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Leadership Reviews

Are you ready for the thank you economy?

March 15, 2011

I heard a talk yesterday by Gary Vaynerchuk about his new book: The Thank You Economy. His basic premise is that for companies to succeed in the coming decade they will have to genuinely care for their customers. By caring, he’s not talking about sending thank you notes or coupons to buy more. He advocates the need to care passionately and personally, to create a sticky experience focused on what’s best for the customer, not for you. While at the end of the day it’s business, you must humanize the interaction with customers to continue to win their business and maintain loyalty. He argues that if your caring baramoter is a Zappos, you’re aiming too low. You need to blow their customer care out of the water. What do you think? Are you planning on reading his new book? Are you evaluating how to revolutionize how you care for customers?

Reviews

A resolution reviewed to read 30 books

January 1, 2011

In 2010, I set out to read more than 30 books and share more of what I read with others. With 2010 behind me, I fell short of my goal. I finished the year reading 26. In 2011, I’m committed to crossing the 30 book hurdle. If you’re also interested in reading more, I thought I’d share some things that have helped me: 1: turning off the tv 2: getting a Kindle. I unquestionably read faster on a Kindle. Being able to control font size and thereby the amount of text on each page allows me to customize my reading experience. This is impossible with paper books. It’s also really convenient, which means I have fewer excusses not to read. I can effortlessly read multiple books at a time; it’s light, travels well and has a very long battery life; it lays flat and the new case with a light…

Leadership Productivity Reviews Technology

Using a Kindle or eReader as a leadership tool

September 13, 2010

You’ve heard that leaders read and readers lead. It’s an old axiom that’s as true today as it was when it was first spoken. What’s different today is that you can more easily share all the great content you’re consuming if you switch to an eReader like a Kindle, iPad or similar device.

Leadership Reviews

Are you in business with the right people?

May 10, 2010

I’m finishing up People’s Tycoon, a biography on Henry Ford. The book details the story of three motor companies Ford helped start, the last being the only one we remember. What struck me about all three attempts was that in each instance, Ford found himself at odds with his key business partners, the guys with the money. The genesis of the conflict, at least regarding the business, was that Ford’s vision to provide mobility to the masses conflicted with his partners’ vision of selling higher margin luxury or performance cars (to be fair, Ford also seemed to lack some focus in the early years). The problem wasn’t that Ford’s vision was good and the others’ vision was bad. The problem was that they didn’t share the same vision or measure for success. If the people who run or own your organization have the same problem, debilitating conflict is inevitable. The…