Business & Economics Audiobooks

Elements of Influence: The Art of Getting Others to Follow Your Lead

"Knowing how to influence others is crucial to your success. It’s found in the simplest interactions with your customers, suppliers, partners, bosses, subordinates, and colleagues, as well as your friends and loved ones. The act of influencing is such a part of your daily life that you may not even realize when you (or others) are doing it. But to use influence effectively—to inspire and convince others to follow your lead, share your point of view, or buy your products and services—requires adaptability, perceptiveness, and some insight into other people and cultures. Based on 20 years of research, Elements of Influence reveals how you can: understand why people allow themselves to be influenced —and why they resist • choose the right approach for each situation • be influential when you have no formal authority • avoid or handle skepticism, resistance, and rebellion • gauge how responsive someone might be to an influence attempt • determine a new course of action if the influence technique you’re using isn’t working • succeed in every kind of organization—and even in other countries. Whether we’re nodding our heads, shaking hands, making a presentation, or sharing our ideas with a customer or colleague, hardly a moment goes by in which we’re not influencing others, or being influenced ourselves. Yet true masters of influence do more than attain mere compliance; they transcend it on a regular basis to achieve wholehearted, emotional commitment from others. More potent than passive consent, this enthusiastic and engaged response can even lead people to actively spread your message on to others, creating a powerful wave of continued support. Elements of Influence demystifies all the fundamentals of influence—the basics you need to know in order to generate more positive outcomes in both business and life. You’ll learn how to pick up on the societal and cultural cues that reveal others’ hidden motivations, and unlock the secrets to getting what you want while satisfying others in the process. Filled with exercises and practical applications, this book provides you with the wisdom, strategies, and techniques that will increase your ability to influence and achieve greater success."

Terry R. Bacon (Author), Sean Pratt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Shine: How To Survive And Thrive At Work

"Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Shine written and read by Chris Baréz-Brown. We all have good days and bad days at work. Some days you feel bullet proof. People listen to you, your meetings run like clockwork, and you keep having new ideas. Other days are like wading through quick sand. You can't get anything done, and when the printer jams (again) you want to quit. Wouldn't it be great if every day went your way? If you jumped out of bed every morning ready for anything? You can stand out, break the rules and make things happen. You can be a bit more 'Elvis'. You can love every minute. The only limit is you: your energy, your belief, your perspective."

Chris Baréz-Brown (Author), Chris Baréz-Brown (Narrator)

Audiobook

[German] - Vertrauen führt: Worauf es im Unternehmen wirklich ankommt

"Die Essenz kompetenter Führung ist Vertrauen! Das klingt leichter, als es ist: Wer Vertrauen zum zentralen Führungsprinzip erklärt, der muss bereit sein, Macht abzugeben und auf Kontrolle zu verzichten. Doch zu gegenseitigem Vertrauen gibt es keine Alternative. Nur wer sich auf das Abenteuer Vertrauen einlässt, erreicht die entscheidenden Wettbewerbsvorteile für globalisierte, schnelle Märkte, flexible Strukturen und virtuelle Organisationen. 'Vertrauen führt' ist eines der revolutionärsten und meistdiskutierten Werke der Managementliteratur. »Der bekannte Führungsexperte Reinhard K. Sprenger trifft ins Schwarze.« Capital"

Reinhard K. Sprenger (Author), Helge Heynold, Susanne Grawe, Sylvia Heid, Tanja Jerono (Narrator)

