Working World

Issue 452

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June 8 - June 29, 2015 16 Working World l WorkingWorld.com W ith help from getAbstract, the world's largest library of business book summaries, Working World takes a quick look at the TOP 5 Business Books. 1. BUSINESS STRATEGY Alexander the Great's 50,000 soldiers used superior strategy to defeat Persia's million-man army in a single battle. In most industries, 20% of the companies – those with well- developed corporate strategies – make 80% of the profits. Business author Brian Tracy explains strategy and discusses why it's so important. He identifies its components, outlines what strategy requires and elucidates how companies can develop comprehensive strategies to achieve their goals. Tracy also provides a fascinating report on how Alexander the Great's superior use of strategy enabled his 50,000- man Macedonian army to defeat the million-man Persian army in the 300s BC, though Tracy's focus is on strategy, not on precise history. getAbstract recommends this concise but solid manual to corporate strategists, to those whose firms need strategic planning and to students of strategy. Brian Tracy | Copyright © 2015 AMACOM, a division of American Management Association 2015 | 112 pg. | ISBN: 9780814436271 2. COMMIT TO WIN Don't rely solely on willpower: Instead, make a commitment "action plan." Do you want to lose weight, give up smoking, begin an exercise program or learn a new language? Whatever your objective, don't rely on sheer willpower alone. It won't be enough. Instead, craft an intelligent commitment "action plan." Communication expert Heidi Reeder draws on 15 years of experience teaching college students about commitment to provide a carefully conceived model for personal change. She dissects the meaning of commitment, how it works, the myths that undermine it and the pitfalls it harbors. Reeder may be a little too committed to formulas and categories, but getAbstract finds that her commonsense advice offers a lot of support to those who want to give up something bad or start something good. Heidi Reeder | From COMMIT TO WIN by Heidi Reeder, PhD. Summarized by arrangement with Hudson Street Press, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC 2014 | 256 pg. | ISBN: 9781594631337 3. THAT'S OUTSIDE MY BOAT Worrying about what's outside your boat leads to failure. Taking care of what's inside it leads to success. What do Olympic rowers, a radio host, a TV producer, three NFL players, a sailboat skipper, an explorer, a sports columnist and a golf- course architect all have in common? They operate according to the same principle: Don't worry about "what you can't control"; focus only on "what you can control." Like the rowers, winning people ignore what's "outside their boat" and pay attention only to what's "inside their boat." Charlie Jones and Kim Doren offer an anthology of 55 vignettes written by a cross-section of people who put this practical philosophy to work with great success. Most of the tales are compelling and meaningful, making the collection a warm, worthwhile and enjoyable read. getAbstract recommends these inspiring stories to readers who are ready to embrace a single idea: Focus on what's in your own boat, and row. Charlie Jones and Kim Doren | Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013 | 199 pg. | ISBN: 9781439201626 FEATURED ARTICLE by getAbstract Top Business Books

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