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Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Innovation and Imagination at Work
Out of all of the books that we have conceptualised and produced in the Management Today Series, the subject at the heart of this one remains the most paradoxical.
At the very core of organisational innovation is the concept of renewal, be it planned or otherwise. The clever bit is being able to turn the renewal process into a core competency that drives organisational strategy. That is the realm of 'management innovation', and what this book is about.
At the very core of organisational innovation is the concept of renewal, be it planned or otherwise. The clever bit is being able to turn the renewal process into a core competency that drives organisational strategy. That is the realm of 'management innovation', and what this book is about.
So, where is the paradox? Part of the response to that question lies in the Australian cultural context. We present as a people who want to be inventive, but we act as a culture that needs to mitigate risk. When we translate this to the business context, there is little common understanding and potential is unrealised.
Consider these facts. In a recent consumer research study, 96 percent of respondents rated 'inventiveness' as their top aspiration for the nation as a whole (Eye on Australia , Grey Worldwide Consumer Research Study, 2003). Yet, this heart-felt aspiration does not seem to be reflected in our businesses or organisations. For example, in a study conducted by AIM in the same year, as few as 20 percent of respondents, who were senior managers, indicated that their organisations were innovative or entrepreneurial. (Australian Business Leadership Survey: Stage 2 , AIM & Monash University, 2003).
What a yawning disconnect.
The aim of this book is to address the proposition that the majority of organisations do not understand the innovation process and, further, that the imagination-innovation-performance formula is either ignored or under-rated.
The most consistent feedback we receive about the Management Today Series is about the way each title grasps a theme and examines it in a 360 degree fashion, pulling apart the topic, going in deep, and repacking it in a series of short, sharp chapters. This book is no different, and presents a wide range of perspectives and approaches from leading management thinkers and practitioners.
In preparing for this second edition , we have taken an approach that we hope is appropriate for the subject. We have revisited and updated assumptions, combined incremental improvements with bold new additions, increased the practical takeouts and totally revamped the structure. What remains the same, however, is the high calibre of the work from our contributing authors.
The book begins with some big picture, scene-setting chapters, which will introduce you to new and challenging ways of thinking about the future and how you can survive and thrive there. Next come explorations of how to nurture imagination and creativity, and how to generate the ideas that drive innovation. The second half of the book presents strategic approaches to renewal and operational options for embedding innovation within your organisation. Finally, entrepreneurial capabilities and approaches are tackled to ensure that imagination and innovation are linked with commercial success. And, as in all of our books, the role of leadership is a consistent background theme in each of the chapters.
But what do we mean by innovation? There are a variety of definitions in this book, but here are some that we like. Innovation is the practical application of imagination; or imagining, capturing, developing and implementing new ideas. It can be described as positive change resulting in new products, services, strategies or processes; or as developing a systemic approach for generating, capturing and commercialising new ideas.
This book is underpinned by the assertion that innovation in business requires a senior managerial response, whether the innovation strategy is offensive, defensive, imitative, dependent or opportunistic. It is the purposeful use of one or all of these approaches that will make the difference in the marketplace of the future.
Here is a startling prediction: in the future cutting costs and remaining efficient will still be necessary for corporate survival, but they won't be enough. Think about it. In the continuously changing global environment, almost everything is commoditised in one form or another, and the pace of catch-up and speed-to-market is astoundingly quick. The things that yesterday made us special no longer give us the edge. Today organisations of all sizes rely on customer service as their chief differentiator. But look behind you.soon that too will be commoditised and no longer a competitive advantage. What will be our next response to a hungry, watchful and ruthless marketplace?
We have entered an era where ideas, not products, will be the heroes. The organisations that flourish will be those that can use the imaginative and emotional energies of their workforce to differentiate themselves and as a source of competitive advantage. But here is the kicker: we appear to have little depth of experience in this arena.
Another paradox: within our organisations there is recognition of the need for innovation, but few are actually committed to the process. Innovation is about harnessing the hearts and minds of people within our organisations.yet we are reluctant to use this giant, energetic, untapped resource. Innovation is dependent on employees at all levels having the confidence to try new ideas and be unafraid of mistakes.yet our organisations judge and reward employees based on their ability to mitigate and avoid risk. Why is this so?
Perhaps it is because unleashing imagination, capturing the ideas in peoples' heads and encouraging exploration require leaders who inspire trust. Research shows that transformational leadership and a healthy organisational culture are positively associated with the 'right climate' for innovation in business. So, like it or not, it is up to those in power and with power to lead the revolution.
