Filed under: Books in General, Conference/Event | Tags: books, Business, business book, business books, Conference/Event, Marketing
This week is going to be an exciting one here at Soundview. On Thursday, November 19, we’ll be hosting our latest Soundview Live event with author Jim Champy at Noon (EST). As with all of our Soundview Live events, this one is free to our subscribers. The topic of this conversation will be Champy’s recent book Inspire: Why Customers Come Back. If your job description involves interacting with or procuring more customers, this is an event you won’t want to miss.
I get the opportunity to participate in some of the pre-event discussions with the authors. It’s always a joy for me when an author is vocal and passionate about the subject of his or her book. Champy’s enthusiasm for the companies he profiles in Inspire is readily apparent. When we asked him about some of these companies, such as beverage maker Honest Tea or grill maker The Big Green Egg, it was clear that he was impressed by the same attributes that impress the companies’ customers: originality, authenticity and a sense of purpose. It was the last point of the three that made the largest impression on me.
While a large percentage of companies today are encouraged to play up their philanthropy or involvement in a community for purposes of public relations, customers occasionally view these efforts with a degree of apprehension. There tends to be a strange split in public perception. Companies are either “for profit” and not capable of true purpose-based business or they are “non-profits” who do great work for a cause but struggle financially. One of Champy’s insights is that a company can both have a purpose and still be for-profit. I was so struck by his message that I wanted to share his exact words with you.
“Let’s not forget that there are also companies that sit right in-between,” Champy told us. “They’re for-profit, but they are also very noble. One of the most important things in presenting yourself is to maintain a real base of authenticity and have a genuinely high sense of purpose. The Honest Tea example is one where the company is profitable and it makes decisions based on profitability but still is highly respectful of its suppliers. They are highly respectful of the people in India and the Asian subcontinent that grow these teas. It’s highly respectful of everything that it puts on its label in terms of content. You can attach a very high sense of purpose to what is a very simple product or service but you better be true to that sense of purpose!”
Rather eye-opening, isn’t it? Consider this a bit of a preview of what’s to come this Thursday at Noon (EST) when Jim Champy offers insights and takes your questions on the next edition of Soundview Live.
Filed under: Books in General, Environment | Tags: books, Business, business book, career skills, Environment
When we look at the stacks and stacks of submissions to decide which books to summarize, I like to make a few notes if I see trends developing in subject matter. Looking back at the last two years, I see the words “India” and “China” appear numerous times in my hurried script. Developing nations are a point of interest in the business book world because so many executives are looking for the best advice on how to understand, interact and partner with these two rapidly growing economic forces. Take a moment to consider this statistic: one out of every three people in the world is from one of these two nations. Combine the sheer number of people with the rate of industrialization and it’s no wonder that books on the subject can barely hit shelves fast enough.
One of the major areas where India and China are addressed is in titles on climate change. Here’s an article from the L.A. Times that discusses recent United Nations’ efforts to get India to agree to emissions targets. I always find discussions about Asia’s rapid industrialization and its impact on climate to create some uncomfortable moments for those in international politics. For those who point out that Europe and North America industrialized without much regard for the environment, I’d counter by saying these same regions of the globe are now the leaders of the green movement. Perhaps much of that came from a deeper understanding of the true impact of growing one’s economy.
The upside of this careful attention to the planet’s wellbeing is that it has produced some great books. One of the best we’ve seen is The Necessary Revolution by Peter Senge, Sara Schley, Nina Kruschwitz, Bryan Smith and Joe Laur. In a truly collaborative effort, these authors help executives understand the true need for sustainability and how one’s business can contribute to finding solutions to the most pressing environmental problems. It continues to be one of our most popular summaries. In light of the UN’s efforts, perhaps Soundview should consider translating this into Mandarin and Hindi. In a global economy, ecological concerns are something we all share, and so is the work to make it better.
Filed under: Accountability, Hands-On Management, Leadership, Strategic Management | Tags: books, Business, business book, career skills, Leadership, management, military, Strategic Management, strategies
… And so it was settled. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the combatants entered into armistice and the curtain fell on the “War to End All Wars.”
Of course, we realize that such hopes were not to be. Were that truly the end of the story, the mere mention of places such as Normandy, Guadalcanal, Incheon, Khe Sanh, Baghdad and Kabul would not invoke solemn reflection on the part of Americans. Whether in field or forest, dense jungle or cloudy sky, churning sea or burning sand, American men and women have sweated and sacrificed, with many paying the ultimate price in their tireless defense of liberty and the principles of democracy. Today is a day to remember and give heartfelt thanks, but it should not stand alone on the calendar. As they are ever vigilant in their duty, so should we be fervent in our gratitude.
