Work Babble

Book Review: What could happen if you do nothing?

“What could happen if you do nothing?” A Manager’s Handbook for Coaching Conversation published by Giraffe Business Publishing.

By Jane Murphy and Khatun Huber

Retail: $16.95
ISBN: 0984426205

Book Review by Tony Deblauwe

If you consult most managers and HR professionals, one area of focus that always needs improvement is communication with employees. In almost every corporate employee satisfaction survey, issues with the ability of manager communication ranks as one of the top bottom favorable areas. It seems managers either don’t want to, or don’t know how to provide timely, specific, and targeted feedback in conversations related to employee performance. That’s where Jane Murphy and Khatun Huber come to the rescue with their new book, “What could happen if you do nothing?” A Manager’s Handbook for Coaching Conversation published by Giraffe Business Publishing.

The book is divided into essential segments of the coaching conversation process including Listening, Asking, and Suggesting. What I like most about this approach is that these themes bring home the core areas of improving interpersonal communication quality fast and in practical terms. The book is not a treatise on the psychology and organization development engagement activities that most line managers have little time to comprehend. This book is straightforward and arranges the material in digestible chunks to send the right message and allow the reader to implement actions effectively.  

Every chapter sets up the theme then divides the material into scripts as well as questions managers can use to engage employees in a variety of areas. Since the theme of this book is about coaching, the tools provide a clear method for managers to encourage the right behavior and thinking. The tools from all the chapters evolve into a conversation roadmap graphic at the end of the book. The map chronicles certain scenarios and the key conversation decision points managers can take. After each map an analysis is offered of each approach and why one was more beneficial than the other.

Whether you are addressing conflict, time management, or engagement, or simply seeking better ways to communicate and connect with employees, this book will improve your mental framework for approaching coaching conversations. Since this is a handbook, you will want to refer to key concepts often and that’s great when you are running a business and worried about keeping top performers.

For more information visit http://giraffebusinesspublishing.com/ or order on Amazon.

Book Review: Competitive Selling

 
Competitive Selling: Out-Plan, Out-Think, Out-Sell To Win Every Time
By Landy Chase

Retail: $22.95
ISBN: 978-0071738897

Book Review by Tony Deblauwe

Summary
This is a well thought-out book that highlights the key elements of the sales cycle. Chase does a great job in breaking down the critical failure points to avoid in making a pitch that has applications beyond traditional sales situations. If you want to find a straightforward method of improving your negotiation and influencing skills, this book will help.

Review
I have read many books on perfecting the sales process. Most of the time, the goal is to present a better package to your customer versus your competition and the best way to do that is through improving interpersonal skills. Sales technique, like any job competency, is a practiced and honed skill. Chase Landy breaks down the essential parts of how to be more effective in how you pre-plan and approach customers and dramatically increase your chances of being selected as the partner of choice.

First, this book is something I kept coming back to. There are so many practical tips that build from lead generation to closing the buyer that my copy became full of sticky notes as reminders of things I need to do for my business and everyday life. For instance, following a simple agenda that says – your first meeting goal is to secure a second meeting. I never thought of doing this instead, I look at you have only one shot and you better make it count. This makes sense in fact because most initial meetings include influencers or gatekeepers at best, not decision makers. By not focusing on the outcome (the sale) but building your credibility and confidence as someone to do business with, the connection with your customer takes an immediate shift in a positive direction.

Another great tip is formatting your sales sheet. Ahead of a meeting, sending material that talks about you and your expertise in the industry is more effective that product info. Often just the package about the product or service is sent – now you are focusing the customer on feeling more comfortable knowing who they are dealing with not just what you are peddling. Other great tips are scattered throughout each chapter like how to put budget aside and close on value of the product or service to the customer, asking the right amount of probing questions, and making sure you get the names of key stakeholders not just titles. Most important, Landy outlines what to say for the various agendas different people have in the sales cycle – those that want to sabotage your deal because they like something else, the person who only sees the negative or cost alone, etc. You really walk away with several step-by-step guides and models to ensure you retain control of every meeting you have through deal closure.

A bonus chapter at the end was very helpful. Landy uses a Master Grid that tracks the intersection of knowledge and application for a sales person and why some people get into comfort zones, give up too fast, or knock it out of the park every time. Since I am not a salesperson but have to sell ideas and concepts in a similar fashion, it was interesting to use this tool in understanding where I am compared to where I want to be in terms of my ability and results.

This book is a great reference tool prior to any major meeting and as a means to build your business. Practice is always the key, and having Competitive Selling as a guide is very helpful if you want to improve your ability to influence, negotiate, and avoid the always present landmines that can mean the difference between getting a yes or a no from your customers.

For more information on Landy Chase visit www.landychase.com

Book Review – Crush It

Crush It: Why NOW is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion
by Gary Vaynerchuk

 ISBN-13: 978-0061914171

Retail: $19.99

By Tony Deblauwe

I can’t tell you how many people have pinged me to read this book! I finally had a chance to do that and see what the buzz was all about. Crush It is the author’s personal story turned into a business building, entrepreneurial guide to channeling your passion into a thriving profitable business (with a lot of help and attention from social media tools).

