Organizational Change by Laurie K. Lewis - Book review

Organizational Change

Creating Change Through Strategic Communication

By: Laurie K. Lewis

Published: May 3, 2011
Format: Paperback, 312 pages
ISBN-10: 9781405191890
ISBN-13: 978-1405191890
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell












"Change is a prominent feature of organizational,civic, and personal life. Change is something we sometimes seek, sometimes resist, and often have thrust upon us", writes Associate Professor in Rutgers’ School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University, Laurie K. Lewis, in her comprehensive and outstanding book Organizational Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communication. The author describes the value of a communications approach change; and takes the perspective of the interaction between those who implement change and the affected stakeholders, and between the various stakeholders themselves.

Laurie Lewis understands that change occurs for many different reasons within organizations. At the same time, the author points out that change is very often necessary to correct past problems or to move forward in improving both the organization and the people within it. Change also provides opportunities for company growth or the avoidance of competitive failure. Failure to make changes can lead to disaster, but change can also create problems if not implemented correctly. The change process itself is examined by Laurie Lewis to ensure that the many perspectives are considered and put into practice to the benefit of the stakeholders involved. As a result, the author takes a communications perspective to change to avoid the problems and pitfalls that have derailed many poorly executed change processes in organizations.



Laurie K. Lewis (photo left) presents the specifics of the Stakeholder Theory perspective that examines the issue of change from the viewpoint of interaction of change makers with stakeholders. The perspective also considers the relationships between the various stakeholders themselves, as their motivations and goals are often in opposition to one another. The changes themselves create other changes, referred to by the author as ripple effects, that happen simply through the changes made in the process. Changes come in all sizes and scope, and can be large enough to cripple entire industries, or they may be small and only affect certain individuals. There will always be ripple effects resulting from both desirable and undesirable change. Stakeholder Theory helps to understand these changes, ripple effects, and impact on all stakeholders. The communications approach taken by Laurie Lewis throughout the book considers these interpersonal relationships and takes into consideration the need for understanding and dialogue between implementers and stakeholders.

For me, the power of the book is how Laurie K. Lewis presents and holistic framework that goes to the very heart of change. The author offers a strong theoretical basis for the causes, effects, and dynamics of organizational change. The emphasis on the communications perspective facilitates understanding for the causes or need for change, as well as for sharing the process to implement or counter that change. Unlike many books on organizational change, the author considers both desirable and unwanted change and the ramifications of both types.

Laurie Lewis backs up her theoretical analysis with a solid and illustrative group of case studies. The cases demonstrate the value of stakeholder communication in the event of both planned or unplanned change. The cases also point to importance of communication between implementers and stakeholders during the change process itself. The book provides the background necessary for organizations to utilize positive change to their advantage, and to prevent the problems generated by unplanned change. The author shares ideas for the successful implementation of change through enhanced communication and feedback channels for everyone involved.

I highly recommend the essential and must read book Organizational Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communication by Laurie K. Lewis, to anyone seeking an important contribution to change management literature. This book works well as an academic study on the topic of change, and as a practical guide for change practitioners within organizations.

Read the valuable and well researched book Organizational Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communication by Laurie K. Lewis, and put this holistic and communication oriented book to work for your organization. This book offers a fresh and important perspective on change management and its effects on organizations, change implementers, and the various affected stakeholders.

Tags: Organizational Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communication, Laurie K. Lewis, organizational change management, business book reviews.

Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race by Todd Buchholz - Book review

Rush

Why You Need and Love the Rat Race

By: Todd G. Buchholz

Published: May 5, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1594630771
ISBN-13: 978-1594630774
Publisher: Hudson Street Press/Penguin











"In this book I will argue that much of the common happiness advice is feckless, and sometimes dangerous", writes former director of economic policy at the White House, managing director of the $Tiger hedge fund, and Harvard economics professor, Todd G. Buchholz in his controversial and thought provoking book Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race. The author describes how most of the popular theories of what makes people happy are incorrect, and asserts in their place, that people are most happy when striving and competing in what is usually called the rat race.

