Book Insights

Be Well-Read with the Mind Tools Club!

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Book Insights are reviews of new and classic management, career development and self-development books. Using them, you can quickly and easily keep yourself up-to-date with the latest ideas and thinking, and learn about ideas that you want to develop and explore in more depth.

Reviewed by Mind Tools' expert reviewers, they are available either in MP3 format (direct or via iTunes) that you can listen to on your PC or iPod, or as transcripts that you can download and read.

Book Insights are exclusive to Premium members of the Mind Tools Club .

Leadership

The Why of Work: How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win By Dave and Wendy Ulrich  (16 minutes) This book looks at how your team can achieve better results by being more honest. Find out more about here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter By Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown  (14 minutes) This book is a practical guide to how you can bring intelligence, creativity and energy to your team and your organization. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Delivering Happiness A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose By Tony Hsieh  (16 minutes) This book, by Zappos CEO Tony Hseih, looks at how promoting happiness within your organization can produce passion and engagement - from employees, and from customers. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels By Michael Watkins  (14 minutes) It typically takes a new leader three to six months to start adding value to an organization. "The First 90 Days" shows you how to hit the ground running as a new leader. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Your Next Move: The Leader's Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions By Michael Watkins  (14 minutes) Been promoted? Got a new boss or colleague who's just taken a step up the career ladder? This book is for you! It explains what people need to change each time they take a step up the career ladder and why. Learn more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Hit the Ground Running: A Manual for New Leaders By Jason Jennings  (15 minutes) When you take on your first leadership role, you want to get things right from the very outset. This book helps you do just that! It explains what some of the US's most successful executives did from Day 1 to transform their organizations, and it sets out 10 golden rules to get going fast. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Strengths Based Leadership By Tom Rath and Barry Conchie  (15 minutes) As a leader, do you feel you should be good at everything? Or do you play to your strengths and delegate the rest? Find out more about which approach is more effective and why, and learn how to analyze what your strengths really are. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Energy Leadership By Bruce D Schneider  (16 minutes) Learn more about this psychotherapy-based book, explaining how to making the very most of your potential. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Real Leaders By Alan Deutschman  (14 minutes) What can leaders achieve when they "walk the walk" and don't just "talk the talk"? These inspiring case studies will show you! Find out more here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Create Unity, and Reap Big Rewards By Morten T Hansen  (16 minutes) If you're wasting time in unnecessary meetings, or struggling to get along with team mates, this book is for you! It explains how to collaborate effectively, how to overcome common barriers to doing so, and why ineffective collaboration is actually worse than none at all. Read our book insight to learn more about it! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Know-How By Ram Charan  (15 minutes) Management guru, and highly successful businessman Ram Charan reveals how successful CEOs think when faced with challenging business situations, and identifies what he sees as the key qualities for leadership in today's turbulent world. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Leading With Kindness By William F. Baker and Michael O'Malley  (14 minutes) Are compassion and gratitude essential for effective leadership? Find out more about this book's theory on why consistently kind leaders get more from their teams. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty By Ram Charan  (15 minutes) Find out what the popular strategy expert Ram Charan says leaders need to do differently now that there's a downturn. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Creating Magic By Lee Cockerell  (16 minutes) Learn about the down-to-earth leadership approaches used by Disney executives that keep customers coming back for more and staff staying for the long term. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Leadership Therapy By Anna Rowley  (13 minutes) If your leadership could do with a little help, you don't need to pay a therapist. This book can do the job for you! Learn about the techniques used by Anna Rowley, consulting psychologist to Microsoft. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Followership By Barbara Kellerman  (15 minutes) This intriguing book explains why followers are at least as important as leaders, and teaches us how to work with five different types of followers. Learn more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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If Harry Potter Ran General Electric By Tom Morris  (15 minutes) What can today's business leaders learn from the fictional wizards in the Harry Potter publishing phenomenon? Quite a lot, actually - and the key thing is that you don't need magic to be a great leader! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Results That Last By Quint Studer  (15 minutes) Learn about ways of developing and maintaining leadership excellence, and employee behaviors that will drive long-lasting business results. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The 100-Mile Walk By Sander and Jonathan Flaum Helena Smalman-Smith reviews this new perspective on leadership, which discusses the authors' "9 Ps of leadership." Spoken by Terry Ozanich. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Team Management

