Creating the Universe

Creating the Project Office is written for managers who are searching for ways to transform their organizations into more effective and efficient project-based workplaces. As this important book reveals, there is no more effective way to make that change than to create a project office tailored to the needs of the organization. While a project office model leads to better products from projects, it is also a vehicle for generating overall organizational change – by transforming the organization from function-based to project-based. This model incorporates projects into the very fabric of the organizational strategy and revitalizes organizations, creates competitive advantage, and increases shareholder value.

Go Beyond «Business As Usual» with Your Nonprofit "At last–the 'real truth' about nonprofit management! In Exposing the Elephants, Wilcox reveals the 'pesky pachyderms' that block our way to full effectiveness. How often have we grumbled that 'just because you're a [insert profession here], it doesn't mean you know how to run a nonprofit'? With clarity, passion, and sly humor, Wilcox validates that perspective and many others–but doesn't let us get away with just accepting the presence of the elephant in the room. Wilcox summarizes complex issues using recognizable examples and then offers sensible strategies for resolving them. Ultimately, she gives us permission to do the right thing(s). I love this book–and I can't wait to start implementing the 'elephant solutions'! " –Nancy Perkin Beaumont, CAE, Executive Director, Society of American Archivists «Before I finished reading Exposing the Elephants, I met with my key staff to talk about what we must change. I also shared what I learned from reading the book with a friend who sits on several different types of boards. Wilcox says it like it is–and it needs to be said–in every nonprofit organization.» –Julie Donovan, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity, Lake County, Illinois «A remarkably candid, fresh, and witty analysis of the challenges inherent in managing nonprofits. Insightful and pragmatic solutions to overcoming the 'white elephants' so prevalent in the nonprofit culture. A 'must read' for every nonprofit CEO and board member.» –Dick Yingst, President & CEO, Financial Managers Society, Chicago, Illinois «Pam Wilcox is willing to say the things that nonprofit professionals often do not wish to hear. She reveals through clear language and flowing style the significant barriers that nonprofits face and need to remove for not just success but also excellence. Unlike many authors who point out what is wrong with nonprofits, Wilcox shows us the way to tackle our most intractable issues and move to excellence. This book should be read by any and everyone involved in the nonprofit sector.» –Katrina S. Rogers, PhD, Associate Dean, Research and Practice Director, Center for Innovation in the Nonprofit Sector, Fielding Graduate University

Praise for The Power of Framing «The primary work of leadership involves managing meaning through framing. Fairhurst shows that the way leaders use language to frame people, situations, and events has important consequences for the way individuals make sense of the world and their actions. The Power of Framing is an accessible and inspirational read for leaders who want to shape their organizations in ethically responsible ways.» —J. KEVIN BARGE, professor, Texas A&M University «An ideal book for MBA students and business professionals who are interested in specific tools for constructing leadership in their professional worlds. By focusing on the language toolbox of leadership, the book empowers anyone to construct leadership through talk and interaction.» —JOLANTA ARITZ, associate professor, Center for Management Communication, USC Marshall School of Business «Building on her earlier acclaimed work, and written in a highly accessible style, Fairhurst's thoughtful study provides us with a practical and highly relevant analysis of the power of framing language from a leadership perspective. This is a must-have book.» —DAVID GRANT, professor of organizational studies, University of Sydney «Communication is the most important element of leadership, and framing of the subject and situation is one of the most powerful tools available to leaders. Gail Fairhurst has created the handbook to help leaders do this right. A must-read for anyone in a leadership capacity.» —RICH KILEY, venture capitalist, and retired Procter & Gamble marketing and HR executive «To be an effective global manager, there is nothing more critical than understanding how to frame an issue so that you are effectively communicating and motivating in a culturally sensitive manner. This book will tune you into these issues and show you how to make certain your communication is properly interpreted by your audience.» —OLGA JACOB, general sales manager (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg), American Airlines

