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Jamie Showkeir & Maren Showkeir: Authentic Conversations - Blog Business Success Radio

Consultants Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir, authors of the groundbreaking book Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment, show you how to change the conversation to create cultures of widespread accountability and commitment. They describe how conversations lead to an engaged and energized workforce, or to one that is alienated and uninspired. They will show that if you want to change the culture, you must change the conversations.

Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir are my internet radio show guests on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Thursday, October 16, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir, authors of the groundbreaking book Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment, show you how to change the conversation to create cultures of widespread accountability and commitment. You will learn:

* The unseen influence of everyday conversations on workplace culture

* Typical workplace conversations—the good, the bad, and the ugly

* Why open, honest conversations are a scary prospect in most companies

* The 12 most common manipulation techniques—and how to avoid them

Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir (photo left) are workplace experts and
co-authors of Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment(Berrett-Koehler, 2008). Partners at Henning-Showkeir & Associates, a business consultancy specializing in workplaceculture, they advise organizations such as 3M, HP, Kaiser Permanente,
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and The Nature Conservancy.

They enjoy yoga, cycling, music, traveling, and the genuine satisfaction of authentic
conversations.

My book review of Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment by Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with consultants Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir, authors of the groundbreaking book Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment, as they show you how to change the conversation to create cultures of widespread accountability and commitment. They describe how conversations lead to an engaged and energized workforce, or to one that is alienated and uninspired. They will show that if you want to change the culture, you must change the conversations on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Jamie Showkeir, Maren Showkeir, Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment, workplace empowerment, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Authentic Conversations by Jamie Showkeir & Maren Showkier - Book review

Authentic Conversations

Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment

By: Jamie Showkeir, Maren Showkeir

Published: 2008
Format: Paperback 215 pp
ISBN 9781576755952
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

"We hope to create in you an awareness of how daily conversations create, reveal, sustain, or change organizational culture", write co-authors Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir, in their groundbreaking book Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment. The authors' premise is that true and lasting changes to an organization's culture can't be made, unless people understand how traditional conversations prevent growth, and work to destroy commitment to the organization.

Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir recognize that conversations are part of every organizational culture. Those conversations range far beyond the boardrooms, meetings, and the water cooler. They move outside of the workplace and into the very fabric of people's lives. The nature of those conversations reflect the company culture regardless of the level on the organizational charts. The right kinds of empowering conversations, found in healthy organizations, develop personal commitment and personal responsibility. In dysfunctional organizations, those conversations take on a tone of blame, care taking, and making others accept responsibility.

Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir (photo left) understand that dysfunctional conversations take on the character of a parent and child relationship. Instead of a adult based collaborative discussion, that works to solve problems and to take personal responsibility for those decisions, the tone becomes one of avoidance of truth, paternalism, and removal of personal responsibility. Instead of working with employees to institute change and improvement, employees are left out of the decision making process. As a result, staff people become cynical about change, less committed to their work, and ultimately, the company becomes less productive.

For me, the power of the book is its direct approach to changing the conversations within an organization. The authors demonstrate how to recognize dysfunctional and traditional paternalistic conversations. Once those conversations are seen to fit the parent and child relationship pattern, the authors provide techniques for re-framing the conversation into discussions between adults. The resulting honest talk builds personal responsibility among management and staff. Instead of seeing the organizational responsibility as resting with others, all members of the company take ownership of the solutions.

I highly recommend Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment by Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir, to anyone seeking to make real change in their conversations within their organizations. By recognizing that everyone in the company makes their own choice to be empowered or become a victim, the authors provide the tools for positive change.

After reading and applying the principles, described in the must read Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment by Jamie Showkeir and Maren Showkeir, and you will never look at the conversations within your company in the same way again. Instead, you will understand that changing the talk holds the key to building a stronger company with a dedicated and responsible employees.

Tags: Authentic Conversations, Jamie Showkeir, Maren Showkeir, organizational behavior, business book reviews.

Grapevine by Dave Balter - Book review

Grapevine

Why Buzz Was a Fad but Word of Mouth is Forever

By: Dave Balter

Published: June 24, 2008
ISBN: 9781591842286
Format: Paperback, 224pp
Publisher: Portfolio

"Like every other marketer in the world, I thought I knew what word-of-mouth marketing was all about", writes BzzAgent CEO Dave Balter in his paradigm shaking book Grapevine: Why Buzz Was a Fad but Word of Mouth is Forever. The book describes the author's discovery that conventional wisdom about word-of-mouth marketing is fundamentally wrong, and how that powerful marketing force really works.

