Blog Archives
Curiosity Killed the Nine to Five
Curiosity Killed the 9-5 serves as an enlightening guide, offering a glimpse into the lives of remarkable female entrepreneurs and their journeys. This collection of stories sheds light on the integral roles of curiosity, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams in the business realm. Highlighting the varied backgrounds and industries these women have navigated, the book provides valuable insights and reflections, celebrating their achievements and inspiring others to embrace entrepreneurial challenges.
The narrative is engaging and relatable, marked by personal storytelling and motivational elements. It maintains a celebratory and empowering tone throughout, applauding the extraordinary accomplishments and the spirit of courage, resilience, and curiosity that propels these women into business. Departing from the typical formal style of business literature, it adopts an informal, enthusiastic approach, making the content more accessible and lively.
The book’s language is diverse and engaging, effectively conveying ideas and adding a unique flair to the writing. The contributors’ voices are assertive and encouraging, designed to inspire confidence in readers. A mix of sentence structures, from concise and impactful to more descriptive and illustrative, paints a vivid picture of these women’s experiences, demonstrating a mastery of narrative style.
Targeting an audience interested in business and personal growth, Curiosity Killed the 9-5 is particularly empowering for women. It encourages readers to embrace risk-taking and pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations. The personal anecdotes and insights from the author and featured entrepreneurs inspire those eager to overcome barriers and leave a mark in the business world.
The book skillfully blends storytelling with practical insights, creating a narrative that resonates with a wide readership. Particularly commendable is the author’s ability to intertwine personal experiences with broader themes of entrepreneurship and empowerment. Each chapter includes self-coaching reflections, allowing readers to engage deeply with the content and extract personal and professional growth lessons.
Curiosity Killed the 9-5 stands out as a compelling and motivational read, offering a unique perspective on the entrepreneurial journey, especially for women seeking inspiration and guidance in the business world.
Pages: 360 | ASIN : B0CPHLQK4B
There’s Just Life
What were some ideas that you felt were important to highlight in You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!)?
The most important idea that we wanted to highlight is that workplace relationships are the single biggest influencer of happiness, engagement, and productivity at work.
Morag Barrett’s first book, Cultivate – The Power of Winning Relationships, introduced the four relationship dynamics (Ally, Supporter, Rival, and Adversary) that make up the Relationship Ecosystem™. We’ve been leading workshops on the Relationship Ecosystem™ ever since, and kept getting the question, “How do I get more allies?” The short answer isn’t always what people want to hear, but it’s true: To have an ally you need to be an ally.
In You, Me, We we wanted to provide a guide that helped readers understand, practically, how they could do that. After more than a decade of research, interviewing thousands of leaders about what it means to show up as an ally to our colleagues, and creating a self-assessment tool that outlines what comes more naturally to people, we created a practical guide that would help readers to make intentional choices in how they show up in workplace relationships.
Central to the book is what we call the Ally Mindset, and it is made up of five practices; Abundance and Generosity, Connection and Compassion, Courage and Vulnerability, Candor and Debate, and Action and Accountability. We created the Ally Mindset Profile (available at skyeteam.cloud/youmewe) to provide readers with a solid foundation when deciding how to make intentional investments in critical stakeholder relationships.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about work friendships?
There are many misconceptions about workplace relationships. It’s been said that workplace friendships are not professional, that they can lead to favoritism, or that they aren’t even genuine (they’re misperceived as politicking and empire building). Some also argue that they will distract from productivity, or lead to complications when one friend inevitably leaves the organization.
While human beings are messy, and no two workplace friendships are alike, most of these ideas just don’t hold up in the real world. These misconceptions come from a place of scarcity. What we argue in the book is that beginning from a position of abundance, and showing up as our true authentic selves, workplaces flourish when friendships abound. People hold each other to a higher account, they tend to be more engaged, and measurably more productive when engaged in friendships at work. Our research and experience has shown that the health of our professional relationships is the most important factor when it comes to success in business and in life.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
We spend a majority of our adult lives working, and the stresses of daily life are always in the picture. Eric used to struggle with worrying about personal things while he was at work, and then fretting about work things when he wasn’t. A mentor of his helped him to understand that there’s no such thing as work/life “balance.” There’s just life. A big old garbled mess of all things work, personal, and everything in-between. When you allow yourself to show up in every frame as your true self, everyone is better off. This isn’t to say that you should wear your emotions on your sleeve and share everything with anyone who will listen. It means that you acknowledge what’s going on on the inside for you, honor that, and let it be, versus trying to fit the entirety of human experience into discrete containers or labels like “work” and “home.” The most powerful lever in this mindset is leveraging the most important relationships you have around you, to support you, and to remind you that self-care is paramount. True allies have your back, no matter the circumstances, and that is a complete game changer!
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book?
