Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google?: Trick Questions, Zen-like Riddles, Insanely Difficult Puzzles, and Other Devious Interviewing Techniques You … Know to Get a Job Anywhere in the New Economyby William Poundstone. I picked this up at the local Barnes & Noble and looked at it. Very current and relevant advice for any current or future job seeker. The Kindle and Nook editions will be available January 4th, so I’ll be reading it then.

Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman. I recently read a review of this in Scientific American Mind (Jan/Feb issue). I like books that give me an insight to how people think (Like books from Daniel Pink and Dan Ariely). For instance, how the aversion to loss is a greater motivator than the possibility of gain. It’s sure to be an interesting read, if you like to know how people think.

Blah, Blah, Blah: What to do when words don’t work, by Dan Roam. Another book I peeked at while roaming my local B&N Bookseller. This looks like a great resource for speakers on how to make your point with fewer (and more descriptive) words.

Execution: The discipline of getting things doneby Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. This is one a friend recommended, and I’ve read other titles by Ram Charan. I also read the Executive Summary of the book a while ago, and I especially liked the three building blocks of execution.

These are just a few ideas for books in the coming year. If you have any ideas, or have read any of the books I’ve mentioned, please leave a comment below.

Alan uses a methodical approach to defining the role of a coach, building a foundation of trust and value, developing your skills and marketing yourself as a coach. Of particular interest to me was his defined difference between the mentor and coach.

Alan’s definition of coaching includes a defined goal and an agreed upon definition of success. This includes a finite time limit as well. The concept of “life coach” doesn’t fit this model. Important note: If you want to be a life coach, don’t buy this book.

The best part is the real world questions for topics like defining coaching, qualifying clients, and developing yourself (just to name a few).

A useful definition of Trust – My firm belief that you have my best interests in mind.

Great quote – Requesting help is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. We all need help. Asking for it is a healthy sign.

I could fill a book with all of the wisdom in this book. But, since Alan has already done that, I’m suggesting that you buy his.

Check out www.summitconsulting.com to get some more information, and subscribe to Alan’s newsletter. Go here for the book’s page on Alan’s site.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now (today!) at full price (unless you want to be a “life coach”)
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the gist of it

The premise of this book, why right brainers will rule the future, may not leap out at you. However, the assertions he makes will likely wake you up. While left brain work (logical, mathematical, or process driven) will always be needed, the right brain activities that are High Touch and High Concept are going to be where the jobs are in our future.

Daniel talks about the modernization of manufacturing, which shifted jobs in the United States from building things to knowledge work. Yes manufacturing still happens in the United States, but not to he extent it did in the past. Knowledge work is moving in the same direction. You’ve seen it, the ability to automate or outsource that kind of work (think Turbo Tax and help desks) is causing the next coming shift in our skill sets: the move to creative (i.e. Right brained – high concept and high touch) activities.

Think about it. What gets outsourced or automated? Other people jobs? Not anymore. Now, any tasks that can be repeated, directly measured and doesn’t take creative thinking can truly be done by anyone, anywhere.

Of course, the more important question is this: What are you going to do about it?

Daniel goes on to say that the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is becoming the new MBA. MFA programs are becoming more popular, more prolific, and more preferred by the business world.

This isn’t an all-or-nothing concept. Imagine there are (hypothetically) 50,000 positions this year for new MBAs, 40,000 of them are outsourced and 100,000 people complete their MBA. Completing their MBA looked like a great idea for the 10,000 that find MBA-related work. I’m just thinking that if you’re considering being one of those who pursue the MBA, but your not sure you’ll be in that top percentage, you might want to rethink that investment.

What are you going to do about it?

Daniel’s six senses: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning are described in this book, with ideas you can use to incorporate these concepts into your life, and start catching up with an ever-changing world. It’s not too late, but should you keep waiting, expecting that you will be the exception to the coming wave?

Look around. Daniel Pink is right about the change that’s happening. We’re seeing it every day, across diverse disciplines and industries. If you don’t find a way to add the value of high touch and high concept in your work, then someone else will soon be doing your job, and another person who has prepared will be handling the high touch, high concept work that is needed. Pink gives some poignant examples throughout the book.

