Greg discusses the characteristics of an iconoclast, what might help in uncovering a new idea, and advice for teams.

I talk with Byrn about how to get politics and turf wars out the decision, and how to “fill a room with barbarians”, and have anything good come out at all.

More at the book website.

I talk with Russ about what a ‘Nice Guy’ is, how nice is mistaken for weak, and what to do once you realize you’ve been getting run over.

More at the book website.

• Identify potential innovation opportunities
• Formulate and shape ideas
• Build an innovation business
• Build innovation capabilities

I talk with Scott about where to look for innovation, how to increase your odds of success and how to handle an innovation that’s a paradigm shift - solving a problem that people don’t know they have. Scott blogs at HBSP, and is the president of Innosight. Tools for innovator at the book website.

What you do is what gets the sale, at least in the short term. How you do it is where repeat customers and sustained sales kick in. A satisfied customer returns, a dissatisfied customer goes elsewhere. Bob dives deep into the elements of service excellence and what it takes to implement them. They include how to:

• Develop and live your Purpose and Values
• Understand your clients’ soft needs, and create plans to satisfy them
• Seek continuous improvement by stimulating creativity and innovation
• Keep your service-oriented culture growing
• Create a passion for Service Excellence

More about Bob at REL Communications.

I talk to Moss about dealing with people conflict, and Moss gives a simple, yet easy way to start getting a handle when you find yourself in a fearful situation.

I talk with Mike about the beginnings, how this book aides in getting an idea launched (rather than have it stall), and aligning the troops.

Link:
www.BigIdeasToBigResults.com
Big Ideas Blog

Link:
www.StevenSLittle.com

Link:
SelfMarketingPower.com

I talk with Nick about the difficulty of managing, how to encourage your team to develop themselves and how to handle it when a new policy comes your way that isn’t the best for your group.

Links:
BeGoodVentures.com
Blog

I talk with David about this nasty little word “apathy”, what it takes to cure it and how long it takes to leave it behind.

Links:
www.TheTrippingPointInLeadership.com
www.lmi-usa.com

I talk with Ryan about teamwork, how to gauge if your idea has merit, and how internet sales are different from door-to-door sales.

Link:
www.ZeroMillion.com

Sales are down, morale has tanked, management is clueless but not to worry - you know what to do. However, how do you convince the boss that your idea has merit? How do you position yourself as someone who’s advice is worth hearing? Jim details the steps that his longstanding career in “crisis PR” has shown him that you’ll need to take to become a trusted strategic advisor.

Link:
www.e911.com

Jack’s first book Hug Your Customers, showed just how powerful it is to make a human connection to your customers. Now he explains how to create a culture in your company that will attract and inspire those you work with to love to come to work in the morning. Do you say you trust your employees but hire “secret shoppers” to check up on them? Do you say you value their input but use a suggestion box? This book gives the blueprint and also the real muscle behind it all - appreciation.

Link:
www.HugYourPeople.com

A topic like innovation can be met with mental resistance because we’ve all been duped and marketed things that either aren’t innovative or not practical for us to use. “In the world of product and service innovation, utility is the driving force,” writes innovation expert Denis Hauptly. “The right questions…let us understand usefulness and create product innovations that enhance usefulness.” Innovating is not a mystery, in fact, the process is much simpler than you might expect.

I talk with Denis about what companies can be innovative, how to define it, and how to know you’ve got an idea worth running with.

Link:
www.SomethingReallyNew.com

The people that rise through the ranks to the corner office come from all walks of life. They have different economic and educational backgrounds, and yet they find themselves running some of the largest and most challenging companies. Jack Welch was an ‘ordinary guy’ when he joined the ranks of GE and wasn’t eying the C-suite the first day on the job. Stephen interviewed dozens of executives and reveals the patterns and experiences that are the foundation of extraordinary leaders.

I talk with Stephen about what some of those common elements are, gauging when it’s “your moment” and dealing with crisis.

Link:
www.stephenhbaumleadership.com

When a big problem comes our way often our normal reaction is to divide and conquer, take all the pieces and knock them out one by one. This book turns that notion on its head. The best solution to a complex question must keep the entire question in focus.

