Likeonomics by Rohit Bhargava - Book review

Likeonomics

The Unexpected Truth Behind Earning Trust, Influencing Behavior, and Inspiring Action

By: Rohit Bhargava

Published: May 22, 2012
Format: Hardcover: 184 pages
ISBN-10: 1118137531
ISBN-13: 978-1118137536
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.









"The biggest crisis in our world today is one of believability. It makes it tougher to build a successful business, find and keep a job, or convince anyone to do or believe in anything", writes Marketing Professor at Georgetown University, Rohit Bhargava, in his refreshing and engaging book Likeonomics: The Unexpected Truth Behind Earning Trust, Influencing Behavior, and Inspiring Action. The author describes the paramount importance of likability and trust in today's marketplace, employment environment, and in society in general.

Rohit Bhargava understands the timeless wisdom that people do business with those who they know, like, and trust. The author points out that somehow this critical knowledge of human nature was left neglected by too many business people. In a world where marketing messages, wall to wall advertising, and fast talking sales representatives have stretched believability beyond the breaking point, that vital trust was lost. As a result, trust and believability are at all time lows in modern society, despite the evidence that likeability has more value than logic or price to the customer. Rohit Bhargava presents important ideas for restoring trust, rebuilding that likeability factor, and returning basic human values of honesty and trust to organizations.



Rohit Bhargava (photo left) recognizes that likeability is the real currency of the modern global economy. With likeability as the currency, and honesty as the unexpected force, trust can be built to develop long term relationships. The author offers evidence that the current economic instability is really a crisis of believability and a loss of trust. Through honesty and believability, customers will prefer the companies and people who they know, like, and trust. For the author, this simple truth creates an unbeatable competitive advantage, as well as developing more engaged employees, and enthusiastic customers.

To build this new likeability culture that resonates with customers and employees, Rohit Bhargava provides his five principles of likeability, that he calls TRUST. The five TRUST values are as follows:

* Truth
* Relevance
* Unselfishness
* Simplicity
* Timing

For me, the power of the book is how Rohit Bhargava combines timeless wisdom, with modern behavioral economics and psychology, to present a series of transformational business principles. The author provides solid evidence that traditional values of honesty, truth, and being liked by others are the foundation blocks of a successful organization. With the current crisis in the economy demonstrating how a lack of trust completely destroyed some companies, this book is an important wake up call for business leaders everywhere.

To support his concepts, Rohit Bhargava shares real life case studies of the TRUST principles creating some hugely successful companies. Likeonomics is destined to replace the greed principle as the underlying focus for business in the next decade. In many ways, this book represents a return to the path that worked for businesses for generations. The return of this age old wisdom is due, and this book encapsulates that renewed approach, to the benefit of firms, employees, customers, society, and the overall economy.

I highly recommend the destined to become classic book Likeonomics: The Unexpected Truth Behind Earning Trust, Influencing Behavior, and Inspiring Action by Rohit Bhargava, to any business leaders, entrepreneurs, organizational executives, and customers of any company who are seeking a clear and concise description of why being liked and trusted forms the basis of any lasting relationship. This book will change your thinking of how a business should be operated, and you will rethink the failed ethos of dishonesty that has penetrated the culture of so many companies.

Tags: Likeonomics: The Unexpected Truth Behind Earning Trust, Influencing Behavior, and Inspiring Action, Rohit Bhargava, organizational culture change, business book reviews

Mobilizing The Green Imagination by Anthony Weston - Book review

Mobilizing the Green Imagination

An Exuberant Manifesto

By: Anthony Weston

Published: May 1, 2012
Format: Paperback: 192 pages
ISBN-10: 0865717095
ISBN-13: 978-0865717091
Publisher: New Society Publishers











"Imagine a world so thoroughly and appealingly re-localized that it has no need for cleaner cars or mass transit, or indeed any large-scale transportation infrastructure at all", rites Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies at Elon University, North Carolina, Anthony Weston, in his visionary and inspirational book Mobilizing the Green Imagination: An Exuberant Manifesto. The author describes a completely revolutionary approach to environmental thinking that dispenses with the doom and gloom, and offers a future that is not only liveable but enjoyable as well.

Anthony Weston understands that current environmentalist thought has reached some dead ends, and is searching for fresh ideas and reinvention. The author recognizes that the environment faces some very daunting challenges, both now and in the immediate future. This fear and disaster based environmentalism is not only limiting, but also creates a sense of hopelessness. Anthony Weston proposes a complete rethinking of the entire concept of green and the environment.

Instead of roadblocks, the author suggests that people awaken themselves to possibilities rather than barriers. The author rejects the uninspiring premise of mitigation, and simple reduction of human impact on the ecosystem. In its place, Anthony Weston considers a more positive and appealing idea, in the form of the purpose driven Green Imagination.



Anthony Weston (photo left) takes the more inspiring and creative position of not aiming for making less of a difference; but instead to make a different form of difference on the world. Instead of mobilizing the technocrats, as advocated by the usual environmental concept, the author proposes that people mobilize their imaginations. In place of the limited and often counter-productive approaches of mainstream environmentalists, Anthony Weston places more confidence in human creativity and imagination.

The author suggests some profound concepts that push the very boundaries of conventional thought, and offer a true visionary approach. Some of the revolutionary concepts include:

* Welcoming rising sea levels to cities
* Creating a fresh vision of life after conventional transportation
* Moving beyond exploiting the natural world
* Creating a green space program that considers the ecology of the cosmos

For me, the power of the book is how Anthony Weston shares bold and enthusiastic vision of an entirely alternative yet hope filled future. The author dispenses with the usual doom and gloom that surrounds the environmental movement, revealing it as a very limited worldview. Anthony Weston takes a giant step forward, in both his thinking about the environment as a whole, but also of the role of humans within that refreshing vision.

