innovative
management and
effective storytelling
The Future of Management
(harvard Business school press 2007)
By gary hamel with Bill Breen
If dog-eared pages, pencil marks and yellow highlights
are any indication of a thought-provoking book on management, then The Future of Management has my vote.
Speakers who engage audiences on management in the
21st century will discover an insightful exploration about a
new world order where traditional management styles are
smashed to pieces to make way for management innovation.
Have you ever scratched your head and wondered why
organizations are so slow to change? Or why so many people with creative and innovative ideas are stifled into submission? Gary Hamel opens the door into a world beyond the
confines of moss-covered management and busts through
traditional norms. He provides real-life examples where
renegade management models inspire the best from people
every day while increasing the bottom line.
This book contains ways to free organizations from the
shackles of their past and raise thought-provoking questions
about the future of management. Kick back, open your mind
and enjoy reading about innovative new strategies that can
positively impact your business.
—Donna Hutchinson, edgefit@shaw.ca, Vancouver, BC
The Elements of Persuasion
(harpercollins 2007)
By richard Maxwell and robert dickman
Everyone’s on information overload, so how do you
cut through the clutter and get your message heard?
Simple. Tell a good story. Sure, most speakers know
this, but have you taken your storytelling to the next
level? That’s what this book is all about.
Master storytellers Robert Dickman and Richard Maxwell
compare storytelling to running. Everyone knows how to do
it, but few ever break the four-minute mile. What separates
the world-class runners from the rest? They know how to
run from the inside out.
The authors demonstrate how to tell a story using fascinating examples drawn from cognitive psychology, the business world and the entertainment field. They explain why
stories persuade so effectively and how you can harness
their power.
The book maintains that stories containing the following
five key elements are more focused, effective and profitable:
• Telling the story with passion
• A hero who leads us through the story
• An antagonist or obstacle for the hero to overcome
• A moment of awareness that lets the hero prevail
• The transformation that results in the hero and in
the world.
Moreover, the authors’ copious tales—spanning everything from Perdue Chicken ads to the first O.J. Simpson trial
and the Marine Corps—are filled with gems that can be
applied in your own work. This book is a valuable read for
speakers who want to sharpen their storytelling skills.
