A book in the useful style of 50 short pieces (each only a few pages long) containing an idea to improve your life in employment.
Ok so some of the ideas are obvious but many of them make you think of how you approach your job.
The key message running throughout the book is that if you want to get on then you need to be different and stand out in some way (or ways). Oh and do something you really enjoy!
Thursday 26 November 2009
Saturday 7 November 2009
Risk by Dan Gardner
A superb book that should be given to anyone you come across who is taking the latest media scare out of proportion. How our natural response to situations often comes from our (reptillian) brain even when our conscious brain does take the time to think about an issue it has a hard time overcomming this. How the media, politicians, business and lobby groups all have a vested interest in making us frightened (and keeping us that way).
Really, we are living in the safest period ever and are likely to live far longer than our ancestors.
p3 how the fear of flying after 9/11 killed more people who switched to driving in the US. The chance of any american dying in the attacks was 1 in 93,000 - the annual risk of any American being hit by a car is 1 in 48,548
p12 how people are terrified about chernobyl but regularly expose themselves to far more radiation sunbathing (or from radon gas)
p13 car kill more people than handguns!
p41 how being given a number beforehand will 'anchor' any subsequent estimate
p49 feminst bank tellers and other discrimination
p53 how to be persuasive (but probably wrong)
p56, p61 it is the ease of recall of an event or idea (not the quantity or importance) that guides intuition. So practive makes perfect (or at least a habit). Also explains why fear is on teh rise even wehn we are living in teh safest time in history - the media and our society keep talking about frightening things!
p120 the frightening lack of numeracy in the general population
p132 confirmation bias - once we have a belief in our head we filter incoming information and reject that which doesn't agree with it.
p136 groupthink - leads to more extreeme views
p145/389 4 views of an ideal community or organisation
p222 fear of strangers vs the real statistics of crime
p269 cancer overwhelmingly not caused by man-made chemicals
p281 the fallacy of ignoring age in cancer deaths (it is the biggest risk factor)
p294 how we could really improve the nations health (don't smoke, eat less exercise more)
p301 various lifetime risks vs terriorism: lifetime risk of an American being killed by lightning;1 in 79,746 venomous plant or animal 1 in 39,873 drowning in a bathtub 1 in 11,289 committing sucide 1 in 119 or dying in a car crash 1 in 84 - lifetime risk, worldwide of dying from a terrorist attack estimated between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 1,000,000 (apart from in Israel where it is between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000)
Really, we are living in the safest period ever and are likely to live far longer than our ancestors.
p3 how the fear of flying after 9/11 killed more people who switched to driving in the US. The chance of any american dying in the attacks was 1 in 93,000 - the annual risk of any American being hit by a car is 1 in 48,548
p12 how people are terrified about chernobyl but regularly expose themselves to far more radiation sunbathing (or from radon gas)
p13 car kill more people than handguns!
p41 how being given a number beforehand will 'anchor' any subsequent estimate
p49 feminst bank tellers and other discrimination
p53 how to be persuasive (but probably wrong)
p56, p61 it is the ease of recall of an event or idea (not the quantity or importance) that guides intuition. So practive makes perfect (or at least a habit). Also explains why fear is on teh rise even wehn we are living in teh safest time in history - the media and our society keep talking about frightening things!
p120 the frightening lack of numeracy in the general population
p132 confirmation bias - once we have a belief in our head we filter incoming information and reject that which doesn't agree with it.
p136 groupthink - leads to more extreeme views
p145/389 4 views of an ideal community or organisation
p222 fear of strangers vs the real statistics of crime
p269 cancer overwhelmingly not caused by man-made chemicals
p281 the fallacy of ignoring age in cancer deaths (it is the biggest risk factor)
p294 how we could really improve the nations health (don't smoke, eat less exercise more)
p301 various lifetime risks vs terriorism: lifetime risk of an American being killed by lightning;1 in 79,746 venomous plant or animal 1 in 39,873 drowning in a bathtub 1 in 11,289 committing sucide 1 in 119 or dying in a car crash 1 in 84 - lifetime risk, worldwide of dying from a terrorist attack estimated between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 1,000,000 (apart from in Israel where it is between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000)
Friday 9 October 2009
The Human Mind, and how to make the most of it
Robert Winston's book to accompany the BBC TV series. Explores the biology of, primarily damaged, brains to understand our minds and the faculties we all have. He looks at the biology of the brain and how the mind is a description of teh working action of the brain. Finally he touches on the evolutionary drivers that have caused our brains to develop as they have.
