Made to Stick - Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Why Some Ideas Take Hold and Others Come Unstuck 
What is that makes urban myths so persistent but many everyday truths so eminently forgettable? 
How do newspapers set about ensuring that their headlines make you want to read on? 
And why do we remember complicated stories but not complicated facts?
In the course of over ten years of study, Chip and Dan Heath have established what it is that determines whether particular ideas or stories stick in our minds or not, and "Made to Stick" is the fascinating outcome of their painstaking research.
Packed full of case histories and thought-provoking anecdotes, it shows, among other things, how one Australian scientist convinced the world he'd discovered the cause of stomach ulcers by drinking a glass filled with bacteria, how a gifted sports reporter got people to watch a football match by showing them the outside of the stadium, and how high-concept pitches such as 'Jaws on a spaceship' ("Alien") and 'Die Hard on a bus' ("Speed") convince movie executives to invest vast sums of money in a project on the basis of almost no information. 
Entertaining and informative by turns, this is a fascinating and multi-faceted account of a key area of human behavior. 
At the same time, by showing how we can all use such cleverly devised strategies as the 'Velcro Theory of Memory' and 'curiosity gaps', it offers superbly practical insights, setting out principles we all can adopt to make sure that we get our ideas across effectively.

[Book Description Source: www.amazon.com ]


Ratings
Goodreads Rating - 3.97 out of 5 ( 47,747 Ratings , 1954 Reviews  - As on July 18 2017)
My Rating:   3 out of 5
My Comments:Interesting content and narrative that bring awareness regarding what to do to make our ideas and messages stick. But it  falls short of describing how to make them stick through Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional Stories. The book has more of anecdotal content than specific techniques. However it provides a fairly decent launchpad to develop sticky communications.


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The Art of Social Media - Guy Kawasaki & Peg Fitzpatrick

Power Tips for Power Users
By now it's clear that whether you're promoting a business, a product, or yourself, social media is near the top of what determines your success or failure.
And there are countless pundits, authors, and consultants eager to advise you. But there’s no one quite like Guy Kawasaki, the legendary former chief evangelist for Apple and one of the pioneers of business blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, Tumbling, and much, much more. 
Now Guy has teamed up with Peg Fitzpatrick, who he says is the best social-media person he’s ever met, to offer The Art of Social Media—the one essential guide you need to get the most bang for your time, effort, and money.

With over one hundred practical tips, tricks, and insights, Guy and Peg present a bottom-up strategy to produce a focused, thorough, and compelling presence on the most popular social-media platforms. 
They guide you through steps to build your foundation, amass your digital assets, optimize your profile, attract more followers, and effectively integrate social media and blogging.

For beginners overwhelmed by too many choices as well as seasoned professionals eager to improve their game, The Art of Social Media is full of tactics that have been proven to work in the real world. Or as Guy puts it, “great stuff, no fluff.”
 

[Book Description Source: www.amazon.com ]


Ratings
Goodreads Rating - 3.7 out of 5 ( 1,559 Ratings , 274 Reviews  - As on July 16 2017)
My Rating:   2 out of 5
My Comments:  Considering the fact that Guy Kawasaki is one of the authors, I had expected more from this book. I was rather disappointed. 
Though there are a few good tips here and there on the whole the book was just not up to the mark. 
An OK sort of book which can quickly become outdated in the fast changing social media world.


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Oxford Guide to Plain English - Martin Cutts

Plain English is an essential tool for effective communication. 
 Information transmitted in letters, documents, reports, contracts, and forms is clearer and more understandable when presented in straightforward terms. 
The Oxford Guide to Plain English provides authoritative guidance on how to write plain English using easy-to-follow guidelines which cover straightforward language, sentence length, active and passive verbs, punctuation, grammar, planning, and good organization.
This handy guide will be invaluable to writers of all levels. 
It provides essential guidelines that will allow readers to develop their writing style, grammar, and punctuation. 
The book also offers help in understanding official jargon and legalese giving the plain English alternatives.
This guide gives hundreds of real examples and shows 'before and after' versions of texts of different kinds which will help readers to look critically at their own writing. 
It is organized in 25 short chapters, which each cover a different aspect of writing. 
Clearly laid out and easy to use, the Oxford Guide to Plain English is the best guide to writing clear and helpful documents.