We want readers to find at least one piece of practical advice that they can use to make intentional investments in their most critical workplace relationships. The book serves more as a field guide than a linear narrative. We hope that people pick it up and flip to the chapter that most fits their current circumstances. If they’re having trouble being vulnerable, jump to the chapter on Courage and Vulnerability. If they find themselves employing a scarcity mindset, open up the section on Abundance and Generosity. Each chapter ends with a set of real-world tips, called Look Up, Show Up, Step Up, that readers can use in their workplace relationships today! While the stories in the book are compelling, they don’t need to be consumed like a novel. We hope this is a book that readers come back to time and time again. We want it to be that ratty, dog-eared, marked up book on desks that people use throughout their lives to help make their lives, and the lives of those around them a little bit lighter, a little bit better.
Author Links: Website
One of the most important indicators of individual, team, and organizational success is the presence of an ally mindset. When we have best friends at work—people who are with us, in good times and bad, and who help ensure we make it through together—we thrive. When we don’t, we flail, and eventually crash and burn, leaving only a smoking hulk of debris behind as evidence that they were ever even there.
Through their extensive work with clients that include Google, National Geographic, Microsoft, and many more, the authors have discovered the framework for an ally mindset includes five key parts:
– Abundance and generosity
– Connection and compassion
– Courage and vulnerability
– Candor and debate
– Action and accountability
In You, Me, We, they share valuable lessons on each of these aspects, to show you how to be a better friend at work, and how doing so leads to greater happiness, collaboration, and business outcomes.
You, Me, We.: Why we all need a friend at work (and how to show up as one!)
You, Me, We masterfully illustrates potent strategies for cultivating a spirit of kinship within any professional environment. Our modern work culture, often marred by individualism and isolation, can inadvertently foster an atmosphere of emotional detachment and gradually escalating conflict among team members. This book underscores the fundamental principle that prosperous professional relationships form the cornerstone of career success.
In order to cultivate such relationships, one must exercise intentionality. The objective should be a reciprocal connection, where both parties are invested in mutual growth. The authors highlighted the importance of proactive relationship building, highlighting a particularly notable section on transforming adversaries into allies. Adversarial relationships can often be traced back to mundane incidents, which, when recognized and addressed, can pave the way for constructive collaboration.
Embodying empathy and devoid of judgment, You, Me, We acknowledges the ease with which one can let negative relationships fester, ultimately staining the fabric of our professional lives. Through the lens of Fiona’s story, it delivers a cautionary tale, illuminating the destructive power of unchecked interpersonal issues at work while simultaneously reinforcing the notion that a strained relationship requires a concerted effort from both parties.
Framed through engaging, real-world narratives, the book feels akin to a conversation among friends. Its accessible language, corroborated by empirical evidence, reinforces its credibility and resonates with logic. You, Me, We is a harmonious blend of practical advice and thought-provoking insights, delivering an invigorating and rewarding reading experience that carries the potential to transform one’s professional life.
This narrative serves as a call to all professionals. While it applauds the merits of hard work, it emphasizes the value of camaraderie and mutual support in the journey to success. Leaders are prompted to foster an environment that encourages allyship, necessitating transformative actions at both individual and organizational levels. A thriving work culture hinges on leaders who genuinely support and collaborate with their staff as allies.
Written by Morag Barrett, Eric Spencer, and Ruby Vesely, this timely masterpiece serves as a gentle nudge to reembrace our social instincts as we navigate the post-pandemic work landscape. You, Me, We is an essential read for anyone seeking to purge negativity from their relationships, whether professionally or socially. Its messages are relevant to those desiring a more positive, fulfilling interpersonal existence.
Pages: 304 | ASIN : B09XV17RFW
From INTENT to IMPACT
From Intent to Impact: The 5 Dualities of Diversity and Inclusion is a business memoir by Monica Diaz,. She discusses her personal and professional life as she gives advice on how to be progressive in various corporate sectors. Monica Diaz shares memorable moments in her life while leveraging humor to give the book a warm and inviting feel. This book will educate readers and entertain them. In addition, the author provides tips that will come in handy in different areas of life.
The author starts the book by discussing identity in diversity. This part of the book is fundamental as it gives sense to every other topic discussed in the book. As a reader, you are made to reflect on your character, question your identity and understand unknown parts of yourself. Monica Diaz’s words are relatable to readers from minority groups, as the author perfectly captures what most minorities experience. This chapter is also excellent as it helps one understand how different everyone is.
The author then introduces the reader to Diversity & Inclusion (D&I), explaining in detail the terms and taking the reader through every crucial step in diversity and inclusion. She uses research and individual experience to further explain the significance of diversity and inclusion and its impact in different settings. Reading this book was a delight as the author uses common examples to bring the point home.