p121 the process of recognition by pattern matching the firing of individual memories of all the attributes of an object. So that the individual attributes can be shared across a number of objects.
p146 on the biological process that underlies mastering a task so that it becomes subconscious
p149 on the location of 'will' as in 'free will' in the brain. Given that actions or descisions to act become conscious only some time (p173) after an action has been initiated then is there such a thing as free will at all?
p208 a biological explanation for teenager anger.
p459 Stephen Wiltshire gets his own mention!
p121 the process of recognition by pattern matching the firing of individual memories of all the attributes of an object. So that the individual attributes can be shared across a number of objects.
p146 on the biological process that underlies mastering a task so that it becomes subconscious
p149 on the location of 'will' as in 'free will' in the brain. Given that actions or descisions to act become conscious only some time (p173) after an action has been initiated then is there such a thing as free will at all?
p208 a biological explanation for teenager anger.
p459 Stephen Wiltshire gets his own mention!
Friday 18 September 2009
Focus the power of targeted thinking
A way of improving time management / goal setting that is based on what seemed to me to be a novel approach that might just work - You set a goal e.g. to reach a target weight, you do whatever you think will get you there, you monitor your progress, if it's working just carry on, if not, try something different. Overall your goal is to keep trying something different until you find something that works.
As long as you are trying something different you are making progress - think back to Edison and the discovery of 10,00 ways not to make a lightbulb.
p57 much of the time doing what we should be doing is a lot less enjoyable than doing something else.
p65 Creating flow in a group (diverse group, no tables so stand and move, lots of ways to record ideas, playful atmosphere)
p105 A saying "we train other people how to treat us" in other words we get the support we deserve form others.
p107 the all purpose reply "you may be right"
p120 learn to listen (paraphrased what the other person is saying, assess how the other person feels about what they are saying) set yourself a target to listen attentively for say 5 minutes.
p159 check emails at start, lunch and end of day
p165 make email subject lines so that the recipient can decide whether to read it or not. If possible put teh whole message in the subject line!
p189 don't expect, inspect
p192 hold a Massive Action Day MAD
As long as you are trying something different you are making progress - think back to Edison and the discovery of 10,00 ways not to make a lightbulb.
p57 much of the time doing what we should be doing is a lot less enjoyable than doing something else.
p65 Creating flow in a group (diverse group, no tables so stand and move, lots of ways to record ideas, playful atmosphere)
p105 A saying "we train other people how to treat us" in other words we get the support we deserve form others.
p107 the all purpose reply "you may be right"
p120 learn to listen (paraphrased what the other person is saying, assess how the other person feels about what they are saying) set yourself a target to listen attentively for say 5 minutes.
p159 check emails at start, lunch and end of day
p165 make email subject lines so that the recipient can decide whether to read it or not. If possible put teh whole message in the subject line!
p189 don't expect, inspect
p192 hold a Massive Action Day MAD
Sunday 23 August 2009
Ground Control
A though provoking book looking at our broken society and the role that the built envirnment plays in it.
From the increasing prevalance of 'private' public space that excludes anyone who doesn't want to shop, to the fear created within gated communities - you can never have enough security! And the way the whole built environment in the UK has been handed over to corporations to generate a profit.
The book does end on a more positive note, looking at some more successful models from continental Europe.
From the increasing prevalance of 'private' public space that excludes anyone who doesn't want to shop, to the fear created within gated communities - you can never have enough security! And the way the whole built environment in the UK has been handed over to corporations to generate a profit.
The book does end on a more positive note, looking at some more successful models from continental Europe.
Saturday 15 August 2009
It's a PC World
Edward Stourton (of R4 Today fame) takes us throug a journey that looks at both sides of the Political Correctness debate.
