The Achiever Newsletter

Top 10 Books - Edition 16

Encouraging our clients to read books has always been an integral part of our business. As a result, we’d like to periodically share 10 books that we feel should be included in your business and/or personal library. These books are not listed in order of sales, popularity, or recommendation. The numbers are used only for reference purposes.

#1
Where Have All the Leaders Gone?
by Lee Iacocca with Catherine Whitney

You've simply got to read this one! I truly feel sorry for those who will avoid this book because they don't like and/or respect Lee Iacocca. A lot of people I know fall into one or both of those categories, and I'm certain they feel justified to feel as they do. However, they're doing themselves a disservice. They're going to miss some great humor, fantastic insight, decades of solid experience, shocking facts, engaging stories and unbelievably straight talk.

Several critics greeted the author's most recent literary effort with charges of senility. They can't believe his criticism of politicians and business leaders the world over. I think those critics are simply blind to the fact that Iacocca has nothing to lose by speaking his mind and calling things as he sees them. He owes nothing to no one and answers no one other than himself. You don't have to like the author, and you certainly don't have to agree with him. However, there is much to learn from his experience.

This isn't a man who's inherited his legacy, benefited from a streak of luck, or cut corners to achieve an unequaled track record:

This man hasn't had time to slip into senility. He's been much too busy engineering what appears to be nothing less than a much needed national enema! He starts his campaign with his photo on the cover of the book. There he stands in his trend-setting solid black collarless golf shirt under an American-flag-decorated black sport coat, casually holding a giant cigar as he grins impishly at the readers. He reeks confidence and wisdom as he poses the question, "Where Have All The Leaders Gone?"

Iacocca grabs you by the throat on page one and doesn't let you take a breath until he closes on page 263 with a challenging question you're certain he's directing to you personally!

He takes on President George W. Bush and his administration in an issue by issue autopsy of the many sins committed over the past seven years. In all fairness, he then offers his no-nonsense, straight-up assessments of the politicians vying to replace Bush in 2008. He certainly doesn't mince words as he evaluates the front-runners from both parties.

His suggestions are simplistic but extremely powerful as he stresses we return to our focus on people and priorities. For instance, he calls for all presidential candidates to reveal their Cabinet choices BEFORE the election so voters can evaluate the team and not just the man.

Iacocca quickly focuses on the rapid demise of leadership in our country from politicians and business leaders to educational advisers and military commanders.

He tackles the national issues we're all concerned about such as Iraq/Iran, the health-care crisis, our loss of competitive edge in the global marketplace, the massive trade deficit, a border that is a sieve, the slow death of the middle class, jobs, education, and energy policy. Iacocca then goes on to provide clear and credible recommendations for each of these problems based on his decades of observation and personal experience as a leader. Now 82, he has seen the U.S. overcome some of its worst crises, including the Great Depression and World War II, through great leadership. He shares his desire and recommendation that we return to that strategy.

The book opens with a discussion of the nine C's of leadership: Curiosity, Creativity, Communicator, Character, Courage, Conviction, Charisma, Competency, and Common Sense. He defines each element and discusses how they impact leadership in all walks of life. He shares both negative and positive examples from today's headlines focusing on the presence or absence of each element and the consequences which follow.

With a reputation as a straight shooter, he hopes to inspire more young people to vote. This is a surprisingly outspoken take on the pressing need for real leadership in this country.

The book closes with a discussion of four traits he learned from others: Optimism; Common Sense; Discipline; and―from his mother―Love.

You'll enjoy the excellent societal insights from a man historians will long recognize as one our greatest leaders!

#2
Talent Is Never Enough
Discover the Choice that Will Take You Beyond Your Talent
by John C. Maxwell

This talented writer is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 12 million copies. He's written dozens of great books. I have them all in my personal library and have reviewed four of them already for our web site. I would more than likely have shared even more of his work, but I'm running out of things to say about this man's ability to write, reveal, share, clarify, simplify, educate, motivate, and inspire his readers to take the necessary actions for personal growth and success.

Just when I think there's nothing else for him to focus on, another of his best sellers hits the bookshelf. He has this very unique ability to take the obvious and make it even more so. When you finish one of his books, you can't wait to apply the many new strategies you've acquired and internalized. He's done it again with Talent Is Never Enough. I knew early on that I was going to add this book to my list of "favorites" when, on page 10, I came across a quote from one of my all-time favorites, Dr. Seuss's Oh. The Places You'll Go! It's only four lines but they speak volumes:

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
Any direction you choose.

