Business Books with a Lasting Influence
by Dianna Brodine
Plastics Business
Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
Start with No: The Negotiating Tools the Pros Don’t Want You to Know by Jim Camp
Leadership from the Inside Out by Kevin Cashman
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Thing Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan
The Ultimate Question 2.0: How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World by Fred Reichheld
The Booklist in the Summer 2015 issue of Plastics Business struck a chord, so this issue features book recommendations by Troy Nix, executive director of Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors (MAPP). Some of these books were given to him by members of the MAPP Board of Directors. While the Summer 2015 list detailed some of the most highly touted books of this year, the Fall 2015 Booklist reviews books that have had a lasting influence on those who lead the association, including one on becoming an influencer.
Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change
Authors: Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler
Released: 2013
Whether your goal is to change minds, change markets or change the world – anything is possible for an influencer. We all want to learn how to help ourselves and others change behavior. And yet, in spite of the fact that we routinely attempt to do everything from lose weight to improve quality at work, few of us have more than one or two ideas about how to exert influence. For the first time, "Influencer" brings together the breakthrough strategies of contemporary influence masters. By drawing from the skills of hundreds of successful influencers and combining them with five decades of the best social-science research, “Influencer” shares eight powerful principles for changing behaviors – principles almost anyone can apply to change almost anything.
Start with No: The Negotiating Tools the Pros Don’t Want You to Know
Author: Jim Camp
Published: 2011
“Start with No” introduces a system of decision-based negotiation. It offers a contrarian, counterintuitive system for negotiating any kind of deal in any kind of situation – the purchase of a new house, a multimillion-dollar business deal or where to take the kids for dinner. It is full of dozens of business as well as personal stories illustrating each point of the system. It will change your life as a negotiator.
Leadership from the Inside Out
Author: Kevin Cashman
Released: 2008
Framed in seven simple, yet profound, “mastery areas,” this book serves as an integrated coaching experience that helps leaders understand how to harness their authentic, value-creating influence and elevate their impact as individuals, in teams and in organizations. Cashman demonstrates that his trademark "whole-person" approach – we lead by virtue of who we are – is essential to sustained success in today's talent-starved marketplace and provides a measurable return on investment.
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Thing Behind Extraordinary Results
Author: Gary Keller with Jay Papasan
Published: 2013
YOU WANT LESS. You want fewer distractions and less on your plate. The daily barrage of emails, texts, tweets, messages and meetings distract you and stress you out. The simultaneous demands of work and family are taking a toll. And, what’s the cost? Second-rate work, missed deadlines, smaller paychecks, fewer promotions – and lots of stress. AND, YOU WANT MORE. You want more productivity from your work. More income for a better lifestyle. You want more satisfaction from life, and more time for yourself, your family and your friends. In “The One Thing,” you’ll learn to cut through the clutter, achieve better results in less time, build momentum toward your goal, dial down the stress, overcome that overwhelmed feeling, revive your energy, stay on track and master what matters to you.
The Ultimate Question 2.0: How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World
Author: Fred Reichheld
Published: 2011
In the first edition of this landmark book, business loyalty guru Fred Reichheld revealed the question most critical to your company’s future: “Would you recommend us to a friend?” By asking customers this question, you identify detractors, who sully your firm’s reputation and readily switch to competitors, and promoters, who generate good profits and true, sustainable growth. You also generate a vital metric: your Net Promoter Score. Since the book was first published, Net Promoter has transformed companies, across industries and sectors, constituting a game-changing system and ethos that rivals Six Sigma in its power. Practical and insightful, “The Ultimate Question 2.0” provides a blueprint for long-term growth and success.