Friday, September 02, 2005

How to Succeed Without Working So Damn Hard!

How to Succeed in Business Without Working So Damn Hard: Rethinking the Rules, Reinventing the Game by Robert J. Kriegel
Review by: ilaxi 




Damn Hard Cash Crunch & Start Living!

It has ever been a race to meet the deadlines, blindly following up the routine work pressures and sacrificing the wee hours of life in order to gain achievement to label n brand it as `success' -This is the major folly of most efficient people at workplace who pay a price missing wider opportunities to enhance better future. The game is all about Working wisely and not Damn Hard as the Author advice cool tips on how to succeed in Business with a sharpened job performance pulling in the effective measures to take charge of total control of time schedules. Robert Kriegel's own experience has inspirational theme to add to productivity with less efforts. He focus on more efficiency reducing stress levels at workplace. With latest technology creeping in day in and out, cell phones, computers, internet demands more Time, money and energy levels to cope up with mounting work pressures. I personally feel, work never has a dead end but life's frustration do! And this is where Robert's insights are really helpful to be a success and re-think over working Damn hard as its endless. There is a time for let-go and just do nothing sometimes to rejuvenate oneself again and Robert's book is a tip on ice-berg `Work wonders, work wise ways' and there you scale higher to achieve in this economy crunch - all gains and no pains. I personally recommend this book for workaholic Businessmen and management leaders.

Who Moved My Cheese?

Who Moved My Cheese? By Dr. Spencer Johnson
Review by ilaxi



Change with the Change! Yeah, Who moved my Cheese is all about financial resources, Security and Happiness to retain when things go beyond control with waves of Changes spelling alarm at Business, workplace or Life. The control power is 'You' the person and the author conveys the message with a form of fable - four characters, Sniff and Scurry, the mice and two little people mouse size humans hem and Haw. Cheese relates to our living ways, our jobs and career paths. With the sea of changes swapping in, one got to change with the change is the flavor of the Book. Like the cheese runs out, new sources need to be looked for and this is a moral booster bringing in awareness and alertness to find solutions to spoon feed problems. Easy to read with quick glance, the book might provoke thoughts as to dig into lives of people speaking their experiences after the fable is said as they share their ideas and thoughts. However, every individual Business person or CEO at their work levels, face changes n have a scoop of their life, their best sorted principles n ways, the messages in the book serve only as a boost to face Changes. Life is full of obstacles and to deal with them, Dr. Spencer Johnson brings in a theme 'Who moved my cheese' - esp. the best part is the illustrations and the quickie 'quotes' which can be special motivators. No wonder, an upcoming Lecture presented by a reputed newspaper in my town on 'Who moved my cheese' may prove boon to many esp. in times of money crisis. Whatever, All said, its Thinking process to re-charge with renewed faith and this does the trick - Get the Cheese n say 'cheese' - Nice Read!

First, Break All the Rules

First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently
By Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman
Building Better Relationships at Workplace
Review by ilaxi



Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman reveal their inner vision to focus on four keys to become excellent managers. Leaders are sometimes someone who yells, explodes, makes nearly impossible demands and rarely consider feelings of his subordinates in the changing scenario of Business challenges. In fact, Managers need the right feedback and know-how to deal with the employees and select them on the basis of talents & not only on skills and intellects. Managers need to pick the right choice, know the strength of the employee and define right results. Their role is to encourage and motivate the staff and the manager is totally responsible to build a team spirit says the Authors. Buckingham & coffman focus on hiring people on their talents rather than experience. The employee need to be appreciated and rewarded for the job done well. Some Managers zoom on in on the weakness of employee to create embarrassment and humiliation. First Break All the rules indeed Shows the Managers to be different and recognize the potentials in the staff. Any employee who is facing a management flaw is `slogging' in an uneasy environment and the results too lead to a downward fall in longer run. The result is either the staff finds the Boss Crazy or leave the job for a better prospects. This book is a read for all Managers & Leaders who want to retain their Star employees and reward them for their expertise to grow mutually. Bosses who are control freaks, unreasonable and not practical fail to survive. HRD is one main branch of company that is important and this book is just a tip on the iceberg, the right guide to Managers & staff to work in harmony, knowing their respective roles. The employees need opportunity to grow, clear concepts of work assignments, be praised for their achievement, right environment & friendly approach, motivation and their voice be heard as regards to their work level opinions & suggestions. First Break All the Rules: What the world's Greatest Managers Do Differently is my one most lovable book and when I read this book, I feel this is the right choice of Gift to give to any Leader who wish to Break Rules for better interaction and involvement, building better work place relationships for fruitful results. Yep, a gift to Break Rules - self improve and training session of Effective Management for Boss too!