The author takes a holistic, and all encompassing approach that embraces the challenges, transforming them into wonderful possibilities. Instead of simply a technocratic methodology, the author calls for using our imagination. That concept may be the single most radical vision, that of using the imagination, to its fullest extent to create a wonderful future for all living things.

I highly recommend the purposeful and thought provoking book Mobilizing the Green Imagination: An Exuberant Manifesto by Anthony Weston, to anyone seeking a unique and inspirational vision for rebuilding environmentalism into an entirely new future. This book will change forever the way you think about the usual approaches to environmentalism, and ignite your imagination to create a completely new world that works for everyone and everything on the planet.

Tags: Mobilizing the Green Imagination: An Exuberant Manifestos, Anthony Weston, visionary environmentalism, science book reviews

Mike Richardson: Wheel$spin - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Keynote speaker, engineer, former CEO, and author of the insightful and comprehensive book Wheel$pin: The Agile Executive's Manifesto - Accelerate Your Growth, Leverage Your Value, Beat Your Competition, Mike Richardson, describes why it is easy for a company to lose traction, spin its wheels, and often face the challenge of its very survival. Mike Richardson provides an alternative to what he calls Wheel$pin, in the form of organizational agility. Mike offers ideas for executives, leaders, teams, and organizations on how to become agile, and able to meet any challenge. For Mike Richardson, agility is the real deciding factor in a company's ability to overcome obstacles, utilize opportunities, and move ahead of their competitors. Mike shares case studies of seemingly very different companies, and how a lack of agility caused real harm to their organization. Learn how to become and remain an agile organization, an agile team, and an agile executive, Discover how to diagnose and recognize wheel$pin, and how to overcome its damaging forces.

Mike Richardson is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, June 28, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Keynote speaker, engineer, former CEO, and author of the insightful and comprehensive book Wheel$pin: The Agile Executive's Manifesto - Accelerate Your Growth, Leverage Your Value, Beat Your Competition, Mike Richardson, describes why it is easy for a company to lose traction, spin its wheels, and often face the challenge of its very survival. You will learn:

* What wheel$spin is for a company

* How to spot and diagnose wheel$spin in a company

* What is means to be an agile organization

* How to become an agile organization



Mike Richardson (photo left) used to be part of the corporate management team of a British public corporation (Spirent PLC) which made it into the top 100 list of public companies, with Mike running the Aerospace Division. He is an experienced CEO of businesses ranging from electronics to enterprise-software, involving turnarounds, acquisitions and disposals. Mike is British, turned American with diverse international, now residing in San Diego, California.

Mike’s leadership learning journey started on oil and gas drilling rigs with Shell International as a Petroleum Engineer. Working in a high pressure environment, with individuals of diverse nationalities and types, this is where Mike says he got his “apprenticeship in people”. From there, via an MBA at London Business School, Mike moved into the Aerospace Industry and rapidly gained experience in multiple line-management and executive roles. He quickly progressed to Profit & Loss responsibility at a business unit level and then at a Divisional level.

Mike is now the President of Sherpa Alliance Incorporated, a firm devoted to changing the world of support for managers, executives and CEOs of small-to-medium sized and fast-moving businesses, business units and corporations. Sherpa’s do heavy lifting, providing load-carrying support for mountainous journeys – BREAKTHROUGH! journeys.

Mike now devotes his time to working with members, clients and Boards from a wide diversity of industries and businesses, from start-ups to public companies, young and old, large and small, for-profits and not-for-profits, of all types, shapes and sizes (see Testimonials). Mike is an award winning Chair with Vistage International, chairing 4 groups and more than 60 members (CEOs, Executives and Professional Service Providers) and is also a Vistage Resource Speaker to other Vistage groups, nationally and internationally.

My book review of Wheel$pin: The Agile Executive's Manifesto - Accelerate Your Growth, Leverage Your Value, Beat Your Competition by Mike Richardson.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with keynote speaker, engineer, former CEO, and author of the insightful and comprehensive book Wheel$pin: The Agile Executive's Manifesto - Accelerate Your Growth, Leverage Your Value, Beat Your Competition, Mike Richardson, as he describes why it is easy for a company to lose traction, spin its wheels, and often face the challenge of its very survival. Mike Richardson provides an alternative to what he calls Wheel$pin, in the form of organizational agility. Mike offers ideas for executives, leaders, teams, and organizations on how to become agile, and able to meet any challenge. For Mike Richardson, agility is the real deciding factor in a company's ability to overcome obstacles, utilize opportunities, and move ahead of their competitors. Mike shares case studies of seemingly very different companies, and how a lack of agility caused real harm to their organization. Learn how to become and remain an agile organization, an agile team, and an agile executive, Discover how to diagnose and recognize wheel$pin, and how to overcome its damaging forces on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Wheel$pin: The Agile Executive's Manifesto - Accelerate Your Growth, Leverage Your Value, Beat Your Competition, Mike Richardson, advanced strategic thinking, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Neil Smith: How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Consultant, CEO of Promontory Growth and Innovation (PGI), and author of the insightful and transformational book How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses, Neil Smith, describes how organizations must avoid doing the really dumb things that mystify their employees and customers. Neil Smith offers the advice that every firm has two things in the form of great employees with innovative ideas; and hidden barriers that prevent those changes from taking place. Neil Smith provides insights into those eight hidden barriers and shares proven techniques for overcoming them successfully. Neil shows leaders how to improve performance, while simplifying operations to transform a company culture into one that welcomes new ideas, and avoids doing dumb things. Neil Smith offers his fast, proven, and internally driven process to crash through those barriers, and unleash the multitude of great ideas waiting to be put into action in every company.

Neil Smith is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, June 26, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Consultant, CEO of Promontory Growth and Innovation (PGI), and author of the insightful and transformational book How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses, Neil Smith, describes how organizations must avoid doing the really dumb things that mystify their employees and customers. You will learn:

* Why otherwise astute companies make really head scratching mistakes

* How every organization has great people with tremendous new ideas

* Why eight hidden barriers within organizations prevent that change

* How to create a company culture that overcomes those eight unseen barriers



Neil Smith (photo left) has more than 15 years experience leading large-scale performance improvements and, before that, spent 6 years serving as the CEO of a manufacturing company.

