How do you make decisions when you make a personal purchase? What is any insights can you draw from this, when you price your business'service or products? Rafi Mohammed, author of The Art of Pricing, in his latest book, The 1% Windfall: How successful companies use price to profit and grow urges his readers to break out of their cost-plus or other "we've always done it this way" methods to instil a value-based pricing mindset within their organizations. He also challenges the conventional wisdom that market share and pricing are inversely related.
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The 1% Windfall: How successful companies use price to profit and grow ::
The Peter Principle: Why things always go wrong ::
For this month's book review, we go back to a classic on organizational thought, The Peter Principle: Why things always go wrong. Written more than 40 years ago by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull, the book is still relevant today, as most of the anecdotes narrated in this book are enacted regularly in organizations of the 21st century. Written with much humour and some satire, the book's messages are nevertheless serious and thought provoking. If you want to ride the waves of organizational dynamics unfazed, this book will stand you in good stead.
Five minds for the future ::
Many amongst us despair at the information overload and breakneck speed of changes sweeping our lives - be it professional or personal. Is it humanly possible to deal with these challenges? Psychologist and Harvard Professor Howard Gardner in his book Five Minds for the Future, outlines five mental abilities that can help us ride the waves of change. His five mental abilities are the creating mind, the disciplined mind, the ethical mind, the respectful mind and the synthesizing mind. The book makes a lively reading as the author uses various explanatory models to demonstrate how these minds can help individuals and managers in their daily life. Click here to read more.
The Smart Swarm ::
Insects have been studied for sometime in the field of biomimicry. Peter Miller, senior editor at National Geographic goes one step further in his book The Smart Swarm. He argues that insect's behaviour can be used for decision-making by individuals and organizations. He shows how termites' decentralized yet interdependent behavior can be modelled to drive our response to emergencies, and how the chemical-based communication of African ants influenced Southwest Airlines' seating policy. This book is an intriguing and interesting read, as Miller takes you on a journey of group dynamics in the animal world and the lessons they hold for us. Click here to read more.
Switch: How to change things when change is hard ::
"Change is the only constant" may well be one of the most hated business phrases. Yet there are changes that we embrace willingly and others we would rather run away from. Authors Chip and Dan Heath, in their book Switch: How to change things when change is hard discuss this schizophrenic behavior. Their study of diverse sets of people - obese folks trying to lose weight, managers working to minimize red tape, doctors struggling to prevent avoidable deaths - revealed similar behavioral patterns. This book crystallizes their findings and provides ways to make change, particularly the unpleasant ones, easier to implement and manage. For those of us, who are trying to make even one change to our personal and professional lives, this is a practical and insightful book to read. Click here to read more
The Carrot Principle ::
Only 15% of the world's employees, according to a study, are motivated enough to go the extra mile at their workplace. What ails the remaining 85% of the workforce and what can managers can do to address the problem? Authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, in their book The Carrot Principle provide insights into what drives employee job satisfaction and loyalty. Based on a decade long study, the book includes several first hand accounts from managers and employees that we can relate to, as well as a number of employee recognition ideas to boost morale that we can use in the workplace. Click here to read more
The Adversity Advantage ::
How often have we faced an obstacle and wanted to give up? Erik Weihenmayer became blind at 13. Yet in 2001 he went on to become the first blind person to scale Mt. Everest. In his book The Adversity Advantage, he uses first-hand narratives to illustrate how we can respond to challenges in our lives. Co-authored with leadership expert Paul G. Stolz, this book provides insights, techniques and tools for individuals and businesses to surmount challenges and achieve their goals. Click here to read more
A Sense of Urgency ::
In the early 1960's Martin Luther King Jr., talked about the "urgency of now". His exhortation is relevant for businesses in this age of the New Normal. Author and international business consultant John P. Kotter, in his book "A Sense of Urgency", explains how urgency is different from change and why the former is more likely to succeed. He presents four tactics for inculcating a sense of urgency and supports them with anecdotes and tools. This practical book is a good read for anyone who wants to thrive amidst competition. Click here to read more.
Top Notch Executive Interviews ::
Changing jobs is never easy, especially when you are high up in an organization's hierarchy. Employment expert Katharine Hansen in her book, Top Notch Executive Interviews, discusses how job transitions can be made smooth. She has compiled executive interview formats, commonly asked questions and techniques that help you present your skillsin the best manner and impress your future employer. To read more click here.
Making Ideas Happen ::
All of us have had moments when the idea bulb goes on, but how many of us end up doing anything meaningful with it? Scott Belsky, in his book Making Ideas Happen, argues that conceiving ideas is easy, executing them is the difficult part. There are many obstacles that separate an idea from results. The book identifies some of these obstacles and provides the nuts and bolts of how to overcome them. It is a good read for anyone who wants to execute better or even just get started. To read more click here.