|
Business and Personal Finance August 2016
|
|
|
|
"The notion that our choices are driven by our own personal thoughts and opinions seems so obvious that it is not even worth mentioning. Except that it's wrong." ~ from Jonah Berger's Invisible Influence
|
|
| Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior by Jonah BergerMarketing professor Jonah Berger's 2013 bestseller, Contagious, examined how and why certain products or ideas "go viral." Now, in Invisible Influence, he explores how social forces work to create patterns -- such as trends in baby names -- and how individuals get caught up in them. In accessible and often entertaining terms, Berger draws on research in multiple disciplines to introduce the concepts of social influence and how they impact everything from trivial decisions (like what you drink) to long-term ones (like what career you choose). |
|
| Breaking Rockefeller: The Incredible Story of the Ambitious Rivals Who Toppled... by Peter B. DoranAt the height of its success, John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil managed 85% of the world's petroleum market. It was essentially a monopoly that controlled the pumping, refining and delivery of oil. But in the early 20th century, two rival upstarts partnered to create Royal Dutch Shell, which went after Standard Oil business in Asia and Europe, and eventually busted Rockefeller's stranglehold on the market. An engaging history, this book also explores the impact of these three men on today's global oil economy. |
|
| The Hockey Stick Principles: The 4 Key Stages to Entrepreneurial Success by Bobby MartinAny business owner will tell you that they'd like their growth to mimic a hockey stick -- starting slow and then rising exponentially (the same could be said about investing!). In The Hockey Stick Principles, business consultant Bobby Martin uses the habits and patterns of over 100 different start-ups to take aspiring entrepreneurs through the four stages of the hockey stick growth pattern, identifying along the way the best practices for achieving such growth. Entrepreneurs impatient to leave the blade years and move up the handle will appreciate the emphasis Martin places on those formative years. |
|
| Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss with Tahl RazBefore he became a business consultant, Chris Voss spent more than 20 years as an FBI hostage negotiator. In Never Split the Difference, he offers a practical guide introducing nine principles to becoming more persuasive -- at home or at work. From establishing rapport through to the final stages, this guide is "chatty and friendly and packed with helpful resources" (Publishers Weekly). And it's likely the only one to contain the assertion that "kidnappers are just businessmen trying to get the right price." |
|
| The Power of Noticing: What the Best Leaders See by Max H. BazermanYou can't make decisions properly if you don't make use of the information available to you -- and sometimes that means widening your focus. In The Power of Noticing, author Max H. Bazerman uses his own experience in failing to notice important information to illustrate the benefits of questioning assumptions, biases, and conventional wisdom. The tools and strategies he shares -- which are as relevant to negotiating as they are to strategic decision-making and leadership skills -- are also illustrated with cases from the business world. |
|
| Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World by Stuart DiamondTurning his popular Wharton Business School course on negotiating into a book, former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Stuart Diamond shares negotiating skills that can be applied to everything from asking for a raise to getting a discount to getting your kids into bed at a decent hour. He advises readers to remain calm, find the decision-maker, and focus on your goals (rather than on who is "right"), and provides ample examples of how his students have achieved successful negotiations. "Superb," says Kirkus Reviews, but if this one's checked out, go to an accepted standard on negotiating in the business world, Robert Fisher and William Ury's Getting to Yes. |
|
| 10 Make-or-Break Career Moments: Navigate, Negotiate, and Communicate for Success by Casey HawleyEver find yourself facing a manager or some other higher-up in a semi-social occasion (like a staff holiday party) and at a loss for words? Have you ever wondered how to react during a performance review? According to leadership coach Casey Hawley, these are the most opportune times to take control of your career by putting your best foot forward. If you're not quite sure how, or feel more tongue-tied than eloquent, Hawley offers advice on how to identify and anticipate ten crucial communications moments and provides strategies for responding in ways that will leave positive impressions. Office politics -- explained! |
|
| Negotiating the Nonnegotiable: How to Resolve Your Most Emotionally... by Daniel ShapiroWalking into a difficult situation? Whether you're dreading a meeting with a difficult coworker or discussing a touchy subject with loved ones, this guide presents strategies for dealing with and removing your emotions, reconciling difficult relationships, and moving forward in a productive, healthy way. Using anecdotes that range from the author's negotiations with his three children to global politics, Negotiating the Nonnegotiable explains the emotional aspects that lead to conflict as well as how to handle them. |
|
| The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World by Michael WheelerProviding more than just practical advice on improving your negotiating skills -- though you'll find that here, too -- The Art of Negotiation explains the complex nature of negotiation and the importance of flexibility, improvisation, and adaptability. Case studies from those who are really good at it (diplomats, producers, wheelers-and-dealers) explore how best practices can be applied to everyday transactions, while an appendix provides a handy summary of important points. If you're heading into a negotiation, you might want to try this "fresh approach" (Kirkus Reviews) to closing the deal. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|