Day: May 16, 2014

We have the wrong brain and the wrong education to get people decisions right, according to Claudio Fernández-Aráoz in his book It’s Not the How or the What but the Who: Succeed by Surrounding Yourself with the Best. We distrust people who are not similar to us, but to succeed in a globally minded environment we need to surround ourselves with people who have diverse backgrounds and complementary skills. And the vast majority of managers have not received proper training on assessing others and helping them reach their highest potential.

My full review of the book is available at my business book reviews website.

Even well-thought-out incentives lose effectiveness over time, and traditional practices of rewards programs often feel mechanical, manipulative and bureaucratic, according to George Langelett in his book How Do I Keep My Employees Motivated?: The Practice of Empathy-Based Management. Employees are influenced by emotions as well as logic in their decision-making, so managers need to develop their empathy skills to help employees make sound decisions and to influence long-term motivation.

My full review of the book is available at my business book reviews website.

Getting bought is better than selling. Although our business culture promotes closing as the most vital element of selling, it is far more important for professional service providers to concentrate on opening a relationship in the right way and keeping it open for the long run, according to Andrew Dietz in his book The Opening Playbook: A Professional’s Guide to Building Relationships that Grow Results.

My full review of the book is available at my business book reviews website.