In the education community, a useful body of research evidence related to training development and delivery has emerged only in the last 20 years. With that evidence, training practitioners now have a better idea of how learning occurs in the brain. In Evidence-Based Training Methods, Ruth Colvin Clark summarizes the most current research that relates to the decisions training professionals face on a daily basis. She explains techniques that maximize learning, provides evidence about the best ways to use examples and practice, and discusses how to organize content. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here.

Many people feel awkward in certain situations - a handicap that can prevent them from moving ahead personally and professionally. Drawing on almost 100 years of experience by Dale Carnegie Training, The 5 Essential People Skills presents a step-by-step guide to mastering five essential people skills: 1) rapport building, 2) curiosity, 3) communication, 4) ambition, and 5) conflict resolution. The 5 Essential People Skills first examines the skill at the core of the five essential people skills: assertiveness, which it defines as the ability to speak and act in ways that cause people to respond attentively and positively. Assertive people are able to make their ideas known without inhibiting others from sharing their ideas. The remainder of the book instructs readers how to apply assertiveness to the five essential people skills, helping them feel empowered, respected, and at ease in any situation. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here.

In more stable times, adaptability in organizations and employees if often neglected. Companies become complacent in the way they do business, and many have an, "If it’s not broken, don’t fix it," mentality. In more turbulent times, however, adaptability becomes an invaluable skill. Companies and employees who are able to keep a level head and effectively deal with uncertainty are more capable of taking advantage of difficult situations. Companies are currently facing drastic changes in the way they operate and do business. Layoffs, mergers, and an increased focus on efficiency have all lead employers and employees alike to think differently about the way they work and what truly matters to the business as a whole. In order to navigate the uncertainties of today, it is important that companies instill the quality of adaptability in all their employees, from CEO to front line worker. A company built on employees who are readily able to handle transition is better positioned than a company that is resistant to change. Companies that are able to quickly and effectively adapt to the new economic realities and take advantage of transformed marketplaces are those companies that will weather the current economic crisis and emerge stronger and better prepared for future success. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Corporate Agility, Leadership Agility, The Change Cycle, Built to Change

Maximizing productivity at work is a top priority for all business organizations, but all too often focus is limited to extrinsic rewards: tangible benefits such as pay, commissions, and bonuses. In Intrinsic Motivation at Work, author Kenneth W. Thomas explores the power of intrinsic rewards, the psychological rewards workers get from the work itself. Companies that harness intrinsic rewards can create a more engaged, self-managing, and committed environment for their employees. Speaking to workers and team leaders alike, Intrinsic Motivation at Work describes the four intrinsic motivations needed to improve workers’ self-management: a sense of choice, a sense of meaningfulness, a sense of competence, and a sense of progress. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Engaging the Hearts and Minds of All Your Employees, Engagement Is Not Enough, The Inspiring Leader

Standing in the Fire, Larry Dressler compares leading a combustible meeting with fighting a brush fire. When not tended to properly, a fire can cause suffering, proliferation, and destruction. However, the fire can also lead to illumination, cleansing, regeneration, and transformation. High-heat meetings make everyone in the room uncomfortable, but this ‘fire’ is the catalyst that can inspire the creativity needed to solve the issues that brought participants together in the first place. Effective conveners handle the tension with a "way of being" which is engaged, open, authentic, relaxed, and grounded in purpose. Standing in the Fire offers a set of internal, self-directed principles and practices enabling the facilitator to remain calm and grounded while others feel hopeless, agitated, angry, and confused. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Putting Our Differences to Work, Crucial Conversations, 10 Steps to Successful Meetings

The old saw says that money cannot buy happiness. But what about the reverse? Does happiness matter in the workplace? In Happiness at Work, Jessica Pryce-Jones demonstrates that happy employees are more successful in a variety of indicators, including promotion, motivation, efficiency, and health. Happy employees contribute more, stay in their positions longer, and are better to work with. Furthermore, happiness is neither mysterious nor intangible—there are numerous strategies that individuals and businesses can adopt to enhance the happiness of their workplaces. In today’s economic climate, everyone in business should be looking to tap into this vast, often poorly understood human resource. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here.