Inside the Customer Universe reveals how an organization can become ahead of the game by focusing a its strategy on predicting customer needs rather than following them. This book provides a unique contribution to the field of customer management with a departure from current practice towards understanding customers as 'multi-individuals' and hence solving current confusions surrounding customer behaviour. Inside the Customer Universe's easy to implement tools, models and strategies provide the reader with the ability to create stable and sustainable customer understanding and, therefore, sustainable business growth. «CUBEical Thinking is a great concept for developing business and the concept of customer types is intriguing as it provides great insights into the drivers behind true customer loyalty.» Niels Henrik Hansen, Director SAS Corporate Sales, Scandinavian Airlines, Denmark «CUBEical Thinking has given us the platform for developing an effective sales and key account management organization which has delivered significant top and bottom line results based on targeted up and cross sales.» Henrik Hubner, Vice President Sales, Sanist?l «CUBEical Thinking has provided us with great customer insights on which we are benefiting in our daily operations and it has helped our organization focus activities and resources.» Carsten Hetling, Nordic Marketing Manager, Zyxel Communications

“This is a must-read for the nervous novice as well as the world-weary veteran. The book guides you through every aspect of exhibit making, from concept to completion. The say the devil is in the details, but so is the divine. This carefully crafted tome helps you to avoid the pitfalls in the process, so you can have fun creating something inspirational. It perfectly supports the dictum—if you don’t have fun making an exhibit, the visitor won’t have fun using it.” —Jeff Hoke, Senior Exhibit Designer at Monterey Bay Aquarium and Author of The Museum of Lost Wonder Structured around the key phases of the exhibition design process, this guide offers complete coverage of the tools and processes required to develop successful exhibitions. Intended to appeal to the broad range of stakeholders in any exhibition design process, the book offers this critical information in the context of a collaborative process intended to drive innovation for exhibition design. It is indispensable reading for students and professionals in exhibit design, graphic design, environmental design, industrial design, interior design, and architecture.

LISTENING . . . THE KEY TO BECOMING A TRANSFORMATIVE SCHOOL LEADER The Listening Leader is a practical guide that will inspire school, district, and teacher leaders to make substantive change and increase equitable student outcomes. Rooted in the values of equity, relationships, and listening, this luminous book helps reimagine what is possible in education today. Drawing from more than twenty years of experience in public schools, Shane Safir incorporates hands-on strategies and powerful stories to show us how to leverage one of the most vital tools of leadership: listening. As a Listening Leader you'll feel more confident in these core competencies: Cultivating relationships with stakeholders Addressing equity challenges in your organization Gathering student, staff, and parent perspectives as rich data on improvement Fostering a thriving culture of collaboration and innovation The Listening Leader offers a much-needed leadership model to transform every facet of school life, and most importantly, to shape our schools into equitable places of learning. As Michael Fullan writes in the Foreword, «Read it, act on it, and reap the benefits for all.» «This book is a 'must have' for any leader trying to move the needle on equity. Drawing from her lived experience as a principal and leadership coach, Safir offers stories that give insight and practical strategies that get results. It's one you'll keep coming back to.» —Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain « The Listening Leader immediately changed the way I interact with students, teachers, families and community members.» —Tamara Friedman, assistant principal, Berkeley High School «Shane Safir has written a brilliant book. As engaging as it is informative and as revelatory as it is relevant. It is a must-read for school leaders and those who aspire to lead.» —Chris Emdin, associate professor of science education, Teachers College, Columbia University; author of For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood and the Rest of Ya'll too

