Month: July 2014

There are several common problems with business presentations, including failure to relate the message to the lives of the audience, failure to prepare adequately, and trying to cover too much information in too little time, according to Luis Cubero in his book Business Storytelling Guide: Creating Impactful and Compelling Business Presentations Using Storytelling Techniques. Each of these problems can be addressed by taking a storytelling approach to the presentation.

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

Organizations must learn how to drive innovation from both the technology side and the customer side. The challenge for companies is how to get better at bringing those two sides together, according to Marion Debruyne in her book Customer Innovation: Customer-Centric Strategy for Enduring Growth. The essence of customer innovation is that the organization and its ecosystem are a united force in addressing a market demand.

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

Intel’s greatest strength has been its willingness to take huge risks, even betting the company, according to Michael Malone in his book The Intel Trinity: How Robert Noyce, Gordon Moore and Andy Grove Built the World’s Most Important Company. On the occasions when those bets have failed, the company has clawed its way back into the game through superhuman effort and will,… and then immediately gone on to take yet more risks.

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

You can listen to strategic advice for leading virtual teams such as “build a culture of trust” or “encourage social interactions among your team” all day long; but if you don’t get specific tactical steps that you can implement straight away, those strategies won’t be of much help, according to Hassan Osman in his book Influencing Virtual Teams: 17 Tactics That Get Things Done with Your Remote Employees. Hence the author provides a range of tactics, rather than strategies.

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

Too often, leadership is a Faustian bargain. Most leadership experts play off your ego. Few actually help shape your ego, which must be neither too large nor too small in order to manage effectively and to get out with your soul intact, according to Rob Ashgar in his book Leadership is Hell: How to Manage Well – And Escape with Your Soul. The book aims to help the reader find the right balance for his or her own life.

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

Last century the communications environment was typified by hierarchy, information control, broadcast and audience passivity. In the current century, communications are characterised by interconnectedness, speed, transparency, surveillance, and diversity, according to David Cowan in his book Strategic Internal Communication: How to Build Employee Engagement and Performance. The book aims to provide advice on internal corporate communications in the new information space.

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