By Georg Vielmetter and Yvonne Sell This book attempts to outline and analyse six megatrends that are shaping business and society now and in the immediate future. It examines what is changing between nations and attempts to analyse these into trends. Vielmetter and Sell focus on six megatrends in terms of time, reach, and impact: Globalization 2.0; The Environmental Crisis; Individualism and Value Pluralism; The Digital Era; Demographic Change; and Technological Convergence. The book also discusses the unique leadership challenges that these megatrends pose. There will be debate around whether their predictions will come to pass. The book is a dry read that took me many attempts to complete enough to review. It is not your usual leadership text, but rather a text for the analysis’s businesses employ to help shape company direction. For these selected few it will provide input for an businesses medium to long term planning. Not one for the average person.
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BY Christian MadsbjerMikkel Rasm The Moment of Clarity is about understanding people, whether customers, employees or anyone around us. As such is mixes practical advice with theory about society, particularly business around us. The book has two parts - 'Getting people wrong' and 'Getting people right'. As one can guess the first part is about what businesses and managers are doing wrong, while the second part gives us the concept of sensemaking. That is using a mix of participant observation, qualitative data gathering and holistic analysis to arrive at new insights about what really matters to customers. The underlying theme of the book is about getting a true understanding of your customers that comes from understanding human behaviour. Not the easiest of reads, and there are better books on the topic in the marketplace. YouTube Marketing Power Author – Jason G Miles Published by– McGraw Hill Reviewed by Heath Henwood Across the globe people are turning to the internet to buy products and services. One location that has emerged over the past few years is YouTube. This book, YouTube Marketing Power highlights the benefits of including YouTube in a business marketing strategy, as well as the how to set it up. YouTube has an enormous reaching power. In 2011 it has a bigger audience that all three major US television networks combined. There are an average of 140 video news views per persons on earth. It has over 1 billion visitors per month from across the world, the vast majority being outside North America. Sub-titled: How to use video to find more prospects, launch your products, and reach a massive audience, this book explores why YouTube is such a big opportunity for businesses, what businesses are doing right and wrong, quick and easy video techniques, and generate sales through YouTube. Author Jason Miles outlines why businesses are failing to capitalise on YouTube. Generally because of a lack of creative talent; fear of risk taking; and fear of trying something different. While the book outlines many reasons and strategies to overcome, it general comes down to a fear of the unknown. The book outlines the benefits of adopting YouTube as a marketing tool, including increasing web site traffic, referrals, social sharing of products and services, product demonstrations, and brand building. The authors outline in detail how to get started, avoiding common pitfalls, and how to get video put together and edited on a cheap budget. The book has testimonies of small and large businesses that have utilised the video hosting site to market product and create sales. It is a very practical book that leads you through the how to of marketing on YouTube, and how to link it to web sites and other social media. Miles outlines how to analysis the data you collect from social media, to ensure your marketing effectiveness. He has a chapter discussing where and how to advertise, and capitalising on promotions, as well as advice for charities and non-profits. The book is clear, that this is a strategy in a currently increasing field of opportunity. It is not a quick fix, but a strategy to develop. This is a worthwhile book for businesses of all shapes and sizes that want to invest in the internet market which is growing rapidly. Productivity Ninja Author – Graham Allcott Published by Icon Books Reviewed by Heath Henwood Being busy does not equate to being productive. Productivity Ninja, is, despite the authors best intentions, a manual for becoming more productive in the workplace and life. Allcott claims it is a manual for work and life. That the old time management strategies for the 80s and 90s are past. Attention management is the new fad in a world that has become more complex with information overload. This book explores the characteristics required to become a “Productivity Ninja”utilising the attention management strategies. These tools include having a Zen like calmness to create time and space to think rationally; to keep healthy; to be ruthless in protecting your time from distractions and others; being organised; being unorthodox in approaches; question the why and how of meetings and activities; and being able to respond to opportunities. The book examines the sources of stress, particularly in the workplace, and provides some strategies to deal with stress. It goes on with strategies to manage time, to allow time to be more effective. There is a chapter on dealing with emails, so that productivity is ensured. The remainder and bulk of the book introduces and expands on his productivity model– the CORD model. This examines has information is collected, organised, reviewed and decision are made. Having reviewed a lot of management titles, I found there were few new strategies in the book. I found the book repetitive in part, particularly with strategies. Author, Graham Allcott is a productivity trainer, and it appears that the book outlines many of the strategies that he teaches in workshops. On the positive side the book is easy, and the model is easy to implement. Possibly a good book to read over the holidays and implement in the new year. Authors - Gregory Shea and Cassie Solomon Publisher - Wharton Digital Press This compact book is full of practical ideas in management. It examines strategies for introducing and carrying out change in an organisation. Leading Successful Change is the essential guidebook for every manager aiming to implement change in their organisation. Along with the practical steps for introducing change, it provides usable models for change. Strategies covered include determining the desired outcome, and managing complex human behaviours so as to achieve successful change. A useful tool for leaders and managers across industries. Written by Jeff Golden Published by American Leadership Forum Book Review by Heath Henwood Everything we know about leadership is less than we still have to learn. The book is more a reflection of the leadership journey and practices of ALF (American Leadership Forum), than strategies for leadership development. Without being critical of the ALF program, the book is a marketing tool for the program. It outlines, in broad strokes, the processes of the program and some of the strategy behind the activities and values. Having said that, if you read beyond the American marketing hype, there are strategies that a business or community leader can take out, to further their leadership skills and improve their organisation and community. Topics cover include the primacy of relationships, particularly taking relationships to a deeper level, having a common purpose, and working for the greater good of society. Inner reflection and personal growth again encourages the participant to go to a deeper level. One of the key messages is the need for leaders to come together to address important issues facing their communities. A major strength of the book it its utilisation of the power of personal testimonies to illustrate points. The book is full of stories of how the ALF experience helped them to grow and become better leaders. Two questions remain. Firstly whether the book will span cultural differences. From my experience, I don’t think the book will be popular in Australia, however with adaptions the program may find some support in the major cities. Secondly, is the book worth reading, or is it a marketing tool for an American leadership program. There is a lot of material available on leadership, and “Everything we know about Leadership” doesn’t stack up. Did it teach me anything about leadership - No, but it did remind me of a few prior learnings that are alwys good to implement. |
AuthorHeath Henwood consults and speaks on Leadership, Strategic Planning and Management techniques. He has a Masters in Leadership, and is a Doctorial Candidate focusing on Leadership Development Strategies. He has extensive experience in private business and serves on several boards. Archives
January 2020
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