His manufacturing experience helped Neil to develop the PGI approach to dramatic profit improvement for Fortune 750 companies. The PGI Promise process had its origins in the financial services industry in the early 1990’s. Neil was able to demonstrate that techniques learned in banking could be applied even more effectively to other industries, when he led a ground-breaking project in the transportation industry in 1998. Other successes followed.

In 2000, Neil first showed that the techniques could be applied to large companies when he led a hugely successful project at a 23,000 person company. In 2001, the same techniques were used for the first time with a company which was not only large and global, but could be considered a true industry leader. Working with the CEO and his team, and his Promontory colleague Gene Ludwig, Neil demonstrated that there are huge opportunities in even the best of companies.

Over the last few years, a number of the companies Neil has worked with are rated among the best in their industries including healthcare, banking, food manufacturing, distribution and insurance. He has a flair for making the best companies even better.

Before buying the food manufacturing company in a leveraged buyout, Neil spent five years with McKinsey & Company, working in New York and London, and helped to build McKinsey's early work in Brazil and Indonesia. As a senior member of the change practice, he pioneered client growth initiatives and led innovative restructurings. His clients include television, healthcare, hotels, steel manufacturing, banking and insurance companies.

Before business school Neil was a journalist in London, working with the BBC and the London Sunday Times.

Neil has an M.B.A. with honors from the Harvard Business School, where he was a Knox Fellow. He also has a B.A. with honors in Physics and Economics from the University of Keele in England.

Neil enjoys rugby, soccer, cricket, and baseball, and collects ancient British coins.

Neil is British and serves on the International Advisory Board of British American Business, Inc. (the British American Chamber of Commerce). He is a member of a Harvard Business School alumni committee and is Chairman of the U.S. Alumni of the University of Keele.

My book review of How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses by Neil Smith.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with consultant, CEO of Promontory Growth and Innovation (PGI), and author of the insightful and transformational book How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses, Neil Smith, as he describes how organizations must avoid doing the really dumb things that mystify their employees and customers. Neil Smith offers the advice that every firm has two things in the form of great employees with innovative ideas; and hidden barriers that prevent those changes from taking place. Neil Smith provides insights into those eight hidden barriers and shares proven techniques for overcoming them successfully. Neil shows leaders how to improve performance, while simplifying operations to transform a company culture into one that welcomes new ideas, and avoids doing dumb things. Neil Smith offers his fast, proven, and internally driven process to crash through those barriers, and unleash the multitude of great ideas waiting to be put into action in every company on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses, Neil Smith, organizational change management, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things by Neil Smith - Book review

How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things

Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses

By: Neil Smith

Published: June 5, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 1137003065
ISBN-13: 978-1137003065
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan










"How do I know your company is like all the others? Because there are two things that every single company has: hidden barriers that prevent great ideas from surfacing...and employees with great ideas for how the company can do things differently", writes CEO of Promotory Growth and Innovation (PGI), Neil Smith, in his insightful and transformational book How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses. The author describes the eight barriers within organizations that prevent meaningful change, and shares his twelve principles for breaking through those barriers and doing the smart things that build success.

Neil Smith understands that many companies take actions that baffle their shareholders and customers. While this phenomenon can happen in any organization, the author points out that many firms avoid that mystifying problem. Neil Smith shares the often overlooked concept that every company has talented employees who have many valuable ideas for doing things better and more effectively than the current process. At the same time, however, the author also demonstrates that even within great companies, there are unseen barriers to uncovering and implementing their employee suggestions and ideas. To counter this barricade problem, Neil Smith offers twelve proven principles for tearing down the barriers, and making real and lasting change within the company.



Neil Smith (photo left) recognizes the similarities between companies, and as a result, provides a complete analysis of why companies do things that are so counterproductive for them, their employees, and their customers. The author presents evidence that the problem is a series of unseen barriers that prevent the discovery and implementation of even the most profitable employee ideas. For the author, the first step to breaking through these invisible barriers is to understand what they are, why they exist, and how to overcome them.

Neil Smith outlines eight frequently encountered hidden barriers describes by the author's acronym of A PROMISE. Those eight barriers are as follows:

* Avoiding controversy
* Poor use of time
* Reluctance to change
* Organizational silos
* Management blockers
* Incorrect information and bad assumptions
* Size matters
* Existing processes

For me, the power of the book is how Neil Smith provides a comprehensive analysis of why eight unseen barriers prevent great employee ideas from being utilized; and combines that analysis with a series of twelve principles to overcome those barriers. The author outlines his analysis in a point by point format, that is both easy to understand, but also provides for handy reference when needed. Neil Smith bolsters his case by including both case studies and anecdotal evidence of the concepts in action, in real world settings.

Unlike many books of this type, Neil Smith doesn't begin with his own theory, and then locate evidence that supports it, while denying data that disproves that hypothesis. Instead, Neil Smith follows the real world evidence and examples, and draws conclusions and makes recommendations, based on actual organizational behavior.

I highly recommend the idea filled and organizational culture changing book How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses by Neil Smith, to anyone seeking a straight forward and real world tested guide to improving organizational performance, removing hidden obstacles to change, and boosting profits. This book will transform your company culture and prevent making the dumb mistakes that create major problems for so many other organizations.

