The book reads like a one-on-one [...]]]>

What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith is a good concise book without too much fluff and padding. It aims to point out some of the key interpersonal flaws that stunt progress within an organisation, and explains how to go about fixing them.

The book reads like a one-on-one coaching session, and that’s exactly how Marshall Goldsmith operates, working for some of the world’s best known companies and making their best people better.

I really liked how honest this book was. It backs every nugget of advice up with a real world example of how it was applied in an organisation. I found this really useful, because it gives context to the advice, and makes it more real, than just vague concepts. The main thrust of the book is around the following habits and how to cultivate them; Feedback, apologising, advertising your quest, listening, thanking, following up and practising feedforward. As a list that sounds pretty unoriginal, but there plenty of fun and interesting stories, and the advice is good.

At 236 pages, it’s a perfect sized read for this type of subject, although it took me about 3 weeks to read due to other commitments! What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There is already a bestseller, and it’s quite easy to see why. I don’t think it’s going to change the world, but i’m sure it will help quite a few people make improvements in their relationships with others.

Business The Richard Branson Way, takes us on a whizz-bang tour of the [...]]]>

A bit of a change of pace from my last review, ‘Between A Rock And A Hard Place’, this book by Des Dearlove focuses on the success of Richard Branson, and his uncanny knack of building and running successful businesses.

Business The Richard Branson Way, takes us on a whizz-bang tour of the Richard Branson Empire, highlighting his successes and disappointments, in a really concise 188 page journey.

It’s more than likely you’ll finish this book in a couple of days, tops. But at around £6.99 (or less on eBay) it’s a decent investment. It’s kind of strange how you can make reading a business book can seem so up-beat and fun, but Des Dearlove does manage to do just that. It’s punchy throughout, zapping you with nifty titles and easy to read text. The chapters are short, and at the end of each one you’ll find a really helpful summary of the key points, which did help me to retain more of the information, in a muliple-pass photoreading sort of way.

Here’s the contents:

- Richard Branson Revisited
- The Life and Times of Richard Branson
- Pick on Someone Bigger Than You
- Do the Hippy, Hippy Shake
- Haggle – Everything’s Negotiable
- Make Work Fun
- Do Right By Your Brand
- Smile for the Cameras
- Don’t Lead Sheep, Herd Cats
- Faster than a Speeding Bullet
- Size Does Matter
- Never Lose the Common Touch
- How to Build a Brand the Branson Way
- Last Word

Don’t expect this to be a balanced account of Sir Richard Branson’s life and work. It’s definitely not. It’s focus is on his ‘Business Secrets’, how he operates and runs his businesses. We get glimpses of how he started out and the kind of crazy capers he gets up to in the name of brand marketing and team building! It’s clear Des Dearlove is a fan of his work, as he oozes enthusiasm and good vibes when talking about his meteoric rise to success. Even when discussing the low points, you get a positive spin on it, and a breakdown of the lessons Branson must have learnt. This is a book for happy campers!

The story of Sir Richard Branson is an inspiring one. He’s one cool cat, who wears a big grin no matter what the outlook. I think you can learn much beyond the obvious natural business acumen at work here. It’s a shining example of positive mental attitude, and a never say die attitude from a master craftsman of creating a cause and getting others to buy into it.

This is a book about the man, not the numbers or the economics. It’s short and to the point with a care free writing style that’s fun to read. Don’t expect the world, but do expect to laugh and learn a few inspiring lessons in success and happiness.

Business is not all about the numbers, although they do help. If Branson is anything to go by, then it’s about herding cats not sheep.

You can find out more about ‘Business The Richard Branson Way’ by clicking the Amazon link above.