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About Choose Yourself! by James Altucher
This book stresses the point that with the way the world works today, it’s never been a better time to “choose yourself,” or make yourself into the success you’ve always wanted. The support and assistance that may have once been there for people to succeed is missing, and it’s up to us to choose our own destiny. Altucher has created the perfect guide through case studies, interviews, and his own inspiring story to get a person on track to where they truly want to be one day. By putting in the required effort to build one’s own personal path, a new future can be built from ways of the past.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
Leaders will find value in this book whenever they feel a loss of confidence in their endeavors. Although success can’t be earned overnight, hard work and dedication are key to making it a reality. There’s a fire burning in every person, and you are the only one capable of cultivating it. The global economy has shifted, and it’s up to use to make adjustments to find success. Leaders will also find the combination of practicality and idealism valuable. Choose Yourself! is an approachable book with some teeth.
Our favorite part:
Altucher points out that in order to truly succeed, we need to understand the importance of mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional harmony. He offers useful advice on making these things possible for any business professional. The concepts presented are honest, challenging, accessible, and relatable to any aspiring entrepreneur. The book as a whole is encouraging due to its repeated focus on the importance of believing in yourself. Altucher also offers a daily practice routine for readers to mold to their own personal preference. All that is required is a solid amount of effort and belief that success can be achieved by working on ourselves.
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About The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz
Hard Things is Ben Horowitz’s guide to things you don’t typically learn in business school. Most of this book is a summary of practical wisdom about handling the hardest problems related to starting a business. It may be exciting to jump into the business world, but it is difficult as well. Horowitz analyzes the different kinds of problems that leaders deal with today, even ones that people tend to not think about. This includes insights on managing, selling, investing, and developing a business. This is an ideal book for veteran entrepreneurs.
Why Cydcor recommends this to future leaders:
Horowitz never glorifies starting a business; he tells it straight that many people fail, and why. Many entrepreneurs or start up business owners will agree. It takes a certain type of person to succeed in this world, and that person must make hard decisions on a daily basis. Horowitz does great at defining what it means to be a CEO and summarizes it well. It requires courage to stand up for your decisions and to be able to sell others on your choices.
Our favorite part:
Although the book doesn’t make any guarantees, it’s still very insightful for anyone interested in seeing behind the scenes of the business world. What you hear on the news or read online is nothing close to the real thing. Someone would find a lot of value in this book if they planned to open a business in the near future. Horowitz is also a hip-hop fan, and he uses lyrics form his favorite songs to prove a few of his points. His playful attitude is a great way to understand difficult decision-making.
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About Non-Obvious: How to Think Different, Curate Ideas & Predict The Future by Rohit Bhargava
Non-Obvious is a road map for any professional to thinking outside the box. By analyzing the landscape of trending marketing and business tactics, the not-so-obvious solutions can be found. Although many companies try to throw many different strategies at the wall, hoping for new results, the correct answer is usually the most non-obvious. This book features strategies and case studies that many companies have used to reach the next level. It acts as the perfect guide to think differently than the competition, cultivate ideas correctly, and get stronger at looking at the bigger picture. What works today will not always work out tomorrow.
Why Cydcor recommends this to future leaders:
In order to do well in the business world today, business leaders must keep up with the latest trending strategies and understand how people will react in the future. Bhargava does an excellent job of combining visual thinking with business strategy, and this book acts as the perfect pilot to getting ahead of the pack. Leaders will appreciate the easiness of the read, as well as the author’s humorous take on why businesses are failing to look at an alternative approach.
Our favorite part:
Although this book has an adequate amount of useful substance, it really shines when examining trends that business predictors aren’t focusing on. These include what the popularity of “The Batkid” has taught audiences about creating a celebrity, and why brands are focusing on content marketing and customer experience. Bhargava focuses on a total of 15 trends to help readers analyze the changing landscape of how business works today, as well as how it may well work later. You can’t go wrong when planning for the future.
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About Artistry Unleashed: A Guide to Pursuing Great Performance in Work and Life by Hilary Austen & Roger Martin:
This book examines the importance of artistry in many professional careers, no matter what kind of vocation may be calling. Artistry Unleashed explores how artistry can help many professions (including painters, athletes, and scientists) put their passion to better use. Mastering the arts can lead to improvements in business, daily life, and education.
Why Cydcor recommends this to future leaders:
It can be tough to appreciate art when you’ve invested so much in objective thinking. Business and leadership requires a certain set of skills, but improving upon these skills isn’t the easiest job. This book is the perfect road map to taking artistry and applying it to aspects of life that we’d never think would work. Artistry Unleashed can help leaders find value in knowing how to turn their originality into something useful, beneficial, and innovative in their professional life.