Tags: How Excellent Companies Avoid Dumb Things: Breaking the 8 Hidden Barriers that Plague Even the Best Businesses, Neil Smith, organizational change management, business book reviews

The Self-Made Myth by Brian Miller & Mike Lapham - Book review

The Self-Made Myth

And the Truth about How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeed

By: Brian Miller, Mike Lapham

Published: March 5, 2012
Format: Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN-10: 1609945069
ISBN-13: 978-1609945060
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers










"The self-made myth is the assertion that individual and business success is the result of the personal characteristics of exceptional individuals, such as hard work, creativity, and sacrifice, with little or no outside assistance. Those who subscribe to this myth do so only by ignoring the contributions of society, the supports made possible through government action, any head start a person may have received, and just plain old luck", write executive director of United for a Fair Economy, Brian Miller; and founding director of Responsible Wealth, a project of United for a Fair Economy, Mike Lapham, in their well researched and thought provoking book The Self-Made Myth: And the Truth about How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeed. The authors describe how the idea that business success is solely the result of great individual effort is entirely false, and they deconstruct the usual claims of supposedly self-made individuals, and destroy this fabricated mythology entirely.



Brian Miller (photo left) and Mike Lapham recognize the importance of hard work, creativity, and personal sacrifice. The authors point out that these traits, no matter hoe admirable and noble, do not account for the entirety an individual's success. Instead, the authors provide clear evidence that the creation of wealth the result of many additional factors that seldom receive the recognition they deserve. The omission of the inputs of government support through public education, the legal system, infrastructure, and the safety net is more than simply an exercise in ego or self delusion on the part of the individuals. The authors present a compelling case that the real reason for the perpetuation of the self-mad myth, despite its demonstrable shortcomings, is to influence public policy and to reduce taxation levels.



Mike Lapham (photo left) and Brian Miller understand that the self-made myth is as much a political construct as it is a social and economic creation. By falsely claiming that personal success is entirely due to individual initiative and merit, the authors point out that this position is intended to steer public policy into a firmly anti-government narrative. To counter this tend, based the false premise of the self-made person, the authors provide an alternative in the form of the built together reality.

To establish their case that refutes the self-made myth, the authors present the following outline:

* Overview of the self-made myth and its consequences
* The roots of the myth, its recent evolution, and its policy implications
* Contributions made by government and society that create conditions for success
* Foundations of the alternative built together reality of success
* Profiles of noted business leaders who embrace the built together reality
* How the built together reality changes our view of the government role
* Ways that people can get involved to change the dialogue to a more realistic one

For me, the power of the book is how Brian Miller and Mike Lapham completely demolish the self-made myth, and expose it for the empty shell it is in reality. The authors also provide a very strong alternative approach to understanding wealth creation for individuals and businesses in the form of the built together reality. This fresh approach acknowledges the role played by government, society, family, and even luck in the achievement of success.

Brian Miller and Mike Lapham present case histories of several allegedly self-made people including Donald Trump, Ross Perot, and the Koch Brothers, illustrating completely the false premise of them being self-made success stories. The authors also provide interviews with other successful individuals including Jerry Fiddler, Glynn Lloyd, Thelma Kidd, and Warren Buffett who acknowledge openly how much public and private assistance they received in achieving their success. The book concludes with an action plan for people to get involved in presenting the built together reality as a much more accurate assessment of how wealth is created in America.

I highly recommend the important and eye opening book The Self-Made Myth: And the Truth about How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeed by Brian Miller and Mike Lapham, to anyone seeking a recognition of the essential role played by government and society in the success of individuals and businesses. This book will change the way you view government, and provide a new appreciation for how public and private support assist in the creation of wealth and a vibrant economy.

Tags: The Self-Made Myth: And the Truth about How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeede, Brian Miller, Mike Lapham, public policy, business book reviews

Five Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint' by Eric Bergman

Five Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint'

Changing the world one conversation at a time

By: Eric Bergman

Published: May 2, 2012
Format: Paperback, 172 pages
ISBN-10: 1469926377
ISBN-13: 978-1469926377
Publisher: CreateSpace












No; PowerPoint is not the problem. The problem lies with assumptions underlying its use. Those assumptions are moving us further and further away from conversational exchanges when people get together", writes world-renowned presentation expert, author, and communications trainer Eric Bergman, in his concise and straight to the point book Five Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint' Changing the world one conversation at a time. The author describes how presenters can improve their communication effectiveness, and how audiences can insist that presenters incorporate the author's five steps into all communication deliveries.

Eric Bergman recognizes that what he calls "death by PowerPoint" isn't that the tools are flawed, but that the way presenters use the system that creates the problem For anyone presenting information through PowerPoint slides, a failure to communicate effectively with the audience, results in the message not being heard or understood correctly. Eric Bergman shares the concept that PowerPoint can be a very effective communications tool, but the assumptions that underlie its use are flawed. For the author, those flawed assumptions reduce the level of conversation between people, resulting in less understanding and sharing of ideas.



Eric Bergman (photo left) understands that people making presentations have the assumption that slides are an integral and essential part of the communication process. The author provides compelling evidence that both presenters and their audiences need to rethink the assumptions made about PowerPoint and its slides, and focus on creating genuine conversation instead.

Eric Bergman offers the wisdom that the vast majority of presentations are a waste of time as they fail to achieve their goals. The audiences are forced to work hard to find any value in these flawed presentations, and that a simple conversation would be create a more desirable outcome. The flawed assumptions that underpin the problem of "death by PowerPoint" syndrome are as follows:

* Everyone uses it
* It is expected
* People have different learning styles
* A picture is worth a thousand words
* My slides are my notes
* The audience can take notes
* They can share the presentation with others
* People will remember our key messages
* The focus is off me
* It saves time

To correct these problematic assumptions, Eric Bergman offers five simple rules for presenters to follow, and for audiences to insist that the presenters put into practice:

* Put the audience first
* Structure the conversation
* Minimize visual aids
* Convey your message and personality
* Answer questions throughout

For me, the power of the book is how Eric Bergman combines an insightful analysis of why the underlying assumptions that lead to so many ineffective PowerPoint presentations, with a series of recommendations for improving communication between speaker and audience. Going beyond the usual PowerPoint books, that simply suggest ways to create what are believed to be better PowerPoint slides, Eric Bergman suggests that the best course of action may be to not use the slides at all.

