Daniel Robin & Associates

Making Workplaces Work Better

Featured "Better Workplace" Reading for April-June 2003

Favorites from the first quarter of 2003: 

Gladwell, Malcolm The Tipping Point:  How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference,  304 pages, paperback, Back Bay Books (Jan. 2002).   Synopsis:  This is one of the best written books I've seen in quite awhile.  The examples make lucid and memorable what is operating to cause social and cultural change.  The author is describing what causes certain ideas to take hold.  He uses remarkable simple, clear explanation and entertaining real world examples and stories.  The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on this science (AKA "creating buzz" or "word-of-mouth", "idea viruses" or "memes") for a general audience.  It is a quick and easy read, and particularly so for anyone interested in human relations, communication, marketing or the evolution of society.   

Not surprisingly, this book has made it to many best sellers lists, and its popularity continues to spread like wildfire.  Also available in audio cassette (abridged).

NOTE: Our marketing consulting work extends to this area of "buzz marketing" or how to create an "epidemic" that does some good in the world.  If you have professional interest in this book, our consulting services could be the perfect companion.

Loehr, Jim and Schwartz, Tony, The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal,  246 pages, hardcover, The Free Press (Feb. 2003). Synopsis:  In working with athletes at the highest level of performance, Loehr and Schwarz found that among the top people in a given sport who were otherwise comparable in terms of talent and training, some performed more consistently than others. The consistently high performers had unconscious rest/rejuvenation rituals that supported their high levels of performance. This is similar to Covey's "Sharpen the Saw" metaphor (from Seven Habits fame), but more precise and actionable. Core elements of this program seek to balance key life areas -- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. 

"Balancing stress and recovery is critical not just in competitive sports, but also in managing energy in all facets of our lives. Emotional depth and resilience depend on active engagement with others and with our own feelings." Case studies demonstrate how some modest changes can have an immediate impact.  Using an easy-to-understand format, the authors give insight to why it may make sense to "adjust" habits and rituals to achieve and sustain peak performance.  Some of the habits could include working fewer total hours, getting more sleep, eating healthily (eating many small meals, not a few large ones), exercising (building a combination of strength and endurance, but focusing on strength), taking work breaks (every 90-120 minutes), delegating, and doing the most important things first. By having higher energy levels and better thought processes, more effective work is accomplished, and fewer hours may be needed.  

The exercises in the book allow you to create a very personalized plan.  If you can imagine reading and apply a book like this, it can make a huge difference in your outlook and results.

Kash, Rick, The New Law of Demand and Supply: The Revolutionary New Demand Strategy for Faster Growth and Higher Profits; 256 pages, hardcover, Doubleday (9/2002). Synopsis:  As a small business owner, I always thought that first you figure out what's wanted, then you organize around that to supply it.  Sounds like common sense, but this approach is remarkably uncommon in a culture based largely on the supply-side economic model where companies spend their greatest efforts developing efficient mass production techniques, then stimulating consumer demand through marketing and publicity. The author suggests that this money would be better spent identifying and understanding the existing demand before creating the supply.  Rather than getting into a debate about which approach makes more sense in today's economy, the answer is probably both, in appropriate measures and in a rhythm that's right for your business and its position in the marketplace.  Still, the practical advise contained in this book is useful and well organized, being used by quite a few major players.

In a nutshell, the "demand strategy" of this book is based on "thoroughly understanding existing and future demand and only then creating the supply to satisfy it," laid out in six phases. For example, the first step is to "analyze the demand forces and industry factors impacting your business," using a wide focus on external elements like demographics, competitors, societal trends, the economy, legislation, and technology. Next comes "Select your most profitable demand segments," advocating a careful search for areas that match your capabilities but can be differentiated from the offerings of others. Subsequent steps (develop a "demand value proposition" that elevates you above the crowd, identify ways to realize this agenda, allocate necessary resources, and execute) are likewise explained thoroughly.  Business owners, managers, and marketing professionals should definitely read this book.

ARCHIVE:  Current Hot Books

April - June 2003 Hot Books

January-March 2003 Hot Books

See also: All 2002 Hot Books in Review

Three recommended books about applying "new science" at work

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