Maxwell's latest book is filled with great quotes you'll enjoy, appreciate and want to pass on to others.

One could easily be mislead by the title. You might even think the author is denigrating the value of talent. Actually he focuses on what we can do to amplify our talent, whatever that may be, to an even greater degree. Simply put, having talent is just the beginning. Achieving success with your talent is the real challenge, and John shares 13 key choices you must make to actualize that goal.

Fear not that you'll be overwhelmed by the wisdom of the ages. You're about to discover an abundance of common sense in this game plan, but that's exactly why most people forget or simply ignore these key choices.

However, couple this baker's dozen with intelligence and talent, and you are well on your way to achieving long-term success.

Maxwell combines his outstanding insight, great quotes, challenging questions, interesting stories, simple action steps, and a great enthusiasm for the subject matter as he delves into each of these crucial elements: belief, passion, initiative, focus, preparation, practice, perseverance, courage, teachability, character, relationships, responsibility, and teamwork.

He'll explain in great detail and clarity exactly how each of these significant elements can and will intensify your proficiency, allowing you to stand out in a sea of talent. He points out that if talent were enough, then the most effective and influential people would always be the most talented ones. But that is often not the case as the author asks us to consider the following facts:

Clearly, talent alone isn't everything. If you want to be a "Talent-plus" person in today's very competitive environment, add this "soon to be classic" title to your reading list. And don't just read it — live it!

#3
Seduced by Success
How the Best Companies Survive the 9 Traps of Winning
by Robert J. Herbold

This is my kind of book. I really enjoy it for a number of different reasons:

The author demonstrates with clinical precision that a company's fall from grace can frequently be traced back to its time of greatest achievement. This has become even more evident over the past few years to most everyone other than those falling victim. It's amazing that precisely the same elements which result in a given company's success can often be the causes of its subsequent decline.

Do they become so successful and complacent that they grow blind to the obvious? The victims of these 9 traps of winning are usually the last ones to recognize their failings. Think about that as you take a quick inventory of your own organization in the following areas.

The nine traps every successful organization must avoid are:

These mistakes cut your business legs off at the knees, destroying your ability to recognize and meet the need for change. Why is it that so many companies have had so much trouble remaining successful while others have been capable of sustaining their success? Herbold provides focused examples, both good and bad, involving well-known companies such as: General Motors, Toyota, IBM, Sony, Wal-Mart, Proctor & Gamble, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Kodak, Starbucks, Fidelity Investments, Porsche, Harley Davidson, Apple, and Harrah's ... to name a few. For each success trap, the author provides illuminating examples of top companies that were seduced by their success, as well as others that managed to maintain and even broaden their achievements.

Herbold shows you how to avoid these landmines by

Reading this book will hopefully inspire you to develop a culture that constantly questions all practices at all times. To sum up, there can be no continuous improvement, much less continuous and sustainable success, without relentless skepticism.

For decades many women have been told that they can only succeed in business if they adopt traits that have forever been considered masculine. In short, you'd better think, sound, and act very much like your male counterpart if you hope to compete on any level.

Along comes Dr. Lois P. Frankel to challenge that long-standing theory. Here we have an author who specializes on the subject in focus. Lois is the president of Corporate Coaching International, a California-based consulting firm that specializes in executive coaching, leadership development, and team building. She has also authored Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers, Stop Sabotaging Your Career: 8 Proven Strategies to Succeed―In Spite of Yourself and Overcoming Your Strengths: 8 Reasons Why Successful People Derail and How to Get Back on Track" among others.

It is the author's contention, based on years of her own studies, that the very characteristics we typically attribute to women are exactly the same traits and talents that make women even more qualified to lead in today's challenging environment. In reviewing business headlines over the past few years, I can think of a number of male leaders that might want to give some serious consideration to thinking, sounding, and acting very much like some of the prominent female leaders that have recently emerged in very positive and productive roles. (Check our recent blog article, "Gender Gap in Pay, Recognition and Rewards," for 13 bios of current female leaders who are positively paving the way for so many others.)