Gary Vaynerchuk was a born entrepreneur. Immigrating to America, he saw his father go form nothing to building a successful liquor store business. Gary had loftier goals of owning the NY Jets (which he accomplished by the way). As a kid he owned lemonade stands, sold baseball cards, and his big endeavor was launching Wine Library TV. (See sample clip at end of review).

Crush It intertwines several of Gary’s personal aha moments to show how he built his foundation of success. He is an optimist and very confident – he doesn’t believe anyone should be living a bland unfulfilling life doing something you don’t like or going to a job that doesn’t get your juices flowing every day. He is a giver and wants people to find the same success and enjoyment he has.

As far as tools, Crush It offer several insights and methods to create and drive a personal brand. For instance, if your company doesn’t let you balance your personal (non corporate brand) with your identity as an employee you should really think about leaving. Your passion will never have a chance to thrive. Of course Gary reminds the reader constantly that family comes first – so don’t quit a paying job just because you’re unhappy, but always make time towards your building goal of a passion based business.

No surprise – content is king and is needed to monetize your passion. Gary believes you need to have at least 50 topics you can blog about. Tell a story and why you love it. Gary in mindful that the elements that sell your passion (on a blog or social site) should be adequate to representing you properly (i.e. no filler web effects just for the sake of having them).

Gary points out obvious but often overlooked tools tips to include on your sites such as email me, subscribe to me, Like this, etc(these are all small widgets that allows people to connect with you). Thankfully he explains the business value of Twitter – a domain surprisingly people still think is a waste of time. A great link he includes is Chris Brogan’s 50 Ideas on using Twitter for Business http://www.chrisbrogan.com/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for -business.

If you are already well versed with the big social sites including video, the challenge is learning how to use it effectively. Gary doesn’t call the process easy or fast – he rightly believes you have to build up your exposure and following to justify sponsorships or other revenue generating opportunities. Still, beginner or expert, Crush It offers hope and solid guidance to building your brand and living for your passion not just your paycheck.

You can email Gary for at gary@vaynermedia.com. He says his is diligent about responding to all emails.

 

Book Q&A – Brenda Bence, author of How YOU(tm) are like Shampoo for Job Seekers

Following the recent review I posted about Brenda Bence’s book,

How YOU(tm) are like Shampoo for Job Seekers: The proven Personal Branding System to help you succeed in any interview and secure the job of your dreams

I am pleased to share some additional from Brenda regarding her motivation for the book and important points readers can gain from the material.

1. What is the main premise of the book and what motivated you to write it? 

Just as you choose one shampoo to buy off the shelf vs. all the other shampoo options available, so you, too, can build a brand for yourself that gets you selected for the job you want - despite the economy. I wanted to help people find a way to stick out of the pack and get a job faster despite the crowded pool of candidates.

With so many highly-qualified people all applying for the same jobs, the truth is:  You’re more likely to be selected for a position based on your connection with the interviewer than based on your qualifications. Recruiters admit that as much as 40% of the hiring decision is based on whether the interviewer likes you or not.

Personal branding is the way to make sure you are not only liked but that you get the job you want. Using the same branding principles that successful branded-goods companies have used for years, this book shares a proven, 3-step system for taking control of your personal brand in the job search process.

What motivated me to write this?  I want to help people who are looking for a job during such tough economic times.  As of late last year:

▪ A report released last month from the Labor Department reveals more people are vying for a single job opening than at any time since the start of the recession.

▪ On average, roughly 6.3 unemployed job seekers are trying to fill each open position.

(When the recession started in December 2007, 1.7 people were competing for each open slot. The number of job openings right now is the lowest in at least 9 years.).

2. What is the unique value proposition of your book (i.e. how is it different)?

No other book takes proven corporate branding principles and a unique branding framework and applies it to individuals in the job search.  Also, the research done for this book is unique (see next question). The book provides:

▪ Powerful tips for key job-seeker activities are shared for before, during, and after a job interview.

▪ Your personal brand is being build even before you send out a resume or write a cover letter.

▪ How YOU™ Are Like Shampoo for Job Seekers offers more than 60 proven tips for building a solid personal brand before you even go to an interview.

▪ During the interview:  How do you communicate your desired personal brand in less than ½ hour?

▪ How YOU™ Are Like Shampoo for Job Seekers offers 50 success tips for making sure your desired personal brand comes through during that all-important ‘face time’ with the interviewer.

▪ Your personal brand continues on even after the interview is over.

▪ How YOU™ Are Like Shampoo for Job Seekers offers more than two dozen ways to make sure your personal brand remains at the top of the interviewer’s mind long after you’ve left the interviewer’s office.

3. Did you have to do any special research for the book?

Results shared from independent research conducted with over 50 major company recruiters all across the country reveals the top ‘bloopers’ that candidates commit that recruiters hate.

Recruiters report that as many as 90% of people applying for jobs commit some of these critical errors, so knowing them in advance already puts you ahead of the pack. The book includes a quiz to find out which of the biggest culprits you are doing now.