Audiobook

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition

"* * * Over 4 Million Copies Sold * * * The New York Times bestseller that changed the way millions communicate “[Crucial Conversations] draws our attention to those defining moments that literally shape our lives, our relationships, and our world. . . . This book deserves to take its place as one of the key thought leadership contributions of our time.” -from the Foreword by Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People “The quality of your life comes out of the quality of your dialogues and conversations. Here’s how to instantly uplift your crucial conversations.” -Mark Victor Hansen, cocreator of the #1 New York Times bestselling series Chicken Soup for the Soul® “Coming in as the new CEO of an organization with many tenured employees, I have had many crucial conversations. Using Crucial Conversations as my playbook during this time was paramount in guiding me through each conversation.” -Joanne K. Bryson, CAE, Executive Vice President and CEO, Oregon Medical Association “Any book is powerful if you can relate to its content, is simple to understand, easy to apply, and is based on research. I have found all of these elements in Crucial Conversations. The narrative has a universal appeal and the strength to transcend cultures.” Capt. Charanjit Lehal, AGM Training and Development, TataSky, India “I was personally and professionally inspired by this book-and I’m not easily impressed.” -Maureen Burke, Training Manager, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. About the Book: Perhaps once a decade, a book comes along that transforms people’s lives in a very real, measurable way. This is one of them. Crucial Conversations exploded onto the scene ten years ago and revolutionized the way people communicate when stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong. Since then, millions of people have learned how to hold effective crucial conversations and have dramatically improved their lives and careers thanks to the methods outlined in this book. Now, the authors have revised their bestselling classic to provide even more ways to help you take the lead in any tough conversation: - New firsthand accounts of how these skills changed readers’ lives - New case studies showing how business leaders successfully applied these methods to achieve results - New links to videos teaching what to do and what to avoid during crucial conversations - New research findings offering fresh insights for applying the skills taught in the book Crucial Conversations is filled with practical advice you can start using today: - Prepare for high-stakes conversations - Make it safe to talk about almost anything - Transform unpleasant emotions into powerful dialogue - Be persuasive, not abrasive Crucial Conversations gets you past the hard parts of dialogue and helps you achieve relationships that are real, productive, and that will enrich your life and career."

Al Switzler, Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan (Author), Joseph Grenny (Narrator)

Audiobook

Discover Your CEO Brand: Secrets to Embracing and Maximizing Your Unique Value as a Leader

"Ride your personal brand to the highest level in your field! ”A combination of inspiration and utility. . . . A must-read for leaders, entrepreneurs, or anyone who wants to harness the power of their own personal brand.” -DONNY DEUTSCH, television host and Chairman, Deutsch Inc. “Discover Your CEO Brand is an exploration into the art and science, heart and soul, and woof and warp of leadership. The examples are compelling, the reasoning impeccable, and the motivation irresistible.” -ALAN WEISS, Ph.D., author of Million Dollar Consulting and The Consulting Bible “I believe strongly that you cannot become a leader in an organization that operates in contrast to your personal values. With the advice provided in Suzanne’s book, I am confident readers will find the match that works best for them.” -JONATHAN RECKFORD, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International “Whether you are already a famous CEO with a well-established brand or just starting to craft that brand and its impact, this book is an excellent resource and guide. Suzanne Bates motivates all CEOs to develop their personal brand and clearly shows how to do it.” -MARSHA FIRESTONE, Ph.D., founder and President, Women Presidents’ Organization “Discover Your CEO Brand is a terrific read that sets out a powerful and compelling roadmap for becoming an effective leader. Filled with engaging examples, it is the quintessential guide to building your personal brand.” -ANDREW SOBEL, author of All for One and Clients for Life About the Book Steve Jobs did it at Apple. Indra Nooyi did it at Pepsi. Alan Mulally did it at Ford Motor Company. What did these business leaders do exactly? They brought very real, positive change to their organizations by using their unique CEO brand. Now, executive coach Suzanne Bates explains how you can exert the same kind of influence at your company. Discover Your CEO Brand provides the insight, knowledge, and tools you need to discover your own personal CEO style and then develop it into a powerful presence that extends beyond your typical spheres of influence. Bates walks you through the process step by step, teaching you ways to increase your visibility and influence by combining traditional self-branding vehicles like PR and face-to-face networking with new social-media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. No two sets of values, principles, vision, and skills-the foundation of every successful CEO brand-are alike. Whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or entrepreneur, you need to discover who you are as a leader, what you believe, and how that defines you. It’s not as apparent as you may think. Applying her years of expertise, Bates takes you deep below the surface to find the powerful leadership brand inside you, so you can: - Connect with key audiences - Elevate your leader profile - Attract and retain the best talent - Create business opportunities - Shape a high-performance culture - Drive long-term value within your company It’s not about crafting a leadership style out of thin air in order to influence people and “get ahead.” It’s about discovering your own personal leadership style. It’s about connecting with others authentically. It’s about instituting change that benefits the company and the people in it. You’re about to head down a road to dramatically improving your organization, your career, and your life. Take your first steps with Suzanne Bates and the proven methods she outlines in Discover Your CEO Brand."

