Bookends Podcasts

Steve Arneson founded Arneson Leadership Consulting in 2007 to provide executive talent management, coaching, and leadership development solutions to corporations and non-profit organizations. In Bootstrap Leadership, one of America’s top leadership coaches, offers a complete blueprint for designing your own personal leadership development program. In fifty brief, to-the-point chapters he provides practical ideas and techniques that have been proven successful in his work with executives at Fortune 500 companies like AOL, PepsiCo and Capital One. Surprisingly, most of these ideas cost nothing to implement, nor do they require any elaborate equipment or infrastructure—they’re open to anyone with sufficient initiative, drive and ambition.

Bill George is a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, where he has taught leadership since 2004. In True North Groups, we are reminded that all too often we find ourselves forced to confront life’s challenges on our own. What we need is an intimate group with whom we can examine our beliefs and share our lives. For the past thirty-five years, Bill George and Doug Baker have found the answer in True North Groups—small groups that gather regularly to explore members’ greatest challenges. These groups provide opportunities for the honest conversations essential to develop the self-awareness, compassion, emotional intelligence, and authenticity required to be inspired human beings and inspiring leaders.

The first edition of Marilee Adams’s book introduced a surprising, life-altering truth: any of us can literally change our lives simply by changing the questions we ask, especially those we ask ourselves. We can ask questions that open us to learning, connection, satisfaction, and success. Or we can ask questions that impede progress and keep us from getting results we want. Asking “What great things could happen today?” creates very different expectations, moods, and energy than asking “What could go wrong today?” Many readers reported that they found themselves asking better questions before they even finished reading the book! In this extensively revised second edition, Adams has made the story even more illuminating and helpful, adding three new chapters as well as three powerful new tools. Change Your Questions, Change Your Life is practical yet simple, giving readers an entertaining, step-by-step guide to a technique that will transform their personal and professional lives.

On September 6, 2013 Susan Stamm interviewed Karen Phelan about her book "I'm Sorry I Broke Your Company." They explored some of the implications of this book which is a consultant’s exposé of the damage that management consultants —often inadvertently— inflict on organizations. It shows how some of the most popular management consulting fads break down when applied in the real world and what to do instead. The book is a surprisingly humorous and filled with eye-opening personal stories. The interview picks up some of these points.

Dianna Booher is CEO of Booher Consultants. Creating Personal Presence gives scores of specific, practical tips from the bestselling author of Communicate with Confidence. Booher shows how to master the dozens of small and significant things that work together to convey personal presence. She details how dress, body language, manners, and even your surroundings enhance credibility and build rapport. You’ll learn to use voice and language to demonstrate competence and deliver clear and memorable messages, think strategically and organize ideas coherently, and relate to others in ways that convey genuine interest, respect, good humor, and reliability.

In his revision of Leadership from the inside out, Kevin Cashman demonstrates that his trademark "whole-person" approach--we lead by virtue of who we are--is essential to sustained success in today's talent-starved marketplace and provides a measurable return on investment. For everyone from CEOs to emerging leaders, this long-awaited second edition advances the art and science of leadership and is even more relevant today than when it was first published. Listen as Susan Stamm interviews Kevin and draws out a captivating outline of the key ideas of the book.

Charles Manz, Ph.D., is the author of several books, including the bestselling The New SuperLeadership and Leadership Wisdom of Jesus. On August 11, 2011, Susan Stamm engaged Charles Manz in a discussion of the key concepts emerging from Leadership Wisdom of Jesus. The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus is for anyone who wants to become a wise and highly effective leader. It outlines a uniquely constructive and compassionate approach to leadership based on positive spiritual principles contained in the teachings of Jesus. Manz doesn’t look to these teachings to support preconceived theories of how to lead but explores the New Testament with an open mind to see what insights it reveals for today’s work world. What he finds are powerful lessons that will inspire you to maintain integrity, live on a higher plane, and ultimately achieve your per- sonal and professional goals, no matter what your religious background.