How to use powerful tools to engage customers with your brand Marketers, technologists, and corporate leaders are looking for ways to more effectively connect consumers with their brand. Storyscapes introduces «storyscaping» as a way to create immersive experiences that solve the challenge of connecting brands and consumers. This book describes a powerful new approach to advertising and marketing for the digital age that involves using stories to design emotional and transactional experiences for customers, both online and offline. Each connection inspires engagement with another, so the brand becomes part of the customer's story. Authors Gaston Legorburu and Darren McColl explain how marketers can identify and define the core target audience segment, define your brand's purpose, understand the emotional desires of your consumers, and more. Shows how to map how the consumer engages with the category and product/service Explains how to develop an organizing idea and creative plan for an immersive storyscape experience Defines the role of marketing channels around the organizing idea Establishes how technology can be applied to the experience Learn how to measure, optimize, and evolve the customer experience through the use of strong narratives that compel consumers to buy into your brand. www.storyscaping.com

Brian Smith and Paul Raspin demonstrate a thorough and pragmatic approach to creating and applying sound market insight. Using numerous practical examples, learning points and provocative takeaways, they build on established strategic marketing principles to give you actionable knowledge you can apply your business to create lasting market advantage. Beverley Dipper, Market Insight Manager, Microsoft UK Ltd «I have no hesitation in saying buy this book. It will find a front and centre position in your bookshelf, with plenty of post-its marking pages that you will return to again and again.» Mark Irvine, Strategy Manager, De Beers Diamond Trading Company «A readable and well-founded description of how to generate actionable customer insight and follow it through with passionate and consistent execution» Dag Larsson Global Brand Insight Director, AstraZeneca Creating Market Insight addresses the key strategic issue facing any company: How do we make sense of our market and find those precious nuggets of knowledge that lead to real competitive advantage? Creating Market Insight: Explains how firms tailor their market scanning behaviour to work well in the special conditions of their market Describes the process through which data is translated first into information, and then knowledge Differentiates routine market knowledge from true insight and details how firms turn insight into value Provides a detailed, step-by-step process that enables the reader to emulate the success of insightful firms Creating Market Insight is written for managers who need to need to create value in the real world.

Unleash your inner mindful leader Mindfulness, emotional intelligence and resilience are the “must have skills” for modern leaders—yet many professionals are too stressed to know where to start. Creating Mindful Leaders provides deep insights and easy practices based in neuroscience, brain training and positive psychology to help professionals thrive in the “age of disruption.” Written by a global COO turned successful tech entrepreneur, the book provides a roadmap to greater health, happiness and performance. It speaks to every professional wanting to reduce stress, achieve greater success and enjoy life more. Offers immediately actionable techniques for professionals at all skill levels Provides relatable, real-world advice Helps build resilience while changing your relationship to stress Shares a roadmap for sustainable performance in the face of ongoing change Creating Mindful Leaders provides an informed, humorous and expert peak into the sources of stress caused by the modern pace of living and offers practical, actionable tools and techniques as the antidote to manage stress, increase resilience, and improve your wellbeing, performance, relationships, sleep and physical health.

A complete and practical road map to achieving unprecedented business success through digital innovation excellence In this breakthrough book, world-renowned innovation strategist Nicholas J. Webb uncovers the secrets of the world's best innovators. And what he found is that there is a new phenomenon that he calls «Digital Innovation» which is sweeping the world. In this powerful book, Webb clearly defines innovation as «the process of delivering exceptional value through active listening.» His case studies show how great organizations like Kodak, IndyCar, U.S. Army, and Southwest Airlines have used Digital Innovation to drive colossal success. Webb also discusses how Dell Computers has set up their own Digital Command Center to monitor over 70,000 keywords in over 11 languages to listen, to learn, and to ultimately invent world-class technologies. He predicts that Digital Innovation will replace the term Open Innovation and that ultimately every successful organization in the world will hire a Chief Listening Officer (CLO). Demystifies the hyper-complex world of Digital Innovation Presents comprehensive case examples of how organizations both large and small have deployed Digital Innovation methodologies to grow both sales and profit Shows how organizations are using digital media, Web 2.0, and social media to connect to their customer communities and internal stakeholders alike With free online training that will help you put theory into practice, The Digital Innovation Playbook prepares you to implement a Digital Innovation culture into your corporate life.