The fact that veterans populate so many of the boardrooms of American corporations means there is an interesting link between the military and the world of business. While critics debate the validity and tastefulness of comparing dollars and cents to life and death on the battlefield, many authors are willing to undertake the examination. One cannot argue with the military’s track record as it applies to leadership, execution of strategy and inspiring individuals to the highest levels of personal performance.
I receive a fair number of these books as they hit the market and I’m generally impressed with them. Leadership, in particular, is a topic which most executives would do well to look to the military for advice. In addition, I’ve found that the military is a key resource on the subject of accountability. One branch of the Armed Forces in particular seems to draw a large percentage of attention for the effectiveness of its training and strategy execution. If you’re looking for a unique insight from experts in efficiency, any of the above titles is highly recommended.
On this Veterans Day, one which is especially solemn in light of recent events, take a moment and give thanks to the men and women who served. I know I will.
Filed under: Books in General, Small Business, health care | Tags: books, Business, business book, business books, health care, Small Business
Here at Soundview we’re experts at condensing books that number in the hundreds of pages down to eight essential pages of information. Our purpose in doing this is to provide executives with concentrated knowledge that’s meant to give maximum impact for minimum time invested. Knowing the amount of effort that we put into this work, I can only tremble at the thought of tackling the bill that’s currently sitting on Capitol Hill. The health care reform bill that awaits the House of Representatives is nearly 2,000 pages. While I can’t give you eight compact pages, I’d like to discuss one aspect of the bill that is currently causing debate amongst a key segment of the American economy: small businesses.
Take a look at this article from The Dayton Business Journal for an inside track on the debate. I was glad to see that the reporter indicated there are people who are in favor of the bill, as well as covering the vocal element that are against it. While I don’t state my political opinions in this forum, I bring up the bill and its impact on small businesses because I’m anticipating a bump in business books dealing with health care if the bill is passed.
To date, Soundview has really only featured one title that dealt explicitly with health care. The Innovator’s Prescription by Clayton Christensen, Ph.D. remains a valuable resource for understanding the nature of the American health care system and the history of the system’s development.
We had the opportunity to speak with Christensen at a Soundview Live event in July 2009. Looking back on that conversation, I continue to reflect on Christensen’s argument that the government’s efforts had little to do with the care that patients actually receive. “This is a debate about reforming health insurance, not health care,” he told us at the time. While I think there is truth in his argument, I can’t help but feel that the thousands of small business owners across the U.S. are more concerned with the bill’s potential effect on their bottom lines at present.
I revisit Christensen’s book quite often, particularly when I read stories about the progress of health care reform. Regardless of the size of your company, it wouldn’t hurt to take a second look at our summary of The Innovator’s Prescription. In the event a new system dawns, those who stay informed will likely be the ones to have the smoothest transition.
Filed under: Brands, General Business, Success | Tags: books, Business, business book, business books, strategies
In some ways, the book publishing business is like any other industry. There are books that occasionally arrive on the market in a serendipitous junction of the state of the economy and shifting tides in management thought. At other times, the market creates a need and publishers respond as quickly as possible to meet customer demands. We saw this occur over the past 12 to 18 months with an increase in titles relating to surviving an economic downturn and crisis management. (For a great example of one of the strongest of these titles, click here).
This same principle applies to every market. I was clicking through the major business headlines today when I came across an interesting note. I certainly hope your company (or for that matter, your home or school) hasn’t been impacted by the H1N1 flu virus. Between the shortage of vaccine deliveries and the increased media coverage of deaths due to the virus, it seems like everyone is a little more sensitive to the presence of microbial invaders on every square inch of our dwellings and places of employment.
For business leaders, a plan for flu prevention makes good sense. Companies continue to push for an increase in health and wellness among their work forces, but they shouldn’t neglect the need to protect against common illnesses that often keep workers bed-bound for days at a time. This could be as simple as a few extra reminders about the importance of frequent hand washing or as full-scale as setting up a station to administer flu shots on a given day.
While it would be reprehensible to suggest that anyone is actually “happy” about this year’s flu epidemic, one company has benefited to an extent. According to this article from Bloomberg, Clorox’s profits rose 23 percent in the past quarter. Sales of the company’s disinfecting wipes have been on the rise as people everywhere attempt to ward off the flu. As I said … timing is everything. Now if you’ll pardon me, my own desk could use a little cleaning. Can never be too careful!