The quality of leadership can determine whether a company succeeds or fails. But how do the best leaders lead? In How the Best Leaders Lead, author Brian Tracy describes lessons he has learned about leadership during his years of working as a consultant and trainer with more than 1,000 companies. He suggests that leadership is not a position, but goal-oriented action that involves careful planning and analysis, and includes qualities and skills which may be learned and honed through practice. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Art of Followership, Leadership Gold, Love Leadership

It’s pretty clear that the U.S. economy is in turmoil. Though the National Bureau of Economic Research may have declared that the recession ended in June of 2009, it’s obvious that the country is still dealing with its effects. While the recession may have had its beginning on Wall Street, organizations and individuals should take a hint; unchecked spending and lack of financial awareness can lead to disaster. It’s time for organizations and their employees to work on developing their financial acumen. On an organizational level, this will help companies save money and reduce rampant spending. On the individual level, this will help employees with their personal finances and make them more aware of their personal role in ensuring the financial success of their company. Financial acumen is no longer a competency that should be relegated to only those employees holding financial positions. Everyone should work to increase their financial knowledge as a way of not only helping themselves become more fiscally responsible and secure, but also helping their organization reach those same goals. Related summaries in the BBS library: The 3 Financial Styles of Very Successful Leaders, Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty, Strategic Corporate Finance

In her book The Female Brand, author Catherine Kaputa speaks from her background in advertising and personal branding to encourage women to view themselves as a "product" in the marketplace and to learn how to differentiate themselves from the competition. She argues that women bring unique strengths and aptitudes to the workplace, and that these "gender-based strengths" may be especially valuable in a twenty-first century marketplace in which most jobs are no longer machine-based and emphasize cooperation and teamwork. Women following her practical advice will learn how to cultivate a "female brand" which is both authentic and distinctive, and which strategically addresses specific needs in the marketplace. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Women Lead the Way, Why Women Mean Business

The key to high performance in the workplace goes beyond traditional "hard skills" — passion is an essential element of productivity. Employees who are able to identify a "passion and purpose" in their lives experience heightened engagement and innovation, and they feel connected to their work in exciting new ways. Organizations that cultivate this sense of engagement can gain a valuable edge in today’s competitive marketplace. In The Purpose Linked Organization, leadership development experts Alaina Love and Marc Cugnon explain the powerful role passion and purpose play in the workplace and explain how leveraging them effectively can enhance organizational performance. Using the ten "Passion Profile Archetypes," the authors show readers how they can hone the temperaments necessary for high performance and channel them in a positive direction. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Purpose, Common Purpose

This month’s issue of Chief Learning Officer has an interesting article concerning learning management systems and the emerging  practice of integrated Web 2.0 functionality within these systems to increase collaboration and participation. I believe this is a great move in the corporate learning space. Many companies have sophisticated ways of tracking  formal learning and an individual’s progression towards a certain task, but informal learning is much harder to quantify and record. As a result, many companies have ignored the impact of informal learning on an individual’s learning process. As Ed Cohen writes in the article: With the introduction of each new technology and methodology, our industry is trying to make things more efficient and more effective. However, we can’t increase the rate at which a learner consumes information, so now the object is to make it more available. Informal learning helps fill in the holes that formal learning leaves open. Related readings, videos, social networking, and discussion forums are all forms of informal learning that people participate in on a daily basis, yet many aren’t even aware that this constitutes learning. Much of informal learning falls into the category of "just-in-time learning." Employees today, especially younger employees, are accustomed to having information available to them 24/7. They learn what they want to learn when they want to learn it. While an LMS is great for providing structured learning that is job-specific and will help employees excel in a given position, it does not always provide the answer to a particular task or question, which is where informal learning comes into play. By implementing Web 2.0 tools within an LMS, companies can give their employees access to on-demand learning materials and facilitate a space for collaboration with colleagues. While this type of learning may be harder to measure and track, that shouldn’t prevent companies from implementing informal learning in addition to their formal learning activities.

5 Steps to Expert What does it take to become an elite performer? How can anyone become more expert in their field? Author Paul Schempp has spent his career as a professional speaker, coach, and consultant examining these questions. In his book Five Steps to Expert, Schempp discusses five specific, consistent steps through which all people progress to become experts, as well as three ways that experts attain their level of proficiency. Expertise is not innate, but developed through hard work. Although experts represent a small percentage in any field, Schempp believes that anyone can become more expert at what they do by studying these principles, internalizing his advice, and practicing it in the workplace. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Go Put Your Strengths to Work, The Personal Efficiency Program, Ordinary Greatness