Managing By Henry Mintzberg  (16 minutes) In this book, Henry Mintzberg, one of the world's foremost experts on management and business strategy, looks at what managers REALLY do from day to day. Find out more about it here, and learn why he is so against traditional MBA programs. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Effective Executive By Peter Drucker  (15 minutes) This management classic made Peter Drucker a legend in university MBA programs and corporate boardrooms around the globe, and is a definitive guide on managing knowledge workers – and managing yourself. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Future of Management By Gary Hamel  (16 minutes) Find out more about business guru Gary Hamel's latest book, in which he lays out his vision for what he sees as the coming management revolution. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done By Ian Ayres  (16 minutes) This book shows how you can use "commitment contracts" to motivate yourself to achieve your goals. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us By Daniel H Pink  (16 minutes) "Carrot and stick" motivation may work for donkeys, but it's just not effective with people. This book is packed with practical, research-based approaches that you can use with your team. Find out more here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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What Happy Companies Know, by Dan Baker, Cathy Greenberg and Collins Hemingway (16.3 minutes) Helena Smalman-Smith reviews "What Happy Companies Know", a great book on creating a positive and successful workplace, with an interesting and highly relevant psychological angle on the subject. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Nice Teams Finish Last: The Secret to Unleashing Your Team's Potential By Brian Cole Miller  (14 minutes) This book looks at how your team can achieve better results by being more honest. Find out more about here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Speed of Trust by Stephen M R Covey (15 minutes) This is one of the most high-profile new business books around, but what does its title actually mean? Find out more about it in this Book Insight. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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X-Teams By Deborah Ancona and Henrik Bresman  (15 minutes) How do you go about building a successful team? Are you sure? The authors of this book probably disagree with you. Learn more about this book in this Book Insight. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Courageous Training By Tim Mooney and Robert O Brinkerhoff  (15 minutes) Most organizations spend a lot training their staff, but only a small proportion of this training is actually applied. This book explains how you can make your people's training stick, and why this takes courage. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Telling Ain't Training By Harold D Stolovitch and Erica J Keeps  (16 minutes) So if "telling ain't training", how should you train? Find out about this excellent and influential book, itself a great example of the training techniques it describes. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Toyota Talent By Jeffrey K Liker and David P Meier  (15 minutes) Most of us, understandably, think of Toyota as a car-maker, first and foremost. But the quality of their in-house training programme is at least as innovative as the products they sell, and arguably is the real key to their success in a highly competitive industry. Find out about this book, which explains what you can learn from their training approach. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Mass Career Customization By Cathleen Benko and Anne Weisberg  (15 minutes) According to this book, enlightened employers are beginning to offer their executives alternatives to the traditional career ladder. Find out more about it in this review. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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One Page Talent Management: Eliminating Complexity, Adding Value By Marc Effron and Miriam Ort  (15 minutes) This book looks at how to create a talent management plan that's simple and easy to use. Learn more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Differentiated Workforce: Transforming Talent into Strategic Impact By Brian Becker, Mark Huselid and Richard Beatty  (16 minutes) Many organizations claim that their people are their most important assets, but they don't always manage them as effectively as they do other strategic resources. This book explains how to do just that. Find out more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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How Did That Happen? Holding People Accountable for Results the Positive, Principled Way By Roger Connors and Tom Smith  (16 minutes) When things go wrong, you want to find the culprit. But what if there weren't any crises, because people were quick to admit their concerns early on? This book shows you how to create a culture of personal and group accountability that will achieve just that. Find out more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Head and Heart Management By Adrian Furnham  (15 minutes) Most of us like to think we're rational and logical, but the truth is that we frequently let our "hearts" rule our "heads". Find out more about this fascinating book. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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12: The Elements of Great Managing By Rodd Wagner and James K Harter (15 minutes) This book describes the 12 qualities that highly-productive employees tend to find in their workplaces - according to a massive Gallup survey - and how you can create the same levels of engagement in your job. Find out more about it. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Strategy