Filed under: Books in General, From the Editor, General Business | Tags: books, Business, business book, business books
I ran across two separate articles today discussing the “price wars” over best-selling books. Major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and Target are in fierce competition to snap up the considerably fewer dollars that shoppers will spend on books in the upcoming holiday season. Here’s one article from The Washington Times discussing the fight by the American Booksellers Association to get the federal government to investigate the deep price cuts that the major retailers are undertaking.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal offers an article that explains the tightly regulated publishing market in Europe. It’s an interesting read when you consider that prices for nearly all new releases are set in advance and discounts are verboten (I couldn’t resist, since Germany is heavily featured in the article).
One point brought up in the Journal article that I wanted to bring to your attention is the lawsuit that occurred in French courts against the French branch of Amazon.com. The suit in question concerned the famous “free shipping” offered by the online retailer on purchases of a certain amount or more. This lawsuit was also referenced in one of the key business books of 2009, FREE: The Future of a Radical Price by Chris Anderson. I’ll have a little more to say about Anderson and this book in the coming weeks, but the fact that both he and the Journal discuss the French Amazon case gives indication about the ongoing fight over pricing in today’s economy.
The entire price war debate reminds us once more of the desperation occurring in retail. I suppose if I can take anything positive away from the situation, it’s that there is still a great demand for books of all genre.
Filed under: Books in General, Brands, General Business, Marketing | Tags: books, Business, business book, business books, consumer goods, Marketing
If you check in with us from time to time, you’ve probably noticed that I have a bit of a fascination with business titles that deal with consumerism. Part of the interest is rooted in the frequent observation that Americans today have more material wealth and technological convenience than any previous generation, yet they continue to be less and less happy. On another level, I always enjoy the consumer titles because I’m fascinated by branding and the unique combination of factors that can propel one product to the top while a similar one collects dust on store shelves.
In that vein, I was delighted to read this review of a new book by Kevin Maney, a writer for USA Today. Maney’s book Trade-Off examines the gap that exists in the modern world of retail. Customers are drawn more and more to two distinct sets of products. They prefer either inexpensive goods that offer convenience but not quality, or they splash their cash on high-end items that carry a certain clout or trendiness. Products that fall in between these two categories, Maney argues, are likely to be ignored by the majority of the buying public.
Maney is not the first author to tackle the widening gap in consumer goods. Michael Silverstein examined this topic in his book Treasure Hunt, a title we summarized. What’s interesting about both books is the notion that consumers of all income levels cherry-pick from both groups of products. Maney’s book seems to suggest that quality suffers in the pursuit of the lowest price. However, he also remarks that most consumers are comfortable with this idea. I suppose that more and more consumers are willing to live with the adage “You get what you pay for.” Something to think about the next time the person in front of you at Wal-Mart pulls an iPhone out of an expensive handbag before paying for discounted household items.
Filed under: Books in General, Hands-On Management, Leadership, Strategic Management | Tags: books, Business, business book, business books, Hands-On Management, Leadership, Strategic Management
Here at Soundview, as we watch the steady flow of business books pour across our desk, there is a recurring trend that doesn’t speak well for bosses. It seems that many people aren’t happy with the way their boss does his or her job, and they’re looking for ways to either work around their boss or “manage” him or her.
The most recent title in this vein is Lead the Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up by John Baldoni. In the acknowledgment portion of his book, Baldoni says his urge to write the book began with the needs of the men and women executives who he has coached, many of whom were “excelling in their jobs but found it sometimes difficult to get the attention of, interact with, or persuade senior leaders.” “Leading your boss,” he tells us in the prologue, “is really a metaphor for leading from the middle,” which actually encompasses leading your boss, your peers and your team for the ultimate good of the organization.
Other similar books published in recent years include The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell, Leading Up by Michael Useem and Managing Up by Rosanne Badowski and Roger Gittines. Maxwell even ventures to say that “the reality is that 99 percent of all leadership occurs not from the top but from the middle of an organization.” In the final Special Section of The 360 Degree Leader he mentions, “More than two-thirds of the people who leave their jobs do so because of an ineffective or incompetent leader. People don’t leave their company — they leave their leader.”
Clearly, good leaders are needed throughout an organization, not just at the top. But issues around trust, lack of transparency, ineffective communication and unclear direction — plus a few poor interpersonal skills — can easily undermine the effectiveness of any leader at any level. If you or your boss could use some perspective on effective leadership or management strategies, visit Soundview Executive Book Summaries for access to some helpful book titles.