Our favorite part:
Austen’s and Martin’s book acts as both an introduction and guide to characterizing artistic style, while also applying it to all aspects of life. The “knowledge system” is a term describing the collection of elements that generate artistic desire. In the book, this system is validated using a diverse set of artists and case studies.
For example, readers might learn about a photographer or a chef, how they used their artistic passion throughout their workday, and how that passion aids them in finding more motivation in their profession. The book serves as the perfect compliment to someone trying to find his or her artistic potential and how they might harness it to benefit their career.
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About Leading Outside the Lines: How to Mobilize the Informal Organization, Energize Your Team, and Get Better Results by Jon R. Katzenbach and Zia Khan
Focusing on the modern workplace, Leading Outside the Lines is a great book for managers and leaders who are looking for success with their team. Katzenbach is one of the better sources for tips on organization and leadership, and this book is a great example. It’s tough to find success with organization in the 21st century, but looking at the right research and striving to live a life with value can help discover that success. Katzenbach also offers great guidelines for company leaders and provides examples of companies that use these strategies, including New York City schools systems and Home Depot.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
Developing skills on how to think correctly about the informal systems at work is key for many business owners today. This book provides a well-written overview for developing these informal aspects of any organization. Since the book reflects the current times, most notably the advent of social media and its affect on organization. This is a great book for people who will find benefits in becoming a better leader.
Our favorite part:
Most management books find it difficult to simplify the challenges that workplace cultures tend to face. Katzenbach and Khan provide a clear explanation of ways to tackle this type of culture. Being a manger is far from easy, but this book is a great place to start if you lead a team and need a way to think outside the box. The case studies are great examples that can be applied for any organization and are just one of the book’s many strengths. Cydcor recommends this book for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills.
About The 24-Hour Customer: New Rules for Winning in a Time-Starved, Always-Connected Economy
The 24-Hour Customer argues that corporations need to pay more attention and strategize around the customer’s time and attention in the world today. Customers live in a world where time is tough to come by. Author Adrian Ott explores why customers can devour hours to social networks, but still feel they have no time to get things done. The book is filled with many case studies, including lessons from Amazon, and gives great tips on making the most of the time a company can hold a customer’s attention.
Why Cydcor recommends this to Future Leaders:
As the world continues to evolve, so does our time to do things that we love. Consumers are thrown brand new information on an hourly basis, and don’t have the patience to wait on anything that’s slowing them down. Ott offers a great amount of insights and recommendations to make an impact on consumers in our world today.
Our favorite part:
Adrian Ott has written an amazing guide that is efficient and cuts right to the chase of why time matters. She is one of the most sough-after strategists in Silicon Valley, and this book validates that prestigious standing. The book includes in-depth research and detailed findings that demonstrate how time has increasingly become valuable to consumers and has had a large effect on why consumers make the decisions they do. Our favorite part has got to be the great case studies, the standouts being Netflix and FreshDirect.
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Here is Cydcor's Review of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard:
About Switch:
Switch is a story-driven narrative of why making changes to our everyday lives is difficult, but worth the trouble. This can be applied to companies, communities, and our own personal lives. Switch demonstrates that a successful change can be completed, and the steps you take to make that change can be applied to any other change you’d like to make as well. All it takes is creating a game plan that aligns well with changes that can result in the success we’ve always wanted to achieve.
Why Cydcor recommends this to future leaders:
The business world is tough, especially these days. Although it may be difficult, a few small changes can make a world of difference. The authors do a great job of explaining why change is important, and that it’s achievable. The motivation to want to change comes from one half of our mind; the other half wants to stay the same. By having a balance, any positive change can be achieved. It’s up to leaders today to realize this, and make these kinds of changes a reality.
Our favorite part:
Switch uses great examples of every day people that mastered balancing the two minds – and achieved excellent results. One of these stories regards a manager who took his customer-support team to the next level. Without spoiling anything, the manager removed a tool that most customer service teams use regularly. This resulted in a positive change for the company, creating the customer support team that customers have always wanted. By providing these examples, the authors showcase that anything is possible, if we’re willing to make the changes necessary for success.
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The following is a review by a Cydcor employee of For Better or For Work: A Survival Guide for Entrepreneurs and Their Families by Meg Cadoux Hirshberg.
About For Better or For Work:
This book is a remarkable guide to navigating the perfect balance of entrepreneurial business building, while still being able to enjoy a happy life at home. Hirshberg continually reminds readers that this is no easy feat, and will require great amounts of effort. Very few people have mastered running a business successfully with a balanced personal life, but the tips found in this book can get any person on the right track. For Better or For Work is a reminder that a balancing both lives is possible, using small successes that can be simple to find.