To counter the usual reasons given for the use and overuse of PowerPoint slides, the author provides a series of techniques for building a strong and effective conversation between the presenter and the listening audience. At the same time, he also makes a strong case for the listeners themselves to insist that the conversational approach be utilized by the speaker, and that the danger of "death by PowerPoint" be avoided entirely.

I highly recommend the iconoclastic and idea filled book Five Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint' Changing the world one conversation at a time by Eric Bergman, to anyone seeking a straight talking guide to both providing more effective PowerPoint presentations; or for even avoiding the ubiquitous slides altogether. This book will change the way both presenters and audiences think about and approach the use of PowerPoint slides, resulting in more personal conversations and more effective communication of ideas.

Tags: Five Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint' Changing the world one conversation at a time, Eric Bergman, effective communication, business book reviews

Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: 2nd Edition by Juana Bordas - Book review

Salsa, Soul, and Spirit

Leadership for a Multicultural Age - Second Edition

By: Juana Bordas

Published: March 26, 2012
Format: Paperback, 248 pages
ISBN-10: 1609941179
ISBN-13: 978-1609941178
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers










"During my forty-five years of working in communities of color, I have listened to thousands of such life stories, and I know mine is not unique. Our stories are a collective journey, small streams forming a powerful river, a dynamic force that is restructuring our country into a multicultural society - and transforming American leadership", writes President of Mestiza Leadership International Juana Bordas is president of Mestiza Leadership International in Denver and vice president of the board of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Juana Bordas, in her visionary and wisdom filled book Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age - Second Edition. The author describes the changes in demographics in America, the rich contributions made by people from communities of color, and the value of added diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas to the concept of leadership in the United States.

Juana Bordas understands that America is transforming into a multicultural society, with ever greater equality and opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds. The demographic changes in society reflect those of an ever more globalized economy and culture. At the same time, the author points out that increasing diversity is in complete harmony with the founding principles of the United States. Juana Bordas offers the experiences of Latin Americans, African Americans, and First Nations people as part of that dynamic of ever increasing racial and cultural diversity. The author demonstrates that the very different backgrounds and experiences of people, from communities of color, provides a valuable opportunity to enrich the leadership perspectives of organizations and government.



Juana Bordas (photo left) recognizes that Latin Americans, African Americans, and native Americans bring very important experiences and perspectives to any leadership roles. In the past, American leadership has largely stemmed from the White male point of view. The author provides an alternative vision to replace that limited perspective and worldview.

Juana Bordas offers the multicultural leadership model where many cultural perspectives, differences, unique contributions of diverse groups, and learning from many different cultures is encouraged and put into practice. In this fresh approach to leadership, people are encouraged to maintain their own cultural identity, while participating in and contributing to the larger diversity of the society.

Juana Bordas provides a vision and a framework framework for what she describes as infusing Salsa, Soul, and Spirit into the leadership model, creating a fresh and more diverse dynamic that benefits everyone. To achieve this vision, Juana Bordas proposes a new social covenant that brings the following principles of diversity into the mosaic:

* Sankofa: Learn from the past
* I to We: From individualism to collective identity
* Mi casa es su casa: A spirit of generosity
* A leader among equals: Community-conferred leadership
* Leaders as guardians of public values: A tradition of activism
* Leaders as community stewards: Working for the common good
* The seventh-generation rule: Inter-generational leadership
* All my relatives: La familia, the village, the tribe
* Gracias: Gratitude, hope, and forgiveness

For me, the power of the book is how Juana Bordas combines an insightful analysis of the transformation of American society into a multicultural milieu, with the framework to create a fresh social covenant. The author shares the timeless wisdom of people of Latin American, African American, and First Nations descent. This universal wisdom provides an opportunity to transform American leadership from the now outdated and failing White male model, to one that is multicultural, diverse, inclusive, and global.

Juana Bordas shares a vision of collective and collaborative leadership that is essential for moving forward in a globalized economy in general, and in a demographically changing America in particular. All areas of culture and the economy have benefited from, and been enriched by contributions made by people from communities of color. Leadership will also be enhanced and improved through the rich diversity that transformed American culture and society.

I highly recommend the pioneering and transformational book Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age - Second Edition by Juana Bordas, to anyone seeking a groundbreaking and much needed book on the importance of diversity for leadership theory and practice. This book offers the timeless wisdom of the Latino, African American, and Native American cultures, and transforms that vision into a new and inclusive social covenant for all people.

Tags: Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age - Second Edition, Juan Bordas, multicultural leadership and diversity, business book reviews

Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure by Tim Harford - Book review

Adapt

Why Success Always Starts with Failure

By: Tim Harford

Published: May 8, 2012
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1250007550
ISBN-13: 978-1250007551
Publisher: Picador










"What is striking about the market system is not how few failures there are, but how ubiquitous failure is even in the most vibrant growth industries", writes former economist at the World Bank and an economics tutor at Oxford University, Tim Harford, in his pioneering and thought provoking book Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure. The author describes why so much failure happens in an overall successful economic system, why failure is a crucial part of success, and adapting to shifting economic conditions and mistakes is so important for business.

Tim Harford understands that not only is the economy extremely complex, but even the activities, that take place within companies and in our daily lives, are also more intricate than is usually realized by many. Problems of ever increasing difficulty are becoming more economy on every scale. People have become used to looking to leaders to meet those challenges, overcome the obstacles, and provide useful solutions. Tim Harford points out that such is not the case, and that the typical solutions offered by leaders result in failure. The author presents a powerful alternative approach to traditional leadership models. This fresh model is based on adapting to circumstances, drawing on a very wide range of leaders and followers, and utilizing trial and error effectively to find innovative solutions.



Tim Harford (photo left) recognizes that the world is much too complex at every level, for experts to understand fully, and for standard solutions to be effective any longer. The author demonstrates how the usual strategies are insufficient to meet the challenges of complexity, and very often are the cause of catastrophic failure themselves.