[Book Description Source: www.amazon.com ] 


Ratings
Goodreads Rating - 4.22 out of 5 (82 Ratings; 2 Reviews - As on November 19 2016)
My Rating:  3 out of 5
My Comments: A pretty useful guide to tone down one's pompous, confusing & verbose English writing. Written with a subtle sense of humor.


Buying Options 
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Visual Meetings - David Sibbet

How Graphics, Sticky Notes and Idea Mapping Can Transform Group Productivity

Use eye-popping visual tools to energize your people!
Just as social networking has reclaimed the Internet for human interactivity and co-creation, the visual meetings movement is reclaiming creativity, productivity, and playful exchange for serious work in groups.
Visual Meetings explains how anyone can implement powerful visual tools, and how these tools are being used in Silicon Valley and elsewhere to facilitate both face-to-face and virtual group work. 
This dynamic and richly illustrated resource gives meeting leaders, presenters, and consultants a slew of exciting tricks and tools, including

• Graphic recording, visual planning, story boarding, graphic templates, idea mapping, etc.

• Creative ways to energize team building, sales presentations, staff meetings, strategy sessions, brainstorming, and more
• Getting beyond paper and whiteboards to engage new media platforms
• Understanding emerging visual language for leading groups

Unlocking formerly untapped creative resources for business success, Visual Meetings will help you and your team communicate ideas more effectively and engagingly.

   
[Book Description Source: www.amazon.com ] 

Ratings
Goodreads Rating - 3.79 out of 5 (783 Ratings; 22 Reviews - As on October 9 2016)
My Rating:   2 out of 5
My Review: Lots of interesting ideas but too much of self-promotion. Felt like I was reading a  long and dry brochure of the author's company. OK for people who have never been exposed to the concept of Visual Meeting but the rest can look elsewhere.


Buying Options 
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(Anybody can read Kindle books—even without a Kindle device—with the FREE Kindle app for smartphones and tablets.)

Persuade People with Your Writing - Karen Mannering

The ability to persuade people to agree with you can be crucial to your working life. 
This book will help you apply the psychology of persuasion to your writing. Persuasion expert Karen Mannering guides you through all aspects of business writing, from adverts to business plans, emails to Twitter Feeds, and letters to reports to produce sharper and more productive copy through the power of persuasion. 
[Book Description Source: www.amazon.com ] 

Ratings
Goodreads Rating - 2 out of 5 (1 Rating; 0 Review)

My Rating:  2 out of 5.   
My Review: OK sort of book. Got put off by its canned sales oriented suggestions. There may be better books out there on this topic.

Buying Options 
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(Anybody can read Kindle books—even without a Kindle device—with the FREE Kindle app for smartphones and tablets.)

The Big Book of Team Building Games - John W. Newstrom & Edward Scannell

Quick, Fun Activities for Building Morale, Communication and Team Spirit 
Did you know that games can be a terrifically effective way to build team spirit, communication, and trust among people who work together day in and day out?

Team-building games and activities are so stimulating and enjoyable that everyone in the department actually looks forward to them! 
Now you can choose from 70 varied and imaginative games and activities that have been specifically designed for the manager who's looking to:

• Raise sagging morale in a department
• Liven up boring staff meetings
• Improve communication
• Promote a culture of harmony and cooperation
• Have fun with your work team

Each of these games is fast, creative, easy-to-lead, and will help you accomplish your team building goals.
Learn valuable tips on how to present games and how to select activities for particular situations. 
Get essential advice on what not to do when leading games, and much more!
 [Book Description Source: www.amazon.in]
 

Goodreads Rating - 2.0 out of 5 (46 Rating, 2 Reviews) 
My Rating:  2 out of 5. 

