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Never Fry Bacon in the Nude - AchieveMax(r) Top Ten Book Review

Posted in Reading + Writing by admin on the April 8th, 2008

Never Fry Bacon in the Nude (And Other Lessons from the Quick and the Dead) by Stone Payton

In Never Fry Bacon in the Nude, we find another offering that falls into the category of “a title that grabs you and content that holds you!” You’ve got to admit that this title generates a visual that’s difficult to ignore. However, it doesn’t stop there. The table of contents will undoubtedly encourage you to grab a sandwich and a glass of your favorite beverage as you navigate to a comfortable easy chair with a goal of staying put until you complete every one of the 171 pages before you.

As I read each chapter, I couldn’t help but wonder how the author was going to eclipse his content in the following chapters. I find this especially challenging because Stone Payton chose a subject that can be somewhat delicate to many of today’s business population. “High velocity leadership: it’s all about SPEED” claims this accomplished author, speaker, and consultant. He goes on to say: “Speed is the most consistent and durable source of competitive advantage. Most sources of competitive advantage todaytechnology, talent, capital, intellectual property, even product superiorityhave an incredibly short shelf-life. And when the grease gets hot (yesterday’s advantage becomes today’s norm), organizations can become extremely vulnerable. Specifically, we’re at the mercy of three distinct populations keenly focused on their own survival and prosperity:

  • Acutely perceptive employees who ultimately determine the organization’s level of discretionary effort
  • Increasingly sophisticated and unforgiving customers
  • Faster, more nimble competitors poised to create and fill the next void
  • Organizations that consistently meet more needs for more people in less time strengthen their culture, grow their customer base, and dominate their market.

Neglecting speed (failing to incorporate a systematic, deliberate process for increasing the ratio of results to time invested) is like frying bacon in the nude … It might feel good at first, but without the right disciplines in place, we’re dangerously over exposed and very likely to get burned (even permanently scarred) by one or more of these three critically important constituencies.

Another fascinating aspect of this book lies in the fact that I found very little new information within the content. What I did find was a vast assortment of valuable information aligned in such a way that it suddenly made sense and provided me with a clear cut action plan for succeeding with SPEED. The author himself spelled it out for me as early as page 11 when he pointed out the necessity to remember the “F Word.” That word, of course, is fundamentals, which is what this book is all about. Top performers in every arena, from the basketball court to the boardroom consistently commit themselves to the fundamentals. They religiously apply just a handful of basic principles that give them that slight extra edge. So it should come as no surprise that fast, agile companiesand the people who lead themexhibit a powerfully simple method of leadership thinking. Specifically, they express, model, and reward five distinct disciplines:

Structure

Personal Accountability

Empathy

Education

Direction

Learn the details and application of each of these disciplines in Part One where you’ll also discover the common characteristics shared by all five. At this point, you have the foundation in hand, and you’re ready for more fundamentals. Learn how to “harness the 7 LAWS OF SPEED,” “refine the 5 SPEED Disciplines,” and “avoid the 15 Common SPEED Traps that destroy momentum.” Before you know it, your sandwich has been reduced to a few crumbs on your plate, your glass is empty, you’re curled up in your chair, your notepad is filled, and your highlighter is empty.

Stone’s personal mission is to help others develop the competence, confidence, and commitment to establish a practical plan for producing Better Results in Less Time … in short, to “Succeed with SPEED.”

Reprint Information

Your organization may reprint this article for your newsletter, online publication, or mailing list. We ask that you print the:

  • article in its entirety;
  • byline of the writer;
  • information about the writer, which is available at the end of each article; and
  • contact information, including our toll-free phone number in the U.S. (800-886-2MAX) and link to our website - www.AchieveMax.com.

We would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy of the articles you reprint.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has made presentations ranging from leadership to employee retention and time management to stress management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.

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Book Summary: Effective Networking For Personal Success

Posted in Reading + Writing by admin on the April 6th, 2008

We are all “self-employed” now.

Today there is absolutely no job security. We are living in an
age of corporate downsizing, and freelance consultants, or
self-employed workers are growing by the day. Networking is
one skill you need to practice to get ahead and survive these
uncertain times.

Wisdom in a Nutshell:

1. Networking is essential for both new jobs and business contracts.

2. Effective networking is 12 times more effective than answering advertisements.

3. Advertising is becoming ineffective except on a large scale.

4. Networking helps you find hidden opportunities and can set you apart from the competition.

5. An indirect approach is better than a direct one. Use someone you know to introduce you to your target contact. Never go straight to your target without a go-between who will put in a good word for you.

6. You can overcome your natural shyness, your fear of using people, and your fear of rejection.

The 3 key networking techniques are:

1. Build a network of partners to keep an open eye and ear for new opportunities for You.

2. Reach targeted individuals in two ways: directly or indirectly.

3. Build visibility by raising your profile. Go to every social gathering you possibly can.

Building your network is an ongoing process. You need to increase your range of contacts constantly.