In this informative book you not only get lessons on leadership but are also enlightened on ethnicity, politics, and the corporate world. Monica Diaz writes without concealing hard truths. She is candid in her writing, adding gusto and zeal. The author understands what the reader wants to read and delves more profound in every topic.
From Intent to Impact: The 5 Dualities of Diversity and Inclusion is an excellent read for individuals climbing the career ladder and hoping to get into leadership. The author shares practical examples and gives logical answers to readers’ questions. The 5 dualities Monica Diaz wrote about were Connect and Learn, Think and Know, Pain and Possibility, Risk and Invest, and Perform and Innovate. There are gems in the form of corporate advice in the chapters that discuss the aforementioned dualities. Other chapters that stood out for me discussed leadership impact and the ethnic label dilemma. Overall, Monica Diaz’s book can be described as engaging and informative.
Pages: 379| ASIN : B08GL3CZRV
The Exceptional Life R-Evolution
To live a fulfilling life is the goal. Every human being wants to lead a life that brings them joy and happiness. In her inspirational book The Exceptional Life R-Evolution: A practical guide to reach peak performance and create exceptional experiences in our workplaces, homes, and communities, author Jessica Tietjen discusses in depth the purpose of life, how to grow as an individual, and living the dream life. Reading this insightful book will open your eyes to different aspects of life. The author uses real-life examples to expound on the topics and personal touch on every subject she talks about.
Jessica Tietjen’s engaging nature is what makes the reading experience beautiful. The author knows how to get through to the reader. She writes about fascinating topics and gets the reader to reflect on the things being discussed.
Jessica Tietjen is modest, kind, and humble. Her language gives readers a look into her personality. Reading this book will encourage you to pursue better things in life. The Exceptional Life R-Evolution will provide you with the tools to make that 180-degree turn in improving your life balance. The content in the book is rewarding and will get you to achieve goals that you may not have imagined.
The four sections in the book have specific content. The first section is about performance. How do you get to perform? How many milestones can you hit? Are you ready for your peak? Jessica Tietjen helps you create exceptional experiences and progress to peak performance in the first section. Section two of the book focuses on the challenges we face as human beings. I appreciate the author for the discussion in this section. While reading about the challenges people go through at work, relationships, and how one can mend broken relations, the author talks of her experiences and gives advice on navigating the barriers we come across. This section of the book was my favorite because I connected with the author personally.
The last two sections of this book have life lessons. If you want to learn how to navigate the modern workplace and come up with solutions for problems at the workplace, then this book is for you. The author prudently writes on how to interact with colleagues, friends, and family and learn human behavior. My favorite part of section 4 was the discussion about leadership. This topic was informative and will get the leader out of you. Jessica Tietjen’s writing is impactful. Every subject has something beneficial for modern men and women. The author also talks about the status quo and how to bring positive change wherever we are.
The Exceptional Life R-Evolution: A practical guide to reach peak performance and create exceptional experiences in our workplaces, homes, and communities, is a valuable self-help and personal transformation book. This well-written book will help you reach your personal and professional goals.
Pages: 503 | ASIN : B09HQL5FDP
The Team Game
Every adult dreams of success and making it big in whatever career or business they are in. To be successful, however, you need to be disciplined, focus on your goals, gain knowledge everyday and use your skills the best way you can. In The Team Game: How Your Business Can Dominate Year after Year authors John Bucsek and Bellaria Jimenez share valuable advice on how to grow a business, build a team, and be at the top of your game. This book will be helpful to you especially if you are a growing entrepreneur. The authors have immense knowledge about running businesses and give pragmatic guidance. If you are in business, and are stuck, or do not know what method to apply to grow your business, then this book is for you as the authors have everything covered.
While the discussion in the book is mainly about business and reaching your goals, the authors use a positive tone that is encouraging and optimistic to those reading the book. Both John and Bellaria share their personal stories, and from their experiences one can tell that they had a few challenges before they made it. Readers will appreciate reading about real life experiences as they give a perspective of how things are run. One of the major lessons in the book is that it is okay to fail; what separates failures from those that succeed is how you rise after failing.
Unlike other books in this genre, the authors of The Team Game do not just suggest ways in which you can grow, they give step by step instructions and go a step further by quoting known businesses that have used the techniques successfully. The authors use facts and statistics to show how using these proven measures can move you from the bottom to the top swiftly. Some of the chapters that readers will enjoy are about coaching staff, the process of sales, choosing roles and responsibilities and team building.
Readers will appreciate the easy to comprehend style in The Team Game: How Your Business Can Dominate Year after Year by authors John Bucsek and Bellaria Jimenez. This is an informative and well researched book that shares practical and actionable advice that will help entrepreneurs and leaders create high functioning teams and, in effect, grow their business.
Pages: 244 | ASIN : B07R25K514
LITERARY TITAN 