Buying Options 
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Tales for Trainers by Margaret Parkin

Tales for Trainers is an introduction to using stories, anecdotes and metaphors to give training programs more impact. 
Beginning by setting the use of stories in learning on a sound theoretical footing, the book goes on to include sample stories that trainers can read aloud to groups. 
The author provides 50 tales that will immediately help trainers, managers, educators and coaches to reinforce key messages and stimulate fresh thinking.
Proven to work in a variety of training environments the stories themselves range from ones written specifically by the author to carefully selected extracts from literature (everything from Lewis Carol to James Thurber). The linking factor in all of the stories is that they each work brilliantly as an aid to learning.
Complete with a detailed matrix showing which tales can effectively be used to promote particular learning concepts (communication, leadership, problem solving, dealing with change, etc), this radical and ground-breaking book is sure to change the way you help others to learn. 
[Source: Back cover of the book]

 My Comments: 
Thought this book would be quite useful and handy for the training programs I conduct. But most of the tales in this book are personal stories of the author which can't be reused effectively . Also I found very few tales having the necessary punch and impact to demonstrate the concept which the author wants to clarify.
I am sure there will be better books in this genre.

Goodreads Rating - 3.5 out of 5 ( 4 Ratings)


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The Financial Times Guide to Business Networking

How to exploit the combined power of online and offline networking for business success is what this book is all about.
Most of the concepts and techniques discussed in the book are common sense which most of the experienced professionals will be aware of.
But it may serve as a good introduction to business networking for those who are beginning their career.
Read more details about this book in my business website 

Publication Details: Author : Heather Townsend ; Published:2011; Publisher: Pearson Education Ltd. ; Paperback: 224 pages.

 

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Author:        Scott Berkun
Published:   2009
Publisher:    O'Reilly Media
Paperback:  240  pages
 

The author Scott Berkun is a techie turned public speaker who lectures on topics like leading teams, managing projects, and creative thinking.  He had earlier  worked at Microsoft as a program manager  for Internet Explorer 1.0 to 5.0. Now he considers himself as a freelance thinker who speaks about what he writes.

In this book he expresses his personal opinion on  the art of public speaking through a string of humorous behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes based on his decade long personal experience as a public speaker. He also provides guidance on how to develop an appropriate mind-set for public speaking.

I think the most useful part of this book is a chapter on dealing with common problems encountered by public speakers. The author provides lots of tips on preventing these problems as well as how to respond to them should they occur. The problems discussed in this chapters are related to how to deal with situations like  - hecklers who deliberately harass you; audience who keep staring at their laptops; your time slot getting shortened by the organizer; everyone in the room hates you; one person frequently keeps interrupting you with questions; you are asked an impossible question; there is an audio failure; your laptop gives problem; there is a typo on your slide; you are late for your talk;  you feel sick; you are running out of time; you have forgotten to bring the slide deck; your hosts have unreasonable demands; your wardrobe malfunctions; there are very few people in the audience.

Another highlight of the book is a compilation of about 20 odd public speaking horror stories where experienced public speakers narrate share their worst experience. These stories remind a public speaker that worse things have happened to other speakers  and may make her feel better about things going wrong with her.

The author also provides an annotated bibliography where he gives pointers to further references on - how to get over fear and anxiety; how to tell great stories; how to teach; presentation design; studying comedians; how to make living as a public speaker.

It is the easy, honest, witty and conversational style, and the fine art of storytelling which makes this bestselling book an entertaining read even though similar pieces of advice  have been offered in many other books. Therefore even if you know all the tricks in trade this book it is still an enjoyable read.

Recommended for anyone who is connected with public speaking.

Links:

• Table of Contents
• Book Excerpt- Chapter 2 The Attack of the Butterflies
• Author's Website

 Key Points:

Visit my public speaking blog Toastmaster Speaks for all the key points from each chapter of the book.
Here I provide only a representative selection of these key points under the following heads:

Planning for the talk:

• Remember that people in the audience have come because they - want to learn / to be inspired/ to be entertained/ have a need / desire to meet other people interested in the subject/ seek a positive experience they can share with others. Plan your talk to satisfy these needs.
• In a talk mistakes like  - not having an interesting opinion, not thinking clearly about your points, not planning ways to make those points relevant to your audience - matter more than the mistakes made while delivering the lecture.
• It is quite natural and good  to have some nervousness or anxiety  before one begins speaking before an audience. Fear of failure gives us energy to proactively prevent failures from happening. Speakers should know their  material so well that  they are very confident about it. Confidence comes from rigorously practicing the speech. 