Dave Balter understands that people exchange recommendations about products and services as part of their daily conversation. People are many times more likely to trust the word of a friend or family member, than they are an advertisement, about the relative merits of a planned purchase. The analogy used by the author is one of the grapevine. There is no prediction possible about the exact path a conversation takes, or how it connects people together, but in the end all of the people in the grapevine share the information. Dave Balter emphasizes that the results of a word-of-mouth campaign can be forecast, but the paths taken by the conversation are unpredictable.

Dave Balter (photo left) recognizes that word-of-mouth is not the same as viral marketing, event marketing, and creating a buzz. The book shows how well known examples used in support of these marketing concepts did not work as well as thought. In fact, the author points out their weakness at creating any sustainable word-of-mouth relating to the actual marketing of the product. In the place of these well known marketing techniques, Dave Balter describes the power, more importantly the process, of word-of-mouth marketing. He even demonstrates how negative reactions to a product or service will generate spontaneous support from product users.

For me, the power of the book is the presentation of the psychological background to word-of-mouth marketing. People want to discuss their experiences, and those daily experiences include many products and services. For marketers, however, it's essential to understand that word-of-mouth is not a message that can be controlled. Instead, it's a process that must be left to work of its own accord. That letting go of control is a very big step for marketers, but as Dave Balter explains correctly, it's a step that must be taken towards success.

The recognition in the book that word-of-mouth is at its core storytelling is crucial to understanding the power of the process. People love to tell stories about their experiences, both good and bad, to each other. As a result, both pleasant and disastrous events will be relayed around each person's network. The power of negative product reviews to generate positive responses from quiet product supporters is an essential part of word-of-mouth marketing. Any attempt to stifle, and not respond in a positive manner to negative replies will harm the word-of-mouth marketing effort. Letting people talk about experiences, good or bad, is vital to word-of-mouth marketing success.

I highly recommend Grapevine: Why Buzz Was a Fad but Word of Mouth is Forever by Dave Balter, to anyone who is serious about employing word-of-mouth marketing in their company. Even more importantly, the book provides the reasoning for using word-of-mouth in the right way, and for letting the grapevine connections do the work properly.

Read Grapevine: Why Buzz Was a Fad but Word of Mouth is Forever by Dave Balter, and let the power of word-of-mouth marketing work its magic for your own products and services. You will never listen to a conversation in the same way again.

Tags: Grapevine, Dave Balter, word-of-mouth marketing, business book reviews.

Jerry Simmons: Author Success in a Down Economy - Blog Business Success Radio

Former New York publishing executive Jerry Simmons, author of essential book What Writers Need To Know About Publishing, returns with advice for authors in a slow economy including book reviews, tips on getting a book published & how working with your publisher will really help your book sales.

Jerry Simmons is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Thursday, October 9, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Former New York publishing executive Jerry Simmons, author of essential book What Writers Need To Know About Publishing, shares insider secrets about book publishing in a down economy. You will learn:

* About marketing and promoting your book in a down economy

* What you need to know about publishing industry distribution and marketing

* What questions you must ask your editor and what numbers are crucial to know

* About the power and importance of book book reviews and interviews

Jerry Simmons' (photo left) career in publishing began in the fall of 1977 as a Sales Representative for Random House. In 1979, Jerry joined the book division at Warner Communications, where he spent more than twenty-three years in sales and management. During that time the company expanded to become The Time Warner Book Group (sold in 2006 to Hachette Book Group USA, a French Company). Their sales team distributed over a thousand titles a year from a number of large publishing houses including Little, Brown; Warner Books; Hyperion; Miramax Books; Bulfinch; Back Bay; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; and Disney.

Jerry sold books to some of the largest independent booksellers and mass merchants in the country as well as managing a sales force nationwide. Jerry Simmons retired as Vice-President, Director Field Sales in 2003.