The author not only shares her reasoning for this role reversal but offers a detailed plan to benefit from the very instincts once considered a hindrance in the career development of most women. Frankel punctuates her tips with short bios of influential women providing real-life examples of success in male-dominated fields. Each of her examples focus on the fact that these women took full advantage of their feminine qualities.

As for the 99 tips promised in the title, you'll find them dispersed throughout the 270 pages, which comprise nine chapters of solid content. In addition to the 99 tips, you'll find a quiz that will assist you in determining which aspects of leadership need to be personally strengthened. The author then dedicates a full chapter to each leadership aspect to assist you in the creation of a personal action plan to capitalize on each area.

As if that weren't enough, you'll find anecdotes and exercises, team effectiveness surveys, self-assessment tests, and a communication-style classification. In the final pages, Dr. Frankel also provides a very helpful reading list of many excellent books that will provide additional assistance in any woman's pursuit of business and personal success.

In short, this book provides an excellent blueprint for women wanting to tap their full potential as future leaders in every aspect of their lives.

In a recent blog article ("Tips for Choosing a Great Book"), I shared five elements I look for when searching for a good book. One of those five elements happened to be a "Catchy Title." It's not the title alone that impresses me. A catchy title simply reflects the author's creativity as well as his/her ability to capture the attention of potential readers. If the author can capture my attention with the title, he/she can do the same with the content. This title obviously does just that.

When it comes to benchmarking, people either enjoy it, or they don't. There is seldom anything in between. If you happen to enjoy it and are able to transfer what you learn to your own personal challenges and opportunities, you'll enjoy this book.

The author, Todd G. Buchholz, is a former White House director of economic policy, an award-winning Harvard professor, and managing director of the Tiger hedge fund. He was also a co-producer of Broadway's Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys. He's also written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Reader's Digest. He's also authored a number of other best sellers.

This unique history book blends both the lives and the business challenges of the featured CEOs in order to expose their strengths and the circumstances they had to overcome. You'll gain some very interesting insights into the lives of each of the following CEOs:

The author chose these particular CEOs by deploying several criteria.

1. They had to be innovators, not just outstanding managers. These CEOs felt it is better to make yourself obsolete than to wait and let your competitors do it for you. These CEOs did not wait.

2. They had to be interesting to the author. The CEOs in this book teach us about the forces that made the 20th Century so uplifting in its technology and brutal in its politics.

3. Third and most important, the author chose to focus on CEOs who teach us lessons that we can apply today, either as managers or as investors.

Interestingly, each of these CEOs failed at some point. I've always believed we could learn as much, if not more, from individual and/or organizational failure as we could from obvious success. Faced with bankruptcy and defections, they could have succumbed to psychological depression or the siren of politicians offering class warfare. But they pushed on, energized by passion, ego, money, and the promise of glory.

I think you'll enjoy this intimate look and fascinating insight into the professional and personal lives of these CEOs. You'll also learn how we can apply their ideas to the present-day triumphs and struggles of Sony, Dell, Costco, Carnival Cruises, Time Warner, and numerous other companies trying to figure out how to stay on top or climb back up.

#6
The Self-destructive Habits of Good Companies
... And How to Break Them
by Jagdish N. Sheth

Think back over the years and recount the number of very flourishing businesses that were promoted in magazines, on TV, and in management courses as great companies destined for successful futures. Many of them are no longer with us or are struggling to survive.

In fact, the companies profiled in Tom Peters' business classic In Search of Excellence would not be selected for such a book today. Nor could the same lessons be drawn from their current position and behavior in the marketplace. Were they poor choices at the time or was it "good gone bad"? Obviously it was the latter as those companies appeared to be doing everything right at that time.

Now look at the current marketplace as we note similar organizations who are flying high one minute and wondering what happened the next. For example, consider Sears, General Motors, Xerox, Jet Blue, Enron, AT&T Motorola, K-Mart, IBM, Arthur Anderson, Tyco, Ford Motor, Health South, Global Crossing, WorldCom, A & P, Firestone, Krispy Kreme, Kodak, Intel, Digital, Chrysler and the list goes on and on. Once all hailed as ultimate examples of excellence, their future success not only seemed assured but inevitable. Yet, before anyone saw it coming, the wheels came off, and these companies were fighting to survive. Some may not recover, some have already somewhat rebounded, and some may take years to reach the level they once enjoyed. What happened?

