AMACOM
How to tell anyone anything; breakthrough techniques for handling difficult conversations at work.
Writing in a reader-friendly, accessible style, Gallagher, a corporate trainer and public speaker on workplace culture and communication, outlines a strength-based approach, based on the strengths-based counseling paradigm, for delivering constructive, positive messages in the workplace with peers, bosses, and employees. The step-by-step method steers readers away from the common mistake of focusing on what's wrong, and shows instead how to provide clear, constructive, positive messages that create real behavior and performance change. Cases and vignettes illustrate the method. Appendices offer worksheets and a primer on strength-based psychology, the foundation of the method. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Managing your government career; success strategies that work.
This book will help readers decide if working for the government at the federal, state, or local level is right for them, get them off to a good start, and help them make the most of their government careers. It provides advice on finding job listings for government jobs, sustaining relationships with supervisors, building a network of mentors, and balancing work and family life. Liff is a winner of the President's Council on Management Improvement Award and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service. He has 32 years of experience working in government, mainly in human resources management. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The other kind of smart; simple ways to boost your emotional intelligence for greater personal effectiveness and success.
Deutschendorf is an emotional intelligence (EI) coach in Canada, and he has written this guide for general readers who want to develop "advanced common sense" to resolve conflicts, achieve monetary success, build healthy personal and professional relationships and cope with stress. The author uses basic EI concepts to offers strategies for emotional self-awareness, self- actualization, empathy, social responsibility, problem solving skills, impulse control and independence. Appendices include EI resources such as websites, self-assessment tests, recommended resources and a list of organizations that offer help for "boosting EI." (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Parenting an adult with disabilities or special needs; everything you need to know to plan for and protect your child's future.
Morgan, adoptive parent of a child with Down's syndrome and autism who is now 25 years old, offers practical advice for parents of adults with disabilities or special needs, geared toward preparing adult children to live as independently as possible. She discusses the kinds of vocational programs available to special needs adults, issues of private and government funding, and residential options, and gives advice on drafting a transitional plan, working with an attorney, and planning for the future when parents are gone. She also addresses the difficult emotional issues parents face during their child's transition to adulthood. About 50 pages of appendices offer a sample emergency plan, a caregiver's manual, information on government programs, and organizations and books for further information. Morgan has written a previous book on parenting a disabled child. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Riches among the ruins; adventures in the dark corners of the global economy.
In the mid-1980s, Smith, a noted authority on developing-world debt, was a brash young economic mercenary, traveling to war-torn countries to make and lose fortunes by buying and selling high-risk securities in downtrodden economies. After a crash course in basic economics of bonds, government debt, and obscure trading instruments, he tells of his adventures in the streets of Baghdad after the fall of Saddam, in post-community Russia, in Guatemala, and Nigeria. The author is founder of a corporation which specializes in trading emerging markets' sovereign debt and evaluating creditor claims against foreign governments. Co-author Peter Zheutlin is a freelance journalist. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Secrets of the marketing masters; what the best marketers do and why it works.
Martin, a former executive for AT&T and noted business writer, uses interviews with leading marketing innovators to reveal innovative strategies for dealing with fragmented, globalized and technology-savvy marketplaces. Written for fellow marketers and business leaders, this book uses case studies from companies such as P&G, GE and American Express to illustrate such marketing secrets as becoming the customer's voice, encouraging customer feedback in marketing strategies and cultivating word-of-mouth online. The author also discusses the "Obama Effect" and demonstrates how "giving up control online" can create an undeniable marketing power once unleashed. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Still a family; a guide to good parenting through divorce.
"Why do you hate Mommy?" "Do I have to like dad's new girlfriend?" Reynolds, a family therapist, gives down-to-earth advice on answering children's questions and concerns during separation, divorce, and its aftermath, offering numerous vignettes and sample dialogues to demonstrate problems and solutions. Writing in plain language, she describes the emotions and reactions parents need to anticipate from their children, covers the most common mistakes divorcing parents tend to make, and addresses the special issues that come up for kids of different age groups. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Strategic customer service; managing the customer experience to increase positive word of mouth, build loyalty, and maximize profits.
After explaining the financial rationale behind improving customer service, this business management book outlines a framework for handling customer questions and preventing unnecessary contact, offers advice on building an effective customer service staff, and describes the nine building blocks of brand-aligned customer service. No bibliography or citations are provided. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
A survival guide for buying a home, 2d ed.
In this guide to home buying, Davis, a real estate broker who has written many articles and books in the field, addresses topics such as finding the best mortgage and dealing with lenders; working with a real estate agent; buying a condo, co-op, townhouse, or manufactured home; insurance; taxes; and the 20 costliest mistakes homebuyers make and how to avoid them, which have been updated and expanded from the previous edition. This edition takes into account changes to the housing market since 2004 and emphasizes building and maintaining good credit and buying a home within a set income. It also covers evaluating and comparing good faith estimates from different lenders, making offers, and negotiating the best deals. Survival tips have also been added. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Taking the sea; perilous waters, sunken ships, and the true story of the legendary wrecker captains.
In the mid-19th century, 'wreckers' made their living by rescuing ships in distress and raising sunken ships. To some, they were heroes; to others, they were ruthless pirates. This book enters the world of the wreckers through the story of Captain Thomas P. H. Whitelaw, the most important ship salvager of his day, whose adventures in shipping began at age 12 and led him to Mexico, British Columbia, and the Bering Sea. The experiences of his counterparts on the East Coast are also chronicled. The book looks at the roots of ship salvaging in Europe, and details the technology the 19th and early-20th century wreckers used. B&w historical photos are included. Powers has written other books on maritime history. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
World famous; how to give your business a kickass brand identity.
Tyreman, an entrepreneur who has helped differentiate and develop brand identities for many companies such as Nike, Banana Republic, and Disney, instructs readers on how to create a world-famous brand. He contends that the focus should be to inspire rather than sell, be authentic rather than try to fit in, and engage a marketplace rather than focus on competitors. In addition, he discusses how to develop a niche, determine three essential words that encapsulate a company's identity, and add value to a brand. There is no bibliography. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
