Feed The Startup Beast. A 7-step guide to big, hairy, outrageous sales growth. Drew Williams & Jonathan Verney. 2013. ISBN 9780071809054. Written by and for sales people in a fast moving company this is a book and a workbook all in one.  You can not argue with the currency or the topic selection. The authors really nail what you need to do in marketing and sales to “feed the beast” in today’s climate. The target is SMEs but anyone in a large enterprise could get a ton of value out of this book – and then feel the frustration of knowing what you need to do, but the company structure will not let you.  Concise yet the text just flows.  Every sales pro can grow with this one. A real win from McGraw Hill .

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Josiane Chriqui Feigon. 2013. ISBN 19-39780814432839. Smart Sales Manager. The author absolutely nails this topic. A terrific  insightful and up to date book on key items for today’s sales managers. The author wrote Smart Selling on the Phone and Online which I immediately bought for my present crew of sales folks I am mentoring.   Every CEO and Sales exec needs this book on their must read real soon list. It will make your life easier, more predictable and  profitable.  I found lots of gems that just made so much sense when put together.  It made me immediately more useful in sales management.

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Disney U. How Disney University develops the world’s most engaged, loyal and customer-centric employees. Doug Lipp. 2013. 9780071808071.  This could be subtitled a history of Van France – the founder of Disney U.  There are parallels here with Brick by Brick ( the story of LEGO) in that  real change only comes after a company hits a big life threatening wall.  For Disney, Van France and Walt were active change agents in forcing  responses to big issues.  Disney U became a tool to help pick-up and improve the pieces for theme parks, studios,  and all aspects of the Disney empire. Also like the LEGO story Disney is able to

• align itself with its core beliefs
• Give employees a full immersion experience
• work “inside the box”  since the box is pretty large
• rise above tough times
• not assume anything
•  be dynamic

You could accuse the author of drinking the Kool-Aid as the text seems sanitized. You will not find the secret sauce,  if there is any.  But there is enough here for a leader to learn how these business units tick.

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Brick by Brick. How Lego rewrote the rules of innovation and conquered the global toy industry.  David C. Robertson.2013. ISBN 9780307951601.  A step by step walk through how Lego, in the late 90s in trying to reinvent themselves through massive innovation efforts came very close to destroying the company. You will see how they were able to turn it around and go on (with a few costly but now avoidable mistakes ) to be the innovation company it set out to be while being extremely profitable.  I am on a reading theme on innovation, as Canada is in tough shape in many sectors , rushing to be second not first and definitely not being innovative.  There are lessons here for every business leader.  Great for a four hour flight. check out www.robertsoninnovation.com

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Smart Prospecting That Works Every Time. Win more clients with fewer cold calls. Michael D. Krause. 2013. ISBN 9780071805421.  A well done , how-to-get-it-done sales book.  The author is a successful sales person as well as a good sales trainer.  He starts with helping the sales person see things from the prospects point of view and  to look at the world from the buyers journey.  I read lots of sales books a year and it is sometimes difficult to add something new.  Krause does add some new ideas and riffs on some old ones. I certainly agree with his POV to selling today.   This is clearly written pragmatic sales guidance that will get any sales person going. Good for a cross country flight.

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Work Smarter with LinkedIn. Alexandra Samuel. 2013.  Kindle edition.

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The Gamification Revolution. How leaders leverage game mechanics and crush the competition. Gabe Zichermann & Joselin Linder. 2013. ISBN 9780071808316. This book is valuable at two levels.  First as an aware consumer we all need to learn how games are being used in so many facets of business to get our attention.  The second level is as professionals we need to learn how to use games to increase employee engagement, learning, satisfaction and development. This book delivers both of these.   Check out their interactive website at http://gamificationrevolution.co    I have read a few earlier books on the topic and many more articles on how to build gaming into business processes.  This book pulls much of current thought together. It does not get into how to build the games, but it is a very good resource at the business  strategy level.  (I see gamification as being very useful at a public and private level). This is  must read for business leaders. It  should open your eyes.

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