Tim Harford offers compelling evidence that traditional hierarchical management systems, complex systems, and tightly coupled systems all carry elements of risk. When combined, the potential for disaster is multiplied many times over. These systems are all too often not able to adapt to the inevitable problems or disasters that may befall them.

Tim Harford provides evidence that complexity alone will not create catastrophic system failure, but when tightly coupled, or faced with non-adaptive leadership, then complexity can lead to complete system failure. The author presents the model of the adaptive organization, of the adaptive individual, as alternatives to the traditional approaches to leadership and strategy. The author recommends an adaptable model based on the following principles:

* Try new things expecting some of them to fail
* Make failure survivable through small steps on the proper scale
* Know when failure has happened to ensure learning from that failure

For me, the power of the book is how Tim Harford provides an entirely fresh approach to systems, based on embracing failure and adapting to even the most unexpected change. The author presents a systems based analysis of why failure happens, and how it can be catastrophic, limited, or the first step to creativity and innovation. Through a multidisciplinary methodology, Tim Harford draws from from widely diverse fields to gain insights into the problems facing other very different endeavors.

The key to the author's analysis is making the key connections between what appears on the surface to be widely disparate concepts. Instead, the author seeks analogy, relationships, and patterns. Tim Harford illustrates his concepts with cases and anecdotes that show the principles in action. Far from being a book that fears failure, it is a study that considers understanding and learning from failure the critical first step toward discovering real solutions to even the most challenging problems.

I highly recommend the insightful and systems driven book Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure by Tim Harford, to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the important role that failure' trial and error, and adapting to circumstances play in overall success in any field. This book provides a road map to recognizing failure, and learning from those mistakes, to create innovative and effective solutions.

Tags: Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure, Tim Harford, innovation and problem solving, business book reviews

Geek Nation by Angela Saini - Book review

Geek Nation

How Indian Science Is Taking Over the World

By: Angela Saini

Published: May 8, 2012
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1444710168
ISBN-13: 978-1444710168
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton












"This impoverished tea- and cotton-growing backwater is starting to reclaim the scientific legacy that it lost thousands of years ago. Staring into the clouds at the rocket, which has now disappeared completely, I ask myself, how on earth did they do it?" writes award-winning independent journalist based in London, Angela Saini, in her engaging and deeply personal book Geek Nation: How Indian Science Is Taking Over the World. The author describes the rise of science, scientific and engineering education, geek culture, and the many contradictions within these fields as Indian scientists make their mark in the global economy.

Angela Saini recognizes the rich history of science in India, and its towering achievements that went almost forgotten for centuries. Building on that glorious past of learning and discovery, a new generation of Indian students are achieving outstanding results in science, engineering, technology, and space exploration. The author sets out to discover this scientific, and yes geek oriented society, within the vast and developing country of India. Ranging from students winning awards for learning and scholarship on a worldwide basis, to the enormous pressure for high marks in the ultra competitive educational system, to the desperation to escape poverty, the author finds the contradictions of Indian culture itself superimposed on an emerging scientific and technological superpower.



Angela Saini (photo left) presents a fascinating account of how former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had a vision of a modern country based on science, advanced technology logic. While that dream is already partially realized, the author points out how in many ways, the ideal has turned into a misshapen distopia. While Indian scientists have created and developed an advanced space program, scientific study has devolved into rote memorization with very limited creative thinking and innovation. At the same time, as is so evident by the usual paradoxes so evident in the book, is how despite these limitations, advances in science and technology are taking place in India.

The author offers evidence that India's younger scientists and engineers are seeking high paying jobs as their primary goal, but they are also achieving breakthroughs as an additional result. The author shows how the young technology geeks and drones are both part of India's social and educational systems. Despite these challenges, India remains poised to rise to the forefront of global science, technology, and engineering through a combination of large numbers of graduates and national will.

For me, the power of the book is how Angela Saini presents an intimate, yet panoramic overview of India as a potential scientific and technology superpower. Despite its enormous steps forward, India still faces many challenges from its complex social, religious, and political structure. In a vast nation, where not everyone has access to clean water, food, or the basic necessities of life, incredible strides are being made in scientific breakthroughs. Many of those discoveries, and technological advances grew out of the need to improve the lives of one billion Indian inhabitants.

Gaps between rich and poor are enormous, with gleaming towers side by side with shantytowns. Students are driven hard to achieve top scholastic scores and places in highly competitive universities. Paradoxically, these seemingly disparate events work together to create the conditions for even more advancement of this emerging scientific superpower.

I highly recommend the insightful and eye opening book Geek Nation: How Indian Science Is Taking Over the World by Angela Saini, to anyone seeking a refreshing and honest appraisal of the emerging technological superpower that is India. This book provides both a close up view of the people involved in the scientific revolution that is propelling India into the global technological forefront.

Tags: Geek Nation: How Indian Science Is Taking Over the World, Angela Saini, global scienceandtechnology, business book reviews

Sarah Gilbert: Publishing Options For Authors - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Manager of Services Sales and Account Management at self publishing firm Lulu.com, Sarah Gilbert describes the process of self publishing a book and how authors can benefit from the flexibility it provides. Sarah Gilbert demonstrates how self publishing works and how it different from traditional publishing. Sarah offers some ideas about how technology and the rise of the ebook have transformed self publishing books. She also shares some advice for becoming a successful self published author. Sarah provides her insights into how self published titles can boost the reputation of a business person as an authority in their field. Sarah also points out that self published books offer a powerful fundraising option for non-profit organization. Sarah Gilbert provides her insights into the future of ebooks and of self publishing; and what changes are down the road for authors and the publishing industry.