Over the years, Jerry Simmons worked on books written by such bestselling authors as:

David Baldacci
Michael Connelly
John Feinstein
Robert Kiyosaki
Alice Sebold
Anita Shreve
Scott Turow
Jack Welch

Sandra Brown
Nelson DeMille
Malcolm Gladwell
James Patterson
David Sedaris
Nicholas Sparks
Robert James Waller
Tiger Woods

Jerry also worked on such multi-million copy bestselling titles as:

The Bridges of Madison County
Simple Abundance
The Lovely Bones
To Kill A Mockingbird
The Celestine Prophecy
Presumed Innocent
The Notebook
The Lion King

Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Scarlett
Megatrends
Catcher in the Rye
Along Came A Spider
Absolute Power
Kiss the Girls
The General's Daughter

Jerry Simmons spends his time writing, teaching, and speaking with writers about the importance of understanding the marketplace for selling books and the business of publishing.

His commitment is to provide essential information writers need for achieving success. His goal is to help writers become successfully published authors by educating them about the business of publishing and revealing the secrets of the largest booksellers and publishers in the world.

Jerry Simmons appears on Blog Talk Radio at The Publishing Insiders with co-host Penny C. Sansevieri.

My book review of What Writers Need To Know About Publishing by Jerry D. Simmons.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with former New York publishing executive Jerry Simmons, author of essential book What Writers Need To Know About Publishing, as he returns with advice for authors in a slow economy including book reviews, tips on getting a book published & how working with your publisher will really help your book sales. on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Jerry D. Simmons, What Writers Need To Know About Publishing, book publishing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Gunjan Bagla: Doing Business In 21st Century India - Blog Business Success Radio

International trade consultant, Managing Director of Amritt Ventures, Inc., and author of the practical guide to business in the Indian Subcontinent, Doing Business in 21st Century India: How to Profit Today in Tomorrow's Most Exciting Market, Gunjan Bagla describes the enormous marketing potential in India's growing economy, and which industries are most promising for your business.

He also discusses the challenges including finance, culture, and how to recruit and keep top Indian talent, so you can profit from India's booming economy.

Gunjan Bagla is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, October 7, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

International trade consultant, Managing Director of Amritt Ventures, Inc. and author of the practical guide to business in the Indian Subcontinent, Doing Business in 21st Century India: How to Profit Today in Tomorrow's Most Exciting Market, Gunjan Bagla describes the enormous marketing potential in India's growing economy. You will learn:

* Why the Indian market has so much untapped potential

* Which industries are the most profitable now and in the future

* How the culture of India affects your business venture

* Secrets to being a success in the Indian Sub-Continent market

Gunjan Bagla (photo left) is Managing Director of Amritt Ventures, Inc.. Their Global Business Consultants provide an advisory service facilitating trade between the United States and India. Mr. Bagla provides guidance in entering new markets, global strategy execution, finding and managing vendor partners, and establishing overseas offices.

Mr. Bagla has 25 years of global sourcing and marketing experience. He has held senior positions in global technology sales and marketing. Mr. Bagla has managed teams sourcing products and services from China, India, and Europe. He began his career as an engineer for Larsen & Toubro, a prominent Indian industrial firm, sourcing French machined components. Mr. Bagla came to the U.S. and later worked as director of program management for Tandon Computer. Born and raised in India, he now lives in the United States and travels to India frequently.

Mr. Bagla is chairperson and a charter member of the global sourcing special interest group of The Indus Entrepreneur (TiE), a business association including Western and Indian organizations. He is a member of the Asia Society and a charter member of the US-Asia Business Forum. Mr. Bagla’s articles on global business have been published in CIO Magazine, Business World, Daily Variety, Dataquest India, and others.

Mr. Bagla earned his MBA with honors from Southern Illinois University. He received his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kanpur and is a global leader of the IIT alumni movement.

My book review of Doing Business in 21st Century India: How to Profit Today in Tomorrow's Most Exciting Market by Gunjan Bagla.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with international trade consultant, Managing Director of Amritt Ventures, Inc., and author of the practical guide to business in the Indian Subcontinent, Doing Business in 21st Century India: How to Profit Today in Tomorrow's Most Exciting Market, Gunjan Bagla as he describes the enormous marketing potential in India's growing economy, and which industries are most promising for your business. He also discusses the challenges including finance, culture, and how to recruit and keep top Indian talent, so you can profit from India's booming economy on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Gunjan Bagla, Doing Business in 21st Century India, global marketing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.