Holding audience attention:

• The simplest natural way to draw attention of the audience is to tell stories.
• Speak louder, take stronger positions, and behave more aggressively than you would do in an ordinary conversation but do not appear phony.
• Transition between the slides are critically important. You have to know what's coming up next and summon the audience's attention at the right time
• If your talk consists of several problems important to the audience, and you promise to release the tension created by those problems by solving each one, you'll score big.
• Get the audience involved. Some ways to do so are - asking for the show of hands whenever you need some information or opinion from the audience; asking some trivia questions and let people shout out answers; giving them a problem to solve.
• Anyone trying to teach must:
1. Make it active and interesting
2. Start with an insight that interests the studen
3. Adapt to how the student responds to #1 and #2  

Handling tough audience

• However tough  the audience is,  there is always one person who is least  hostile towards you. Identify him and look at him for support whenever needed.
• Sometimes speaker wrongly presumes that the audience is or will be hostile and behaves unpleasantly. This makes an imagined hostile audience a reality.
• A hostile crowd gives you more energy to work with than an indifferent one. If you can figure out what it is they're interested in early on, it's possible to connect with them.
• Audience are generally angriest about speaker's dishonesty. Show some integrity by speaking the truth on the very thing that angers them or even acknowledging it in a heartfelt way. 

Getting audience feedback: 

• What people want from lectures is different from what they say they want, or what the organizers want them to want.
• Some of the real feedback speakers need:
• How did speaker's presentation compare to the others?
• What one change would have improved speaker's presentation?
• What questions did you expect speaker to answer that were unanswered?
• What annoyances did the speaker let get in the way of giving you what you needed?
• Was this a good use of your time?
• Would you recommend this lecture to others?
• Are you considering doing anything different as a result of this talk?
• Do you know what to do next to continue learning?
• Were you inspired or motivated?
• How likeable did you find the speaker?
• How substantive did you find the speaker's material?

[Please feel free to leave your comments below or bookmark/share this summary]

Individuals and Interactions: An Agile Guide

Authors:      Ken Howard and Barry Rogers

Published:   2011

Publisher:    Addison-Wesley Professional

Paperback: 240 pages

Buy from Flipkart  

"Individual and Interactions over Processes and Tools", thus begins the Agile Manifesto. It is obvious that the authors of the Agile Manifesto considered "Individual and Interactions" of  foremost importance for  any Agile implementation. Ironically even after ten years, the Agile literature is flooded with books on "Processes and Tools" but hardly any  on individual behaviors and team interactions in context of  Agile projects. Therefore this book is a very welcome addition to the Agile literature.

This book is in two parts. 

Part I - This part  introduces  and discuss the concepts of  - Individual Behavior, Team Dynamics, Communication, Collaboration, Team Behavior, Change and Motivators. These concepts are well illustrated through numerous examples from Agile context.

The authors  recommend  assessment of  the behavioral profile of each individual through  the  DISC (Dominator, Influencer, Supporter, Critical Thinker) framework and sharing the findings with everyone in the team. This they say will lead to better understanding and appreciation of an individual's behavior  and thereby promote teamwork and collaboration. A  typical DISC test is provided in this book. I took this assessment and found the results pretty much in synch with my behavioral pattern !

The chapter on Communication addresses the Agile Principle - The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation. All the key aspects to keep in mind during face-to-face conversation - Empathy, Cultural Awareness, Language (both verbal and body language) - are dealt with. Guidelines to communicate with different behavioral profiles are also provided in this book.

Yet another Agile Principle - Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done - is also addressed. The chapter on Motivators identifies and discusses  six key workplace motivators -  Theoretical, Utilitarian/ Economic, Aesthetic,  Social,  Individualistic/Political,  Traditional/ Regulatory.  

Motivation strategies appropriate to each of these motivators  are also suggested.

Part II  - This part gives detailed guidelines  and instructions on on how to conduct Team Dynamics workshop. It suggests various exercises for the participants which will  enable them to become aware and internalize all the concepts introduced in Part I . Some examples of exercises -  Communication Origami ( for Communication), Bridge Building ( for Team Dynamics), Moon Survival ( for Collaboration). 

