Beach Blanket Business Books
August, 2008. As we slide into the last month of summer and you pack up for a few well deserved days of rest and relaxation, don’t forget to toss in a good book. Based on our annual (and very informal) client survey here are some of the books that are making their way to beach blankets this season. The list includes a few new releases and a couple of old favorites. To keep you in a vacation frame of mind, they’re all entertaining, easy reads.
Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman. The authors define sway as “the submerged mental drives that undermine rational action, from the desire to avoid loss to a failure to consider all the evidence or to perceive a person or situation beyond the initial impression and the reluctance to alter a plan that isn’t working.” They share numerous anecdotes and examples, backed by research findings, to demonstrate the extent that sway impacts and influences our decisions. It’s an interesting take on why we think the way we think. I guarantee this book will resonate.
Executive Warfare: 10 Rules of Engagement for Winning Your War for Success by David D’Alessandro. According to D’Alessandro “When you enter the executive suite, there are many new intense influences on your career. Suddenly many more people are paying attention to what you are doing and what you are not doing. You have to manage an incredibly tricky network of relationships simultaneously, in private and in public, and in a way that announces your ability to lead.” This book addresses how to manage these increasingly complex relationships without losing yourself or your sense of fun along the way.
Six Disciplines® Execution Revolution: Solving the One Business Problem That Makes Solving All Other Problems Easier by Gary Harpst It’s one thing to have a great strategy, it’s another to make it happen. Harpst’s book details the elements of a complete strategy execution program and explains why such a program will soon become a mainstream requirement for your business. I haven’t read this one yet but have gotten some rave reviews.
Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham. This book is an antidote to the merger mania, bigger is better, growth at all costs philosophy. The author discusses 14 diverse companies that have elected to forgo the push to the “next level” and focus on being the best that they can be and controlling their own destinies. It’s been compared to” Good to Great” and “In Search of Excellence” for privately held companies. Many of the principles are transferable to larger companies, or to divisions of large companies as well.
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahi Raz. Faced with an uncertain economy, many of our readers are revisiting this modern classic. Even with the rapid growth of online social networks nothing will replace a well thought out personal networking campaign. And remember, the best time to build your network is before you need it!
For pure entertainment, I recommend Power Play by Joseph Finder. It’s a fast paced, action-packed story about a corporate retreat gone wrong. Perfect for relaxing by the pool with a cold beverage and a few hours to kill.
Do you have a favorite that we’ve missed? Send an email and we’ll include your favorites in next summer’s business book issue.
We value your input. If you have ideas or suggestions for future topics, be sure to contact us at info@harperhewes.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
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