Strategy Execution Heroes: Business Strategy Implementation and Strategic Management Demystified By Jeroen De Flander  (15 minutes) This book is full of ideas on carrying out business plans and successfully executing your strategies. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Lords of Strategy: The Secret Intellectual History of the New Corporate World By Walter Kiechel III  (15 minutes) This book looks at what corporate strategy is, why organizations use it, and how it's changed the world in the past 50 years. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Art of Strategy By Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff  (15 minutes) Discover how this book tackles Game Theory, and how you can apply strategic thinking to your everyday life. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Executing Your Strategy By Mark Morgan, Raymond E Levitt and William Malek  (14 minutes) One reason why business strategies can fail is that they've been poorly implemented. Find out more about this book, which describes a tried and tested approach to implementation. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Three Moves Ahead By Bob Rice  (14 minutes) Can chess strategies be applied to business? Absolutely, says the author of this new book. Find out more in this Book Insight. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies By Robert H. Waterman  (16 minutes) This classic book looks at some of America' best-performing companies, and highlights theories and useful ideas that you can apply in your own organization. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Googled: The End of the World As We Know It By Ken Auletta  (17 minutes) Everyone's familiar with its products, but how did Google get from startup to where it is today? Find out more about this fascinating "organizational biography" here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Performance at the Limit: Business Lessons from Formula 1 Motor Racing By Mark Jenkins, Ken Pasternak, and Richard West  (15 minutes) This book explains what leaders can learn from Formula 1 teams – from pit stop efficiency to creating close-knit and powerful team cultures. Find out more here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Turnaround Kid By Steve Miller  (14 minutes) Crisis manager Steve Miller earned the name "America's Mr Fix-It" as a result of his work transforming the fortunes of Chrysler, Bethlehem Steel and others. Learn more about this book, which explains how he did this. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic By Leonard Berry and Kent Seltman  (16 minutes) Find out what service organizations of all kinds can learn from this enduringly successful healthcare practice. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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One Billion Customers By James McGregor (15 minutes) China – one of the world's most dynamic economies – is a mystery to most Westerners. Author James McGregor helps to unlock it, based on his experience of doing business in China for nearly two decades. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Riding the Indian Tiger By William Nobrega and Ashish Sinha  (15 minutes) This book explains why India might have even more growth potential than China, and tells us what to avoid when doing business there. Learn more about it in this Book Insight. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Outstanding! 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional By John Miller  (15 minutes) Organizations can easily get "fired" by their customers, their shareholders or even their staff. But can you do anything to prevent this? Yes, say the authors of this book! Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Think Big, Act Small By Jason Jennings  (15 minutes) How do you go about retaining the flexibility, energy, and work ethic of a startup in a large organization? Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Reality Check By Guy Kawasaki  (14 minutes) You can be entrepreneurial and innovative whether you run your own business or work for a large corporation. Discover more about this book's recommendations for outsmarting and outmanaging your competition. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Sonic Boom: Globalization at Mach Speed By Gregg Easterbrook  (16 minutes) This fast, fun look at how the world is changing takes readers from China to Russia, Brazil and the US - because, perhaps strangely, individual places are the clearest illustrators of power of globalization. Find out more about this book here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Where Keynes Went Wrong and Why World Governments Keep Creating Inflation, Bubbles and Busts By Hunter Lewis  (16 minutes) Most governments have used "Keynsian economics" in planning how to get out of recession. But what ARE Keynes' theories? This book explains them – and also argues that they were flawed. Find out more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Revolutionary Wealth By Alvin and Heidi Toffler  (15 minutes) 40 years ago, Alvin and Heidi Toffler wrote an influential book called "Future Shock", predicting the shift to an information economy. Find out about their new book, "Revolutionary Wealth." Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations By Clay Shirky  (16 minutes) New web applications may be developed by a handful of clever people, but it's what millions of others worldwide DO with that technology that's really interesting. Find out more about this book, which explains the vast range of ways that we're using social media technology – at work and at home. What more could YOU do with it? Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Chaotics By Philip Kotler and John Caslione  (15 minutes) One of the top business gurus of all times shares his take on the current turbulent times and, crucially, what he thinks that that leaders and managers should do to ride the storm. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Return of Depression Economics By Paul Krugman  (15 minutes) The credit crunch is the hot topic of the moment. Find out what this book has to say about what led to the current global financial problems. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Snowball By Alice Schroeder  (14 minutes) Find out more about the lessons and philosophies that have made Warren Buffett one of the most respected minds in the business world. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Audacity of Hope By Barack Obama  (14 minutes) Find out more about this thought-provoking and inspiring book, written by the incoming US President, Barack Obama. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Business Stripped Bare By Richard Branson  (14 minutes) Find out more about Richard Branson's personal account of the defining moments, both good and bad, in his business life. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Myself and Other More Important Matters By Charles Handy  (15 minutes) Hear more about this latest book from one of the best-loved management writers of our time. Partly autobiographical, it's full of astute observations on business and the World today. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Winning By Jack & Suzy Welch James Manktelow looks this powerful and insightful book, co-written by one of the world's most influential business leaders. In it, find out what you can learn from this important book. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Problem Solving

