The Optimistic Workplace: Creating an Environment That Energizes Everyone

Murphy, Shawn/ Clark, Dorie (Get this book)

Eschewing the "m" word (manager) in favor of "coach," "mentor," "leader," "guide," and "steward," and setting aside the quasi-military concept of command and control, Murphy sets traditional motivational and management theory on its ear. A consultant with decades of experience, the author is solidly in the camp of practitioners emphasizing the human side of organizations as a reliable path to higher motivation and greater innovation; this emphasis, he says, also means bottom-line benefits in enhanced productivity and profits. VERDICT Including the appendix's 12-week actionable plan for transitioning to an optimistic workplace, progressive managers will find this fascinating book an insightful basis for reexamining heirloom beliefs and evolving toward enlightened practices.--Library Journal

by Ravi Batra     (Get the Book)
A novel publishing strategy stands behind this book. After holding an enthusiastic audience with then-speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Southern Methodist University professor with unique economy-busting ideas is then referred to (at the time) fed chairman Ben Bernanke. Nothing happens. So why not write a book? Batra, in an atypical academic fashion, details all the issues that led up to the U.S. wage gap, horrendous oil prices, and high interest rates—and, yes, a loomingly alarming high-unemployment rate. He does so in simple English (no economists’ jargon), plain charts and graphs, and a straightforward approach that compels without selling. Part 1 diagnoses all possible issues, from oligarchy (the concentration of wealth) to monopoly capitalism and wage gaps throughout the world, ending with an intriguing town-hall-style debate. Part 2 is the cure, with some startling yet commonsense recommendations, such as don’t allow mergers and acquisitions among large and profitable firms; reform the FDIC as a bridge bank and competitor to other financial institutions; raise the minimum wage; and offer five-year bonds for retirees at a fixed-interest rate of 3.5 percent, among others. Much food for thoughts; write your congresspeople now. --Booklist

The ABCs of Property Management: What You Need to Know to Maximize Your Money Now

THE ABC'S OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT by Ken Mcelroy tells readers:

• How to decide when to manage your property and when to hire someone to do it
• How to implement the right systems and structures for your investment
• How to manage and maximize cash flow
• What to expect: A month in the life of an owner-manager
• How to find the right property manager (and avoid the wrong ones)
• How to assemble a superior management team

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Data-Ism: The Revolution Transforming Decision Making, Consumer Behavior, and Almost Everything Else

by Steve Lohr    (Get the Book)
It is rare these days to read the news or browse a bookshelf without encountering the mention of "big data." In this book, New York Times journalist Lohr (Go To) uses his Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting skills to dig into and explain the power, pervasiveness, and potential downside of big data. Lohr begins with a short introduction to the concept and moves through examples from numerous industries that show how this type of data is generated and used. He goes on to describe the burgeoning role of "data scientist," and explains how much of the power of big data comes from its ability to show correlations that would not be evident through smaller-scale comparisons. He also showcases several big data projects that aim to model human behavior with a goal of providing personalized services. The final two chapters in the book address privacy concerns related to data mining and the future of big data. VERDICT A quick read that will appeal widely to readers looking to get up to speed on this popular topic. --Library Journal

Do the Kind Thing: Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, Live Passionately

by Daniel Lubetzky     (Get the Book)
Renowned social entrepreneur Lubetzky grew up in Mexico, the son of a Holocaust-survivor father. He was on the verge of a legal career when he set off for a project in the Middle East to reduce conflict by developing a common economic enterprise. The experience taught him the potential and value of doing good while doing business and is the driving philosophy behind KIND—­nutritional snacks that encourage consumers to be kind to their bodies and to others. At the heart of his philosophy is the notion of AND—that we do not have to accept the limitations of the false choices of either/or. Lubetzky declares that accepting AND opens up creative possibilities. He outlines nine themes to his philosophy, including purpose, grit, truth and discipline, and originality. He also shares examples of each from his business and professional life, including the hypercompetitiveness of the food market and lucrative offers to sell. Even as the food market has since become flooded with cause-marketing and healthy snacks, Lubetzky has maintained an anchor on health, taste, and social responsibility.  --Booklist

Marketing Above the Noise

Linda J. Popky    (Get the Book)
There have been many changes in marketing tools, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Popky, president of Leverage2Market Associates, writes: "By 2013, Facebook already had well over a billion users…. However, depending on your business, not all of these people (and perhaps just a small subgroup of them) are using their Facebook accounts in the context of your business." The author advocates getting above the "noise" of today's trending marketing tools and tactics and developing "long-term strategies that build customer loyalty and convince prospects to buy." She has created the Dynamic Marketing Leverage Model, which looks at key elements "critical to the success" of serious marketing initiatives and is comprised of eight areas of focus: strategy, products, customers, brand, communication, market analysis, operations, and sales channels. She examines the five momentum factors that move an organization forward: organizational commitment, resources, people, technology, and environment. --Library Journal

Thirteeners: Why only 13% of companies successfully execute their strategy

by Daniel F. Prosser     (Get the Book)
Prosser, former CEO of Telman Technology Partners, has a theory about why 87% of companies each year fail to carry out the strategy they had previously decided on. According to him, their problem is not a lack of foresight or smarts, but that they don’t know how to talk amongst themselves. Moreover, he writes, it’s not enough that employees just agree with a company’s mission; they need to feel love both for and from their leadership. If this suggestion seems extreme, consider Prosser’s lengthy business experience, paired with his interests: for instance, he is a devotee of research professor Brené Brown and her studies on “the power of vulnerability” (to borrow the title of her TED talk). In chatty, engaging prose, Prosser urges readers to better understand why employees aren’t executing strategies and how an “execution virus” can infect a workplace. Most important, in his opinion, is that business leaders always, always keep open the lines of communication. Though some readers may find the proliferation of buzzwords and trademarks off-putting, Prosser’s can-do attitude, paired with the book’s wealth of worksheets and easy-to-use exercises, make this an appealing and encouraging guide to success through improved communication. --Publishers Weekly