Zilch: The Power of Zero in Business - Nancy Lublin

As someone who works in non-profit
I'm supposed to love Dan Pallotta's "Uncharitable"

He was given a huge plenary spot at Canada's biggest fundraising conference this past year. Rave reviews but my challenge is that I find his message important, very valid but pointless.

Yes the non-profit sector is of huge value.
Yes the people who work in charities should be paid more and respected for their contributions.
Yes governments and the public should be more understanding of the cost to make change.
But that's not how the world works.
Things that should be, may never be.

Like how the nice person in high school never got any dates.

Enter Nancy Lublin and her new book. What the?! Nancy why do non-profit types always have to be iphone-twitter-hippy types riding their bicycles down a hallway?!!?
Ok, that's better thank you.

Anyway...for profit people are always telling non-profits "you could learn something from us".

Kind of like how your mom always tells you ...
"you could learn something from your cousin Harold/Esther - he/she's a doctor/lawyer"

But in fact Harold/Esther is always in debt, owns a too-big house, drives a 7 seater Escalade alone and has never helped anyone in this world besides themselves.
Meanwhile your Aunt Charity has always owned her own business, has traveled the world and drives a Prius when she could drive a Benz and helps others every single day of her life.

Not only will for profit folks get a lot out of this book but non-profit folks will get to take a look at where we excel and often forget to take credit. In Lublin's own words:

"Simply put, really great not-for-profits are brilliant at doing more with less.
We understand the power of zero
We motivate employees to work past five o'clock with commitment, creativity
and passion totally disproportionate to their tiny salaries.
We engage our board members to truly add value to our companies.
We don't pay them a dime - and actually, most of them pay us!
We skillfully land donors (aka customers) with an artful ask and the promise of getting almost nothing in return other than the knowledge of - and warm fuzzies from- doing something good.
We manage volunteers and get them to produce amazing results-
say, houses or playgrounds or millions of dollars in revenue-
without a competitive interview process, financial compensation,
or the threat of termination".

Hell yeah!!

You just won't be proud when you read this book.
You'll pick up a ton of good stuff you can use at work and in your professional life.

Fun features:
- Get more work and loyalty from your employees
- Get more from engagement from your board
- Communicate with your donors/customers better
- Get more results and communicate better with boomer/millennial volunteers/employees
- 11 questions at end of chapter is better than traditional summary sections
- Case studies and secrets of how the best brands get results
- Master storytelling and relationship building for the purpose of closing
- DO MORE with LESS ( isn't that the mantra these days? in this book is how )


Ok ok, Palotta's book is really good. But it's a call to arms.

This is a working book for all that will help you get results.


You tell 'em Nancy!

Presentation Zen Design - Garr Reynolds

Confession 1: Even though I work in an "office" with four walls, wear a suit and tie, push paper - I think visual design is the sexiest part of business communication and I resent that I suck at it.

As such this book was an indulgence, a pleasure to read, the perfect companion to a high end coffee at 7am or a glass of wine at 10pm.

So many reads these days are friggin textbooks and it's just exhausting!!! Thank you Garr R.

But Paul, I'm not a designer...this book is "for those of us not trained as professional designers...we know what we like but lack the visual literacy to articulate" and tweak our own stuff!

SO MUCH $$ VALUE HERE. Excellent use of your time if you use Powerpoint.

Confession 2: I have been a total typography nerd since high school. I can name 150 fonts, I am viciously loyal to 4 and can tell you at what age I made something by the typeface I used. Don't you judge me!!!

FINALLY a book that tells you what font to use for what type of presentation and WHY in two pages.

FINALLY someone who explains what jpeg, gif, tiff, png is and why it matters when using them in any format ( print, presentation and web ).

So many tips here on the use of text, graphics and other resources when printing.

As a Powerpoint addict who dreams of actually using it well
- this is the best read of 2011 so far.

Oh,also, a quick note from Golden Crab 2010 winner Promod Sharma on free visuals

Words that work in business - Ike Lasater, Julie Stiles

Hate the title, the tag isn't bad:
"A practical guide to effective communication in the workplace".

It should have been called "confessions of a jerk-wad boss who learned how to be a human being and help others do the same".

I liked that the writer, a former partner in a law firm fesses up to his challenges and previous solutions. With peers, subordinates and family.

This is a very thin book - worth every second of the read.

Focus on the concept of "NVC", non-violent communication.

This is NOT touchy-feely let me assure you.

This book will help you:
- Deflate office tension
- Communicate more effectively ( and how to coach others )
- Express your needs more quickly ( without wasting time with "hurt feelings" )
- Not be a bad boss ( and get more from employees )
- Help others help you get better!

This is a MUST READ for anyone manager and above.

The glossary of words associated with office talk was of huge value.

How do you address humanity and still get the damn work done?
- This is the book

Ps. If you are having trouble with people. Read this book.

The Power of Pull - John Hagel, John Seely Brown , Lang Davison

This book goes far beyond the title...
"Pull" is a trendy word right now.

Focus on the tagline: "How SMALL Moves, Smartly Made,
Can Set BIG Things In Motion".

This book really rocked me because it gave voice to so many frustrations I share with others - but confuse me and I can't put them into words.

Why do I hate an office environment that treats me so well?
Why do I resent a business model designed for my comfort?
I believe the "system" is broken, but WHAT exactly is broken?