Todd Buchholz provides, with wit and insight, a completely alternative viewpoint to the usual nostrums of happiness and peace of mind. The author offers an unusual, but compelling argument that people really prefer the striving for even unreachable goals to leisure and and some mythical idyllic life. Drawing on economics, human behavior, and the latest in neuroscience research, Todd Buchholz places competition firmly in the human DNA coding. The author shares both anecdotes and scientific evidence that people thrive and derive happiness from the thrill of the chase and through competition. Todd Buchholz points out that the brain releases the pleasure chemical dopamine when in the midst of a competitive activity. The author points out the competition yields pleasure.



Todd Buchholz (photo left) offers evidence that the way people think about happiness and the proverbial rat race may be all wrong. He writes that people not only enjoy it, but also thrive on it. The author points out that the frontal lobe of the brain responds to, and desires competitiveness in one area; and expresses hope for the future in another. Neuroscience demonstrates, according to the author, that competitive and future looking activity build health, while inactivity including retirement from the daily rat race, reduce health and even mental prowess. The author doesn't suggest that competition alone is sufficient, but that it must also be coupled with motivation to achieve goals. For the author, improving our lives is one of the prime motivators, and also what makes people happy. At the same time, Todd Buchholz points out that not all competition is equal. Destructive competition does not yield happiness, but causes harm. The striving for positive achievement is the constructive form of competition that makes the real difference in people's lives.

For me, the power of the book us how Todd Buchholz causes the reader to reexamine long held views on the nature of happiness, competition, and human society as a whole. While not all readers will agree with the author's evidence or conclusions, the value of the book is in the consideration of his alternative viewpoint. Todd Buchholz combines his theoretical framework, that positive competition makes people happy, with illuminating anecdotes that support the concept. Todd Buccholz bolsters his case with the latest findings in neuroscience research, and how the brain and the body react to competitive stimuli.

At the same time, the author points out how competition will drive a person to cooperate even with other competitors to achieve both personal and collaborative goals. Competition doesn't mean life is a zero sum game. Indeed, one of the strongest sections of the book is how increasing the size of the pie benefits all, and that a combination of positive competition along with cooperation helps everyone gain more happiness. The book presents a wonderful foundation for further debate, discussion, and research from all angles. Even the reader who disagrees completely with the author's thesis, will gain from reading this fascinating book.

I highly recommend the brilliant and discussion inducing book Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race by Todd Buchholz, to anyone seeking a unique and eye opening approach to the age old questions of what happiness truly means, how it is achieved, and why there are differences in the paths to that goal. The author provides the starting point for debate and conversation, and that appears to be his intended goal with the book.

Read the fascinating and essential book Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race by Todd Buchholz, and reconsider some of your own views on happiness, competition, and achievement. Your ideas may change, be strengthened, or reach a new synthesis. In any case, this book is not to be missed, as it offers an intriguing argument that probes the very nature of capitalism and society themselves.

Tags: Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race, Todd G. Buchholz, competition and capitalism, economics book reviews.

Geoff Livingston: Welcome To The Fifth Estate - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Acclaimed blogger, social media expert, and author of the insightful and revolutionary book Welcome to the Fifth Estate, Geoff Livingston, shares his ideas about the importance of a proper social media strategy. Geoff describes the benefits of understanding social media within an cultural context and why this recognition is critical to social media success.

Geoff Livingston goes far beyond the usual discussion of social media tools and technology, and enters the realm of society and culture. He offers his advice for developing a successful, meaningful, and measurable social media strategy, and how to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that trap the unwary.

Geoff Livingston is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, June 9, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.
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Acclaimed blogger, social media expert, and author of the insightful and revolutionary book Welcome to the Fifth Estate, Geoff Livingston, shares his ideas about the importance of a proper social media strategy. You will learn:

* Why the social media based fifth estate is so important to understand

* How to place social media in the proper cultural context

* How to develop a strong and relevant social media strategy

* How to measure what really matters in social media



Geoff Livingston (photo left) co-founded Zoetica, a social enterprise that provides superior communication consulting, training, and strategy to help mindful organizations affect social change. He has worked as a public relations strategist in the Washington, D.C. region for more than 17 years.

Cited by the Washington Post for his blogging skills, Geoff’s new book, Welcome to the Fifth Estate, was released in May, 2011. His prior book, the award-winning Now is Gone was released in 2007 and was been cited by the Wall Street Journal as a valuable resource for social media. He continues to blog about nonprofit use of social media for Mashable.

