The Plugged-In Manager. Get in Tune with Your People, Technology, and Organization to Thrive

A comprehensive guide to excelling in a complex matrix organization Debra was not in a good mood as she entered Johann’s office for their third meeting. One of her colleagues had just been promoted and, although the guy who got it was good, she didn’t think he was any better than her. Well, except at one thing, he was always playing politics – sucking up to the more senior guys and volunteering to be on any committee going. Debra knew the type – went to the same school, belonged to the same club – she didn’t have a hope against the kind of connections he had so she might as well give up. It seemed doing a good job just wasn’t enough around here. Debra and Johann work in an environment with multiple and complex reporting lines – in other words, a matrix. There’s room to “slip between the cracks” – if a person wants to take advantage of confusion over who is managing performance; or if they can’t make the necessary transition to self-management. Communication can be difficult even when there is an apparently shared language. Read how Johann and Debra work together to identify the skills needed to succeed in a matrix, and how using Emotional Intelligence (EI) can develop specific behaviours you can incorporate in your daily job. The result will help reduce stress and increase your chances of success. Dawn Metcalfe, Managing Director of PDS, based in Dubai, uses her experience as a coach and trainer to give us a behind the curtain look at how mentoring can help an individual develop the skills they need to survive and thrive in today’s complex work environments.

Evolve your work strategy and thrive in today's high-pressure economy As Darwin famously observed, the beaks of each generation of Galapagos Island finches change to accommodate shifting food resources, allowing the birds to survive by adapting their capabilities to the new environment. Today's business people should take note: In the post-crisis economy, traditional career strategies spell professional extinction, but the fluid new «gig economy» offers tremendous potential for anyone willing to adapt. Based on her popular blog and drawing on her leadership development experience, Nacie Carson explains what it takes to make it in today's world of work. Outlines and explains five steps for ensuring professional success: adopt a gig mindset; identify your value; cultivate your skills; nurture your social network; and harness your entrepreneurial energy Builds on Carson's experience as a popular blogger on Portfolio.com and author of the popular website The Life Uncommon (thelifeuncommon.net) Features a Foreword from Craigslist founder Craig Newmark The Finch Effect offers the information professionals need to earn big, achieve their potential, and remain at the top of the work food chain.

A detailed system that will help you achieve your professional and personal goals Moving the Needle provides both the «kick in the pants» and the game plan many of us need to break out of the rut and get moving to achieve our goals. CEOs, vice presidents, professionals, military personnel, and even college students frequently express frustration at the entrenched status quo, in which initiating progress feels like moving mountains. This book lights a path toward continual improvement, helping readers first find a direction, then make the key transitions that jumpstart forward progress. This highly practical guide outlines a change process that can be applied to professional or personal goals, giving readers a concrete plan for making big things happen. Rather than blindly shooting for the moon, readers will formulate a solid, systematic, actionable plan that can only result in progress. In today's tenuous business climate, employers and employees alike can be glued to the ground, unsure of the path they should take, or whether they have the freedom to move forward. Moving the Needle helps readers clarify their current position, identify their optimum position, and formulate a workable strategy for getting from here to there. Find what «moving forward» means for your career and life Shake off the doldrums of routine and establish a culture of innovation Improve performance on a consistent basis, at every level Break the inertia and get moving in the right direction Stagnation is diametrically opposed to progress. Moving forward requires a vision, a plan, and the impetus to get things done. Those who sense that big things can happen need to get clear, get free, and start Moving the Needle.

An indispensable guide to dealing with challenging, childish boss behavior and building a great career, with laugh- out-loud humor built in. Based on extensive interviews among workers, managers and psychologists, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ draws hilarious but true parallels between toddlers and managers. When under stress, both often have trouble moderating their power, or lose the ability to think rationally. Traits in common include tantrum-throwing, demanding, stubborn, moody, fickle, self-centered, needy and whiny behavior. BADD (Boss Attention Deficit Disorder) is discussed as part of “Short Attention Spans.” There are 20 chapter traits in all, divided into “Bratty” and “Little Lost Lamb” categories, for easy reference, including real anecdotes and many useful tips. When bad bosses run amok in companies, nobody wins. This book shows readers how to build positive relationships with even the most out-of-control boss, and still thrive in your job. The key to success lies in dealing with a Terrible Office Tyrant (or TOT™) much like a parent deals with a troublesome toddler. With true stories and time-tested solutions, this is the perfect guide managing a boss stuck in his Terrible Twos. Taylor takes you behind all the bossy blustering, so that you can focus on getting ahead – and achieve career excellence. Savvy top management will also gain insight on what not to do with their team. They know that Terrible Office Tyrant (TOT) managers may not be in plain sight (they don’t leave juice stains on the hallway carpet!) But they do wreak havoc on the bottom line. A special section helps senior management and Human Resource departments mitigate TOT behavior for a more productive workplace.