Powerful ideas on how to harness the power of 2011 and beyond tech:
- You can't staff up, so use your customers as employees using web 2.0

It also really helped me to get over mental hurdles to understand the following super hot items better:
- Why is web 2.0 better?
- Why is twitter so powerful for business besides broadcasting?
- Why should I expand my network beyond my comfort zone?
- How do I expand my network within my comfort zone?

Most importantly it finished off with a powerful model for change.

- Are you a change agent who feels powerless because you're alone?
- Are you middle management and feel you have no power?
- Are you TOO big and are trapped by success?

You will be taught:

- When to create a change movement
- How to build the platform
- How to invite others to participate
- What results look like

There were times when so much was coming out of this book, so many ideas, realizations and applications that I was rocking back and forth in my chair because my brain was buzzing.

It certainly made the other people at Starbucks nervous.

The book ends with a few statements, but one I like...

"This will be a long march. But it is an essential part of our journey".

I like this because change type people, techies always say
"OH MAN! This web dohicky is going to instantly change the WORLD!!"
and I wake up the next day and it seems all the same

Progress is understood
Goals are set and benchmarks are agreed upon
It shows you when you know change has been made.

Just LOVED it

Getting Naked - Patrick Lencioni

Patrick Lencioni's books are the most approachable books on vital business knowledge I have ever read. Using the "fable" format is powerful.

This is Lencioni's latest book. I can't tell you how excited I was to hear about it, but a confusing caveat
---This book is the LEAST practical of all his previous books. Previous books tackle very "core" subjects:
-Better meetings
-Breaking down Silo's
- Effectiveness in leadership
- Team dysfunction etc...

This one attacks something needed in 2011.
The reason we all ended up in this big mess of a recession.
The reason we'll not find our way out for a while because of a lack of.....

PROFESSIONAL CANDOR AND INTEGRITY IN ALL THINGS

Not in a wussy, soft way. But in a real sense, in a way that will make us money because of the power that this kind of honesty creates.

Why is this not a practical skill? Because many people don't want this.

Your boss is probably one of them.

But one day, you are going to be the boss.
And you need to start working on these skills today.

If you have ever found power in honesty, candor, direct but constructive dialogue
- this book is like opium.

I read it in 24 hours, couldn't put it down.

Patrick Lencioni rules.

Get the book, find out why.

Ps. I can't guarantee this book is for you but I CAN say that one on the list is.

Switch - Chip and Dan Heath

From the guy's who wrote the best selling "Made to Stick ". Switch also is a best seller.

This was one of those books that translates well to audio.

A perfect commuter companion - what better time and place the immense difficulty of change than in a broken transit system?

This book is a best seller that steals wholesale from the model of thinking called "Solution Focus". No problem, it works as a larger walk through of the model and is just filled with great examples of how to make this model work for you.

It's not a "system" or "program" - solution focused is a way of thinking
(shifting our brains away from the problem and 'blame' focus we have now).

If you have ever said "I want things to change" but just gave up at step one.
This book is for you.

It will truly help you to:
- Understand the roots of large and small behavioral change
- Convince others of the need for change and their part in it
- Give you more tools to create a change strategy
- Create a usable model to apply this to all parts of your life

Warning! In this model, change will not be as painful as it may just feel like letting common sense take over. Not all change is pain. Some people like the pain.
If you like the pain and not the solution, don't get the book.

Practical, real life change is at your fingertips. If you like solutions. Get the book.

An important note, if you like some of the mentions of "solution focus" I have a Canadian leader of the model right here in my network. His name is Alan Kay and he's just finished a book called "fry the monkeys, create a solution".

Turn Small Talk Into Big Deals - Don Gabor

If ANY facet of networking annoys or mystifies you - this is the book to start 2011 with! WOW!!

This book has come the closest to rivaling my all time favourite networking book after now over 50 networking books read.


Let's dive in why:

The book starts with going beyond the "Type A Vs. Introvert" archetype and makes you do a survey to break us into four groups:

Competitive ( and can't help it )
Outgoing ( and loving it )
Amiable ( where most people who have a job and enjoy connecting fall )
Analytical ( where senior managers, leaders, data and process people live )

It goes on to share HOW to communicate and do business with each group ( this alone made it worth the read ).

Each chapter has pointers for each group on what to watch out for, even if you're a little of one or the other you'll find great value in these tips!

Actual step by step process to breaking into a "circle" or "cliqued group"

Social media tips ( actual suggested text )

How to identify and get away from noxious networkers:
The pirate, know it all, chatterbox, complainer, hitchhicker, gossip and shark

A lot of material on how to combat the 12 most common networking mistakes:

1) Events over planned action
2) Not doing the research on the prospect
3) Comparing to competitors
4) Unaware of technology / trend changes in your industry
5) Not doing the research on event/host/location
6) Not being of value, have material, leave behinds
7) Being clear how you make $ / What you want
8) Have a clear unique value prop
9) Criticizing competition
10) Treating competitors as adversaries
11) Ignoring others at event ( because you are arrogant )
12) Not connecting others naturally

How to work the following events or situations (and be aware of taboos):
Conferences, Trade shows, Association meetings, elevator, party, fundraisers, golf game, professional development courses, clubs, Churches, reunions, weddings, health clubs, sports evens and concerts

The depth and detail was simply astounding.

If networking is part of your job, you'll find huge value in this book!