I bought the book thinking it would be a good rant on PC excesses but it did manage to convert me to the view that PC does have its place when trying to modify the values and behaviours of a society (think of Germany after WWII).
It did have a good crop of examples of the PC police excesses and daft council proclomations though.
A more thoughtful read than I expected, well written and entertaining.
I bought the book thinking it would be a good rant on PC excesses but it did manage to convert me to the view that PC does have its place when trying to modify the values and behaviours of a society (think of Germany after WWII).
It did have a good crop of examples of the PC police excesses and daft council proclomations though.
A more thoughtful read than I expected, well written and entertaining.
Sunday 9 August 2009
Boringology
77 short reviews of scientific research that cover a wide variety of topics.
The smell of fear (my dog didn't need research to be able to detect it from people who are frightened of dogs)
Measuring breast bounce in teh search for better bras.
Where George W Bush ranks in terms of IQ amongst US Presidents (there was someone dumber)
How Cliff Richard seems to be modelling himself on Jesus
Lesbian Koalas
The declining number of people proud to be British (as opposed to English, Scots or Welsh)
The smell of fear (my dog didn't need research to be able to detect it from people who are frightened of dogs)
Measuring breast bounce in teh search for better bras.
Where George W Bush ranks in terms of IQ amongst US Presidents (there was someone dumber)
How Cliff Richard seems to be modelling himself on Jesus
Lesbian Koalas
The declining number of people proud to be British (as opposed to English, Scots or Welsh)
Friday 17 July 2009
The Longer Long Tail
An updated version of the Long Tail in which Chris Anderson explores the rich markets for producs and services beyond the limited selection of 'top hits' normally available. How often there is an even bigger market in what is not available in your typical outlet - the world of tremendous choice and variety - your job is to find a way to make money out of it.
Also some good content for those interested in Socal Networking
p7 how 98% of the content of a digital jukebox actually gets played
p76 www.lulu.com a means to get your personal book published and sold
p109 In the information age, context not content is king
p113 a list of top blogs: BoingBoing, Daily Kos, FARK.com, Gizmodo, Instapundit.com, Engadget, PostSecret
p124 There seems to be a correlation between Maves (who know a lot and like to share their knowledge) and bloggers.
p131 a note about the 80:20 rule - it doesn't have to add to 100% as each side is in different units.
p172 the flaw in the too much choice arguments - that the problem is too much choice without trusted guidance.
p182 GOATSE
p219 get your customers to do the work with external online blogs etc.
p230 tips on monitoring for internet activity on your brand
p242 on teh future role of PR - internal coaching or getting your brand blogged.
p244 THCO life of a chocolate bar.
Also some good content for those interested in Socal Networking
p7 how 98% of the content of a digital jukebox actually gets played
p76 www.lulu.com a means to get your personal book published and sold
p109 In the information age, context not content is king
p113 a list of top blogs: BoingBoing, Daily Kos, FARK.com, Gizmodo, Instapundit.com, Engadget, PostSecret
p124 There seems to be a correlation between Maves (who know a lot and like to share their knowledge) and bloggers.
p131 a note about the 80:20 rule - it doesn't have to add to 100% as each side is in different units.
p172 the flaw in the too much choice arguments - that the problem is too much choice without trusted guidance.
p182 GOATSE
p219 get your customers to do the work with external online blogs etc.
p230 tips on monitoring for internet activity on your brand
p242 on teh future role of PR - internal coaching or getting your brand blogged.
p244 THCO life of a chocolate bar.
