[Review] Success Mapping

I read a lot of books.  A lot of them are just good information to build my knowledge in a certain topic area.  The best ones are those that inspire me to take action, and Arlene Johnson's "Success Mapping" is one of those books. 

The subtitle of the book is "Achieve What You Want…Right Now!" and, while I think that's a pretty bold promise, I think Johnson's book pays it off.  This book takes a step-by-step approach to guide you through the process of challenging yourself, setting goals, and building out the texture to make those goals feel real to you.  This all culminates in the creation of a detailed execution plan with milestones and check-ins.

What's the big deal about this book?

I know, I know…there are a lot of books that help with setting goals and making plans.  "So what makes this one different?," you might ask.  In my opinion, one thing that sets this book apart are the excellent 'worksheets' throughout the book.  They take the concepts Johnson explains in her book and make them concrete and actionable.

I'm using the worksheets as I go along, and have found them to be very powerful in getting me to show my work around the ideas bouncing around inside my head.

The worksheets alone are worth the price of the book (I'm not kidding - the worksheets are sold in standalone form - check out the prices and you'll see that the book is a bargain).

Not just idealism

The other thing I like about the book is it tackles Obstacles head on.  What I mean is it spends a fair amount of time taking the reader through an examination of various obstacles to success, and helps you create plans to mitigate the risks those obstacles represent.  This basically means you can go into execution mode with your eyes open, and that you've already thought about contingency plans if one of these obstacles appears in front of you.

There is also practical advice on how to garner the resources you'll need (financial, people, skills, etc.) to achieve your successful outcome.

I recommend this book to anyone who's pursuing a goal (or who has lots of ideas but doesn't know where to start.  While the book is definitely biased toward business people I think the concepts presented can apply to any goal you may have in your personal life, as well.

You should also check out the Success Mapping web site, where you'll find book excerpts, additional reference materials, and audio & video clips.  And best of luck creating your personal success map with "Success Mapping!"

Marketing in the Time of Cholera

Just finished reading a book by a friend of mine, Mark Gaydos, who’s chosen the provocative title, “Marketing in the Time of Cholera: : 6.5 Fundamentals for Thriving in a Toxic Economy.” Mark’s an industry veteran in marketing, as well as a university instructor on this topic, so he really knows his stuff.

Mark’s premise is that you don’t have to create some wild, crazy, Kanye West-like incident to stand out in the market, and that “marketing fundamentals” can guide you on where and how to invest for maximum success and revenue influence from marketing programs.

The book is very instructive regarding how to view your marketing programs from the customer’s perspective, and what kinds of metrics and indicators you can use to measure your success.

The book include sample analyses of marketing programs, examples of effective & ineffective web sites, banner ads, newsletters, etc. which help illustrate how to take a customer-oriented marketing approach.

The best news?  The book is free, and Mark doesn’t even ask for your email address (I guess he’ll make it up in volume…) 

You can download your free copy at the Marketing In The Time of Cholera book site, where you’ll also find a couple of videos in which Mark discusses how the book can help you.  Enjoy!

How Did That Happen?

I got an advance copy of a book called “How Did That Happen? (Holding People Accountable for Results The Positive, Principled Way),” and am pleased to see that it was released recently.  That means there is nothing stopping you from picking up a copy, right?

Roger Connors and Tom Smith, the book’s authors, have done a very effective job of grappling with some of the key issues that inhibit accountability, and provided some practical, prescriptive methods to help increase the level and consistency of accountability in your organization.

A lot of books about accountability are hard to act upon unless you are the “king of the world” – the head of a company, division, team, etc.  This book isn’t like that.  Sure, you can wield more might if you’re in charge, but there is a lot of advice in here designed to help you improve your own accountability, and to insist on more accountability from others – whether they are your peers, bosses, or even friends & family.

Rings of Accountability

The authors use a model that consists of an Outer Ring, which deals with setting appropriate expectations; and an Inner Ring that deals with managing unmet expectations.  This is all about having an effective “Accountability Conversation” that keeps people clear and aligned about what’s been committed, and what’s expected.

One of the things I really like about this book is the large number of “tests” you can use to determine where gaps exist that may negatively impact Accountability, each accompanied by specific processes and techniques to address any gaps.

There are also a number of stories of accountability in action, which help illustrate the points.  These stories helped crystallize the concepts for me throughout the book.

For example, I enjoyed the discussion of the difference between Complete Alignment, and “Complyment,” in which people aren’t fully bought into the mission.  I must say, I’ve seen the symptoms of Complyment far more than I should.

Likewise, there are tools to test for “Hands & Feet” and “Hearts and Minds” so you can gauge the level of buy-in and commitment to the things you feel are important.

My favorite new concept:  Phantom Reality

Of all the concepts in this book, the one I keep thinking about over and over is “Phantom Reality,” which is “an inaccurate description of how things really are.”  This is caused by things like misreading the situation, refusing to believe / acknowledge facts that don’t fit your world view, and poisoning your outcomes by expecting the worst.

I really want to get better at recognizing and dealing with the trap of Phantom Reality, since this is the phenomenon that causes you to get blindsided by things you should have seen coming, but chose to ignore.

It’s not easy to see your own blind spot, but this book provides some tools to increase your chances of catching yourself believing a Phantom Reality.

Customize the tools to fit your style

Before I wrap up, you might be wondering if these tools will work for you.  After all, each of us has our own style, preferences, and ability to tolerate ambiguity.  You’ll be pleased to know that there are also tools in the book to help you analyze your own management and accountability “style” and preferences, and that you can adopt and adjust the tools differently based on how you work.  For example, if you are a micromanager, there are tips to help you tone it down a bit and give people room to breathe; if you’re a hands-off manager, there are tips to help you exert a bit more active control.

I’ve just scratched the surface in this review, but I can confidently recommend “How Did That Happen?” to anyone who wants to up the level of accountability in their world – whether that’s by improving your own skills, or helping others work together in a more accountable way.

Work The System - for free!

Last year, I reviewed Sam Carpenter’s excellent management book, “Work The System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less,” (read my review of Work The System here).

I found this book to be very practical, partially because it was written from the perspective of an entrepreneurial business person who has been able to create a sustainable, vital business.  But the real “hook” for me was Sam’s personal stories about the challenges he faced as he built his business, how he got through the challenges, and how he “codified” his learning into things the rest of us can use.

The book has been very well-received and won “Best Non-fiction Book of 2009” at the New York Book Festival.  Sam has also recently found a new publisher, which should really help in sharing his experience with even more people.  That’s good news.

And I’ve got even better news: YOU can get this book for free!

You heard me right - Sam’s been kind enough to allow me to offer each of you a free PDF copy of “Work The System” for the entire month of September. 

Getting your free copy is pretty easy:

1. Go to the Work The System book site.
2. Find the “Special Book Promotion” link and click it.
3. Follow the instructions, and enter the password “Dwayne sent me”
4. You’ll get your link to download the PDF of Work The System.

Once you’ve read the book, I’d love to hear what you think – and whether it resonates with you as much as it does with me.