The book also offers suggestions for how to correct your actions and avoid falling into these traps in future interviews.

4. What is the impact of your book to individuals and/or organizations?

Following all three steps assures you can build trust and excitement throughout the entire job search process. My proven framework places the power of your job search in your hands so you don’t have to be at the mercy of interviewers. I show people how to develop a job-seeker personal brand actually makes the job search process fun and enjoyable.

5. What is the one key message you want readers to take away?

You can get a job faster and have more fun doing it if you brand yourself smartly using this system.

6. Where can people get more information about you and the book?

www.BrendaBence.com

http://www.HowYOUAreLikeShampoo.com

About Brenda



Brenda S. Bence is an internationally-recognized branding expert, dynamic speaker and trainer, certified executive coach, and author of the award-winning How YOU™ Are Like Shampoo series of personal branding books.

With an MBA from Harvard Business School, Brenda spent the first 20 years of her career building mega brands for companies like Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she was a senior executive responsible for billion-dollar businesses across four continents and 50 countries.

In 2002, Brenda left the corporate world and founded Brand Development Associates (BDA) Int’l, Ltd. Now doing business across 20 countries and with offices in both the U.S. and Asia, BDA International provides speaking, training, and coaching services to clients located in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand.

As an in-demand speaker and trainer, Brenda has addressed audiences at conferences, conventions, and companies all across the globe for clients such as 3M, Citibank, Danone International, Deutsche Bank, General Motors, Hershey’s, KFC, Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, Mattel, Microsoft, National Starch, Sheraton Hotels, Standard Chartered Bank, Pizza Hut, and United Airlines.

Having been a senior executive herself, Brenda understands the challenges of senior management jobs. She has an extensive background in both internal and external coach training along with many years of executive coach experience. She is certified by the International Coach Federation and with Results™ Coaching Systems (Australia) and has trained extensively with the College of Executive Coaching (U.S.).

An avid writer, Brenda is author of the award-winning How YOU™ Are Like Shampoo series of personal branding books as well as the recently-released Branding Matters. She is a contributing author to The Power of the Platform: Speakers on Purpose published in late 2009. As both a magazine and a newspaper columnist, Brenda writes articles on topics related to branding, leadership, and coaching.

Brenda and her articles have been featured in more than 250 media and publications all across the world including NBC TV, Reader’s Digest, Financial Times, Investor’s Business Daily, Entrepreneur Magazine, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, SmartMoney, Cosmopolitan, and The Los Angeles Times. Brenda is a frequent guest on radio and TV shows.

Brenda sits on boards of both public and private companies as well as not-for-profit organizations. She has traveled to 70 countries and enjoys studying foreign languages.

Book Review – How YOU(tm) Are Like Shampoo for Job Seekers

Review by Tony Deblauwe

How YOU(tm) Are Like Shampoo for Job Seekers: The proven Personal Branding System to help you succeed in any interview and secure the job of your dreams

By Brenda Bence

ISBN: 978-0-9799010-5-8

Retail: $19.95

Conducting a job search can be a daunting task. Understanding what you want to achieve has everything to do with how people perceive you. When you think about the takeaway message people have about your skills and core strengths, you are conveying more than suitability for a job – you are communicating the “trademarked YOU” and your personal brand. How YOU(tm) are like Shampoo for Job Seekers guides you through the thinking and planning required for brand loyalty – in this case – the brand an employer wants to hire.

Bence introduces a simple six-element framework that shows you how to define your personal brand. Like any commercial product, you need to know your target audience, how you stand out from your competition, and the benefits you bring to the table that are unique versus other applicants. Applying this approach to the design of your job search provides a fundamental change of purpose. Bence cuts to the chase with easy to understand diagrams that develop your Personal Brand Positioning Statement.

Bence does a great job in conceptualizing how you compare to other job seekers and how you stand out. The marketing mindset Bence describes ensures you won’t be another candidate in a stack of resumes, but rather the choice an employer should make. Bence labels this your “Desired Identity” and, properly adapted, conveys experience, reliability and likeability to interviewers.

Bence builds the personal brand action plan accurately when she highlights one critical concept – when all things are held equal (your functional skills against others), employers will shift to the candidate who most meets an emotional need (e.g. team and culture fit). Your personal brand comes down to how people imagine what it will feel like to work with you. Bence offers ways to format your “Brand Character” and ensure employers want to work with you in a successful partnership.

The crux and gem of this book occurs in Bence’s thoughtful walk through of packaging YOU(tm) to employers. Bence provides a deep dive into interview preparation and offers activities that build your focus and reinforces concepts from earlier chapters. The book contains an invaluable list of the top 20 “Personal Brand Busters®” which can derail a job search.  This list is based on extensive interviews with top corporate recruiters from around the country, and lets the reader know what mistakes to avoid before, during, and after a job interview.

This book is unique as it was written by a veteran corporate branding expert and certified professional coach.  The material clearly combines the author’s two passions - brand building and individual career coaching. The result is a proven framework for successful product brand building that works effectively to help people build a powerhouse personal brand so that they can find the right job faster.