This book talks about what happens to successful companies that leads to their getting into serious trouble. The author identifies seven dangerous habits even well-run companies fall victim to—and helps you diagnose and break these habits before they destroy your company.

Through case studies from some of yesterday's most widely praised corporate icons, you'll learn how companies fall victim to these self-destructive habits seemingly overnight. He sheds light on why some never turn around and how others achieve powerful turnarounds, moving on to unprecedented levels of success.

For decades we have suggested the tremendous value of learning priceless lessons from observing both good and bad habits of other organizations. Far too few take the time and energy to do so. However, they will later find themselves investing far more resources in an effort to recover from situations they could easily have avoided had they been more proactive. Go figure.

In addition to identifying these critical self-destructive habits, the author more importantly provides specific, detailed techniques for "curing"—or, better yet, preventing—every one of these self-destructive habits.

The last chapter discusses why it is better to never need the "cures" he describes in each of the chapters. Look over the following seven habits in search of any which may exist in your current environment. I think you might be surprised as to what you find. If so, you'll want to share this list with your associates, discuss each in depth, and formulate the proper strategy before it's too late. It is much better to wake up before the crisis and keep your company alive and thriving by preemptive action.

Because habits (both good and bad) are learned behaviors, not inevitabilities, it is possible to acquire them or eliminate them. The choice is yours.

#7
SEND
The Essential Guide to E-mail for Office and Home
by David Shipley and Will Schwalbe

The world's first e-mail message was sent in 1971 by Ray Tomlinson.

171 billion e-mails are sent each day, meaning almost 2 million e-mails are sent every second!

The New York Times reports that 62% of all e-mail is spam and about 10% contains viruses.

Unsolicited e-mail earned the name "spam" because it resembled a Monty Python skit where a chorus of Vikings drowned out other sounds by singing "spam, spam, spam."

The time spent deleting spam costs United States businesses $21.6 billion annually.

The Productivity Institute of Stratford, CT. reports that the average person today receives around 150 communications each day via e-mail, phone, hard mail, memos, circulars, faxes, etc.

Communication consists of 55% facial expression and body language.

Communication consists of 38% voice inflection.

Communication consists of 7% words.

Therefore, when communicating by e-mail, you lose 93% of your effectiveness.

Add those stats to the fact that the majority of us learned how to e-mail through osmosis at home or on the job, and it becomes quite evident why e-mail can cause major problems, misunderstandings, and hard feelings on a regular basis. This book will most likely be your first introduction to the do's and don'ts of proper e-mail etiquette.

The name of this book is actually an acronym derived from an easy, four-question checklist designed to help you determine whether you should hit the Send key after composing your e-mail.

S stands for Simple.
E stands for Effective.
N stands for Necessary.
D stands for Done.

In the spirit of revealing how little we actually know about the fine art of proper e-mailing, take a look at some of what you'll learn within a mere 228 pages:

#8
Trust Your Gut
How the Power of Intuition Can Grow Your Business
by Lynn A. Robinson

Today's top business leaders work with their "inner CEO" to win big accounts, elevate productivity, increase sales and profits, resolve critical issues, and grow their organizations. That "inner CEO" is better known as intuition.

As you probably know, intuition is one of the fastest spreading buzzwords in the business world today. It has become increasingly important to decision makers at every level who are inundated with an unfathomable amount of data in this technical age of instant info.

Best-selling books such as Blink, Megatrends and Winning focus on the "what" of intuition. In Trust Your Gut, business consultant Lynn Robinson gives us the "how" part of accessing this incredibly valuable inner resource to make quicker, stronger, better decisions on a regular basis.

I found a great number of brief, decisive features that were real eye openers, such as:

Throughout the book, Lynn Robinson sprinkles testimonials from corporate and small business leaders who actively use their intuition. These comments are helpful to those who would like to use their intuition but are afraid it's too "out there."

Lynn Robinson, M.Ed., is one of the nation's leading experts on the topic of intuition. She's a popular and widely recognized author and motivational speaker who works with businesses and individuals as an intuitive consultant, providing insights into goals, decisions and strategies, and teaching the use of intuitive skills for assessment of information. Lynn is the "Life Transition Expert" and advice columnist for ThirdAge.com, the leading Web destination for baby boomers.