Friday 3 July 2009
FLIP - how to survive and thrive by turning your business on its head
A diferent perspective on what will make business survive and thrive, namely that we have to innovate and be incredibly flexible to make the most of opportunities
p16 25%+ of teh daily searches on Google are unique
p33 Strategy o teh go (flexible) is not the same as no strategy at all (foolish)
p50 'Most people operate under the assumption that they will regret foolish actions taken more than smart actions not taken, This is, interestingly, false.'
p52 on the need to attract 20-somethings, if not as employees then as customers.
p65 'Unlike knowledge, which is infinitely reusable, ignorance is a one hot deal: Once it has been displaced by knowledge, it can be hard to get back. And after it's gone, we are more apt to follow well-worn paths to find answers than to exert our sense of what we don't know in order to probe new options. Knowledge can stand in the way of innovation. SOlved problems tend to stay solved, sometimes disastrously so.'
p90 ideas for a strategy discussion - the one I liked best was to get your senior team to discuss the potential changes in teh demands of your customers and staff over the coming years. Remembering that waht is good enough, fast enough and cheap enough toda, won't be tomorrow. What challenges will these present to your business?
p115 Samsung spend 2- to 30% of sales on R&D.
p144 make your processes easy for the customer, not you.
p185 stats on internet usage by teens, more than 50% are daily users.
p193 attract and retain the best staff, through teh work they do and teh relationships you help them build.
p213 keep trying - You can make OK money doing what everyone else is doing but it's not going to put a dent in the universe, although the odds against immediate success are daunting, the more you are willing to keep trying new things the more teh odds shift in your favour.
p263 be open to serendipity, to findng things you wern't looking for.
p265 there is no i in team but there is in innovation - innovations don't begin in crowds but crowds are necessary to validate innovation.
p 280 to get control give it up: if your staff are so bored they are spending hours downloading junk from the internet then you should look at your staff selection processes, and more important at the work you are engaging them in and the culture that exists!
p289 Get up off your arse and do something
p16 25%+ of teh daily searches on Google are unique
p33 Strategy o teh go (flexible) is not the same as no strategy at all (foolish)
p50 'Most people operate under the assumption that they will regret foolish actions taken more than smart actions not taken, This is, interestingly, false.'
p52 on the need to attract 20-somethings, if not as employees then as customers.
p65 'Unlike knowledge, which is infinitely reusable, ignorance is a one hot deal: Once it has been displaced by knowledge, it can be hard to get back. And after it's gone, we are more apt to follow well-worn paths to find answers than to exert our sense of what we don't know in order to probe new options. Knowledge can stand in the way of innovation. SOlved problems tend to stay solved, sometimes disastrously so.'
p90 ideas for a strategy discussion - the one I liked best was to get your senior team to discuss the potential changes in teh demands of your customers and staff over the coming years. Remembering that waht is good enough, fast enough and cheap enough toda, won't be tomorrow. What challenges will these present to your business?
p115 Samsung spend 2- to 30% of sales on R&D.
p144 make your processes easy for the customer, not you.
p185 stats on internet usage by teens, more than 50% are daily users.
p193 attract and retain the best staff, through teh work they do and teh relationships you help them build.
p213 keep trying - You can make OK money doing what everyone else is doing but it's not going to put a dent in the universe, although the odds against immediate success are daunting, the more you are willing to keep trying new things the more teh odds shift in your favour.
p263 be open to serendipity, to findng things you wern't looking for.
p265 there is no i in team but there is in innovation - innovations don't begin in crowds but crowds are necessary to validate innovation.
p 280 to get control give it up: if your staff are so bored they are spending hours downloading junk from the internet then you should look at your staff selection processes, and more important at the work you are engaging them in and the culture that exists!
p289 Get up off your arse and do something
Sunday 7 June 2009
Predictably Irrational
A book that explores some of the Buyology ideas in more depth as well as ome other fascinating insights into why we don't make rational descisions (even though we tell ourseleves that we do, and we really believe that we do).
p18 tips for a contented life: ensure you earn more than your wife's sister's husband!
p21 the more we have the more we want - a never eanding emotional treadmill of consumption
p97,101 that aroused men (and boys) have a seriously reduced capacity for judgement when aroused - certainly a novel way to attack teenage pregnancy
p18 tips for a contented life: ensure you earn more than your wife's sister's husband!
p21 the more we have the more we want - a never eanding emotional treadmill of consumption
p97,101 that aroused men (and boys) have a seriously reduced capacity for judgement when aroused - certainly a novel way to attack teenage pregnancy
Thursday 14 May 2009
The (Mis)behaviour of Markets
I never knew Benoit Mandlebrot had such a broad and interesting career - I just knew him from fractals and chaos theory.