Over the past two decades, the Chinese and American economies have developed a symbiotic relationship with one another. China has become the United States’ largest creditor, while the American and multinational companies that went to China in the late 1980s and 1990s have developed a new international system of trade, production, and capital flows. The resulting global economic system is unlike anything the world has known. In Superfusion, Zachary Karabell traces how this integration between the Chinese and American economies developed and questions what the path forward will look like for these two countries. Will the United States try to develop the system for the mutual benefit of America and China, or will it resist the undeniable linkages with China? Only time will tell. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Getting China and India Right, The Coming China Wars, The Quest for Global Dominance

Some people are clearly much more effective at communicating than others. But why do people tune into some messages, and tune out others? Why do some messages stick? As John Maxwell, internationally respected leadership expert, says: "Talk is easy. Everybody talks. The question is, how can you make your words really count?" In Everyone Communicates, Few Connect Maxwell draws upon his life experience, extensive research, and anecdotal examples to reveal the secret of the most effective communicators: they connect. Learning how to connect can be vital to success in relationships and careers, and Maxwell himself has worked hard to acquire this skill. In this book he suggests five principles of connecting, and five practices to becoming a communicator who connects. Believing that everyone can learn to connect with work and practice, he provides inspirational words to help communicators enrich the lives of their listeners and in the process, transform their own. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Ripple Effect, Speak with Power and Confidence, The 5 Essential People Skills

With Thanksgiving leftovers still in the refrigerator and the Holiday season in full swing, it’s an important time for all of us to recognize what is important in our lives. Much of leadership training involves prioritizing work and managing time in an effort to become more efficient, but now more than ever, a good work/life balance is essential for a healthy and productive workforce. Many companies have started offering benefits such as flextime and telecommuting to help workers reach a balance between their personal and professional lives, but this may not be enough in many cases. According to Jennifer Lacy, director of research for The New York Times Job Market, "There is a general perception among employees that working long hours is important for career advancement…This notion, and the pay and promotion policies that support it, often undermines attempts to promote work/life balance." For corporate work/life initiatives to succeed, they must be supported from the top. Culture is one of the largest driving forces in any initiative, but the recession has put even more pressure on those wishing to take advantage of work/life benefits because they are afraid of being viewed as not dedicated to the company. However, if companies can launch successful work/life programs, they can reap rewards that include less absenteeism, lower burn-out rates, and a more productive workforce. So, while enjoying those leftovers and planning the family festivities this season, leaders and managers should also be thinking about how to best serve both work and family all year round.

In Crush It! author Gary Vaynerchuk describes how anyone can harness the power of the Internet to turn their passion (no matter how obscure or crazy) into a revenue making business. His fervent theme: "monetize your passion" by using the unprecedented opportunities afforded through social media net-working platforms.  A self-made successful businessman and personal brand identity, Vaynerchuk made a name for himself by launching and promoting Wine Library TV, a video blog. Drawing upon his own experience, Vaynerchuk explains how to use all the social media networking tools to build a passion into a personal brand that creates wealth and personal happiness. He contends that launching a business on the Internet does not have to cost millions of dollars—or even thousands. What it requires is dedication, passion, time, patience and creativity. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Digital Handshake, Social Media at Work, Changing the Channel

The concept of being first remains vital to all businesses no matter the economic conditions. Indeed, being foremost in value, sales, or market is never more important than when businesses are struggling to get by. When the economy slows, or when a recession hits, businesses must learn not only how to survive, but how to thrive in the new economic environment. With the right actions, businesses can become first in their market and dominate even in an economic contraction. Grant Cardone’s If You’re Not First, You’re Last lays out the sales ground rules to make this happen. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Accelerating Out of the Great Recession, How to Sell When Nobody’s Buying, The Adversity Paradox

It has recently been announced that AOL will be buying the Huffington Post for a tidy sum of $315 million. As businesses become increasingly content-driven, acquisitions seem like a good way of increasing a company’s brand and media presence without all the hassle of designing and maintaining large (and credible) media channels from scratch. AOL, like many companies, hopes that such acquisitions will help bring new consumers to the company’s existing product and service lines. Revenue growth alone is no longer the only driving force behind many acquisitions today. While successful acquisitions will increase revenue, content is what appeals to many interested buyers. Will the content complement what we currently produce? Does it fit with our current audience, or are we trying to capture a new audience? Who’s going to sustain its creation? How can we profit from it? These are all questions media-conscious companies are asking themselves while contemplating an acquisition. Online content may be relatively cheap to produce, but companies aren’t simply buying the content; they are buying the brand and the followers of that brand. I believe AOL did the intelligent thing by allowing the Huffington Post to take control its content channels. In too many cases, companies will acquire a media outlet only to ruin its viability by trying to control it. By giving the Huffington Post control, they are saving the brand, its followers, and putting their own content in the hands of a company who is used to creating content for the consumer. Unlike the AOL/Time Warner debacle, I foresee this partnership going the distance.