Planning your campaign:

1. Define your objective.

2. Select the right technique.

3. Understand that “deal flow” or your number of prospects must be great in order to bag one new business contract.

4. Identify your target.

5. Work out your positioning. This is a short statement of what you are about, what you can offer.

6. Think about what you can do for your network partners in exchange for information and contacts.

Building Network partners:

1. Talk to everyone you know about opportunities.

2. Clarify what network partners can and will do for you.

3. Know which contacts to build into network partners.

4. Find those friendly network spiders, those types of people who just seem to know everyone.

5. Use the telephone.

How to grow and refresh your network:

1. Go out of your way to be where people are.

2. Get into the habit of being talkative.

3. Get the contact details of people you meet. Not just exchanging business cards but stapling information like birthdays, anniversaries, hobby clubs, and key information onto their cards.

4. Choose the right method for the right person.

5. Warm up long-cold contacts.

How to find targeted individuals:

1. Focus on what you want to achieve and how people can help you.

2. Use your network partners to find suitable companies.

3. Gather key information on these companies.

4. Figure out who is the one with the power to hire you.

5. Find people connections and common areas of interest.

Reaching targets through network partners:

1. Find and persuade the best partner for your targeted individual.

2. Engineer an introduction.

3. Build word-of-mouth exchanges about yourself.

Reaching targets directly:

1. Decide if you should write a letter or not.

2. Be able to demonstrate your achievements.

3. Have a line ready to get you past the secretary.

4. Act as though you expect to be put through.

5. Be ready to leave a short, persuasive message for the decision-maker.

Your opening line:

1. Be cheerful, confident and straightforward.

2. Exploit connections and recommendations.

3. Mention common interests.

4. Report news of interest to the target.

5. Wait for a response. Know when to shut up.

6. Write down your opening lines before picking up the phone.

How to be visible without really trying:

1. Ask a question at a conference.

2. Make a point in a meeting.

3. Write letters to your industry magazine.

4. Introduce yourself to lots of people at an industry show or ball.

5. Buy people a drink at the bar at a lecture.

6. Discuss a book with an industry leader.

7. Wear bright ties.

8. Make people laugh.

9. Have an opinion on everything. (But keep an open mind)

10. Hand out an unusual business card.

11. Recast your CV to be a little different.

12. Take up an unusual hobby. (But not too unusual)

13. Don’t overlook using the email and Internet to communicate your cause.

By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla
http://www.bizsum.com
A Lot Of Great Books….Too Little Time To Read”
Free Book Summaries Of Latest Bestsellers and More
mailto:freenewsletter@bizsum.com

BusinessSummaries is a BusinessSummaries.com service.

(c) Copyright 2001-2005, BusinessSummaries.com

Regine Azurin is the President of BusinessSummaries.com,
a company that provides business book summaries of the latest bestsellers for busy executives and entrepreneurs.

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A “Must Have” Yoga Book

Posted in Reading + Writing by admin on the March 28th, 2008

At last, the mystery of how to pronounce Sanskrit terms properly
has been revealed. Have you been looking for an English /
Sanskrit cross reference? Are the exact pronunciations of
Sanskrit terms still a mystery? Would you like to learn a lot
more about Sanskrit as it pertains to Yoga?

You don’t have to search anymore. “The Language of Yoga” is an
interactive book and double CD set written by Nicolai Bachman.
This interactive “course” includes more than 200 asanas with
illustrated yoga postures and 300 Sanskrit definitions.

In between teaching Yoga classes and writing, I have some time
to read, and I was happy that I took the time to read Nicolai
Bachman’s 139 page cross reference book for converting Sanskrit
terms to English.

The two CD’s that accompany the book make this work “come to
life.” The first CD covers chants for Yoga practice, Yoga
Sutras, and Yoga terms. The second CD covers Ashtanga sequences,
names of asanas, and much more. In the course of studying this
interactive book, you will learn the basic guidelines of
pronunciation for many more words.

The author, Nicolai Bachman, guides you through correct
pronunciations with the exact rhythm and tone. This book is a
masterpiece and a priceless reference tool for any serious
student, or teacher, of Yoga. For Yoga book collectors, this
book will be remembered with your personal favorites.

At this time, there is no other book on the market that provides
this much in-depth study of the Sanskrit Yoga words and cross
references it with English. Words are grouped together by
subject, such as numbers, Chakras, Bandhas, Mudras, Yamas, and
Niyamas. Many of the words that you might hear in the average
Yoga class are no longer a mystery to pronounce for English
speaking Yoga students.

Nicolai Bachman, has been a teacher of Sanskrit, and related
subjects, since 1994. He has studied extensively at the VagYoga
Institute in Varanasi, India, the American Sanskrit Institute,
the American Institute of Vedic Studies, the Vedic Chant Center,
the Ayurvedic Institute, and received his M.A. in Eastern
Philosophy from St. John’s College.

Nicolai is a 500-hour level Registered Yoga Teacher. He teaches
Sanskrit, Ayurveda, and Yoga Philosophy; Nicolai currently
teaches in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

This book will be released later this month, at which time we
will have them in supply. Don’t stay in the dark about speaking
Sanskrit, especially if you are teaching Yoga classes. Now, you
can be confident that your pronunciation is correct.

I enjoyed the book so much that I ordered a shipment for our
staff, on-site interns, and Yoga teachers, we network with
worldwide. If you are interested in getting a copy, feel free to
contact Aura Wellness Center.

© Copyright 2005 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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