For decades, successful leaders have recognized the fact that the gut never lies and should be believed first. They have fine-tuned this tremendous asset as they would any potential individual resource. You can and should do the same thing. What's your "gut feeling" on that suggestion?

Knowing a little bit more about this author may explain the powerful content of still another of those many small books that seem to appear on our local bookstore shelves with regularity. However, don't be mislead by the dimensions of the book itself nor the low number of 125 pages. The story is an eye-opener, the lessons are many, and the impact has the potential of changing the way you view leadership.

Back to the author for a moment. Mike Morrison, Ph.D., played a key leadership role in the development and launch of the University of Toyota, one of the leading corporate universities in the world today. Toyota is currently the talk of the automotive world as they recently moved ahead of Detroit's "Big Three" automakers to assume the coveted title of the world's No. 1 automobile company. Don't think for a moment that the University of Toyota didn't play a key role in that accomplishment. In addition to supporting Toyota employees and partner organizations, Dr. Morrison is engaged in major global leadership development initiatives to advance new ways of leading. Currently the Vice President and Dean of the University of Toyota, Dr. Morrison is one of the most influential thinkers on leadership principles today.

The Other Side of the Card is an easy read — short, packed with great lessons, and full of specific tools you can put to use immediately. It's a compelling parable on finding one's true leadership voice. The author uses the typical everyday business card as a symbol of personal identity and power. You will soon understand that the blank side of your card — much like the hidden part of your identity — is not empty space but limitless possibility.

Through the voice of a retiring CEO struggling to define his new future role in life, we learn how to define deeper meaning in our work and personal life. The lead character is easy to relate to, and the story of his challenges will certainly be familiar. You will immediately relate to the characters as they manage the slings and arrows of an accelerating world. Through lively discussions and engaging exercises, Morrison introduces the principles and practices of personal leadership development.

The author introduces the foundational principles and practices of the "Me" and "We" paths of personal leadership development. The "Me" path is the inner journey of developing our leadership voice.  The "We" path is the outer journey of serving others.

The six steps create a real world pathway for the journey we must all take to make a difference in our work and personal lives. The transition from "me to we" is directly relevant to the pace of change in today's challenging business environment.

This book will profoundly impact your view of leading and living each day. It's for everyone who needs to or wants to lead others in this world today.

As an added bonus, Dr. Morrison offer free downloads, inspiring thoughts, and practical tips from his website to help sharpen the skills you've learned within the pages of this best seller — www.theothersideofthecard.com.

#10
The Invisible Employee
Realizing the Hidden Potential in Everyone
by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton

Here we find another of the "mini-books" (140 pages), which continue to inspire us via a business fable packed with hard-won wisdom. This one comes to us from the co-authors of a previous bestseller A Carrot a Day.

These authors know of what they speak as they both certainly "walk the talk." Adrian Gostick is the Managing Director of The Carrot Culture Group, a consulting and training division of the O.C. Tanner Company. Chester Elton is the Vice President of Performance Recognition at O. C. Tanner, the world's leading employee recognition firm. If you're interested in learning more about this subject, organization or the authors ... be sure to visit www.carrots.com.

The authors, using a fable format, share a familiar message: praising employees is the "single business strategy" that meets "all your business objectives simultaneously." Praising employees generates commitment, which leads to high-level performance, which causes customer and investor loyalty. It's been around a long time. It's been proven to be true time and time again. Many don't believe this message and disregard it regularly. However, many in this latter group would have to admit that they have yet to attempt the actual application of this message.

This business fable follows a group of people who live and work together on a mysterious island. We follow the tribes of "Highlanders" and "Wurc-Urs" as they teach us how to combat one of the most negative attitudes in business while introducing us to "The Invisible Employee."

Learn how effective leaders engage their people and find a way to bring out the best in everyone. This isn't always easy to do when you face challenges like those described in a study quoted in The New York Times:

However, consider the consequences if nothing is done to address these conditions. Don't wait to find out.

In the event you may have developed a case of "thanker's block," the authors provide you with a list of 70 fun ways to recognize your best and brightest.

Those in search of rocket science need to search elsewhere as the basic principles detailed here are tremendously simple and yet very profound:

1. Set the vision.
2. Observe employees supporting the vision
3. Praise and celebrate that behavior.