Solving Tough Problems By Adam Kahane (Foreword by Peter Senge)  (14 minutes) Find out how to go about solving problems when large groups of people are involved, and have entrenched positions, whether they're ethnic groupings within a country, or different factions in a small business. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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SuperFreakonomics By Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner  (16 minutes) Find out more about this sequel to the bestseller Freakonomics, which takes a fascinatingly fresh look at everyday situations by applying economic theory to them. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement By Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox  (14 minutes) This groundbreaking book explains why it often makes sense to run some of your business processes sub-optimally, and shows how cost accounting can lead to all sorts of wrong decisions! Find out more about it in this Book Insight. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Why Not? By Barry Nalebuff and Ian Ayres (15 minutes) Helena reviews "Why Not": Learn more about this simple guide to everyday ingenuity. And find out how a sixth-century king can help you solve business problems! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Decision Making

The Go Point By Michael Useem (15 minutes) This book explains how you can learn and improve the skill of making good, timely decisions. Find out more about it in this Book Insight. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Judgment: How winning leaders make great calls By Noel M Tichy and Warren G Bennis  (16 minutes) Learn more about this book, which describes how the most successful executives make the right decisions time and time again, often under immense pressure. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea By Suzy Welch  (16 minutes) When you have a tough decision to make, Suzy Welch, journalist and wife of former GE boss Jack Welch, explains why it helps to consider the impact of choosing each option in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Fooled by Randomness By Nassim Nicholas Taleb  (16 minutes) Find out more about this fascinating book, which looks at why we insist on imposing meaning on what are really random events, and how we can avoid the pitfalls in doing so. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Ethics (for the Real World) By Ronald A Howard and Clinton D Korver  (15 minutes) Find out more about this guide to thinking about your own ethical code, so that you can make the right decisions when faced with a moral dilemma. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Ethical Executive By Robert Hoyk and Paul Hersey  (15 minutes) No matter how sure you are now that you can tell right from wrong, given the "right" circumstances we're all capable of acting unethically, say the authors of this book. Find out more: forewarned is forearmed. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Winners Never Cheat By Jon M Huntsman  (14 minutes) Find out how you can stay true to the principles of honesty and integrity and still wind up ahead in business with this book by one of the US's most successful CEOs. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Emotionomics By Dan Hill  (15 minutes) Find out more about this book's theory on the role of emotions in the choices people make – and how 'facial coding' can help interpret those emotions. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Project Management