I talk with Roger about what an opposable mind is, how simplifying leads us astray, and how to not be overwhelmed. To get a taste of the “how to”, I’ll refer you here.

Link:
Rotman School of Management

Erika looks at all aspects of managing employees, from finding the right people, to finding out what motivates them, to transitions (good or bad) and all the rest. She covers the what and the how to do it. It contains plenty of examples of what to do and stories to round out the discussion.

I talk with Erika about the distractions that make us lose focus, how to handle employees who you don’t think can be extraordinary, and how to improve ourselves.

Link:
www.GrowingGreatEmployees.com
http://thesimplestthing.typepad.com/erikas_blog

If you’ve ever have had a great idea, but found that was all the further it went, now there’s hope. Being able to ‘woo’ (win others over) is dissected between the covers of this book. Everything from assessing your style of communication to packaging your idea in the most effective way to removing the barriers that prevent you from getting your message across. If you want to be able to take your ideas and see them be launched, here’s how it’s done.

I talk with Mario about how Woo-ing is different from selling a product or service, signs to know your idea is ready to go and how to prevent that awkward feeling that you’re not getting your message across to the person you’re talking to.

Link:
www.TheArtOfWoo.com

The qualities of a leader have changed along with everything else over the past 30 years. Integrity and trust are still essential, but not enough for leaders today. Investigating the psychology behind why people follow will allow you to be the right kind of leader because you must lead from not only your head but also your heart. The book looks at the leaders we need for knowledge work, health care, education and government. It considers the relationship between the leader and follower and how to understand the people you work with.

I talk with Michael about what followers look for in a leader, what a knowledge worker needs to know, and what leaders should be doing to improve themselves.

Link:
www.Maccoby.com

We all strive to be more productive but do we make the connection that how we think is the foundation of where we’re going to get? Improving the typewriter is only going to get you a better typewriter, which is about what we get when we take a business problem and run with the first idea we come up with to fix it. Thinking better is about taking what’s at hand through a process and arriving at a more creative and innovative solution.

Links:
www.TimHurson.com
www.Thinkxic.com

Are customers the center of your world? Of course we say they are, but are they treated that way? Jack wants you to treat them like kings and queens. Impress them by remembering their nicknames, favorite sports team and anniversary. Have their favorite beverage on hand when they stop by. Create a culture that appreciates and personally interacts with your customers. It not only creates a place that’s fun to work, but it creates loyal customers that come back time and again.

I don’t know a business owner who wouldn’t say the customer is the most important part of their business, so I asked Jack how he would know if an owner or CEO really believes that or is just kidding themselves. See if you pass the test.

Links:
www.HugYourCustomers.com
www.MitchellsOnline.com

Wouldn’t you like to have every customer be your best customer? Isn’t it reassuring when you know they won’t flock to a competitor if it moves in next door. They won’t leave because there is more than just the exchange of products and services - there is a relationship involved. I know you’d like to think there is no business like yours but the reality is (with rare exception) the average consumer doesn’t see it that way - what you offer is duplicated by others in the marketplace. What isn’t duplicated is the relationships that you have with your customers. Strong customer relationships are the best marketing tool you have.

Links:
www.Yastrow.com
Steve is a regular contributor at www.TomPeters.com
Closing music from www.Shakshuka.com

Working with employees is an art unto itself. Inside the covers of this book are concise, condensed advice on how to handle the full range of manger duties. From dealing with under performers and star performers, to working with an angry employee or boss. It’s perfect for something you can pick up and use to help guide you through a situation.

I talk with Louellen about dealing with underperformers (which the answer may surprise you), the stars on your team, and handling office politics.

Links:
Louellen - www.LouellenEssex.com
Mitch - www.MitchKusy.com

What does today’s customer want? Isn’t that the magic question. Yes, today’s consumer wants quality, service and price, but beneath those wavelengths is something of even greater power and momentum for your company - Authenticity.