He sold his social media boutique Livingston Communications to CRT/tanaka in April of 2009. Some of his professional experiences include United Way of America, Save Darfur, the Goodwill of Greater Washington, Environmental Defense Fund, Live Earth, ChildFund International, the Campus Kitchens Project, the Philanthropy 2.0 Project, Network Solutions, Sully Erna (Godsmack lead singer), and many others.

My book review of Welcome to the Fifth Estate: How to Create and Sustain a Winning Social Media Strategy by Geoff Livingston.

My book review of Now is Gone by Geoff Livingston.

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 acclaimed blogger, social media expert, and author of the insightful and revolutionary book Welcome to the Fifth Estate, Geoff Livingston, as he shares his ideas about the importance of a proper social media strategy. Geoff describes the benefits of understanding social media within an cultural context and why this recognition is critical to social media success. Geoff Livingston goes far beyond the usual discussion of social media tools and technology, and enters the realm of society and culture. He offers his advice for developing a successful, meaningful, and measurable social media strategy, and how to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that trap the unwary on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Welcome to the Fifth Estate, Geoff Livingston, social media strategy, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

The Starbucks Experience by Joseph A. Michelli - Book review

The Starbucks Experience

5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary

By: Joseph A. Michelli

Published: 2007
Format: hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN-10: 0071477845
ISBN-13: 9780071477840
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional










"From its humble origins to a name that is synonymous with coffee, Starbucks is one of the great growth companies of our time", writes founder of The Michelli Experience, Joseph A. Michelli, in his idea packed and business lesson filled book The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary. The author describes the the inner workings of Starbucks and how they not only revolutionized the coffee business, but also how they changed the standard rules of management forever.

Joseph Michelli examines the principles that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz applied to turn his vision into reality. Howard Schultz envisioned transforming the typical American coffee experience from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In order to achieve this bold idea, Starbucks would not only have to change their own internal company culture, but make a dramatic impact on the very fabric of American culture itself. According to the author, that to create these landmark changes, Starbucks developed the following five leadership principles:

* Make it your own
* Everything matters
* Surprise and delight
* Embrace resistance
* Leave your mark



Joseph A. Michelli (photo left) understands that Starbucks is a very unique company that simply dominates its specific market niche. Unlike many other large growth oriented corporations, Starbucks has not gone the franchise route. The author points to the core values of the company that have fueled its growth and continuing customer loyalty. The Starbucks secret is in creating the extraordinary coffee experience. To achieve this goal, the company maintains its unique company culture where employees are empowered and engaged. The company passes the values of empowerment, entrepreneurship, quality, and service to its partners. Taken together, the Starbucks management principles, with their focus on both engaged employees and delighted customers, have provided a sterling example of conducting business the right way.

For me, the power of the book is how Joseph Michelli not only isolates the five guiding principles that made Starbucks an overwhelming success story, but demonstrates how those same principles can be utilized effectively by other companies. The author describes, in detail, the five core values that formed the foundation of the Starbucks success story. Joseph Michelli presents both the theory behind each principle, and the value in action as a guiding force for business success.

The book is an intriguing inside view of a company demonstrating that doing the right thing is also a good business practice. In a time when questionable ethics and practices have proven ineffective, the Starbucks model shows a clear alternative business model, that is both profitable and value driven. The author also points to how the Starbucks value based system can work for other organizations, regardless of their size or industry.

I highly recommend the very engaging and must read book The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary by Joseph A. Michelli, to anyone seeking insights into how and why Starbucks achieved industry dominance through empowering employees and providing an exceptional customer experience. The Starbucks concepts can be adapted readily to any organization through living the employee engagement and superior customer satisfaction values.

Read the insightful and very readable book The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary by Joseph A. Michelli, and learn how establishing values, and turning them into the company DNA, created profits and growth for Starbucks. Starbucks demonstrates beyond a doubt that value based companies are growing companies that find opportunities for new business ideas, and have a strong and sustainable bottom line.

Tags: The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary, Joseph A. Michelli, principle based management, business book reviews.

