Having a plan of action doesn’t change who you are; it enhances your abilities and improves your outcomes. This month’s books offer guidance on how to create a plan for your business and the way you interact with others. The result: better relationships, more credibility and sustainable profits.
It’s Your Biz: The Complete Guide to Becoming Your Own Boss
by Susan Wilson Solovic
AMACOM, 2011
Many businesses begin with a great idea and a rush of passion. The following months then fill with nonstop work and fervent prayers: “Please let this work!” But the well-known, fear-inducing statistics about the failure rate for new ventures proves that passion, even when combined with hard work, isn’t always enough.
In It’s Your Biz, serial entrepreneur and small-business expert Susan Solovic explains that although entrepreneurship offers undeniable rewards, you must also be prepared to handle the unique challenges that come with being the boss. To that end, she outlines the basics of business, including why you should or shouldn’t start a business, creating a realistic business plan, and the how-tos of creating a business structure that doesn’t depend solely on you for income.
Packed with instruction, encouragement and road-tested warnings, Solovic’s book covers topics ranging from financing and marketing to designing an exit plan. If you are considering starting a business or are ready to take your one-man operation to the next level, It’s Your Biz offers helpful insights.
A few things you’ll learn:
What it really takes to be successful as an entrepreneur
Where to find the help and resources you need
What to look for in a business mentor
When you shouldn’t start a business
Creating Personal Presence: Look, Talk, Think, and Act Like a Leader
by Dianna Booher
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc., 2011
Some people seem to have a knack for making friends and closing business. Whether at a party, in business meetings or at dinner with friends, they radiate confidence, which commands attention.
In Creating Personal Presence, communication expert Dianna Booher explains that these people magnets weren’t necessarily born with winning personalities. The intangible qualities that contribute to personal presence can be acquired through learnable skills and behaviors. People can increase their likability and credibility by improving their appearance, thinking, speech and behavior. With great detail and examples, Booher instructs readers on mastering those important components of personal presence.
Noteworthy Quote:
“People size you up quickly, and change their minds slowly…. Make it work for you rather than against you.”
A couple of things you’ll learn:
Why your personal presence matters
How to think on your feet
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People
by Gary Chapman and Paul White
Northfield Publishing, 2011
Feeling appreciated is essential to job satisfaction. People want to be paid well but also crave appreciation and acknowledgement. Gary Chapman’s and Paul White’s new book explains how team leaders and employers can fulfill that craving.
The key is to understand how each person feels or accepts appreciation. The authors explain that saying “thank you” or even recognizing accomplishments isn’t always enough. If you’ve ever felt as if you’re not getting through to your team members, this book helps you discover your own language of appreciation so you can relate more effectively to them.
Noteworthy Quote:
“Each of us wants to know that what we are doing matters.”
A couple of things you’ll learn:
How to effectively show appreciation at work
What to do if you can’t seem to get through to your people
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