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Suggested Reading by Dr. Art Bell
Offshoring by Diane Farrell
Harvard Business School Press (2006)
ISBN-13 978 1422110072
The best 180 pages I’ve found on the facts and fallacies in the offshoring debate. Read this book and feel infinitely superior to the news pundits and political hacks spouting nonsense on this important issue.
The Business Ethics Activity Book by Marlene Caroselli
AMACOM (2003)
ISBN-13 978 0814472002
Most books on business ethics quickly turn to yada, yada, yawn. This one provides 5 to 30 minute games, cases, exercises, and other activities you can use with your people to get them thinking and talking about integrity at work. Punctuate your next meeting in a memorable way by taking a short time out for one of Caroselli’s ethics activities.
The Sustainability Revolution by A.R. Edwards
New Society Publishers, 2005
ISBN-13 978 0865 715318
You’re seeing it everywhere: “erase your carbon footprint,” “go carbon neutral,” “buy green, even at a premium price.” This short book takes you on a fascinating stroll through the otherwise dense terrain of sustainability. You’ll observe the goals, methods, players, and pitfalls of this leading issue of our time.
The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John Maxwell
Thomas Nelson (2007)
ISBN-13: 978-0785289043
Get smart fast about what you’re doing right or missing entirely as a leader in your company. This short book pays immense dividends right away in what you say and do in your next department meeting, work group briefing, or interview.
The Future of Management By Gary Hamel and Bill Breen
Harvard Business School Press (2007)
ISBN-13: 978-1422102503
The authors argue that we are now seeing a shift in management style and assumptions as drastic as the seachange to Darwinism from creationism in the 19th century. Management approaches have a shelf life, Hamel and Breen suggest, and the most successful companies watch for expiration of so-called “best practices” from the past. Company examples of new management practice are drawn from many industry sectors ranging from Google to Gore-Tex. I wouldn’t call this a “light read”—but then we’re all getting a bit tired of one-trick ponies, in terms of business books, that have too little to say in too many pages.
What Were They Thinking? Uncommon Wisdom about Management By Jeffrey Pfeffer
Harvard Business School Press, 2007
ISBN-13: 978-1422103128
Pfeffer, a well-known Stanford Business School professor, takes a hard look at contemporary management practices and gives many of them failing marks. Trimming compensation and benefits, for example, can backfire badly in terms of retention, morale, and employee creativity. The notion of simply buying out one’s competition through mergers and acquisitions is similarly put under the spotlight, with flaws clearly exposed. Pfeffer goes beyond negative criticism, thankfully, to offer concrete suggestions for new management approaches exemplified at such companies as Whole Foods, Danafer, and Harrah’s.
The Post American World By Fareed Zakaria
W.W. Norton, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0393062359
This book begins with the simultaneously reassuring and challenging idea that we are now witnessing not the decline of the U.S. but the “rise of everyone else.” Zakaria points out that the tallest buildings, the biggest dams, the most advanced cell phones, the fastest broadband and dozens of other achievements are now created outside the U.S. He reveals in detail what a post-American world will look like as China, India, Brazil, Russia, and other nations become increasingly influential players in global economics and politics.
From Our Shop
At SNP Communications we think it’s good to give as well as receive. Therefore, we work to keep a steady flow of our ideas moving forward to you and the marketplace of business ideas. Here are a couple titles to consider:
Business Communication by Marty Brounstein, Art Bell, and Dayle Smith
Wiley and Sons (2007)
ISBN 978 0471790778
Your complete guide to the rapidly changing world of business communication, including how to:
- Incorporate active listening, assertive speaking, and non-verbal communication techniques into your daily communications.
- Resolve conflicts effectively.
- Choose the best words and voice for your audience.
- Craft persuasive business letters.
- Avoid common writing mistakes.
- Plan and lead successful business meetings.
- Overcome your fears of public speaking.
- Write winning business proposals.
- Create a resume that helps you get the job you want.
- Present yourself professionally in an interview.
You Can’t Talk to Me That Way! Stopping Toxic Language in the Workplace by Art Bell
Career Press (2006)
ISBN 978-1564148223
Toxic language in the workplace causes people to withhold their best effort, transfer to a different division, or quit outright. Productivity and team spirit wither under a cloud of language meant to humiliate, hurt, and demean. To all those who spew such language at their co-workers, subordinates, and bosses, this book insists “You Can’t Talk to Me That Way!”
Butterflies Be Gone: A Hands-on Approach to Sweat-free Public Speaking By Arthur H. Bell, PhD
McGraw-Hill, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0071473620
I wrote this book after coaching presentation skills (primarily executives, government officials, managers, and students) for three decades. I’ve observed that the “should’s” of public speaking, including eye contact, gestures, and the rest, have little sticking power in terms of performance until the boogeyman of Speaker’s Nerves is put to rest. At one time or another, we’ve all been there: the shaky voice, sweaty palms, pounding heart, and feeling of impending panic. Butterflies Be Gone offers new ways to think about the problem of speech anxiety as well as proven approaches to rediscovering the power, impact, and downright fun of presenting.
Winning with Trust in Business By Arthur H. Bell and Richard Cohn
Pelican, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-1589803800
Richard Cohn and I have worked together of a variety of communication projects over the past 15 years. We spent the last two years thinking through a difficult problem: the absence of candor in American business practices at all levels. In this book, we argue that trust—whether between employee to employee, employee to manager, manager to executive, or customer to company—depends upon clear, honest communications that don’t attempt to “spin” the truth. Several paper-and-pencil instruments (also available as computer surveys) are included to help you measure levels of trust within your organization.
