradigm shifts, which lead to many fresh ideas and entrepreneurial opportunities.

What advice would you give for entrepreneurs seeking to start a company in the high tech world?

Victoria Livschitz: Well, the biggest advice is for entrepreneurs to stop procrastinating, making excuses and do it! If your dream is big, if you think that you have what it takes to change the world then go try it! You might be successful, and you might not. Actually, I doubt you’ll be unsuccessful in a true sense of this word no matter what happens with your venture. You may not become a millionaire, but you will experience life in a way you never anticipated. It will be a journey, a quest, which will take you places that you would never have gone to otherwise. So, go ahead…try it.

Do you have some additional insights and advice for women entrepreneurs in technology fields?

Victoria Livschitz: Figuring out the work-life balance is the key for success for any entrepreneur. It’s important to have this balance to stay grounded and to take enjoyment out of both your professional and personal life.

What is the first step a person should take toward living their dream of entrepreneurship?

Victoria Livschitz: The first one is to conceive the idea, then try to understand what it means for you and your industry. The entrepreneurs coming from the technology world are mainly former engineers and some have very naive and idealistic images of the world of venture capital, of the world of start-ups, of the world of business management. A lot of things are counter-intuitive to the engineers who turn into entrepreneurs. You have to take time to educate yourself, to speak with people who have done it before. Start getting involved in local organizations, which exist in most places to help you with information, resources, and connections. Find out as much as you can about what you are planning to do, and then learn the rest on the job.

What is next for Victoria Livschitz and Grid Dynamics?

Victoria Livschitz: This is a tough question. I honestly don’t know what the future holds! I know that we have a company to run, to grow, and to take to the next level. I know that we have new and interesting solutions to bring to the market.

Tags: Grid Dynamics, Victoria Livschitz, women entrepreneurs, business interviews.