Here is a simple test. Is innovation part of your organisation's vision, mission and higher-level goals? Are your senior managers performance managed on their meaningful responses to management innovation? Do you give employees time and space to think and communicate improvements and new ideas? Do you ask your customers what they want and actually think about your offerings?
Answer no to even one of these questions, and you have some work to do.
Do you feel we have taken moral ground that is too high? Not high enough would be our response. It is our assertion that dialogue about management innovation is not prevalent enough. Management innovation is not a fad; it is not going away. Innovation will remain a key part of the lexicon of successful organisations.
The territory of the future will be owned by those bold enough to travel new paths today. But, whether your organisation is large or small, introducing management innovation requires the most senior executives to be the journeymen. Why? Because permission to explore and fail, and the impetus to get back on the right path, comes with the mantle of leadership or ownership.
Consider these facts. In a recent consumer research study, 96 percent of respondents rated 'inventiveness' as their top aspiration for the nation as a whole (Eye on Australia , Grey Worldwide Consumer Research Study, 2003). Yet, this heart-felt aspiration does not seem to be reflected in our businesses or organisations. For example, in a study conducted by AIM in the same year, as few as 20 percent of respondents, who were senior managers, indicated that their organisations were innovative or entrepreneurial. (Australian Business Leadership Survey: Stage 2 , AIM & Monash University, 2003).
What a yawning disconnect.
The aim of this book is to address the proposition that the majority of organisations do not understand the innovation process and, further, that the imagination-innovation-performance formula is either ignored or under-rated.
The most consistent feedback we receive about the Management Today Series is about the way each title grasps a theme and examines it in a 360 degree fashion, pulling apart the topic, going in deep, and repacking it in a series of short, sharp chapters. This book is no different, and presents a wide range of perspectives and approaches from leading management thinkers and practitioners.
In preparing for this second edition , we have taken an approach that we hope is appropriate for the subject. We have revisited and updated assumptions, combined incremental improvements with bold new additions, increased the practical takeouts and totally revamped the structure. What remains the same, however, is the high calibre of the work from our contributing authors.
The book begins with some big picture, scene-setting chapters, which will introduce you to new and challenging ways of thinking about the future and how you can survive and thrive there. Next come explorations of how to nurture imagination and creativity, and how to generate the ideas that drive innovation. The second half of the book presents strategic approaches to renewal and operational options for embedding innovation within your organisation. Finally, entrepreneurial capabilities and approaches are tackled to ensure that imagination and innovation are linked with commercial success. And, as in all of our books, the role of leadership is a consistent background theme in each of the chapters.
But what do we mean by innovation? There are a variety of definitions in this book, but here are some that we like. Innovation is the practical application of imagination; or imagining, capturing, developing and implementing new ideas. It can be described as positive change resulting in new products, services, strategies or processes; or as developing a systemic approach for generating, capturing and commercialising new ideas.
This book is underpinned by the assertion that innovation in business requires a senior managerial response, whether the innovation strategy is offensive, defensive, imitative, dependent or opportunistic. It is the purposeful use of one or all of these approaches that will make the difference in the marketplace of the future.
Here is a startling prediction: in the future cutting costs and remaining efficient will still be necessary for corporate survival, but they won't be enough. Think about it. In the continuously changing global environment, almost everything is commoditised in one form or another, and the pace of catch-up and speed-to-market is astoundingly quick. The things that yesterday made us special no longer give us the edge. Today organisations of all sizes rely on customer service as their chief differentiator. But look behind you.soon that too will be commoditised and no longer a competitive advantage. What will be our next response to a hungry, watchful and ruthless marketplace?
We have entered an era where ideas, not products, will be the heroes. The organisations that flourish will be those that can use the imaginative and emotional energies of their workforce to differentiate themselves and as a source of competitive advantage. But here is the kicker: we appear to have little depth of experience in this arena.
Another paradox: within our organisations there is recognition of the need for innovation, but few are actually committed to the process. Innovation is about harnessing the hearts and minds of people within our organisations.yet we are reluctant to use this giant, energetic, untapped resource. Innovation is dependent on employees at all levels having the confidence to try new ideas and be unafraid of mistakes.yet our organisations judge and reward employees based on their ability to mitigate and avoid risk. Why is this so?
Perhaps it is because unleashing imagination, capturing the ideas in peoples' heads and encouraging exploration require leaders who inspire trust. Research shows that transformational leadership and a healthy organisational culture are positively associated with the 'right climate' for innovation in business. So, like it or not, it is up to those in power and with power to lead the revolution.