In this book he gives a more mathematical depth to the concepts in Taleb's Black Swan. Fundamentally that modern financial instruments are based on a fallacy that the probability distribution of events is normal or gaussian. Real life isn't like that the unexpected is far more common than we like to think (as events in 2008 have confirmed)
In this book he gives a more mathematical depth to the concepts in Taleb's Black Swan. Fundamentally that modern financial instruments are based on a fallacy that the probability distribution of events is normal or gaussian. Real life isn't like that the unexpected is far more common than we like to think (as events in 2008 have confirmed)
The Truth about Innovation
Another great book for dipping in and out of with 55 thought provoking innovation ideas to get you and your team off on a new tack. Each idea is expanded with examples over 2 or 3 pages.
I particularly likes messages about developing your staff (they are where your innovation and differentiation will come from) p 102
Get your team to read (anything really) p81
Hire for learning ability - not what someone can already do p105
Tips to get ideas adopted in your organisation p191
I particularly likes messages about developing your staff (they are where your innovation and differentiation will come from) p 102
Get your team to read (anything really) p81
Hire for learning ability - not what someone can already do p105
Tips to get ideas adopted in your organisation p191
Wednesday 6 May 2009
Byology - Martin Lindstrom
A nbook covering the underlying neuroscience behind why we buy what we buy. Especially revealing is that when asked in surveys and focus groups, what people give as explanations is often not correlated with what they actually do.
p30 Fear as a driver for making people buy works
p56 Why editorial is so effective
p149 On keeping a room clean by using the scent of cleaning materials in the air.
p30 Fear as a driver for making people buy works
p56 Why editorial is so effective
p149 On keeping a room clean by using the scent of cleaning materials in the air.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Affluenza
Quite a frightening book if you take the message seriously regarding what the population of teh affluent West is doing to itself by consuming more and more 'stuff' that it wants rather than needs.
Advice on how to protect our children from the pressure p303
An anonymous quote on the secret of happiness: If you want to be happy for a few hours, get drunk; if you want to be happy for a few years, get married; if you want to be happy for life, get a garden.
Debates the point of ever increasing educational attainment with regard to economic success of a nation p296
In the appendix the chart of the very strong correlation between income inequality in a society and emotional distress / mental illness.
Advice on how to protect our children from the pressure p303
An anonymous quote on the secret of happiness: If you want to be happy for a few hours, get drunk; if you want to be happy for a few years, get married; if you want to be happy for life, get a garden.
Debates the point of ever increasing educational attainment with regard to economic success of a nation p296
In the appendix the chart of the very strong correlation between income inequality in a society and emotional distress / mental illness.
Wednesday 25 March 2009
Personal Impact - what it takes to make a difference
A very good overview of a wide range of aspects of making a bigger personal impact. Also with a good suggested reading list and cross reference to further material
Personal appearance and body language
Presentation skills and prescence
Rapport building and networking techniques
Finally getting the job you want (and then getting a raise)
Some of the materail is a little superficial but overall a good introduction
Personal appearance and body language
Presentation skills and prescence
Rapport building and networking techniques
Finally getting the job you want (and then getting a raise)
Some of the materail is a little superficial but overall a good introduction
13 Things that don't make sense
A collection of chapters on 13 scientific anomolies that don't make sense and are possibly where the next big breakthrough will come from.
Ranging from astromony, cold fusion, life itself, death, sex and free will. Thought provoking and entertaining. I especially liked the overview of the free will debate.
Ranging from astromony, cold fusion, life itself, death, sex and free will. Thought provoking and entertaining. I especially liked the overview of the free will debate.
Monday 23 March 2009
Management & Machiavelli
Whilst moving offices I cleared out my bookcase and it caused me to reread this book from the late 1980's. By Antony Jay (of Yes Prime Minister' fame), it made me think how little has changed since the 1980's in the political struggles for power inside organisations. In fact little has changed since Machiavelli write his book much earlier than that!
