I recently finished a new book by Dan Pink, the author of "A Whole New Mind". "Johnny Bunko" is written in the Japanese comic format known as manga. I really enjoyed this book because it explodes several misconceptions, and it is a quick, informative read.
This is one of the great ones!
Check out the Johnny Bunko blog.
My copy of Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds arrived on Friday. By Saturday evening, I had finished reading it, and I took notes along the way too. This book was worth waiting for to say the least. If enough people read it, the world of business presentations might be revolutionized!
This is much more than a "how to do" book; it is more appropriately a "how to think" book. The writing is excellent and the supporting visuals are elegant. The foreword by Guy Kawasaki is unexpected and effective.
This book didn't just change the way I think about presentations, it changed the way I look at our world. Definitely worth reading, and a great reference tool!
I very much enjoyed Richard St. John’s book, “Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and RICH”. It was a best-seller in Canada, and now Richard has authored “8 to be Great”, a condensed version of his earlier work. “8 to be Great” is a better fit to the U. S. market for that genre of books; less cost and a fairly short read. It’s based on many interviews that Richard did with successful people from all walks of life. The common thread among these successful people is that none of them do what they do just for the money. They are all start with passion, and the money comes anyway. That’s a refreshing message in our sometimes shallow, materialistic, media-driven society!
Check out his 8 to be Great blog and his short video introduction of the book. Spike, the nice little character used before, remains in this new book. I will be sharing “8 to be Great” with students at the career school where I work. This is an outstanding book for everyone, but has an especially inspiring message for young people. Richard’s style of writing is entertaining and enjoyable, and the message is significant and potentially life-changing!
I spend a good amount of time in the blogosphere through my RSS feeds. I stumbled on a blog by Gretchen Ruben called The Happiness Project. She also has her own website about her books, and has authored books about JFK and Winston Churchill that I will be checking out.
Gretchen is an attorney and writer who takes the time and effort to research happiness. Her twelve commandments portray a true common-sense approach to leading a more fulfilling life. I like her writing style, and her Saturday happiness quote is something I look forward to each week. Gretchen is well read and down-to-earth in her approach. Check her out!
Have you ever sat through a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation where a monotone presenter was reading the slides to you? Working in a bureaucracy (public school setting), most of the presentations I’ve seen were put together and delivered by bureaucrats. To me, even when the presentation is informational in nature, there is no need to be boring. Why attend a presentation about things you can just read for yourself?
A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. Not only does Dan give some fresh perspectives on left/right brain concepts, he tells us how people with right brain capabilities will stunningly impact future society. We can see part of this paradigm shift taking place today; more analytical, left-brained directed activities are either being moved to cheaper off-shore labor pools, or they are being replaced by technology.
Dan identifies six high concept, high touch aptitudes that will shape our future; Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning. I for one was excited to share Dan's optimism, because this Whole New Mind will shape a Whole New World.
I just finished reading “Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and RICH” by Richard St. John. This book challenges the preconceived notions many people have about “successful” people. Richard gave a captivating 3-minute talk at the TED conference, and his website has a 5 minute excerpt from his full talk also. He has interviewed many successful people, and through his research, has put together some of the real reasons some people are successful. His delivery of the subject is refreshingly simple and quite entertaining!
This book easily hits my top 10. Good stuff!!
Here is a listing of books that have had a positive influence on me. Most are management-centered books and writings about personal change. I'm now beginning to read some history related books, starting with a few by David McCullough.
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen Covey
The Elegant Solution, Toyota's Formula for Mastering Innovation
by Matthew May
Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and RICH
by Richard St. John
A Whole New Mind
by Daniel Pink
Presentation Zen
by Garr Reynolds
The Secret Language of Leadership
by Stephen Denning
Forty Ways to Look at JFK
by Gretchen Ruben
Who Moved my Cheese
by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth H. Blanchard
The No Asshole Rule
Robert I Sutton, PhD.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
by Dale Carnegie
The Art of the Start
by Guy Kawasaki
Gung Ho
by Ken Blanchard
Jack: Straight from the Gut
by Jack Welch and John A. Byrne
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
Making Horses Drink: How to Lead & Succeed in Business
by Alex Hiam
There Are No Shortcuts
by Rafe Esquith
First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently
by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
Trainers in Motion: Creating a Participant-Centered Learning Experience
by Jim Vidakovich
Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service
by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
1776
by David McCullough
The Power of Intention
by Wayne Dyer
You’ll See It when you Believe It
by Wayne Dyer
The Art of War: The oldest military treatise in the world
by Sun-Tzu