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard By Chip Heath and Dan Heath  (15 minutes) If you've ever tried to make a significant change, then you know how hard it can be to start doing things differently. "Switch" shows you how to use your mind to make change easier – at work, and at home. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Change By Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation By Tim Brown  (15 minutes) "Design thinking" involves much more than dreaming up beautiful products. This book explains how you can use its disciplined approach to innovate in any area – from product development to customer service. Find out more about it in this Book Insight! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Three Laws of Performance By Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan  (15 minutes) Find out more about how to implement change AND make it stick for the long term – at work, and in you personal life. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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A Sense of Urgency By John P Kotter  (14 minutes) In this book, John Kotter, one of the world's leading authorities on leadership and change, explains how true urgency enables change and progress in organizations. Find out more, here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Time Management

Long Fuse, Big Bang: Achieving Long Term Success Through Daily Victories By Eric Haseltine  (14 minutes) This book looks at how you can put more focus on your important long-term goals, without sacrificing your short-term priorities. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Way We're Working Isn't Working By Tony Schwartz, with Jean Gomes and Catherine McCarthy  (16 minutes) This book can transform the way that you work, so that you're more productive and more energized. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity By David Allen  (15 minutes) This classic book can help you to prioritize tasks and projects more effectively, and make you more productive. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Do More Great Work: Stop the Busywork. Start the Work That Matters. By Michael Bungay Stanier  (15 minutes) This book is full of ideas and exercises to help you make your work more engaging, and more enjoyable. Learn more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Simply Effective: How to Cut Through Complexity in Your Organization and Get Things Done By Ron Ashkenas  (15 minutes) Simple organizations waste less time, can be changed more easily, and are more rewarding to work for. This book shows you how to cut away unnecessary layers of complexity. Find out more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge By Geoffrey M Bellman Helena Smalman-Smith reviews this practical and common-sense guide to an issue many of us face – working successfully with others to complete projects when we have little direct authority. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference By Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval  (14 minutes) Can great oaks really grow from tiny acorns? This book says that they can, and it shows you how taking the right small actions can pay dividends you'd hardly dare imagine. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Stress Management

Learned Optimism By Martin Seligman  (15 minutes) Prominent psychologist Dr Martin Seligman explains why looking on the bright side may be the key to everything, from success at the office to physical health. And he also shows HOW you can become an optimist. Learn more about this influential book. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Communication Skills

The One Minute Negotiator: Simple Steps to Reach Better Agreements By Don Hutson and George Lucas  (15 minutes) You probably negotiate more often than you think, and this book can help you to improve your negotiation skills. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation By Sally Hogshead  (17 minutes) This book is a comprehensive guide on becoming more captivating and more persuasive. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Influencer By Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler  (15 minutes) The authors of this book believe you need to stop thinking about the end results you want if you're to be successful at influencing others. Find out more about it. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Made to Stick: Why some ideas survive and others die By Chip and Dan Heath (15 minutes) In this book, the authors describe how to make your idea or message utterly memorable with their "six principles of sticky ideas". While their approach draws on insights from the world of advertising, it will work for anyone who needs to communicate powerfully. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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How to Win Friends and Influence People By Dale Carnegie  (16 minutes) Most of us have heard of this book, but few have actually read it. Find out more about it, and the enduring advice it offers! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Don't Just Do Something, Stand There! Ten Principles for Leading Meetings that Matter By Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff  (15 minutes) Many people find that meetings are a frustrating waste of time. Find out more about this book, which explains how you can run a successful meeting. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great In Front of Any Audience By Carmine Gallo  (15 minutes) Steve Jobs – the co-founder and CEO of Apple – is renowned as one of the best presenters in the world. This book explains what he does that grips audiences time and time again. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Back of the Napkin By Dan Roam  (14 minutes) Learn more about this fascinating approach to presenting your ideas visually - designed by a management consultant who turned his back on bullet points and glossy slide packs. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Exceptional Presenter By Timothy J Koegel  (12 minutes) Learn about this exceptional book, which explains how to make sure that your presentations are stunning - every time. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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What Every BODY Is Saying By Joe Navarro  (14 minutes) Learn more about interpreting body language from an FBI Instructor and former Special Agent who's spent his career looking out for criminals' body language confessions. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Power of Body Language By Tonya Reiman  (15 minutes) Find out about this book on interpreting other people's body language, and learn how to ensure that your body language is giving the messages you intend. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High By Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler  (15 minutes) When talk turns tense, our emotions can dominate and we can regret what was said. Learn about this book, which explains how to ensure positive outcomes. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Creativity Skills

Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers By Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James Macanufo  (16 minutes) This book looks at some new approaches to group creativity that are fun, dynamic, and effective. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Power of Collective Wisdom and the Trap of Collective Folly By Alan Briskin, Sheryl Erickson, John Ott and Tom Callanan  (18 minutes) They say that two heads are better than one. But how do you tap into the extraordinary potential of groups? Find out more about this book, which explains just that. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Innovation to the Core By Peter Skarzynski and Rowan Gibson  (14 minutes) Most organizations recognize that innovating is crucial for survival. But few manage to translate these bold words into action. Find out why and, more importantly learn how to make innovation really happen. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Learning Skills

Why We Make Mistakes By Joseph Hallinan  (14 minutes) Learn about the science that explains why people forget passwords, make dumb choices in stores, cause crash crashes, and even miss signs of tumors in x-rays. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knowledge Management by Melissie Clemens Rumizen (15 minutes) In this Book Insight into the Idiot’s Guide to Knowledge Management, find out why Knowledge Management is important, and learn about this guide to building your professional knowledge base. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Career Skills

No Excuses! The Power of Self-Discipline By Brian Tracy  (16 minutes) This book helps you stop making excuses, so that you can take better control of your life - at work and at home. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don't By Jeffrey Pfeffer  (15 minutes) This controversial book looks at how to play the inevitable "power game" that occurs in many organizations. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology that Fuel Success and Performance at Work By Shawn Achor  (15 minutes) Which comes first – success or happiness? This book looks at how achieving happiness first can increase our chances of being successful. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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It's Not Just Who You Know By Tommy Spaulding  (15 minutes) This book shows you how to have a better life - at work and at home - by building long-lasting relationships. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Networking for People Who Hate Networking: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected By Devora Zack  (16 minutes) If you struggle with networking, this practical book helps you build connections in a way that will feel more natural. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Networking Like a Pro: Turning Contacts Into Connections By Ivan Misner, David Alexander, and Brian Hilliard  (15 minutes) Having a solid professional network is more important than ever, but most of us dread networking. This step-by-step guide shows us what to do, ask and say so that we not only network more effectively, but also enjoy it more too. Find out more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Disaster Proof Your Career: Tactics to Survive, Thrive and Keep Ahead in the Workplace By Patrick Forsyth  (15 minutes) "Disaster Proof Your Career" is a practical book that explores how to manage your career path to stay ahead in the workplace. Learn more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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No More Excuses: The Five Accountabilities for Personal and Organizational Growth By Sam Silverstein  (14 minutes) This book looks at how you can become more successful by being more accountable for your actions. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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QBQ!: The Question Behind the Question By John G Miller  (15 minutes) Find out more about this inspiring book that urges us to stop blaming others, and to start being personally accountability at work and in life. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? By Seth Godin  (16 minutes) "Linchpins" are people who are vital to the smooth running of an organization – and they exist at all levels. This book shows you how to become one. Find out more about it here! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up By John Baldoni  (14 minutes) Leadership doesn't have to come from the top down! This book explains how you can achieve more for your organization - without undermining those in authority - by "leading up". Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Emotional Intelligence By Daniel Goleman  (15 minutes) The concept of emotional intelligence is well-known today, but it only sprang to prominence after the publication of this book. Find out more about it in this Book Insight! Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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People Styles at Work By Robert Bolton and Dorothy Grover Bolton  (17 minutes) Got problems with someone at work? According to this book, you could have different "people styles". Find out more here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell  (14 minutes) Learn more about Malcolm Gladwell's theories on what makes us successful – and why we need 10,000 hours to perfect our craft. