Winding Down 2014 (Third in a Series): A Gift of Knowledge (Courtesy of the Team @ ExecuNet)

As we wind down 2014, we continue to share thoughts & ideas throughout #outsiders.  To live up to the mission & objectives of this #Outsider Channel, we wanted to report on this courtesy of the Team @  ExecuNet  which we hope all enjoy:

"Innovation is different from invention. Innovation results in paying customers." — Adam Bryant Dear Mike, Right about now, most of us are in that yearly scramble for holiday gifts. If you’re anything like me, you’re nowhere near done shopping. While it might be an easy present to guess under the wrapping, a good business book can make the perfect gift for a colleague, client, customer or yourself. Still, sometimes the right one is hard to find. Here are a few suggestions for the list-makers out there. These books can make a day at the office go from good enough to awesome, and take anyone’s career, company, and business life to greater heights: Four Seconds: All the Time You Need to Stop Counter-Productive Habits and Get the Results You Want, by Peter Bregman A handbook of practical wisdom we can all use to stop counterproductive habits and create the life, work and career results we want, without the stress. (40% discount for ExecuNet members) Getting to Yes with Yourself (and Other Worthy Opponents), by William UryA lesson on how to get out of your own way and create the results you want. If you adopt the winning strategies in this book, you’ll come out ahead in business and in life. How to Be a Power Connector: The 5+50+100 Rule for Turning Your Business Network into Profits, by Judy Robinett A masterfully crafted guide to building authentic, powerful, and profitable relationships. Business Without the Bullsh*t: 49 Secrets and Shortcuts You Need to Know, by Geoffrey James James tackles essential workplace skills and techniques, including how to be a great boss and colleague (and survive bad ones); navigate office politics; ask for a raise; and deal with stress. Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO, by Fred Cook Fred is anything but a typical CEO. Filled with colorful anecdotes, his book also offers exceptionally insightful and practical tips on how to change your perspective at any stage of your career and use your rich life experiences to fuel your ambitions. The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace, by Ron Friedman Game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization-regardless of its size, budgets, or ambitions-into an extraordinary workplace. The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer Once you’ve read this book you will never return to the old and outmoded theories of employee motivation again. It’s a must-read for those wants to be good leaders, or those wishing they worked for one. To your next success!

Mark Anderson ExecuNet President Mark.Anderson@execunet.com