-->

Book reviews

Book Review - Hooked: How Leaders Connect, Engage and Inspire with Storytelling

Stories provide a human connection that is often lacking in a business context. Were accustomed to substantiating claims with facts, figures and case studies, but while these might provide justification for a particular course of action, they rarely uncover the emotional need that compel us to take it in the first place. Hooked - a new book by Gabrielle Dolan and Yamini Naidu - will show you how to articulate and use personal stories in a business context, enabling you to  better connect with others and to motivate true insight, discussion and change.

As someone who has always kept their personal and professional lives quite separate, I have found storytelling a rewarding way to share more of myself with my clients and build greater understanding of who I am and what I do.

Hooked is practical, easy to read and provides a useful methodology to create and share your stories. If you work in a sales or leadership capacity - and particularly if  you're more of a facts and figures person, and you're not getting the results you want - you must read this book. Your communication style will change forever, for the better.Hooked book cover

Spitball June podcast: the changing face of productivity

We all want to be productive, but is technology making it easier or just adding to the load? In this month’s podcast we discuss productivity; what holds us back from being productive, our experiences with technology and tips on Apps we’ve tried, the traps of traditional time management wisdom, “infobesity” and the all-you-can-eat buffet, dragons and punching fear in the face!

Listen in at http://spitballbiz.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/productivity-and-technology/

Books we recommend this month include The New Rules of Management: How to Revolutionise Productivity, Innovation and Engagement by Implementing Projects that Matter (by Peter Cook) and Start: Punch Fear in The Face, Escape Average and Do Work That Matters (by Jon Acuff).