Praise for Break Down Your Money «Tracy Byrnes writes like she speaks on FOX-clearly, passionately, and yes, lovingly. She is that rare expert who helps enrich your portfolio and your soul. You can do both, and Tracy shows you how. Others talk about what your goals should be. For the first time, finally, someone who shows you how to reach them in finances, and in life.» —Neil Cavuto, FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network «Break Down Your Money is unique-smart, wisecracking market insights. You'll learn and laugh, a lot.» —Dan Colarusso, Managing Editor, Conde Nast Portfolio.com «Tracy Byrnes is truly one of the best at helping investors get a grip on their finances. In Break Down Your Money, she delivers on that promise so eloquently-with the kind of bite-size information and entertaining flair that makes her a TV standout. This is one money book you won't want to put down.» —Jennifer Openshaw, author, The Millionaire Zone, host of ABC Radio's Winning Advice «Being in the financial business, I have read plenty of books about the markets, and would never use the word 'fun' to describe any of them. Until now. Tracy paints a colorful picture of the markets. Her book is an entertaining, well-informed, fun read for the expert and the novice alike.» —Steven Grasso, Floor Governor at the NYSE, Managing Director, Stuart Frankel & Co. «Tracy offers a comprehensive walk through the basics of finance in an easy-to-understand manner. A great read!» —Todd Harrison, founder and CEO, Minyanville Publishing and Multimedia, LLC «As a money manager, university professor, financial writer, and frequent media guest, I am constantly challenged with the objective of explaining complex concepts to an audience that is trained to focus on sound bites and instant messages. You have to boil down these complex concepts to a quick and digestible form accented by down-to-earth language and humor when necessary. Tracy Byrnes has accomplished these goals in Break Down Your Money and, in the process, makes learning about financial and money management more enjoyable to the reader. I wholeheartedly recommend Break Down Your Money to readers of all ages and investment skill levels.» —Scott R. Rothbort, founder and President, LakeView Asset Management, LLC, Professor of Finance, Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University, founder and Manager, TheFinanceProfessor.com «Tracy has a unique knack of explaining the market to folks who are not 'in the market.' It is really a wonderful gift. A must-read for anyone wanting to invest and who is too overwhelmed to dive in.» —John Layfield, CEO, Layfield Energy, and, as WWE wrestler John «Bradshaw» Layfield, the longest reigning World Champion in SmackDown history

As seen on THE ONE SHOW, and heard on WOMAN'S HOUR and THE ZOE BALL BREAKFAST SHOW on Radio 2 'Challenges all the things we thought we knew about business.' Sam Baker How we live, buy and sell is changing, and it's changing for good. Rebuild is a vital guide to how we reset post-pandemic and build back better. Retail and brand expert Mary Portas argues that over the past thirty years the business of what we buy has been dominated by the biggest, fastest and cheapest. But those values no longer resonate. We've come to realize that more doesn't equal better. We are all ready to put people and planet before profit. This 'Kindness Economy' is a new value system where in order to thrive businesses must understand the fundamental role they play in the fabric of our lives. Because we don't just want to buy from brands - we want to buy into them. Full of expert insight and invaluable advice, Rebuild is about resetting the dial. It gives businesspeople pause for thought about how to make money, as well as the practical tools to build back post-pandemic. And it speaks to anyone who votes with the pound in their pocket - all of us who, with social progress in mind, want to spend our money differently and better.

As seen on THE ONE SHOW, and heard on WOMAN'S HOUR and THE ZOE BALL BREAKFAST SHOW on Radio 2 'Challenges all the things we thought we knew about business.' Sam Baker How we live, buy and sell is changing, and it's changing for good. Rebuild is a vital guide to how we reset post-pandemic and build back better. Retail and brand expert Mary Portas argues that over the past thirty years the business of what we buy has been dominated by the biggest, fastest and cheapest. But those values no longer resonate. We've come to realize that more doesn't equal better. We are all ready to put people and planet before profit. This 'Kindness Economy' is a new value system where in order to thrive businesses must understand the fundamental role they play in the fabric of our lives. Because we don't just want to buy from brands - we want to buy into them. Full of expert insight and invaluable advice, Rebuild is about resetting the dial. It gives businesspeople pause for thought about how to make money, as well as the practical tools to build back post-pandemic. And it speaks to anyone who votes with the pound in their pocket - all of us who, with social progress in mind, want to spend our money differently and better.

A guide to getting new employees recruited, oriented, and productive—FAST «Onboarding,» a growing trend in the business community, is a focused methodology that gets people in new roles up to speed quickly and efficiently. This book guides you through a process that enables you to recruit, orient, and enable your new employees to get the job done. Learn how to inspire and encourage your new employees to deliver better results faster. George Bradt and Mary Vonnegut’s Onboarding helps ensure that your new employees are productive and efficient from day one. You’ll learn how to help them assimilate into your corporate culture and accelerate their learning. Onboarding is one of the hottest trends in business This is the first book about onboarding George Bradt is a leading speaker and consultant, and the author of The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan For business leaders and managers who want well-trained, responsive, efficient, and effective employees, Onboarding helps you get the best from your new employees.

An all-new approach to understanding the (in)formal connections of an organization From the bestselling coauthor of the business classic The Wisdom of Teams comes an all-new exploration of the modern workplace, and how leaders and managers must embrace it for success. Katzenbach and Khan examine how two distinct factions together form the bigger picture for how organizations actually work: the more defined «formal» organization of a company-the management structure, performance metrics, and processes-and the «informal»-the culture, social networks, and ad hoc communities that spring up naturally and can accelerate or hinder how the organization works. With dynamic examples from enterprises around the world, this book takes a timeless organizational approach and creates a powerful paradigm-shifting tool set for applying it. Includes self-assessment guidelines for senior leaders, front-line managers, and individual contributors Features organizations in business, government, the nonprofit sector, and academia-including the New York City schools system, Aetna, the Marines, United Nations, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Home Depot, Bell Canada, and the Houston Police Department Leading Outside the Lines illustrates how leaders can make the two distinct factions work together to get the best of both.

If you've got an idea you want to sell, you need to do two things: scan your environment and use effective tactics. This guidebook explains how to scan your environment and provides a collection of tactics you can use to sell your idea. Using this systematic approach will make you more likely to accomplish your objective – solving a problem or making an improvement for the benefit of individuals, groups, and the organization as a whole.