Sarah Gilbert is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, June 14, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Manager of Services Sales and Account Management at self publishing firm Lulu.com, Sarah Gilbert describes the process of self publishing a book and how authors can benefit from the flexibility it provides. Sarah Gilbert demonstrates how self publishing works and how it different from traditional publishing. You will learn:

* How self publishing works and how it differs from traditional publishing

* How the rise of ebooks has transformed self publishing

* How authors can become successful self published authors

* How business people and non-profit organizations can benefit from self publishing



Sarah Gilbert (photo left) has been advising authors for years as the Manager of Services Sales and Account Management at Lulu.com. Her specialty is unearthing the needs of independent authors and setting a plan of action to help them achieve success. In addition to working with authors, Sarah is directly involved in services product development and educating communities of writers.

Recent engagements include Let’s Talk Live on News Channel 8 in Washington, DC, Self Publishing Tips Seminar at The Garden Writer’s Association Annual conference, and speaking on the topic of Open Publishing at many local universities.

Sarah’s enthusiasm for publishing is also shown outside of Lulu as she has initiated and managed local projects for fundraising using Lulu products like the Lacy Elementary Calendar Fundraiser and the Raleigh Cooks cookbook.

Previous to her career in publishing, Sarah was a teacher of foreign language grades kindergarten through 12. She is a graduate of Meredith College in Raleigh, NC and in her free time enjoys playing outside with her husband and two boys.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with Manager of Services Sales and Account Management at self publishing firm Lulu.com, Sarah Gilbert, as she describes the process of self publishing a book and how authors can benefit from the flexibility it provides. Sarah Gilbert demonstrates how self publishing works and how it different from traditional publishing. Sarah offers some ideas about how technology and the rise of the ebook have transformed self publishing books. She also shares some advice for becoming a successful self published author. Sarah provides her insights into how self published titles can boost the reputation of a business person as an authority in their field. Sarah also points out that self published books offer a powerful fundraising option for non-profit organization. Sarah Gilbert provides her insights into the future of ebooks and of self publishing; and what changes are down the road for authors and the publishing industry on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Lulu.com, Sarah Gilbert, self publishing for authors, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Barry Moltz & Becky McCray: Small Town Rules - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Entrepreneurs, consultants, and co-authors of the paradigm shifting and very practical book Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy, Barry J. Moltz and Becky McCray describe how the same wisdom that created viable and long lasting businesses in small towns, forms the basis for success for even the largest companies and brands. The authors demonstrate how in the modern marketplace where enormous societal, technological, and economic transformation is taking place are recreating the world as one large small town. The authors provide the concepts that created competitive advantage in small communities through personal relationships, reputation, and trust. Those same qualities are at work in the global technology based economy as well. As a result, the wisdom that created success in small towns becomes the source of competitive advantage in the global marketplace as well. The authors share what they call their small town rules for building companies and brands on the human scale that forms the backbone of small town businesses.

Barry Moltz and Becky McCray are my internet radio show guests on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, June 12, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Entrepreneurs, consultants, and co-authors of the paradigm shifting and very practical book Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy, Barry J. Moltz and Becky McCray describe how the same wisdom that created viable and long lasting businesses in small towns, forms the basis for success for even the largest companies and brands. You will learn:

* How the world has changed to embrace small community style relationships

* Why small town businesses have much to teach even the largest companies

* How technology has transformed the world into one very large small town

* What are the small town rules and how to put them into practice




Barry J. Moltz (photo left)gets small businesses unstuck. He has founded and run small businesses with a great deal of success and failure for more than 15 years.

After successfully selling his last operating business, Barry has branched out into a number of entrepreneurship-related activities. He founded an angel investor group, an angel fund, and is a former advisory member of the board of the Angel Capital Education Foundation.

His first book, You Need to Be A Little Crazy: The Truth about Starting and Growing Your Business describes the ups and downs and emotional trials of running a business. It is in its fourth reprint and has been translated into Chinese, Russian, Korean and Thai. His second book, Bounce! Failure, Resiliency and the Confidence to Achieve Your Next Great Success, shows what it takes to comeback and develop true business confidence. His third book is called, BAM! Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World which shows how social media and self service have changed customers service forever! His fourth book, "Small Town Rules", comes out in April 2012.

Barry is a nationally recognized expert on entrepreneurship who has given hundreds of presentations to audiences ranging from 20 to 20,000. He was appointed by the Illinois Governor in 2005 to serve as Chairman of the board of the Institute for Entrepreneurship Education (IIEE). As a member of the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, he also has taught entrepreneurship as an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He has appeared on many TV and radio programs such as The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, NPR and The Tavis Smiley Show.



Becky McCray (photo left) says that small businesses and small towns matter. She is a small town business owner, with a retail store and a cattle ranch in Woods County, Oklahoma. She also heads a consulting firm that helps small town governments in Oklahoma with project management. Together with Sheila Scarborough, she co-founded Tourism Currents to teach tourism professionals new ways of marketing their destination.

She has been featured in The New York Times, BusinessWeek, and Entrepreneur Magazine. She publishes the popular website, Small Biz Survival, on small town business. All of this from her home base in Hopeton, Oklahoma, a community of 30 people.

My book review of Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy by Barry Moltz and Becky McCray.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with entrepreneurs, consultants, and co-authors of the paradigm shifting and very practical book Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy, Barry J. Moltz and Becky McCray, as they describe how the same wisdom that created viable and long lasting businesses in small towns, forms the basis for success for even the largest companies and brands. The authors demonstrate how in the modern marketplace where enormous societal, technological, and economic transformation is taking place are recreating the world as one large small town. The authors provide the concepts that created competitive advantage in small communities through personal relationships, reputation, and trust. Those same qualities are at work in the global technology based economy as well. As a result, the wisdom that created success in small towns becomes the source of competitive advantage in the global marketplace as well. The authors share what they call their small town rules for building companies and brands on the human scale that forms the backbone of small town businesses on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy, Barry J. Moltz, Becky McCray, brands and marketing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Small Town Rules by Barry Moltz & Becky McCray - Book review

Small Town Rules

How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy

By: Barry J. Moltz, Becky McCray

Published: April 2, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
ISBN-10: 0789749203
ISBN-13: 978-0789749208
Publisher: Que










"The customers of every company now behave like they live in a small town. As a result, companies now need to play by a new set of rules: small town rules", write small town business owner Becky McCray, and entrepreneur and consultant Barry J. Moltz, in their paradigm shifting and very practical book Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy. The authors describe how the forces of technology, social change, and globalized economies have changed the world into one very large small town; and provide their strategies for thriving as a small town style business.