Steve Hamm: IBM: Making The World Work Better = Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Long time journalist and member of the IBM communications department, and co-author of the fascinating and informative book Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company, Steve Hamm, shares insights into the achievements, challenges, and transformation of corporate icon IBM. Steve Hamm describes how IBM was not only instrumental in spearheading technological innovation, but also influenced the development of society and changed the way that people think and work. At the same time, Steve points to the immense transformation made within the corporate structure and culture of Big Blue itself. Led by the legendary Thomas Watson Jr., IBM was an innovator in many of the corporate structures and personnel management practices seen all over the corporate world today. Discover the lessons learned by IBM as it reinvented itself over and over again, and how those same lessons can be applied to any company regardless of industry.

Steve Hamm is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

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

Long time journalist and member of the IBM communications department, and co-author of the fascinating and informative book Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company, Steve Hamm, shares insights into the achievements, challenges, and transformation of corporate icon IBM. Steve Hamm describes how IBM was not only instrumental in spearheading technological innovation, but also influenced the development of society and changed the way that people think and work. You will learn:

* How corporate icon IBM transformed society and the way people think and work

* How IBM faced many challenges and reinvented itself as a company

* How IBM maintained its leadership role in technological innovation

* How the lessons learned over a century can be applied to other companies



Steve Hamm (photo left) is Communications Strategist at IBM. Prior to joining IBM, Steve Hamm was a writer and editor at Busineessweek. Before that, Steve was a writer for PC Week. Steve is an expert in the global information technology business.

Steve Hamm is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and lives in the greater New York City area,

My book review of Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company by Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, and Jeffrey M. O'Brien.

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 long time journalist and member of the IBM communications department, and co-author of the fascinating and informative book Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company, Steve Hamm, as he shares insights into the achievements, challenges, and transformation of corporate icon IBM. Steve Hamm describes how IBM was not only instrumental in spearheading technological innovation, but also influenced the development of society and changed the way that people think and work. At the same time, Steve points to the immense transformation made within the corporate structure and culture of Big Blue itself. Led by the legendary Thomas Watson Jr., IBM was an innovator in many of the corporate structures and personnel management practices seen all over the corporate world today. Discover the lessons learned by IBM as it reinvented itself over and over again, and how those same lessons can be applied to any company regardless of industry on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company, Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, Jeffrey M. O'Brien, IBM company history, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Making the World World Work Better by Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm & Jeffrey M. O'Brien - Book review

Making the World Work Better

The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company

By: Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, Jeffrey M. O'Brien

Publisher: June 20, 2011
Format: Paperback, 350 pages
ISBN-10: 0132755106
ISBN-13: 978-0132755108
Publisher: IBM Press










"Information technology literally changes the way we think. It moves ahead, showing us what's possible and freeing our minds to dream of what we can do next. The dreams inspire us to build technology, which in turn unleashes new ideas about what technology can do", write award winning journalists Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, and Jeffrey M. O'Brien, in their fascinating and informative book Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company. The authors describe a century of transformation at IBM, and the dramatic changes in corporate culture and innovation that built the company.



Kevin Maney (photo left), Steve Hamm, and Jeffrey M. O'Brien share stories of innovation and change at the iconic corporation, but also of ideas and a study of how a large organization meets and addresses challenges. The authors transcend the usual commemorative century company book by delving into the ideas that made the company great, and how those concepts provide lessons for organizations outside the walls of IBM itself. the book examines how technology itself has altered the very nature of human thinking, while evolving and propelling change within the field of technology itself. The authors provide three main sections of the book that focus on the major pillars of the organization:

* Pioneering the Science of Information
* Reinventing the Modern Corporation
* Making the World Work Better



Steve Hamm (photo left), Jeffrey M. O'Brien, and Kevin Maney present a multi-faceted examination of the ideas that created a technological revolution that reached beyond IBM itself. From typewriters to punch cards to personal computers, the contribution of the company to today's technological landscape is undeniable. To facilitate these dramatic changes in technology demanded a continual reinvention of the company and its internal culture. The authors consider the critical contribution of legendary leader Thomas Watson who in many ways set the tone for defining how a modern corporation operates, innovates, and reinvents itself on a constant basis. Along with the changes made within the company itself, IBM has contributed heavily to many changes in society itself through its many innovations technological discoveries.