Suzanne Bates (Author), Donna Postel (Narrator)

Audiobook

What Got You Here Won't Get You There in Sales: How Successful Salespeople Take it to the Next Level

"Kick your bad habits-and CLOSE MORE SALES! “I love this book, especially the importance of empathy-care enough about what you are selling to personalize its value to your customer!” -Jim Farley, VP Global Marketing, Ford Motor Company “In over 20 years of sales leadership, I had yet to see someone describe self-improvement through the elimination of existing behaviors rather than the creation of new ones-what a simple, concise, and personally applicable developmental tool. This is a must-read for everyone in sales!” -Chris Richardson, VP Global Sales, Abbott Vascular “Don Brown and Bill Hawkins, collaborating with Marshall Goldsmith’s incredible insight, have created strategy and ideas that will help you grow, sell more, and prosper!” -Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Little Red Book of Selling “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There in Sales! is a practical guide for anyone in sales-they hit the nail on the head! Read this book to learn how to build your relationships with customers while shedding the habits that are holding you back!” -Tom Reilly, author of Value-Added Selling “Deep and meaningful connections with people in business can change the trajectory of your career. This is a brilliant playbook for professionals who want to step up their game and truly own their success. I have seen the power of this approach in action-and IT WORKS!” -Rich Daly, Executive Vice President, Takeda Pharmaceuticals About the Book: One of the most influential business coaches of our time, Marshall Goldsmith helps businesspeople pinpoint career-harming behaviors, understand why they engage in them and, most importantly-stop. His book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There wasn’t just a runaway bestseller, it has helped untold numbers dramatically improve their careers and personal lives. Now, Goldsmith teams up with leading sales thought leaders Don Brown and Bill Hawkins to help you break the habits that specifically damage sales relationships. This dream team’s combined clients have increased their sales from 5 to 30 percent-and their gross profit up to 50 percent! In short, their approach works. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There in Sales! provides simple-to-use tools for maintaining and leveraging quality personal connections by doing something much easier than learning new behaviors: simply stopping old ones. When dealing with your customers, do you: - Needlessly verbalize and execute every possible step in the sales process? - Repeatedly initiate communication for no apparent purpose? - Attempt to verbally “one up” your customer in conversation? The authors name 16 bad habits in all, and they provide proven techniques for reversing their negative effects by putting them to rest for good. There is no profession that depends more on good relationships than sales. And there’s no one more qualified to coach you to create and nurture productive sales relationships than these three authors. You do have the power to change. Let Goldsmith, Brown, and Hawkins help you kick your bad habits to improve relationships, increase sales, and enjoy a more fulfilling, enriching career."

Bill Hawkins, Don Brown, Marshall Goldsmith (Author), Brett Barry (Narrator)