If you find yourself thriving in a left-brain life style, you may be able to live out your days without change. But, it’s not the same certainty it was just a few decades ago. Now is the time to jump-start your right brain thinking and get ready for what is already happening to us. Read this. Today.

Do you have an old mind?

I always enjoy books that give me insight to how others think. Actually, this gave me insight into how I think too.

Of particular interest to me was the information on Altruism vs. Greed. The fascinating point that was made had to do with how our brain processes these opportunities. For example, say you are a mechanic and a friend says, “I’m flat broke and I need to fix my car. Can you come over and fix it for me?” Even if the labor was worth $1,000, the altruistic part of your brain is activated, and you would likely make a decision to help your friend in need. But, if the same friend offers to pay you $50 for your help, studies have shown that two things happen:

1. The altruism center (there’s a real medical name for it, trust me) shuts off.
2. The Profit minded part of your brain takes over, says “that’s a bad deal”, and you likely turn him down.

Of course, the final decision could have other factors (schedule, “c’mon man” pressure, etc.)

The real point here is how our brains work. It turns out we’re hard wired to evaluate charitable opportunities and profitable ones from totally different points of view.  And activating the profit center has the potential to shut down the charitable part of the brain.

If you’ve ever worked with volunteers, this news can make a huge difference in how you recruit help. (i.e. give rewards after vs. offer rewards up front) This insight was worth the read for me.

There’s more, like another explanation into the $10 experiment I commented on in a previous post. Also, there were numerous references to some interesting and recognizable stories, and how the power to sway someone or group made a difference. I’d give you more specifics, but I don’t want to ruin a good read for you by giving everything away.

Check out their web site for more insights.

If you like to understand how people think, this was a pretty interesting and easy read. Grab it.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now (today!) at full price
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the gist of it

This first person account of the growth of Zappos.com from the years of the IT boom and bust to become a billion dollar business in 2008 was, believe it or not, a page turner. Seriously…I read it all in one evening/night/I should really go to bed now. Tony tells an interesting story with lessons that any company could learn from.

One of his best (i.e. my favorites) comes from the section on what he learned playing poker. His business lessons told from that point of view give a refreshing look at how to be successful in either endeavour. The biggest lesson? The game starts before you sit down: Knowing which table to sit at translates into business as knowing your competition or, as he later describes creating your own table.

In the process, we learn how the purpose he found creating the best customer service translates into delivering your passion, and um…making money. Not a bad lesson all the way around - Profits, Passion, and Purpose.

Check out Deliveringhappiness.com to get some inside information.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now (today!) at full price (although I found it for 50% off at a Borders that was closing)
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the gist of it

Three things caught my eye off the bat (see a speech coming here?)

1. We give referrals as a method of creating social capital. In short, we (people) want to give good information so we can get good information when we need it.

2. Businesses (especially small ones) are not comfortable asking for referrals, even though customers (see people in point #1) like giving referrals.

3. Two important ingredients in getting referrals are a.) be worthy of a referral (the book has some in-depth info on this) and b.) set up a system to help you ask for them (also in the book).

I’m trying this out with the Nook reader on my iPad, so it’s a different feeling than reading “normal” books. However, I think I found a good one to read, an I plan to have a review ready by Sunday.

If you have a business (or a blog) that thrives on referrals to grow, and what business doesn’t, this might be a worthy read for you too.

In Talent is Overrated, author Geoff Colvin seeks to dispel that myth with some convincing and credible evidence about how the best really get to be the best. This includes an important caveat: Doing something (like your job) for a long time isn’t enough. Simple experience is not enough to be the best. He uses examples from sports and music (i.e. Tiger Woods, Mozarrt and Jerry Rice) since that is where we can see the results of Deliberate Practice from a common point of view, but the references to Warren Buffet and Jack Welch show tht this idea does translate into business as well.

By using the method of Deliberate Practice, anyone (in sports or business) can improve to be world class.

1. It is designed specifically to improve performance.
2. It can be repeated a lot.
3. Feedback on results is continuously available.
4. It’s highly demanding mentally.
5. It isn’t much fun.

Is there a catch? Of course – if it were easy everyone would be doing it. But of course you knew that.