Jeffrey M. O'Brien (photo left), Kevin Maney, and Streve Hamm provide an intriguing and alternative form of company history, that for me, is the power of the book. Instead of opting to write a conventional narrative history of IBM, the authors chose to take the more interesting and informative technological, business transformational, and societal impact approach to the book. The result is an outstanding idea based book that not only chronicles the changes made within Big Blue itself, but also the more radical changes that technological advances made in society as a whole. The lessons learned by IBM, as it rebuilt itself over a century of business and technology innovation, are useful for other companies as well. The book is filled with many black and white and color photographs that add depth and context to the ideas presented in the book.

I highly recommend the idea and history filled book Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company by Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, and Jeffrey M. O'Brien, to anyone seeking a history of IBM that takes the unexpected and intriguing format of a record of technological and societal change, and the role played by IBM in shaping that transition toward a high tech world.

Read the always interesting and excellent book Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company by Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, and Jeffrey M. O'Brien, and discover how IBM influenced a century of technological change, how that change transformed the company itself, and how that very change created a lasting impact on how people live, and on the very nature of technology itself.

Tags: Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company, Kevin Maney, Steve Hamm, Jeffrey M. O'Brien, IBM company history, business book reviews.

Flash Foresight by Daniel Burrus with John David Mann - Book review

Flash Foresight

See the Invisible to Do the Impossible

By: Daniel Burrus

Published: January 18, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0061922293
ISBN-13: 978-0061922299
Publisher: HarperBusiness













"A flash foresight is a blinding flash of the future obvious. It is an intuitive grasp of the foreseeable future that, once you see it, reveals hidden opportunities and allows you to solve your biggest problems - before they happen", write one of the world's leading technology forecasters and business strategists, and is the founder and CEO of Burrus Research, Daniel Burrus, and well known author John David Mann, in their visionary and revolutionary book Flash Foresight: See the Invisible to Do the Impossible. The authors describe how anyone can use the techniques shared in the book to both see and create their own future.



Daniel Burrus (photo left) and John David Mann present a proven and repeatable predictive process for spotting trends before they take place. The techniques shared by the authors not only employ intuition and gut feelings to discover ideas and innovations as they occur, but to anticipate them before they even appear on the horizon. Intriguingly, many of the concepts presented in the book are counter-intuitive at first glance. Instead of focusing on the obvious problem, the authors recommend skipping the problem, creating fresh insights into the real problem. Skipping the problem, along with the other key components of the flash foresight principles, provides a guide to moving toward a different and deeper perspective into the true nature of the challenge. This fresh appraisal provides for richer and more perceptive analysis of opportunities and exciting new solutions.



John David Mann (photo left) and Daniel Burrus create a unique system for addressing problems in a different way from the standard techniques. The approach not only discovers the innovative solutions that result from a creative thinking process, but goes much deeper into the process. Instead of stopping when a solution to a problem is achieved, the flash foresight method uncovers and solves the real problem. Even more, the concept locates trends and opportunities before they are even on the radar screen. The authors share their flash foresight methodology that includes the following steps:

* Start with certainty
* Anticipate
* Transform
* Take your biggest problem and skip it
* Go opposite
* Redefine and reinvent
* Direct your future

For me, the power of the book is how Daniel Burrus and John David Mann present both the theoretical framework for how the flash foresight process works, combined with the practical techniques to put the theory into practice. The authors also bolster their concepts with case study examples of the flash foresight technique being used effectively in the real world. The authors emphasize as well that the flash foresight methodology is not limited to finding and predicting business opportunities. The process is also applicable to the non-profit, education, and healthcare sectors. In every instance, the concept places the practitioner on the leading edge of trend spotting, resulting in solutions and ideas long before the problem is even noticed by competitors.

I highly recommend the groundbreaking and must read book Flash Foresight: See the Invisible to Do the Impossible by Daniel Burrus and John David Mann, to anyone seeking a proven and extraordinary method for finding innovative solutions to the real problems facing an organization or an industry before others even notice the issue. This book will not only transform the way that an organization approaches problem solving, but also in recognizing the true problem even before it happens in real time.

Read the brilliant and fascinating book Flash Foresight: See the Invisible to Do the Impossible by Daniel Burrus and John David Mann, and put the dynamic and future reinventing book to work for your organization, regardless of the business size or sector. This book will identify the real problems and guide you toward the most exciting and innovative solutions possible.