I talk with Joe about how to render authenticity, being who you say you are and how to be true to yourself. To thine ownself be true, And then it follows as night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Links:
Website - www.AuthenticityBook.com

A company or personal brand doesn’t stop with marketing brochures and websites. Don’t overlook your first impressions, appearances, and body indicators. We don’t normally include those things when we discuss branding but how we present ourself matters when it comes to relating who you are to those you interact with. Put your best foot forward with your dress and appearance!

Links:
Website - www.WalkingTall.org

We’re all familiar with conventional marketing - the company talking about itself. Then there’s buzz - customers talking about the company. The next step is the place to be - a dialog between the company and its customers. But where and how do you start to have a back and forth dialog with customers? What can you do to get people talking? And how do you align your staff to do it right? Lois explains how to take this new and greatly beneficial journey.

Links:
Website - www.Foghound.com
Blog - www.blog.Foghound.com

With the 24/7 pressures of corporate life, we can quickly dismiss pleasantries, courtesies and just plain ‘being nice’ if we are not careful. However, there is more harm that what first meets the eye when these decencies are overlooked. And the benefits to an organization when they are performed are worth more than what might be first realized. Forget the bottom line for a moment (although it will flourish)… connecting with coworkers will build a great company in the most amazing ways.

Links:
Website - Book of Decencies

It’s the edge that makes you personally effective. Yes, you have to be skilled, hard-working, full of integrity and intelligent. That’s substance. Executive Charisma is how you package it. That’s style. Add the two together and you create a winning combination that sets you apart as a leader and allows you to stride past the competition.

Links:
Website - CEO Whisperer

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Or how about just the fear of speaking up? It doesn’t have to be the masses that get our hearts racing. The Confident Speaker tackles the gamut of situations and shows you the practical steps to handle and present yourself. Whether you have high, medium or low anxiety, Harrison and Larina want to improve your skills and develop a stronger belief that you can communicate and engage others confidently.

Links:
Website - The Confident Speaker
Blog - Larina Kase

You may be hired for your technical ability, but your ability to communicate effectively is what will allow you to climb higher. When it comes to information it seems that your options are: information overload, buzzwords, and spin. But none of those options are for you. Dianna has dissected the building blocks of communication to ensure what you say is understood, trustworthy and compels people to action.

Links:
Website - Dianna Booher
Book - Voice of Authority

Starting something? Start here. Behind that pleasant gold-foiled book title, you’ll find a plethora of business vignettes based on over 30 years of experience in the business world. Herman has worked with over a thousand failing businesses and from that has pulled out nuggets to keep you from being in that camp. And when, even in the best of situations, what you’re doing isn’t going to float - what you should do about it.

Links:
Website - Hermanisms

A company who has employees who show up and do their job and go home is no where near as effective as a company whose employees are connected to each other. From your perspective you may see that gap but you might not know how to change the culture to get your team fired up. This book isn’t about getting people hyped-up or about turning everyone into a lemming. It is about the nuts and bolts of having people work together and be engaged. And the stories about real-life leaders at the end of the book are fantastic.

Links:
Website - www.FiredUpOrBurnedOut.com
Blog - MichaelLeeStallard.com
www.EPluribusPartners.com

Entrepreneurs are made, not born. And while it may look like the successful ones fly by the seat of their pants, it is not sheer charisma and talent that make it work. There are methods to reduce risks, increase your chances of success, and keep you in the game.

Links:
Website - www.NeverBetTheFarm.com

You’re going to networking events to increase your sales and all you ever hear is: So, What do you do? And it causes you to think: Please, somebody tell me there’s more to business life than this. Well, there is. There are people all around us that are there for a reason, and that reason isn’t always to make your next sale. Steve has a different way of looking at all the connections and potential connections in your life, and it’s contained in The Ripple Effect.

Links:
Website - www.RippleCentral.com

You would think that the Superbowl, with it’s reputation for great commercials, would be a first-class example of branding and advertising. Unfortunately, it’s not. With all the advertising ‘noise’ that impacts us everyday, what does it take to break through and connect with your audience so they hear you? Bill and Carl are a lot of fun to talk to and have great advice on creating a winning brand.

Links:
Website - www.DavidID.com