Why Cydcor recommends this to future leaders:
Entrepreneurship can be a stressful career choice. Late nights, extravagant scheming, and taking chances are all aspects of being a great entrepreneur. This book gives practical advice on building your support system together to maximize motivation and determination. Family and friends can sometimes take a back seat to an entrepreneur when they’re focused. For Better or For Work is a wake up call for any entrepreneur to spend their time more wisely, and be able to have the personal relationships they’re looking for. Any aspiring leader can find beneficial advice in this book.
Our favorite part:
Meeting challenges are difficult for all relationships, personal or professional. Hirshberg outlines useful tips on how to handle things when they get tough, like when a startup fails or a company owner resigns due to a serious illness. There are plenty of books and articles to help an entrepreneur and their company exceed; this book instead focuses on succeeding with interpersonal relationships, while still balancing the hectic life of an entrepreneur.
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The following is a review by a Cydcor employee of Taking People With You by David Novak:
About Taking People With You:
How to build an inspired and productive team of people is what this book is all about. David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands learned long ago that you couldn’t lead a great organization of any size without getting people enthusiastic and focused on the mission and success of the company they work for. Novak has proved himself a capable CEO and leader, and he’s also willing to share that information and knowledge with others. He knows that doing this does not create more competition, but rather spreads prosperity and abundance to more people.
Novak has developed a trademarked program, which centers on setting big goals, getting those around you to work together, exceeding your goals, and celebrating the big and small victories. Novak teaches this program around the world, and now he offers it in this book, Taking People With You.
Why Cydcor recommends this to future leaders:
This book is specifically written to speak directly to CEOs, managers, supervisors, and all those in a position of influence over others. Novak speaks to a leader's prime qualities, their personal nature, and their means of connecting with others—for the human connection is a crucial element of finding success. Management books normally call for business analysis; Novak asks you to conduct a critical self-analysis.
Our favorite part:
The instructional structure of this book outlines setting goals, getting to know yourself, planning and following through. Novak is a great writer in his no-nonsense approach to telling you how to be a thoughtful leader. From Mr. Novak's teachings, great and useful information can be extracted, whether you are a one-person show, a medium-sized firm, or a major international conglomerate.
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Here is Cydcor's review of 'Power Listening' by Bernard Ferrari!
About Power Listening:
Nothing causes bad decisions in organizations as often as poor listening skills. But Bernard Ferrari, adviser to some of the nation's most influential executives, believes that such missteps can be avoided and that the skills and habits of good listening can be developed and mastered. He offers a step-by-step process that will help readers become active listeners that are able to shape and focus any conversation.
Why Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders:
Ferrari claims that in a business setting, good listening is a critically important (albeit strenuous) activity and that one that must be purposeful, under control, and in possession of total focus and engagement.
The author focuses on how to avoid the common pitfalls in conversation, and explains how to correct them if they occur. To actively and empathetically listen is critical in any important interpersonal situation, social or professional.
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Our favorite part:
One of the best parts of this book, and its greatest value, lies in how skillfully Ferrari poses clusters of questions to accomplish two separate but interdependent and immensely important purposes: To sharpen the inquiry skills of his reader (i.e. how to learn what needs to be known) and to provide a context within which his reader can apply those skills.
For example, Ferrari explains that, whenever possible, he avoids interrupting another person unless it is absolutely necessary. And when he does interrupt, "any interruptions or responses I make as questions. If I disagree with a statement, I'll package my disagreement in a probing question." In advance of discussion of key issues, he formulates a few questions that he may need "to guide the conversation into areas that will be more useful for me and [conversation partner]."
The following is a review by a Cydcor employee of How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen!
About How Will You Measure Your Life?
From the world’s leading thinker on innovation and New York Times bestselling author of The Innovator’s Dilemma, Clayton Christensen, comes an unconventional book of inspiration and wisdom for achieving a fulfilling life.
Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma, notably the only business book that Apple’s Steve Jobs said “deeply influenced” him, is widely recognized as one of the most significant business books ever published. Christensen’s How Will You Measure Your Life is with a book of lucid observations and penetrating insights designed to help any reader—student or teacher, mid-career professional or retiree, parent or child—forge their own paths to fulfillment.
Why Cydcor recommends this book to future leaders: Christensen is known as a deep thinker, as well as a thoughtful writer, and his traits of deep integrity, thought and consideration comes through How Will You Measure Your Life. His main aim is to find the purpose and happiness in your life, which any individual can relate to. He examines how businesses thrive and fail and can also be resurrected, as an example of life lessons for personal lives.
Our favorite part:
Christensen offers three keys to success:
Whether you are looking for happiness in work, family or relationships, Christensen speaks to where challenges, not rewards, offer greater pleasure in our lives. Work, recognition and responsibility tends to increase our satisfaction in a job position, and while ‘rewards’ such as benefits, vacation and money merely reduce dissatisfactions.
This book is not a “self-help” book, but a book for people wanting to think about how to help themselves, and Christensen provides excellent resources and tools to become the best you can be.
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