Audiobook

Winning the Customer: Turn Consumers into Fans and Get Them to Spend More

"Build Customer Relationships and Win Big Revenue! “Unbreakable relationships are crucial to success in business. Lou Imbriano captures what it takes to forge the kind of deep credibility that encourages consumers and clients to trust you with their hard-earned dollars. If you want to deepen your customers’ trust and grow your revenues, I suggest you read Winning the Customer and you will win.” -Bob Reynolds, President & CEO, Putnam Investments “Lou Imbriano rescues the word ‘winning’ from the clutches of Charlie Sheen . . . and, like a Patriots playbook, Lou takes you through his game plan for successfully building a victorious team that opponents will respect and fear . . . from who should be answering your phone to effectively saying ‘no,’ it’s all there . . . lazy, unmotivated people, this is not for you. . . .” -Steve Levy, ESPN SportsCenter anchor “Imbriano definitely made his mark in the NFL and now he’s an MVP again with his new book, Winning the Customer. Lou’s down-to-earth marketing philosophies, which he brought to the Patriots, epitomize how everyone, in any industry, should approach marketing. If you want to truly know how to build remarkable business relationships, read Winning the Customer.” -Michael O’Hara Lynch, Head of Global Sponsorship, Visa “At a time when consumers have the power to use media where and how they choose, to like, dislike, and share their opinion on products and corporations, brand engagement is the best answer to build emotional and enduring relationships between brands and all their relevant communities. This book should be given to anyone who wants to understand the new dynamics that can bond brands with their ever-demanding customers.” -Lucien Boyer, President & Global CEO, Havas Sports & Entertainment About the Book: During his nine years in senior marketing positions with the New England Patriots, Lou Imbriano laid the foundation and marketing vision for the football team that led to its astronomical growth and explosive revenue-perfectly positioning them to be ready for when the Patriots became repeat Super Bowl champions and the NFL brand to beat. Now CEO of TrinityOne, a strategic marketing firm, Lou has an undefeated record of showing all types of companies how to tackle customer relationships and convert them into tangible revenue. In Winning the Customer, Lou delivers his original strategies for both short- and long-term financial success: - The Marketing Playbook: how to identify those who are dying to spend money with you - Relationship Architecture: how to connect with customers in meaningful ways and create “memorable moments” - The Revenue Game: how to build revenue instead of selling concepts Throughout the book, you’ll find Lou’s dynamic personal stories drawn right from his years of real-world business experience. He’s learned that to maximize revenue, every organization must both turn its customers into fans and coax those fans to spend freely. Winning the Customer shows you how to do just that using the Three Tiers of Customer Relationships. Imbriano shares his strategies with his innovative DELIVERS system: Dedication, Entertainment, Loyalty, Investment, Vision, Energy, Responsibility, and Sacrifice. Filled with practical information and written in Lou’s inimitable conversational style, Winning the Customer is your all-pro offensive attack against old, ineffective methods and flat results. Lou’s tools will give any business an inspired team, supersized income, and a virtual stadium full of engaged, high-paying customers."

Lou Imbriano (Author), Charles Bice (Narrator)

Audiobook

Good Company: Business Success in the Worthiness Era

"A noted economist and human capital expert, together with a multidisciplinary team, show that we've entered a new era in which good corporate behavior is no longer optional, it's the new imperative for success-and they have the data to prove it. Their Good Company Index ranking of the Fortune 100 takes the belief in the bottom-line benefits of good behavior out of the realm of faith and into the realm of facts."

Dan McMurrer, Ed Frauenheim, Larry Costello, Laurie Bassi (Author), Rich Germaine (Narrator)

Audiobook

True North Groups: A Powerful Path to Personal and Leadership Development

"Bestselling author Bill George (True North 150,000 copies sold) and longtime corporate executive Doug Baker have participated for decades in a unique small group of peers dedicated to personal growth and leadership development. In this book they provide the first practical guide - including detailed instructions, rules, and resources - for anyone to start and manage such a group on their own."

Bill George, Doug Baker (Author), Kevin Pierce, Richard J. Leider (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Oil Kings: How the U.S., Iran, and Saudi Arabia Changed the Balance of Power in the Middle East