Well worth a read if you can get hold of a copy. ISBN 0 09 169941 X
Well worth a read if you can get hold of a copy. ISBN 0 09 169941 X
Wednesday 18 March 2009
Purple Cow
A book on getting your product (or you) noticed. Primarily written for non-Marketeers the book doesn't have too much content but does make you think about the messages we are all bombarded with every day and how little we now take notice of them.
p80 Products differ but the characteristics of early adopters stay the same.
p73 get the email addresses of the 20% of your customer base that loves you and then give just them something really special.
p132 you can't out-Amazon Amazon so go to a market space where they are not.
p80 Products differ but the characteristics of early adopters stay the same.
p73 get the email addresses of the 20% of your customer base that loves you and then give just them something really special.
p132 you can't out-Amazon Amazon so go to a market space where they are not.
Sunday 1 February 2009
How to be a Complete & Utter failure in Life Work & Everything
I came across Steve McDermott at a seminar in Brighouse in January 2008 and enjoyed his presentation so much I got hold of the book. I must confess I was a little apprehensive as I wasn't immediately drawn to the title or the cover - however the content was bloody brilliant! I could hear Steve's voice and delivery in my head as I read it.
Written in an innovative style of telling you what not to do to be a failure, your subconscious (which has no concept of don't) just absorbs it all as what to do.
I read quite a few books whilst travelling and I tend to judge them by the number of margin notes I make - this one has my highest so far. Some of the ones I liked most:
If you don't think about the future - you don't have one p8
Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have it, you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known p10
A life view for happiness - try new things (one which I'm happy to say I work on adhering to) p88
Better to ask for forgiveness than permission p95
You choose what the voices inside your head tell you p103
A plea for lifelong learning, You live and learn, then you die and forget it all p156, p158
The top indicator of ability to rise to the top of an organisation is an ability to speak powerfully in public p168
Top tips for being a successful leader p162
The acid test of are you really one p164
And finally one activity that really made a difference to me personally was to spend 15 minutes writing down your most important values, then pick the top five (see Brian Mayne's Life Mapping) p21
Humourous but with a serious message about how to live a happier life.
Written in an innovative style of telling you what not to do to be a failure, your subconscious (which has no concept of don't) just absorbs it all as what to do.
I read quite a few books whilst travelling and I tend to judge them by the number of margin notes I make - this one has my highest so far. Some of the ones I liked most:
If you don't think about the future - you don't have one p8
Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have it, you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known p10
A life view for happiness - try new things (one which I'm happy to say I work on adhering to) p88
Better to ask for forgiveness than permission p95
You choose what the voices inside your head tell you p103
A plea for lifelong learning, You live and learn, then you die and forget it all p156, p158
The top indicator of ability to rise to the top of an organisation is an ability to speak powerfully in public p168
Top tips for being a successful leader p162
The acid test of are you really one p164
And finally one activity that really made a difference to me personally was to spend 15 minutes writing down your most important values, then pick the top five (see Brian Mayne's Life Mapping) p21
Humourous but with a serious message about how to live a happier life.
Saturday 31 January 2009
Self Mapping
A similar approach to Brian Mayne's Goal Mapping but applied to you as an individual. Taking you through the steps of producing a pictorial representation of your ideal self.
The approach borders on a philosophy for life in places and I had trouble with the chosen terms self, low-self, high Self and Self (I think these could be improved on to make the book clearer) but there were plenty of thoughtful quotes.
In esscence, the book sets out to help the reader overcom their instinctive reactions to situations and choose the response they would like by understanding ther own personal subconscious drivers. The first part of the book focuses on negative traits holding you back and he second half on who you want to be more often.
A different point of view is simply the view from a point where you are not (physically or mentally) p31
He who knows others is wise, he who knows himself is enlightened p25
We can learn from every experience p99
Your level of performance will never besignifiacntly higher than your belief of your ability p41
Life is a scholol wheer the lesson is repeated as often as is necessary p193
The secret of the hapiest peope is that they see the best in everything, in whatever they have p26
The approach borders on a philosophy for life in places and I had trouble with the chosen terms self, low-self, high Self and Self (I think these could be improved on to make the book clearer) but there were plenty of thoughtful quotes.