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Talent Is Overrated By Geoff Colvin  (17 minutes) Find out more about this book's premise: that 'deliberate practice' really can lead to greatness. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Family Wars By Grant Gordon and Nigel Nicholson  (14 minutes) Whether it's big or small, any family business can suffer from sibling rivalry, power struggles, and too much parental control. Learn how to resolve the common disputes that arise when family members work together. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Five Minds for the Future By Howard Gardner  (14 minutes) In this book, psychologist Howard Gardner proposes five "mindsets" that will be essential if we are to survive and thrive in the future. Find out more about this book here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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What Color Is Your Parachute? By Richard Nelson Bolles   (15 minutes) Find out what the latest edition of this classic guide to negotiating the job market can do for YOUR career. With over 9 million copies sold since it was first published, many consider it the most influential career guide ever written. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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You, Inc: The Art of Selling Yourself By Harry Beckwith and Christine Clifford Beckwith  (15 minutes) Find out why the "art of selling yourself" is a key life skill for everyone, and how to go about it. Although written by two sales professionals, this book's advice applies to far more than regular sales, and offers plenty to anyone who wants to land their dream job, get that promotion, or improve a relationship. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Developing Mental Toughness By Graham Jones and Adrian Moorehouse  (15 minutes) Executives and elite athletes face similar challenges, and can use similar techniques to overcome them. Find out about this book, in which the authors reveal the psychological tools Olympic swimmer Adrian Moorehouse used to turn failure at one games to a gold medal at the next, and then later make the leap to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Thinking About Tomorrow By Susan Crandell  (15 minutes) Do you ever feel there may be something missing from your successful career? Find out how author, Susan Crandell, says 45 men and women beat their mid-career blues, and gather some ideas for your own future. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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What Got You Here Won’t Get You There By Marshall Goldsmith (15 minutes) Celebrity executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows you how to identify the skills you need AND the traits you need to leave behind if you're going to move on in your career. Find out more about this intriguing book. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Get Out of Your Own Way at Work: And help others to do the same by Mark Goulston (15 minutes) There are several simple behaviors which will stop you from advancing up the career ladder – no matter how good your technical skills are. Learn about this book, which describes what these are and how you can avoid them. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Steven R Covey (16 minutes) This classic book is a guide to how you can be more effective in all areas of your life. Find out more about it here. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Revved! by Harry Paul and Ross Reck and Monday Morning Mentoring by David Cottrell (15 minutes) A bumper edition of Book Insights, covering two books. Each explores the softer side of management and leadership, telling the story of someone struggling in his career, who starts getting advice from a wise mentor. Readers learn some gems of advice from the wise mentor, and from his protégée’s experience of implementing it. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This Buy Revved! - Buy Monday Morning Mentoring

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Repacking Your Bags, By Richard J Leider and David A Shapiro (14.3 minutes) Helena reviews "Repacking Your Bags: Lighten your load for the rest of your life", a life design book that will help you work out where you are now, where you’d like to head next in your work and personal life, and what baggage you do – and don’t – need to get there.  Read by Cathy Faulkner. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Career Intelligence By Barbara Moses (14.7 minutes) Helena reviews "Career Intelligence, the Twelve New Rules for Work and Life Success", a useful book on positioning yourself intelligently to make the most of your opportunities in today's rapidly changing job market. Read by Terry Ozanich. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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Shape Your Self By Martina Navratilova James Manktelow reviews this powerful lifestyle guide, written by one of the world's most respected athletes. The book explains how to keep yourself fit and full of energy and vitality, so that you can make the most of what life has to offer. Play Now - RIGHT CLICK to Download MP3 - Transcript - Discuss This - Buy the Book

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