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The Post American World  Fareed Zakaria. 2008. ISBN 9780393062359.  This could be a very important book, if the current crop of pres idential candidates ever read it. The author is a senior writer at Newsweekand the editor of Newsweek International.  For those of us who watch the international stage this book is a telling indictment of how much GW bush has squandered what little remained of US good will internationally. Theauthor presents some hopeful ideas however of how this could be turned around, so that the the US, unlike Britain and its empire, does not undermine its own leadership position worldwide.  His chapters on China and India are very insightful.  It strikes me as a balanced, optimistic and well researched book, full of worldly details.  He does ask that there be a sea change in US culture , to resist hunkering down and unilaterally forcing all other countries to the US position. Above all to be curious about the World, to listen to others,  not pander to temporary political winds, resist fear, get its confidence back.  Fort an academic style of book this was an easy almost to the point of engrossing read. You cannot help but learn a lot about the World, to counter Fox and CNN views.

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Strategic Alliances. Three ways to make them work. Steve Steinhilber. 2008 (November) ISBN 9781422125885. Harvard Press has a good one here in the Memo to the CEO series. The author is Cisco’s head of Alliances and he has greated the desktop workbook on the subject.  There is utility for the smallest to largest company here - especially when the pundits tell us that ina down economy you need more alliances in order to weather the storm. I found the section on the attributes of the alliance executive valuable as I am often called to help clients select such a person. Stenhilbers ideas aligned with my own, but I also found his lead item that this person should have cross functional experience (even as far as being  a CEO of a smaller firm) to be very insightful . Many times companies will select as strong salesperson for the role and they all too often are found lacking.  This is tough on all parties.  A very easy and quick (112pp) read. Watch for it.

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Disrupting Class.  How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns. Clayton Christensen, Michael Horn & Curtis Johnson. 2008 ISBN 9780071592062.  Rocket Builders most influential author, Christensen,  with his co authors has taken his theory of disruptive innovation and focused on the education sector.  The authors do not lay blame but with Christensen’s laser sharp analysis,  peel back all the root causes of public perception and changing goal posts for education and what it has done to the institution over time.  He then goes on to explain how classic disruption theory - which starts with non consumers and then slowly moves up the competency level as the incumbents are forced to retreat to higher value activities is already progressing in education. He predicts that by 2020, disruptive innovation will hit that 50% mark to turn the tables on other methods (monolithic education in this case) .  They show how trying to bring the disruption inside present institutions can not succeed due to the constraints that are already in place.  His statements ring true as we have seen the impact of disruption on public and private sector already.

Since his team always does their homework, you are exposed to fascinating research on the impact of verbalization on new borns up to 3 years old. They explain how that is an academic headstart any parent can give their child now.  He posits that early kindergarten (after 3 yrs old) and other high priced interventions are doomed to a limited success rate. As well he quickly exposes the paucity (weak techniques and theory)  of real research in education since it all to often stops short of causality ( I can certainly testify to that) .  Then he explains how computer based education methods are already changing and adapting to the needs of a student centric model. He illustrates how  Howard Gardners multiple modes of learning could be accomodated in the disruptive model.

Once again there is a second book within the book with copious research notes in every chapter.  I am one of those  professional educators who packed it in based on what I experienced as the overall futility of real change in education. Now  this book has reawakened my interest in change in the education market - moving to a student centric model.  If you have children or grandchildren - you need to buy and read this book. If you are in the e-learning market - it is required reading.  Thank you McGraw Hill!  I really liked it and it is as always an easy read with loads of detail if you want it.

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The Halo Effect. ..and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers.  Phil Rosenzweig. 2007. ISBN 9780743291255.  This is a must read.  The author literally blows the roof off the popular business books (and gurus)  like In Search of Excellence, Built to Last, Good to Great.   He explains perfectly one puzzle I have always had. When a company is booming along the business press is all over it in praise of everything about it. Then bam, a few bad quarters and the rock start managers become bums, the business has lost its way, employees are arrogant, products are out of step and so on. It just never made sense to me. This is called the Halo effect.  The business books above ( and others) based their premise on outcomes, not inputs.  (Read the book to learn more about that)

The same problems are true of top 100 , best of 40  business lists. They ignore the input data and focus on the outcome. To better see what’s up, you need to rely on  measures that are not shaped by performance , else your data is haloed. Fascinating reading also on the  impact of the eight other delusions.  For us it was gratifying to read a clearly stated rational that it is strategy and execution that need to be looked at, with the risk laden strategy bit being the input that needs to be most revisited.  We also hear much too often from some clients ” We have the right strategy, we  just need to execute better.”   Excuse me?  Revisit the strategy and dare to test and question its ongoing validity.  Blaming execution is often a fall back excuse.

This book reaffirms the high wire act of business. It dismisses the “Do this four things right and you will be successful” schools, to take  the reader back to what Michael Porter first stated about business.  Then you will read the business press as stories, not reports - since the science, if any,  is faulty.  You can enjoy the popular business books as really great stories (eg Good to Great is another example of the Rags to Riches plot line), while enjoying this books analysis of what really happened to all the featured companies in the best seller business lists!   You can still enjoy listening to the highly paid gurus, while knowing they do not have any secret sauce. Great easy read - your travel time will vanish . Buy it, read it (and more Michael Porter) and then review it annually - for a kick in the head.

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The Innovators Guide to Growth. Putting Disruptive Innovation to Work. Scott Anthony, Mark Johnson, Joseph Sinfield, Elizabeth Altman. 2008. ISBN 9781591398462. So Geoffrey Moore has the Chasm Companion. Now the field of innovative disruption so clearly identified by Clayton Christensen has its own implementation book. Like anything put out by Innosight, Christensen’s consulting company, the book is thorough from end to end. If you read nothing else you must read the Summary and FAQs at the end.  I read it in two lengthy sittings. It is a fascinating read that starts out talking to established companies like P&G , Intel and RIM. Then it hits its stride and the implementation guides, examples, templates and resources are useful for every company. Yes even start-ups.

IMHO anyone working in tech should have read and review this book,  But I am a fan of Christensen’s work , and if everyone followed his ideas, there  would be less work for my consulting firm.  The book is full of great case studies Swiffer, Wii, Skype, YouTube, Metro newspapers, ITunes, Whitestrips, Adwords, eBay.  Some great lines. ” Medical device cos commoditze doctors”. ” Look for people with the right school of experience - What problems could arise? Who has encountered these problems?”   “What job is the client needing done? ”

Wait for Amazon to get the book in stock.

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Rain Making. 2nd Ed. Attract New Clients No Matter What Your Field. Ford Harding. 2008. I read ed.1 in 1995 and found it a terrific resource. Ed.2 has been completely rewritten with much new material, so it is a essentially new book. Every client I work with has service as a significant part of their revenue. This book is the definitive guide to sales and marketing of services. It is clearly written, making it an easy read, but there is so much pragmatic material on measuring and implementing these tested and true ideas, that this should be your revenue bible. Buy it, read it, and keep it close.

Also check out Ford’s site and blog