In esscence, the book sets out to help the reader overcom their instinctive reactions to situations and choose the response they would like by understanding ther own personal subconscious drivers. The first part of the book focuses on negative traits holding you back and he second half on who you want to be more often.
A different point of view is simply the view from a point where you are not (physically or mentally) p31
He who knows others is wise, he who knows himself is enlightened p25
We can learn from every experience p99
Your level of performance will never besignifiacntly higher than your belief of your ability p41
Life is a scholol wheer the lesson is repeated as often as is necessary p193
The secret of the hapiest peope is that they see the best in everything, in whatever they have p26
Sunday 25 January 2009
Life's a game so fix the odds
I heard Philip Hesketh speak at a confidence club seminar in January 2009, he was a great speaker so I got hold of the book.
A version of how to win friends and influence people for the modern sales professional is how I would describe the content mixed in with some of Philip's life history. The techniques don't just apply to sales though, they are equally valuable whenever you are attempting to negotiate or persuade someone.
Covering the science of persuasion, the benefits of being different and of valuing diversity in others and finally the tools to help persuade people to buy from you and hence your business.
A version of how to win friends and influence people for the modern sales professional is how I would describe the content mixed in with some of Philip's life history. The techniques don't just apply to sales though, they are equally valuable whenever you are attempting to negotiate or persuade someone.
Covering the science of persuasion, the benefits of being different and of valuing diversity in others and finally the tools to help persuade people to buy from you and hence your business.
Thursday 15 January 2009
Outliers
In this book Malcolm Gladwell looks at the underlying factors behind success, or more specifically successful people.
Of course he say there is talent but that is certainly not enough. The outstanding have been born at a certain time, in a certain place and have had certain life experiences that created opportunities for them that they had the strength and courage to sieze and make something of.
One of his key messages is that true outstanding performance comes basically from hard work - around 10,000 hours of it to achieve true mastery of a skill. That's why the world's top sportsmen (and women) spend so much time practising.
Perhaps one of the most depressing messages though is that the artifical cut-off dates we impose on selection processes for young children automaticalkly exclude at least half the available talent pool (think of how summer born children perform in the UK and USA education systems, and then because they get less education, they perform less well so they don't get picked for the top sets so they perform less well so then they don't get to the top universities ad so have lower job opportunities and lifetime earnings - all because of an arbitary September cutt-off date for school admissions.
Those children from disadvantaged family backgrounds where there is no history of positive attitude to education suffer even more. And just look at what a transformation a program such as KIPP can make (and what sacrifices it requires).
The book end with Malcom reviewing his own opporrtunities and their roots seveal generations previously in the colour predujice amongst the various shades of black and brown on Jamacia.
As ever, Malcom writes in a engaging style - if you enjoyed Blink or The Tipping Point you will want to read Outliers as well
Of course he say there is talent but that is certainly not enough. The outstanding have been born at a certain time, in a certain place and have had certain life experiences that created opportunities for them that they had the strength and courage to sieze and make something of.
One of his key messages is that true outstanding performance comes basically from hard work - around 10,000 hours of it to achieve true mastery of a skill. That's why the world's top sportsmen (and women) spend so much time practising.
Perhaps one of the most depressing messages though is that the artifical cut-off dates we impose on selection processes for young children automaticalkly exclude at least half the available talent pool (think of how summer born children perform in the UK and USA education systems, and then because they get less education, they perform less well so they don't get picked for the top sets so they perform less well so then they don't get to the top universities ad so have lower job opportunities and lifetime earnings - all because of an arbitary September cutt-off date for school admissions.
Those children from disadvantaged family backgrounds where there is no history of positive attitude to education suffer even more. And just look at what a transformation a program such as KIPP can make (and what sacrifices it requires).
The book end with Malcom reviewing his own opporrtunities and their roots seveal generations previously in the colour predujice amongst the various shades of black and brown on Jamacia.
As ever, Malcom writes in a engaging style - if you enjoyed Blink or The Tipping Point you will want to read Outliers as well
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