Here is a simple test. Is innovation part of your organisation's vision, mission and higher-level goals? Are your senior managers performance managed on their meaningful responses to management innovation? Do you give employees time and space to think and communicate improvements and new ideas? Do you ask your customers what they want and actually think about your offerings?
Answer no to even one of these questions, and you have some work to do.
Do you feel we have taken moral ground that is too high? Not high enough would be our response. It is our assertion that dialogue about management innovation is not prevalent enough. Management innovation is not a fad; it is not going away. Innovation will remain a key part of the lexicon of successful organisations.
The territory of the future will be owned by those bold enough to travel new paths today. But, whether your organisation is large or small, introducing management innovation requires the most senior executives to be the journeymen. Why? Because permission to explore and fail, and the impetus to get back on the right path, comes with the mantle of leadership or ownership.
Get It:
Say It Right the First Time
Being a business professional is all about managing, motivating, and leading, or, in other words, getting people to do what you want. And, far and away, the most important tool for accomplishing this objective is language.
Written by an internationally recognized expert on business communications, this book offers managers deep insights into the power of language and how to wield it effectively in any organization.
ISBN: 0071408614
Loretta Malandro arms readers with more than 200 power words and phrases designed to help readers become better managers, leaders, and coaches. She also reveals communication secrets such as emotional triggers, victim versus ownership language, escape phrases, as well as language for "softening the edges," reframing, accountability, and recovering from communication gaffes.
Malandro also provides:
Invaluable insights into the emotional power of words
Priceless techniques to connect with and move an audience
Tips on recognizing "killer words" and overcoming the trouble they can cause
An arsenal of strategies, scripts, work sheets, and self-tests for gauging current communication skills and pinpointing weaknesses
ISBN: 0071408614
Loretta Malandro arms readers with more than 200 power words and phrases designed to help readers become better managers, leaders, and coaches. She also reveals communication secrets such as emotional triggers, victim versus ownership language, escape phrases, as well as language for "softening the edges," reframing, accountability, and recovering from communication gaffes.
Malandro also provides:
Invaluable insights into the emotional power of words
Priceless techniques to connect with and move an audience
Tips on recognizing "killer words" and overcoming the trouble they can cause
An arsenal of strategies, scripts, work sheets, and self-tests for gauging current communication skills and pinpointing weaknesses
Get It:
Life Matters : Creating a Dynamic Balance of Work, Family, Time & Money
The Merrills, time management experts who co-authored First Things First with Stephen Covey (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People), expand their range here to cover creative ways to successfully balance four major aspects of life: family, money, work and time. The premise of their program rests on what the authors call three gotta do's-validate expectations, optimize effort and develop navigational intelligence. For example, if you have determined for yourself and your family that financial security is important (validate expectations), it is necessary to take steps to achieve this (optimize effort) by, say, getting out of consumer debt. Navigational intelligence is the ability to make appropriate decisions when unpredictable events arise that may interfere with your focus.
The Merrills borrow a paradigm from their earlier book that divides tasks into four quadrants; urgent, not urgent, important and unimportant. Drawing on personal anecdotes, the authors show how this division can facilitate making choices that balance the requirements of a family life with earning a living. Their philosophy is based on the conviction that a strong family-centered life is one of the keys to happiness and central to a stable civilization. The Merrills recommend working with children to create a family mission statement; they advocate regular family meetings, shared family activities and scheduled "dates" between husbands and wives. This thoughtful self-help manual is not a quick read, but its advice is sound and can easily be applied to daily life.
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (May 16, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0071422137
ISBN-13: 978-0071422130
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (May 16, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0071422137
ISBN-13: 978-0071422130
Get It:
Friday, April 6, 2007
SECRETS OF SENSUAL LOVEMAKING
How to Give Her the Ultimate Pleasure by Tom Leonardi
Sizzling with sensuality and expertise, this intimate guide shows you how to give the woman in your life the best loving she has ever had. Tom Leonardi's erotic, step-by-step program for maximizing female arousal and pleasure will turn your sex life into a richly creative experience.
Using both psychological and physical techniques, Leonardi shares his secrets of how to find the elusive "G-spot", known for producing multiple, ejaculatory orgasms of astounding power in women. He shows men how to search their imaginations to make sex fun, passionate, thrilling - a true sensuous adventure. Here are just a few of the exciting and inspiring ideas you will find in this liberating guide:
The sure fire secrets to finding the elusive "G-Spot" for multiple orgasms
How to get your woman in "the mood" long before any physical contact
How to make monogamy and safe sex the sexiest sex you've ever had
What to touch - and when - before the actual act of love
How to help a lover who just can't "let go"
And a total guide to female erogenous zones, and how and when to approach them - from the earlobe to the lips to the breasts to the secret button that can set off the ultimate explosion; a woman's ejaculatory orgasm.
