Most Recent Articles
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Blog / News & Opinion
Have a Nice Conflict
By Sally Haldorson
In a serendipitous turn of events, a copy of Have a Nice Conflict landed on my desk the same day that I happened to watch a current episode of Sesame Street with my son that features Mother Goose and her struggle to write a new rhyme because she had run out of conflicts to inspire her. As with all Sesame Street skits, there is a lesson to be learned. Conflict happens, and while the drama of a good conflict can be sensational (or rhyme-spirational), it's important to learn how to work through them to maintain good relationships between friends.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / News & Opinion
Abundance
By 800-CEO-READ
In a time when unemployment is high, energy prices are on the rise, and quality food grows scarce, it's very nice to read a book like Abundance: Why the Future Will Be Much Better Than You Think. In some ways, this new book by Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler seems too good to be true.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / Staff Picks
Where Did the Jobs Go?
Book Review by 800-CEO-READ
From the authors of Where Does the Money Go? : Your Guided Tour to the Federal Budget Crisis and Who Turned Out the Lights? : Your Guided Tour to the Energy Crisis, comes a new book about an issue of grave national importance that has touched most of our lives recently, and will be central to the political debate this election year.
Categories: staff-picks
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Blog / News & Opinion
In The Books
By 800-CEO-READ
It's that time of year again. We've compiled all the great books, ideas, and activities that 800-CEO-READ was involved in over the past year and published them in our annual In the Books publication. As the intro states: "At 800-CEO-READ, we don't come to work everyday just to sell business books.
Categories: news-opinion, the-company
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Blog / News & Opinion
ChangeThis: Issue 90
By 800-CEO-READ
GROW: How to Change the Narrative of Business by Jim Stengel “The business case for brand ideals is not altruism. It’s self-interest and mutual interest. In addition to its wider positive impact, a devotion to brand ideals will do more for your own business and career than any other factor.
Categories: news-opinion
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Blog / ChangeThis
Make Social Media Sell—Now
By Jeff Molander
"The 'social media revolution' is over-hyped nonsense. The real business opportunity is to become more relevant and meaningful to customers in ways that create sales. Few will question the impact social media is having on people's lives. From assisting political revolutions to simply reconnecting us with old friends, social media is touching our lives in meaningful ways every day. But with all the stories you're hearing about the power of Facebook, Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn, Google+ and other social networks, the one question you may be asking is 'how can my business actually make money with social media?'"
Categories: changethis
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Blog / ChangeThis
It Really is As Simple As ABC: What Leaders Can Learn from Masterful Orators of the Past
By Matt Eventoff
"Millions of meetings and presentations occur daily. Each of these presentations is meant to drive 'someone' to do 'something.' And what do the vast majority of these presentations have in common? Unfortunately, they usually fail to get anyone to do anything. There are so many noble causes led by charismatic, effective leaders, yet it is still difficult for many of these leaders to establish a clear message that resonates and connects with their audience, not due to the content or nobility of cause, but because we are all subject to information overload. But, masterful orators have succeeded in every generation, and one factor that has not changed over time is the ability of a master orator to captivate and move audiences, to attain levels of success that many thought were unachievable at the time. And each of them mastered the ABC's of communication."
Categories: changethis
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Blog / ChangeThis
Transcendent Leadership: How to Lead Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime
By Les McKeown
"What if your leadership role just felt, well... right: demanding, yes, but fun too; challenging but controllable; intense but invigorating? What if with every step on the ladder of leadership you felt more comfortable, more 'in the zone,' less stressed, less pressured? What if each successive leadership role brought out more of what makes you you, rather than asking you to compromise your core values, bury your deepest wishes, hold ransom your dreams? Having coached and advised hundreds of leaders, I know this isn't a pipe dream. From frequent observation, I know that it's not only possible to be relaxed, fulfilled and energized by leadership, it is in fact precisely how the most consistently successful leaders operate.
Categories: changethis
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Blog / ChangeThis
GROW: How to Change the Narrative of Business
By Jim Stengel
"It's time to change the narrative of business. From a winner-take-all tale, no-holds-barred, no matter what the cost to individual firms, investors, the economy, and society, to doing business on the basis of what I call brand ideals, shared ideals of improving people's lives. Wider adoption and leveraging of brand ideals would be the best medicine the economy could possibly get. Instead of inflating a bubble that would sooner or later burst with tragic consequences for everyone, it would trigger and sustain unprecedented growth in every sector it touched. Make no mistake, however. The business case for brand ideals is not altruism. It's self-interest and mutual interest. In addition to its wider positive impact, a devotion to brand ideals will do more for your own business and career than any other factor. Maximum business growth and high ideals are not incompatible. They're inseparable."
Categories: changethis
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Blog / ChangeThis
Shift & Reset
By Brian Reich
"I am angry. There are real problems facing the world, and we, as a society, are not doing enough to address them in the right ways, not the ways we know are possible. The old way isn't working, and we know it. We continue to reward the same behaviors we have rewarded in the past while expecting different results. We profess interest in really doing things differently but settle into routines that are comfortable and safe, and we are fooling ourselves. There are lots of excuses for not making real, demonstrable changes in the way we live, work, and how we interact as individuals and engage in groups/communities. I have heard them all. I have used many of them myself. But they are bullshit. All excuses are. A person either truly, deeply, genuinely cares about changing things or he doesn't. You can step up and do what it takes, in whatever way you can, or you need to acknowledge your limits and accept the results. What might be possible if we were really committed, as individuals and as a society.
Categories: changethis