The news of the Democratic walk out in Wisconsin and the possibility of a government shut down in the near future emphasize the need for responsible leadership now more than ever. As politics become more extreme, it is not a matter of who is right or wrong, but whether or not our leaders can act responsibly and be held accountable for carrying out the functions of their position. In corporate life as in politics, leaders must be willing to fight for what they believe is right, but also have the courage to face challenges head on. There will always be opposition for any leader when working toward a vision or goal, but that opposition is necessary for pushing the leader to be his or her best. Individuals become stronger by having to surmount obstacles. Running away only delays the inevitable confrontation and weakens a person’s character. When a leader is hired or appointed, his or her followers have expectations concerning what their leader will accomplish. Leaders must do their best to come through on these expectations, but must work within the system they find themselves. When hired or appointed, leaders recognize and agree to the rules and terms of their position; they should fight for what they believe is right, but respect the responsibilities that come with the job. If victory is not possible, leaders must accept defeat graciously and hope the opposition will do the same in the future.

Today, many American companies are highly risk averse and are taking a short-term view of business. Greater focus on innovation is needed to make companies more competitive. In Innovate the Pixar Way, Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson discuss how leaders at animation giant Pixar have cultivated an innovative culture. They identify numerous ways that organizations can create their own "innovation playgrounds." While researching the sources of Pixar’s innovative genius, the authors examined the company’s culture, leadership, teaming, and training. Organizations that are both innovative and profitable require a delicate balance between two very different characteristics: 1) childlike dreaming and 2) task-driven execution. Pixar has been successful at achieving this balance. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Innovation X, Grabbing Lightning, Imagination First

The key to a successful business is customer loyalty. Building enduring business relationships is a timeless strategy that transcends factors that are out of a service organization’s control, including technological changes, economies of scale, and exchange rates. Solid customer loyalty serves as insurance against the risks of a commodity being viewed as replaceable or interchangeable. In Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit, Leonardo Inghilleri and Micah Solomon share a variety of strategies to help organizations make the shift from reactive to anticipatory service and build a client base that will keep coming back for more. These positive relationships can then lead to free word-of-mouth advertising and boost employee pride and morale. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Lead with Your Customer, 10 Steps to Successful Customer Service, The Customer Rules

I’m happy to announce that our new website is now up and running. BizSum.com offers five new business book summaries every week, enhanced search functionality, browseable categories of the top business subjects, and access to our catalogue of over 1,000 summaries. In addition, companies have access to forums, customized reading lists, and the ability to comment on summaries. To sign up for our weekly newsletter highlighting our most recent summaries, please visit the site and submit your email in the newsletter box on the front page. We’re also offering three free summaries for you to view. We’re committed to offering the best business book summaries and hope you enjoy the new site.

In Predictable Success, Les McKeown explains that any business, any organization—any group of any sort—that grows and reaches for success is going to go through certain steps and will have to endure certain changes as it grows. There is a specific sequence to these steps, and with the right people operating within the right structures, any business can make its way through these steps to Predictable Success. McKeown describes what each step looks and feels like to those who are in it, and he offers remedies to companies who have attained success and then lost it, offering hope to company leaders who want to get back on top. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Success Principles, Seduced by Success, The Strategy Paradox

The ASTD 2011 International Conference & Exposition will be held May 22-25 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, and EBSCO Publishing will be there. If you planned on attending the conference, please stop by booth 1209 to learn more about our company and what we have to offer the corporate learning community. About the conference: "Held each spring, this premier event for workplace learning and development professionals welcomes 8,000 attendees from more than 70 countries. These professionals manage all aspects of learning in their organizations. From CEO to specialist, from dean to student, ASTD 2011 welcomes people from across the globe. Learning is a key driver in companies big and small. At ASTD’s International Conference & Exposition, we typically bring Fortune 500 companies like Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Bank of America, and AT&T together to share what they are doing in learning to help grow businesses of all sizes." Please visit the conference website to learn more.