When seeking the best plan for running a company, management theories abound. Many organizations work with consultants and adopt one management methodology after another, but fail to derive the expected benefits. After spending over 30 years in management consulting and in management roles at Fortune 100 companies, Karen Phelan came to the realization that many popular management theories are wrong. In I’m Sorry I Broke Your Company, Phelan tries to debunk conventional business wisdom and offers alternatives to theories that do not work.
In Managing Projects, Lou Russell employs a four-phase project management model: define, plan, manage, and review, to illustrate the nuts and bolts of project management. She prefaces the discussion with a review of the relevant terminology, distinguishing between tasks, projects, and processes. She then devotes a chapter to each of the four phases, followed by chapters dealing with the problems of change associated with projects and the basics of a project management office (PMO) for coordinating multiple projects. The book closes with a review of the basic principles of project management, including a list of ten important principles to keep in mind on any project.
Resilience is defined as the ability to persevere and adapt when faced with challenges—being able to bend with pressure instead of breaking under it. Beyond adaptability, resilience also manifests as the ability to let go and learn to grow when mistakes are made. In Resilience, Liggy Webb provides fundamental strategies that can help people navigate the challenges they face in their lives. She discusses ten strategies for developing resilience with helpful tips and techniques for tackling difficult circumstances. The book is filled with real-life examples of people who have faced down dire circumstances, often beyond their control, and bounced back—sometimes happier and healthier than before.
Outlaw by Trent Leyshan is for salespeople who are trying to navigate the ever-changing commercial world with fewer resources and more demands on their time. Changing technology and consumers have led to major changes in sales strategies, but many salespeople have not evolved to meet today’s new challenges. Those who recognize the need to change often do not have the tools necessary to bring about that change. Sales leaders, or outlaws, have mastered the techniques and tools needed to succeed in today’s sales environment.
In a culture flush with social media sound bites and email blasts, many business leaders and entrepreneurs have forgotten the most innate and powerful means of connecting with other people: telling stories. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to take data and analysis and distill it into a form that is easily understood, remembered, and shared. While data is important in building credibility and justifying decisions, its importance is often exaggerated. And, while data may convince people that something is true, a well-told story is what makes the data resonate with people’s emotions and drives them to action. In Power Stories, Valerie Khoo demonstrates how entrepreneurs can use this subtle and underutilized marketing tool to build an arsenal of eight power stories that can influence customers, attract loyal employees, promote media attention, persuade investors, and build an unforgettable brand.
In Go Mobile, Jeanne Hopkins and Jamie Turner offer insights into the relatively new world of mobile marketing. While it can seem daunting to learn about apps, 2D codes, and location-based marketing, these mobile terms are actually not difficult to understand and can be easily implemented in most businesses’ marketing plans. The authors break down the technology associated with mobile marketing and give step-by-step plans that any marketing team or small business can quickly implement.
In Connecting Organizational Silos, Frank Leistner presents a full-featured guide for organizations interested in using social media. His argument is simple: as it becomes easier for people to interact virtually, the value of effectively moving knowledge through an organization increases. Leistner outlines basics like social media analytics, the mobilization of various departments, and social network dynamics, and he explains why social media is here to stay. Leistner also explores the concept of enterprise social networks (ESNs) and how the future of social media platform technologies will affect both users and organizations in the coming years.