All these are but a part of a bedside companion that includes illuminating self-quizzes, an uninhibited question-and-answer section, and testimonials from a host of women who reveal their personal preferences and most passionate moments. Tom Leonardi has written an extraordinary book that will make you wonder how you ever loved without it.
Get It:
http://rapidshare.com/files/24376606/Tom_Leonardi_-_Secrets_of_Sensual_Lovemaking.rar
Sizzling with sensuality and expertise, this intimate guide shows you how to give the woman in your life the best loving she has ever had. Tom Leonardi's erotic, step-by-step program for maximizing female arousal and pleasure will turn your sex life into a richly creative experience.
Using both psychological and physical techniques, Leonardi shares his secrets of how to find the elusive "G-spot", known for producing multiple, ejaculatory orgasms of astounding power in women. He shows men how to search their imaginations to make sex fun, passionate, thrilling - a true sensuous adventure. Here are just a few of the exciting and inspiring ideas you will find in this liberating guide:
The sure fire secrets to finding the elusive "G-Spot" for multiple orgasms
How to get your woman in "the mood" long before any physical contact
How to make monogamy and safe sex the sexiest sex you've ever had
What to touch - and when - before the actual act of love
How to help a lover who just can't "let go"
And a total guide to female erogenous zones, and how and when to approach them - from the earlobe to the lips to the breasts to the secret button that can set off the ultimate explosion; a woman's ejaculatory orgasm.
All these are but a part of a bedside companion that includes illuminating self-quizzes, an uninhibited question-and-answer section, and testimonials from a host of women who reveal their personal preferences and most passionate moments. Tom Leonardi has written an extraordinary book that will make you wonder how you ever loved without it.
Get It:
http://rapidshare.com/files/24376606/Tom_Leonardi_-_Secrets_of_Sensual_Lovemaking.rar
Amazing Palmistry Secrets
ISBN N/A English PDF 2007 Year 1.5 Mb 154 Pages
Get It:
http://rapidshare.com/files/24374648/palmistrysecrets.pdf
Get It:
http://rapidshare.com/files/24374648/palmistrysecrets.pdf
Thursday, April 5, 2007
The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy
Review
"This book must be considered a very helpful companion, resulting from the contributors' hard work. The high level of the presentation of individual medieval philosphers--and of medieval thought in general--shows that each contributor has mastered their subject and put substantial work into the book. I believe that this volume has provided the opportunity to show the brillance of that work, which sometimes remains anonymous, without compensation or social acknowledgment." Francisco Bertelloni, The Medieval Review
Book Description
Spanning a millennium of thought extending from Augustine to Thomas Aquinas and beyond, this volume takes its readers into one of the most exciting periods in the history of philosophy. It includes not only the thinkers of the Latin West but also the profound contributions of Islamic and Jewish philosophers such as Avicenna and Maimonides. Leading specialists examine what it was like to study philosophy in the cultures and institutions of the Middle Ages. Supplementary material includes chronological charts and biographies of the major thinkers.
Paperback: 424 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 25, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521000637
ISBN-13: 978-0521000635
Get It:
http://rapidshare.com/files/24372791/cc_to_mp.rar
"This book must be considered a very helpful companion, resulting from the contributors' hard work. The high level of the presentation of individual medieval philosphers--and of medieval thought in general--shows that each contributor has mastered their subject and put substantial work into the book. I believe that this volume has provided the opportunity to show the brillance of that work, which sometimes remains anonymous, without compensation or social acknowledgment." Francisco Bertelloni, The Medieval Review
Book Description
Spanning a millennium of thought extending from Augustine to Thomas Aquinas and beyond, this volume takes its readers into one of the most exciting periods in the history of philosophy. It includes not only the thinkers of the Latin West but also the profound contributions of Islamic and Jewish philosophers such as Avicenna and Maimonides. Leading specialists examine what it was like to study philosophy in the cultures and institutions of the Middle Ages. Supplementary material includes chronological charts and biographies of the major thinkers.
Paperback: 424 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 25, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521000637
ISBN-13: 978-0521000635
Get It:
http://rapidshare.com/files/24372791/cc_to_mp.rar
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