More importantly, the focus of this book isn’t to tell you how to be a great golfer, composer or football player. The central theme is that these same principles can be applied to business life.

You may wonder if practicing your job would be of any value, and Goeff answers that with suggesting three models, the Music model (running through the process to improve it), the Chess model(case studies), and the Sports model (practicing certain skills) for use as templates for Deliberate Practice. He continues by showing where these can be used in our business lives with varying examples.

You may ask yourself, “do I want to do that much work?” That’s a fair question, but remember the times we live in. Any edge you can get can make the difference to getting and staying employed. The tools in this book, if put into Deliberate Practice, could make you more valuable to your current (or future) company.

One final thought: don’t misunderstand the title of this book. People (your boss) still value talent. The point is that talent isn’t born, it’s made. It’s up to you whether or not you want to get there from here.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now at full price (although it’s already in paperback)
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the gist of it

Their first truth is You Make a Difference. How many times have you known a leader whose primary concern was themselves, or how they are perceived? If you are a leader that wants respect, then the authors are right. You have to believe that you can make a difference, and not just for yourself. Sometimes it’s just about showing up. Other times, it’s about standing up. Either way you aren’t really a leader if you don’t make a difference. After all, how will they know you were there?

Their second truth is Credibility is the Foundation of Leadership. I know they believe that, because I read their previous book, Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It. Do you know what they call a leader without credibility? Me neither, but it’s not “leader”. Stand by your word and don’t promise things you (or your team) can’t deliver.

Their eighth truth (my next favorite) is You Either Lead by Example or You Don’t Lead at All. This one goes hand-in-hand with the first two truths. And like the others, if you think about it in your own life, you’ll agree that you don’t follow those who talk one game and walk another.

Is there a truth about leadership? Yes, but not just one. If the eight page summary I read is any indication, this is another outstanding book by these experts on leadership.

Whether you are a speaker looking for ways to reach your audience or a leader trying to get stuff done, this work will provide you a new way to look at motivation, how it effects us as individuals and leaders and how to use that knowledge for real-world situations.

Based on research originally started in 1949, the author looks at old and new theories of motivation. The goal is to move beyond the older theories that we are not motivated soley by survival (internal) and punishment/incentive (external) factors.

Daniel Pink shows some thought-provoking results to experiments in human motivation. For instance, he shows how increased rewards can actually decrease productivity in problem solving roles. Some of the parallels to overpaid yet under-performing CEOs may not shock you, but these results will help you understand the “why”.

His three elements of motivation – Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose – give excellent examples of how we can tap into self-motivation and avoid incentives that hinder the desired effect on people. Understanding these elements will allow you to properly select techniques for the right circumstances, and how to avoid ones that could have the opposite effect.

This book, simply put, is awesome. I’ve already written two other posts on the subject, and expect to do a few more in the near future. This is a must read.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now (today!) at full price (although you can find it at the local library)
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the jist of it

In this work, the author shows how our decisions aren’t always as rational as we expect them to be. It includes a number of stories about how people react to different conditions that are very relevant to what we all deal with every day, and how those situations aren’t always as rational as you would think.

One experiment looked to see how people feel when doing work that has meaning vs. work that has no value after the fact. It may not surprise you, but even at the same pay and compensation, people are more likely to continue working, even when the pay is less.

Another section talks about our feelings about our ideas, and how our feelings about our ideas may not be just because we came up with them, but because they best fit our perception of the world. One example was about the question, “how to support happiness.” A religious person might prefer an idea including more church involvement, where an atheist might recommend not wasting time with religion and instead focus on diet an exercise. It’s not that either idea is better, but depending on your perception one may make a lot more sense than the other.

This is a well written “make you think” book. The research is interesting and the author clearly shows that the way we feel and act isn’t always intuitive or logical. If you understand what motivates people to act (i.e. meaninful work, ideas that fit their perception, or how putting someone in a calculating state of mind can reduce donations), then you can make better decisions for yourself and in how you deal with others. 

Beware, you may learn that you aren’t as rational as you thought you were.

Rob’s Rating system (bolded, the rating is)
Buy now at full price (although I checked it out from my library)
Buy if you get a discount
Wait for the paperback
Wait for someone else to be done with the paperback
If you’ve read my review, you got the jist of it