"struggling with a recession . . . European nations at risk of defaulting on their loans . . . A possible global financial crisis. It happened before, in the 1970s. Oil Kings is the story of how oil came to dominate U.S. domestic and international affairs. As Richard Nixon fought off Watergate inquiries in 1973, the U.S. economy reacted to an oil shortage initiated by Arab nations in retaliation for American support of Israel in the Arab- Israeli war. The price of oil skyrocketed, causing serious inflation. One man the U.S. could rely on in the Middle East was the Shah of Iran, a loyal ally whose grand ambitions had made him a leading customer for American weapons. Iran sold the U.S. oil; the U.S. sold Iran missiles and fighter jets. But the Shah's economy depended almost entirely on oil, and the U.S. economy could not tolerate annual double-digit increases in the price of this essential commodity. European economies were hit even harder by the soaring oil prices, and several NATO allies were at risk of default on their debt. In 1976, with the U.S. economy in peril, President Gerald Ford, locked in a tight election race, decided he had to find a country that would sell oil to the U.S. more cheaply and break the OPEC monopoly, which the Shah refused to do. On the advice of Treasury Secretary William Simon and against the advice of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Ford made a deal to sell advanced weaponry to the Saudis in exchange for a modest price hike on oil. Ford lost the election, but the deal had lasting consequences. The Shah's economy was destabilized, and disaffected elements in Iran mobilized to overthrow him. The U.S. had embarked on a long relationship with the autocratic Saudi kingdom that continues to this day. Andrew Scott Cooper draws on newly declassified documents and interviews with some key figures of the time to show how Nixon, Ford, Kissinger, the CIA, and the State and Treasury departments-as well as the Shah and the Saudi royal family- maneuvered to control events in the Middle East. He details the secret U.S.-Saudi plan to circumvent OPEC that destabilized the Shah. He reveals how close the U.S. came to sending troops into the Persian Gulf to break the Arab oil embargo. The Oil Kings provides solid evidence that U.S. officials ignored warning signs of a potential hostage crisis in Iran. It discloses that U.S. officials offered to sell nuclear power and nuclear fuel to the Shah. And it shows how the Ford Administration barely averted a European debt crisis that could have triggered a financial catastrophe in the U.S. Brilliantly reported and filled with astonishing details about some of the key figures of the time, The Oil Kings is the history of an era that we thought we knew, an era whose momentous reverberations still influence events at home and abroad today."

Andrew Scott Cooper (Author), Rob Shapiro (Narrator)

Audiobook

Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader

"You never dreamed being the boss would be so hard. You're caught in a web of conflicting expectations from subordinates, your supervisor, peers, and customers. You're not alone. As Linda Hill and Kent Lineback reveal in Being the Boss, becoming an effective manager is a painful, difficult journey. It's trial and error, endless effort, and slowly acquired personal insight. Many managers never complete the journey. At best, they just learn to get by. At worst, they become terrible bosses. This new book explains how to avoid that fate, by mastering three imperatives: · Manage yourself: Learn that management isn't about getting things done yourself. It's about accomplishing things through others. · Manage a network: Understand how power and influence work in your organization and build a network of mutually beneficial relationships to navigate your company's complex political environment. · Manage a team: Forge a high-performing 'we' out of all the 'I's who report to you. Packed with compelling stories and practical guidance, Being the Boss is an indispensable guide for not only first-time managers but all managers seeking to master the most daunting challenges of leadership."

Kent Lineback, Linda A. Hill (Author), Erik Synnestvedt (Narrator)

Audiobook

Wake Me Up When the Data is Over: How Organizations Use Storytelling to Drive Results

"Do you wish you could more fully engage your employees? Or reduce turnover by 25% or more? Do you need to quickly align staff around your organization's long-term strategy? Or achieve double-digit growth? Then this groundbreaking audiobook is for you. Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over includes real-life examples from over 70 respected organizations, small and large, representing a multitude of industries, using stories to drive results. Leaders from organizations such as Microsoft, Land's End, Verizon, the U.S. Air Force, and World Vision demonstrate the strong positive influence stories can have. No abstract theories or platitudes are conveyed here. Hear how Kevin Roberts, CEO worldwide of Saatchi & Saatchi, achieved sustained sales growth after several mergers and downsizings caused the organization to fall on hard times. Learn how Erik Shaw, president and CEO of the FivePoint Federal Credit Union, overcame resistance to an organizational name change, resulting in membership growth exceeding the national average. With this practical guide, you'll learn how stories can be used to: Get employees to take action Accelerate knowledge acquisition and organizational change Solidify individual and team working relationships Provide exceptional customer service Increase the visibility of your organization Drawing on interviews with 171 public- and private-sector leaders, this audiobook goes beyond storytelling to reveal five keys to making stories work for you: how to find existing stories; dig into them to uncover hidden patterns and themes; select those stories that need to be reinforced; craft memorable stories; and embody stories to positively impact people's attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors. It also includes proven tools and techniques that will help you sharpen these skills."

Lori Silverman (Author), Kate Reading (Narrator)

Audiobook