Prentice Hall

Ignited; managers light up your company and career for more power, more purpose, and more success.

They are dedicated, hardworking, talented, and caught between those they hire, those who hire them, and customers who depend on them for goods and services. Successful middle management has come to be an art with a significant element of risk, as practitioners find themselves trying to please everyone, with the general exception of themselves. High-tech marketing and sales consultant Thompson advises middle managers who beginning to sense more risk and less satisfaction with their state on how to expand their circle of influence and power, develop purpose and position themselves to fulfill that purpose, master systems that will sell their vision to their companies, and still lead the best life for themselves. He describes the business and emotional position of the manager, methods of empowerment, "ignition points" managers can use to systematically enhance their success, and the means of achieving balance in business and personal life. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The manager's coaching toolkit; fast and simple solutions for busy managers.

Aimed at managers who want to improve their coaching skills quickly, this guide describes skills in a way that simulates sitting in with a master manager coach. It details models that can be applied in everyday situations in a sequence of actions, along with explanations of when and how to use the skill, two sample dialogues and notes on them, following up, and related tools. The structure of a coaching session is detailed, as are tools for setting goals, giving feedback, finding solutions to problems, decision-making, and performance appraisals. Allamby provides executive coaching to business leaders and senior managers from Fortune 500 companies. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Selling blue elephants; how to make great products that people want before they even know they want them.

In this book the authors describe Rule Developing Experimentation, a process for designing, testing, and modifying ideas, products, packaging, and services so that developers and marketers can figure out what appeals to customers. They use the context of several companies to describe the process, including Hewlett-Packard, Maxwell House, Prego, Playtex, Swanson, and others. Other chapters address sustained innovation, political and social areas, and the stock market. The book is aimed at brand managers, advertising specialists, product developers, marketers and researchers, designers, communication specialists, and students. Moskowitz is an experimental psychologist in the field of psychophysics, and Gofman is affiliated with Moskowitz's firm and is the architect of market research technologies. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The self-destructive habits of good companies; ...and how to break them.

Sheth (marketing strategy, Emory U.) describes several dangerous behaviors of good companies that can lead to their downfall: denial, arrogance, complacency, incumbency, myopia, obsession with volume, and territorial impulse. Through case studies, he also outlines how to counter these habits, as well as warning signs and prevention. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)