Tags: Flash Foresight: See the Invisible to Do the Impossible, Daniel Burrus, John David Mann, creative problem solving, business book reviews.

Landing in the Executive Chair by Linda Henman - Book review

Landing in the Executive Chair

How to Excel in the Hot Seat

By: Linda Henman, Ph.D.

Published: May 15, 2011
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1601631537
ISBN-13: 978-1601631534
Publisher: Career Press










"The decisions that executives, especially CEOs, make during their first few months on the job have far-reaching implications and a decisive impact on whether they will ultimately succeed or fail",writes internationally renowned speaker, consultant, and coach Linda Henman, Ph.D., in her visionary and results oriented book Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat. The author describes how to avoid obstacles and make the best possible decisions during those critical first months in a new executive position.

Linda Henman shares her new model of leadership, that she calls F2 Leadership, that emphasizes the behaviors needed by the new executive to achieve success in the new role. The F2 Leader, according to the author, is both firm and fair. The effective executive makes events happen through a strong concern for people who can get the desired results. The F2 Leader not only wants results, but builds strong professional relationships with people. The F2 Leader:

* Demands results through involvement
* Gets to know and understand the people
* Maintains the focus on Us
* Demonstrates concern and responsiveness to the employees
* Solves disagreements and problems promptly



Linda Henman, Ph.D. (photo left) recognizes that the first months on the job present tremendous opportunity for the executive, but that they are also fraught with potential dangers. The author understands that many traditional management systems are not effective for ensuring new executive success. In a difficult economy, the new executive challenges are magnified even more, transforming the early decision making into a crucial test of effectiveness. Linda Henman presents the tools and concepts necessary to create a positive impact on the new position. The author points to developing a visionary and viable strategy, how to build lasting professional relationships with good people, and carry out the right decisions in an orderly and credible manner. For Linda Henman, the skills that led to the executive suite are not the ones needed to succeed in the new role. To remedy this possible skill shortfall, the author provides a proven blueprint for executive success.

For me, the power of the book is how Linda Henman combines both a theoretical framework for early executive success, with a practical road map for turning that theory into effective action. One of the key aspects of the author's recommendations is the focus on attracting and retaining the best people. Instead of placing the emphasis on the executive actions alone, the F2 Leader is a team builder who recognizes the importance of the staff members to the overall success of the organization. This book shines the spotlight on the crucial first few months in the new executive role. Those early decisions and actions set the tone for the entire career of the executive, and this book improves the odds of success greatly for anyone moving into the big chair.

I highly recommend the excellent and comprehensive book Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat by Linda Henman, Ph.D., to anyone seeking a very useful guide to hitting the ground running in a new executive position. The author takes a holistic approach that considers the entire organization, and not just the executive, in developing a fresh leadership model.

Read the valuable and essential book Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat by Linda Henman, Ph.D., and discover how to turn those critical first months in the new executive role into a long term success story. This book provides the background and skills necessary to transform any new executive into an effective leader.

Tags: Landing in the Executive Chair: How to Excel in the Hot Seat, Linda Henman, Ph.D., executive leadership, business book reviews.

Karen Hough: The Improvisation Edge - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, and author of the groundbreaking and practical book The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work, Karen Hough, describes how the principles of improv theater help in developing trust between people. Karen points out that improvisers must manage risk, collaborate radically, create deep trust, and transform disasters into opportunities. Karen Hough shares four principles that hel p leaders, trainers, managers, and front line employees adopt the mindset of the improviser. You will learn how to create a positive environment,encourage fearless participation, and build a stronger and more collaborative and trusting company culture.

Karen Hough is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, June 2, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, and author of the groundbreaking and practical book The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work, Karen Hough, describes how the principles of improv theater help in developing trust between people. You will learn:

* Why creating trust, collaboration,and flexibility are the biggest workplace problems

* Why the priniciples of improvisational theater are effective in the workplace

* How to develop the four critical secrets of improv theater on the job

* How to apply the improv methods to any work environment successfully



Karen Hough (photo left) is the Founder & CEO of ImprovEdge, and has been using improvisation as an engaging learning tool for over 12 years. She is the author of the Amazon #1 category Bestseller, The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work published by Berrett-Koehler, and the Yes! Deck, a handy deck of cards packed with exercises, tips and ideas.