Myth of Excellence

Myth of Excellence by Fred Crawford and Ryan Mathews
Review by : ilaxi




The success of any company always depend on the discipline of marketing, breaking off the malpractice adopted by and large by many companies. Respect, service, trust, genuine quality are the values to strengthen from the grass root levels. Fred Crawford and Ryan Mathews with a in-depth research of many companies reveals that customer service is the key to success and the customer experience is the prime dedicating factor consideration in time to come. The book is an insight to the companies to offer the best by examining their products and executing them with par excellence to stand by the competitive edge. Myth of Excellence is way of the wizard to gain the confidence of the customers. The idea to give a commission and link to something 'free' is a common notion. The rates pulled up to a 20% and than the discount offered only stems out indecent bargain ethics. Brand name and quality are in demand and customers often resort to the quality and service of the consumer products. Catching promotions do attract but the consumer stays unimpressed if quality, service & trust is not offered. Trust is the key of a merchant's scale to shoot up the success chart. This book is a read for CEOs and Company marketing Dept executives to play their roles and create a brand offering the best of the best to keep the customer list hooked to their line of products. Appreciation of the customers motivates the team for a success. This book is a good read for CEO's of Companies who fall below standards and it stands a handy resource guide to marketers who wish to excel and stand a 'class apart' wading the competition to be on top. I recommend this book as it has the value guidance for Companies who want to reach the 'winning edge'- Whatever be the product!

The Invisible CEO

The Invisible CEO By Krish
Launch of the book 'The Invisible CEO' with the author A.G. Krishnamurthy on Friday, 8th April 2005 at 6:00 pm at Crossword Ahmedabad.Prof. Atul Tandan (Director, Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad) graced the occasion.

‘The Invisible CEO’ is a repertoire of very deep thoughts and reflections of a person, who till recently led Mudra - one of India’s best advertising agencies

The book includes a critique of brands and advertising and goes well beyond all of that into what touches our lives and living. The core of the book resonates with the following theme: “No matter how different you are, or how much of an ‘odd man out’ you feel, if you believe strongly enough and long enough, it is possible to continue to be who you are and to make a success out of doing what you love.”

A G. Krishnamurthy, founder chairman and managing director of Mudra Communications, began the agency with a start-up capital of Rs.35,000 and one client. In just nine years, Mudra became India’s third and largest Indian advertising agency. Mr Krishnamurthy is currently the chairman of AGK Brand Consulting. The father of four children - three daughters and a son, AGK lives in Hyderabad with his family.

(Krish as we fondly called him, is my first Boss and he was the first person who interviewed me for a job at Shilpi Advertising Ltd. Here's my Blog note on him - ilaxi)

Executive Skills

Test Your Executive Skills: Assess Your Potential Through 50 Effective Quizzes by Terry Farnsworth
Availability: This item is currently unavailable@Amazon
Book Review by ilaxi:

Know Your Potentiality - Check skills

There are times on Peak that your Career becomes stagnant in spite of efforts. This amazing valuable Book of Terry has always been my favorite. Doing crosswords and word search is fun and so when I got this priced book, it didn't take much for me to grab the copy as the caption itself reads 'Test Your Executive Skills with thoughtful questions:

1. Are you a good leader?
2. Can you manage outstanding people?
3. Can you run effective meetings?
4. Can you handle a crisis?
5. Can you Manage your Time?
6. Can you seal your own ideas?

Inside are 50 Effective quizzes to assess your potentials and check performances and skills at work levels. If you are an Executive, definitely the book provides management for Success. It has highly perceptive analysis and with his experience as Manager of Personnel Development of UK Corporate Training dept., Terry Fansworth along with his four previous books has tremendous Development boosting to possess Executive skills. The Tests helps to see yourself as others see you and recognize the mistakes and makes one improve. Some of the Topics covered up in the book are: [Random selection]

1. Do you Procrastinate? The delay tactics at work levels never brings in results.
2.Are you well organized? Bad working habits only lead to loss of respect from boss/people who work for you.
3. Are you a good speaker?
4. Can you handle Consultants?
5. How good a Politician are you?
6. Are you leading a balanced life?
7. How Tolerant are you?
8. Do you welcome a Change?
9. Are you in the Right Job?
10.Can you Take Tough Decisions?

More Topics with points to ponder over and Choose the answers that suits best, in a light, relaxed style. In today's time, when there are more Seminars conducted, more lectures through on Management skills and mind management, this Book, if you are able to grab the copy, will be tremendously helpful especially to brush up the Executive skills and ponder upon every Quiz Questions. Even if you can't grab a copy of this book, your answers to above questions will reveal your positive/negative traits. That itself makes a Big Difference. It's 'Attitude' that counts after all! Good Read.

-ilaxi