The Pope and the CEO > Book Reviews
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What motivates? …or… How to incentivize your employees to get the best results…
Take 10 minutes and watch Daniel Pink make his case for what moves people to perform and you’ll never devise ineffective incentive plans again. There’s also a great summary of his findings written up in the NY Times by David Brooks. This is brilliant stuff!
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Who Is Charitable?
Arthur Brooks did some interesting research to find out the giving patterns of the American public. In his book Brooks writes about his counter-intuitive finding that conservatives far out-give liberals. In summary, he found that conservatives try to solve poverty by giving to charity and liberals want the issue to be taken care of through taxes by the government. I won’t spoil the book for you, since I encourage all of you to read it, but I will give you a snippet from the description: Strong families, church attendance, earned income (as opposed to state-subsidized income), and the belief that individuals, not government, offer the best solution to social ills-all of these factors determine how likely one is to give. The working poor are some of the most generous donors in America. They actually out-give the middle class. Brooks has some interesting research and I would really like to hear your opinions on the conclusions he reaches.
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Making Ideas Stick
According to Chip and Dan Heath here are 6 characteristics an idea needs to have to “stick”: Simplicity: the essential core of ideas Unexpectedness Connectedness to the listener Credibility Emotional Appeal Wrapped in a story Think about that next time you pitch an idea or launch a new product/service. Here‘s a good summary of these principles, but of course buying the book is better…
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Overcoming Obstacles on the Path to Greatness
Our faith calls us on to greatness – to be holy and to become all that God has meant for us to be. Oftentimes, however, we run into unexpected roadblocks that prevent us from achieving our goals or reaching our dreams. Russell Bishop wrote this article in the Huffington Post a couple of months ago briefly presenting his latest book. The premise is that sometimes something knocks us off course on our path to greatness and we need a solution simply to get us back on course. These are not long-term solutions, but enough to get us moving again. He calls these “workarounds.” Bishop says: Sometimes the path from crumbs to your version greatness is simply a question of finding that temporary solution, something that at least gets you moving. However, the workaround is not looking for some external solution, but rather: That workaround is a simple question: “What can I do that would make a difference in my life that requires no one’s permission other than my own?” I think Bishop is right, that we often look outside of ourselves for the quick fix, when something within us needs to be changed. I would add, however, that these interior… Read more
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Discerning God’s Will
God’s will is of course also critical to your business. But how do we discern properly? There is not one single question to that – everyone has their way of doing that, and it might change over time. At least that’s my experience. One of the best guides in this matter that I know is Father Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V. In his latest book, The Discernment of Spirits he describes the process of discernment in the most understandable and simplest ways I’ve ever read. He’s using real life examples to show how this works (one of the cases is based on an interview with me and his insight and explanations are superbly helpful. The book is actually the last of a series – I recommend each one of them – and even more so, if you have a chance to every attend an event or a retreat with Fr. Tim, definitely go for it.
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The Importance Of Asking The Right Questions
A great interview in the Financial Times with my former work-colleague and friend Eric Kacou. In the Interview, Eric explains his enterprise solutions approach to eradicating poverty and discusses the benefits of having gone through the Wharton MBA. The reason for his interview, however is a book he just released: Entrepreneurial Solutions for Prosperity in BoP Markets: Strategies for Business and Economic Transformation. In his book, Eric laments that many BoP firms are locked in a “survival trap” that keeps them small, inefficient, and unprofitable. Eric identifies breakthrough business models, operational techniques, and leadership approaches that can help BoP businesses grow rapidly, successfully, and profitably. Drawing from his immense on-the-ground experience in Africa’s most challenging business environments, Kacou shows how companies can overcome the Survival Trap mindset that breeds dependence, mistrust, and failure. Next, he takes readers inside the Rwandan metamorphosis: the economic miracle that CNN’s Fareed Zakaria calls Africa’s biggest success story. Eric shows how to address the needs of all core stakeholders. He concludes with integrated recommendations for local entrepreneurs, global businesses, governments, and international organizations: guidance that can truly launch a “virtuous cycle” of prosperity creation. For all entrepreneurs, policymakers, NGO professionals, and leaders who want to… Read more