She is the recipient of the Athena PowerLink Award for outstanding women-owned business, and ImprovEdge is a certified WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise).

Ms. Hough writes numerous articles for industry media, and has been featured in ASTD’s T&D magazine, Mashable.com and BusinessInsider.com. She is a national conference keynote speaker on topics such as executive presence and presentation skills, negotiation, and leadership.

My book review of The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work by Karen Hough.

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 Founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, and author of the groundbreaking and practical book The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work, Karen Hough, as she describes how the principles of improv theater help in developing trust between people. Karen points out that improvisers must manage risk, collaborate radically, create deep trust, and transform disasters into opportunities. Karen Hough shares four principles that hel p leaders, trainers, managers, and front line employees adopt the mindset of the improviser. You will learn how to create a positive environment,encourage fearless participation, and build a stronger and more collaborative and trusting company culture on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work, Karen Hough, retail personnel management, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

The Improvisation Edge by Karen Hough - Book review

The Improvisation Edge

Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work

By: Karen Hough

Published: March 2011
Format: Paperback, 200 pages
ISBN: 9781605095851
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.












"The key to creating trust and success in the workplace is probably the last thing you would ever imagine. It's improvisation", writes founder and CEO of ImprovEdge, Karen Hough, in her groundbreaking and practical book The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work. The author introduces the principles and techniques of improvisational theater to the workplace to build trust, encourage collaboration, better manage risk, and transform potential disasters into positive outcomes.

Karen Hough recognizes that building and maintaining trust, developing collaboration, and creating flexibility in workplaces are some of the greatest challenges facing organizations. To establish these traits within the culture of the work environment, the author offers the unique and unorthodox techniques of improvisational theater. At first glance, the idea that the principles of improv would be transferable to a corporate culture would seem out of place. A deeper examination of the secrets of improvisation reveals a different picture. Karen Hough demonstrates that the biggest workplace problems are also the same challenges faced by the actors in performing on an improv stage.



Karen Hough (photo left) guides managers through the principles of improvisational theater and how to apply those methods to their workplace. With improv, the performers must learn to trust one another, and the same need arises in a work environment. Trust can be earned and learned, and the techniques utilized by improv actors are the same ones that prove effective in an office or shop floor. Just as an improv group will fail if they lack trust and collaboration, a business wastes resources and fails to achieve its fullest potential if employees are at odds with one another. Karen Hough teaches managers how to overcome the trust and lack of collaboration barriers with the same secrets used by effective improv troupes. To achieve the desirable workplace goals of trust and collaboration, Karen Hough shares four improvisational secrets:

* Yes! Space - positivity and acceptance to develop collaboration
* Building Blocks - why the word "and" is so important to understand
* Team Equity - teams need equity but not necessarily equality
* Oops to Eureka - that mistakes and the unexpected can lead to breakthroughs

Karen Hough adds a fifth secret as well. The author recommends the importance of practicing and celebrating successes as they happen, regardless of the size of the achievement.

For me, the power of the book is how Karen Hough makes the unexpected connection between the principles of successful improvisational theater, with the needs and goals of teams in the workplace. The author combines the theory of why improvisational techniques are so effective at achieving collaboration, trust, and flexibility, with practical hands on exercises to put the concepts into effect.The author bolsters her ideas with real world case studies, of the principles of improv theater being utilized effectively, in transforming company culture. Karen Hough guides managers through the process of developing and embracing the improv methodology, through a logical and step by step process, complete with hands on activities and review. The radical approach of utilizing improv techniques to build workplace trust, collaboration, and teams is a very worthwhile exercise for any organization to consider for its staff.

I highly recommend the revolutionary trust building book The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work by Karen Hough, to anyone seeking a unique and very different approach to changing a company culture to one of trust and collaboration. The proven techniques of improvisational theater present a real opportunity for workplace transformation that is fun, engaging, and effective.

Read the very useful and transformational book The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work by Karen Hough, and discover the value and benefits of creating an improvisational atmosphere within the workplace. The results will be stronger and more trusting teams who will create new ideas, and turn potential disasters into profitable innovations.

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