Barry J. Moltz (photo left) and Becky McCray are long time residents and entrepreneurs in small towns. They apply their experience in small communities to what they call the new realities of local, national, and global marketplaces. Indeed, the authors describe the dynamics that drive the very personal nature of small town business success, are the very same principles that lead to success in today's challenging economic circumstances. Small town entrepreneurs have experienced and overcame all of the obstacles that confront companies and brands; including the very largest corporations in the world. The author share their proven small town business principles, and demonstrate how those same concepts form the core of today's business environment, regardless of the scale.



Becky McCray (photo left) and Barry Moltz understand that people in small towns know one another, and talk and share ideas with each other. This same phenomenon takes place in online communities, where ideas, product reviews, and company reputations are shared readily and often. People want to form communities, making the small town comparison much more than a simple analogy. It is an important insight by the authors. People want to do business on a human scale, preferably with other community members who they know, like, and trust.

The authors present their small town rules a guide for any sizes of business to prosper in a connected economy. The small town rules are:

* Plan for zero income in hard times
* Spend creative brainpower before spending money
* Multiply lines of income to diversify risk
* Work anywhere, anywhen with technology
* Treat customers like community
* Be proud of being small
* Build local connections

For me, the power of the book is how Becky McCray and Barry Moltz provide a comprehensive guide to understanding the importance of small town business practices, as a basis for success, in the modern marketplace. In a technological economy, where people form communities for sharing ideas, reviews, and information on companies and their brands, the structure of the small town is reconstructed electronically. As small towns, the same principles apply that formed the foundation of prosperity for generations of businesses in small towns. The authors share the wisdom and practicality that made these businesses viable and able to withstand ever changing economic conditions.

For large companies, the vagaries of the local, national, and global economies are something new. These shifting conditions are well known and understood in small town economies. The proprietors of these local businesses understand well the critical importance of building relationships based on trust and the human touch. These lessons are well understood in small town businesses, and they form the base of success for the largest companies and most famous brands as well.

I highly recommend the engaging and wisdom filled book Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy by Barry J. Moltz and Becky McCray, to any business leaders, executives, brand managers, and entrepreneurs who are seeking a guide to navigating the community based technological enabled marketplace. This book will provide the time tested strategies and techniques that formed the backbone of the long lasting businesses that line the main streets of the nation's small towns and villages.

Tags: Small Town Rules: How Big Brands and Small Businesses Can Prosper in a Connected Economy, Barry J. Moltz, Becky McCray, brands and marketing, business book reviews

Race, Housing & Community by Harris Beider - Book review

Race, Housing and Community

Perspectives on Policy and Practice

By: Harris Beider

Published: March 20, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1405196963
ISBN-13: 978-1405196963
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell













"Housing has been a key metaphor for race and community cohesion. Indeed, housing publications have illuminated the discourse on race and more latterly, community cohesion. Policy analysts have generated research, guidance and impact measures on race and community cohesion", writes Professor in Community Cohesion at Coventry University, Harris Beider, in his research based and policy oriented book Race, Housing and Community: Perspectives on Policy and Practice. The author describes the dynamics of race, housing, and community cohesion through a systematic approach to stimulate discussion and debate on these topics.

Harris Beider understands that the intertwined topics of race, housing and community cohesion are not simply esoteric and theoretical issues for the exclusive consideration by academics. Instead, the author proposes finding common ground for discussion between both the academic community and policy makers. Harris Beider considers this fusion of ideas and worldviews to form a foundation, for developing a new agenda, for a more full discussion. To create context, the author provides a background to how contributions from academics contributed to public policy decisions; and the limitations of that former approach to the topics.



Harris Beider (photo left) provides an overview and analysis of the key trends taking place in housing and race that are taking place in contemporary society. The book focuses on race and housing. The author presents evidence to recommend the necessity of developing a new framework for discussion and policy making. The latter part of the book offers an alternative framework, but prior to discussing a new approach, the author considers it important to understand the failings of the existing concepts.

Harris Beider describes the shortcomings of the existing paradigms that exist in the current literature on the subjects. He points out that these typologies have created the basis for legislation and other public policy formulation. The existing frameworks include:

* Passive culturalism
* Social conflict,politics, and power
* Choice and constraint
* Cultural resistance

For me the power of the book is how Harris Beider creates a fresh approach to creating policy alternatives for addressing race, housing, and community cohesion. The author demonstrates the limitations of the previous approaches to the topics, and how they were all failures in very fundamental ways. The author also recognizes the shifting demographics of the different groups and cultures, rendering much of the previous paradigm outdated and ineffective. Harris Beider offers the idea of opening dialogue between academics, policy makers, and the communities.

While not prescribing specific policy measures, the author places his emphasis on creating an effective process of creating a fusion and synthesis of ideas and approaches. Out of this cross pollination of ideas from different sectors, new and effective solutions, policies, and programs are the expected result. Even if those concepts have limitations, the dialogue remains to discover even more effective ideas and policies in the future.

I highly recommend the systematic and framework focused book Race, Housing and Community: Perspectives on Policy and Practice by Harris Beider, to anyone in academia, students of race and housing, public policy makers, business leaders, and community organizers who are seeking a workable framework approach to the topics of race, housing, and community cohesion. This book will open the dialogue to creating a fusion of ideas to further the conversation to create stronger community relations and cohesion.

Tags: Race, Housing and Community: Perspectives on Policy and Practice, Harris Beider, urban planning and practice, public policy book reviews