People issues are the most challenging ones in any agile project. This book is an excellent guide for Team members, ScrumMasters, Product Owners, Management, Consultants, Trainers to understand these issues and  successfully address them. A Must-Read !

Links:

• Table of Contents
• Sample Chapters - Chapter 2 Behavior and Individuals , Chapter 4 Communication
• Interview with the Authors
• Free and Quick Online DISC Test -  This is different from the one in the book. Much shorter and may not be as accurate.

[Please feel free to leave comment or bookmark/share this summary]

Twenty-six Ways of Looking At a Blackberry

Author:        John Simmons

Published:    2009

Publisher:    A&C Black Publishers Ltd.

Paperback: 240 Pages

If you think this book is about Blackberry (TM) the smartphone or the blackberry the fruit, read no further. It is about neither.

But hold on ! If you are interested in creative writing then this book (and hopefully my summary of it in this blog post !) is definitely worth a read. It is certainly one of the stand-apart  books  which I have come across.

The author John Simmons is of the view that even a dull, matter of fact business writing can be transformed into a more expressive and adventurous form of writing. The transformed piece may not convey precisely all the information and the same meaning. But it may establish better emotional connectivity with the reader and achieve the same goal as that of the original piece.

To demonstrate this the author first creates a base text -  the opening pages of an annual report of a fictitious technology company. The base text uses the standard business jargon-  sales, profits, future plans etc.

He rewrites this piece in 26 different styles that include Pronoun Shift, Fairy Tale, Questions, Style of Dickens, Six-word Stories, Alliteration, Song Lyrics, Eight-word Sentences, Greek Myth, Graphic Novel, Shakespearean Sonnet, Newspaper Article, Letter to a Friend, Blues, Detective Fiction, Democratic Campaign Speech, Lists, Haiku etc.

The nuances of creative writing are brought out in a very lucid manner using  these rewritten pieces and many  other examples drawn from author's career as a brand management consultant. 

A must read book for all business communicators like brand managers, marketers, advertisers, copywriters, PR people and also for anyone interested in creative writing !

Janner's Complete Speechmaker

Author:       Greville Janner

Published:   2003

Publisher:    Thorogood

Hardcover:  410 Pages

This book is based on a lifetime's experience of the author in public speaking and in training the communicators at every level.

It is divided into four sections :

Book One - Speechmaking :  Provides the complete range of essential knowledge and guidance needed for a skilled speaker. It covers preparation, delivery, language, practicalities,  handling audiences and occasions,  chairing a meeting etc.

Book Two - Model Speeches: Consists of  draft speeches for varying occasions like Openings, Business Speeches, Introductions and Vote of Thanks.

Book Three - Classic Speeches: Contains seven speeches (mainly political themes) of great oratorical merit. The selection includes speeches by Winston Churchill, Jawaharlal Nehru and Martin Luther King.

Book Four - Compendium of Retellable Tales: The author offers an array of over 500 gems of quotes, jokes, stories which he has successfully used among varied audiences to create laughter or emotional impact. He also offers several tips on how to adapt and retell them.

The book consists of almost 80 short chapters, which makes it very easy for the reader to choose and understand the topic they are interested in.

A very useful guide for beginners in the public speaking path, though for veteran and confident  public speakers it may be too fundamental and repetitive.

One Great Takeaway:

Extract from Chapter 43 - Handling Large Audiences

"India’s leaders must be prepared to speak to audiences of any size, up to tens of thousands. I asked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, famous for his oratorical skill, for his secret. How does he keep such huge crowds gripped by his words and style. He replied:
‘Speak from your heart to their hearts. It is not enough to stimulate their intellects.’
So identify your listeners. Discover where their hearts lie and talk to them from your heart to theirs. Combine heart and mind."

How true ! If we have to learn just one thing about the art of public speaking, this should be the one ! 

Useful Links:

•  Table of Contents  

•  Three Sample Chapters:
• Chapter 43 - Handling Large Audiences; 
• Chapter 44 - Questions and Hostility
• Chapter 45 - Interruptions