Here is a guide for using body language to lead more effectively. Aspiring and seasoned leaders have been trained to manage their leadership communication in many important ways. And yet, all their efforts to communicate effectively can be derailed by even the smallest nonverbal gestures such as the way they sit in a business meeting, or stand at the podium at a speaking engagement. In The Silent Language of Leaders, Goman explains that personal space, physical gestures, posture, facial expressions, and eye contact communicate louder than words and, thus, can be used strategically to help leaders manage, motivate, lead global teams, and communicate clearly in the digital age. The Silent Language of Leaders will show readers how to take advantage of the most underused skills in the leadership toolkit—nonverbal skills—to improve their credibility and stay ahead of the curve.

Nobody is really prepared to be a leader, In fact, many leaders never even planned on becoming one--it was just the next logical step in their careers. That's why there are so many books on leadership. So why one more? Because too many books take too narrow a view. They tell you to focus on your particular strength, which is only a part of the story. What you really need is a broad perspective on all behaviors needed to be an effective leader. The 8 Dimensions of Leadership offers both. Based on the recently developed third generation of the DiSC personality assessment--one of the oldest, most widely used, and most scientifically validated tools available--it identifies eight individual leadership styles. By taking a basic version of this assessment online, you can find out if you are a Pioneering, Energizing, Affirming, Inclusive, Humble, Deliberate, Resolute, or Commanding leader. The authors help you understand the psychological drivers, motivations, and "blind spot" characteristic of each style.

Dan Tobin is a consultant on corporate learning strategies and leadership development programs, and a coach to corporate training directors. With baby boomers hitting retirement age, every company faces an urgent need to develop the next generation of leaders. Many large companies already have leadership development programs in place, but what about small to mid-sized companies facing the same talent crisis but without comparable resources? Now these companies have a guide. Feeding Your Leadership Pipeline provides a comprehensive blueprint for leadership development tailored to the needs and challenges of companies with fewer than five thousand employees. Susan Stamm interviewed Dan on February 24, 2010.

On January 20, 2010, Susan Stamm interviewed Edward Betof for Bookends Book Club. In this interview, the participants explored the implications of leaders teaching through words and modeling to enhance the organization’s effectiveness (profitability) and leadership development. In addition to its compelling story of change, Leaders as Teachers offers a roadmap for other organization wishing to implement and benefit from Becton, Dickinson and Company's (BD) experience. This complete roadmap includes detailed advice on how to introduce the leaders as teachers program and advice on how to overcome resistance to change; how to select, recruit, and train new leaders for the program; and how to evaluate the effectiveness of a fully functioning program. The book provides all the necessary tools, including detailed plans, worksheets, exercises, complete sample training outlines, and extra materials that speed the transition to leaders as teachers and take full advantage of BD’s extensive experience. Dozens of sidebars throughout the book present the participation experiences of BD’s leaders at all levels, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and personal testimonials of those who have benefited from participation in the leaders as teacher program.

Organizational change pioneer Richard Axelrod explains why the old mechanistic approaches to change no longer work and offers four essential new principles that lead to an engaged organization: I. Widen the circle of involvement, II. Connect people to each other and ideas, III. Create communities for action, and IV. Practice democratic principles. On November 23, 2010, Susan Stamm interviewed Richard for Bookends Bookclub, a service of The TEAM Approach. In this interview, the participants explore the implications of engaging employees and other stake holders to enhance the organization’s effectiveness (profitability). Drawing on numerous examples from such companies as Hewlett-Packard, Mercy Healthcare, First Union Bank, and others, Axelrod explains in his book how the four principles of the Engagement Paradigm enable leaders to create energy and commitment instead of apathy and resistance. He then reveals how this system-wide commitment in turn fosters the energetic, flexible, responsive organizations necessary to thrive in the 21st century. Recognizing the potential for misapplication, he also shows how engagement can disengage, and identifies potential pitfalls to avoid.

Effective Apology challenges you to think about the fundamental value and importance of apology as it delivers detailed advice for making an apology that truly heals and renews. Kador explores the Five Rs of apology: Recognize the wrong and the person harmed; accept moral Responsibility for your actions; express Remorse; provide meaningful Restitution; and offer assurance that the offense will not be Repeated. Making apology work in the real world—when and how to apologize, in what medium, and how to make it stick—is made clear through over seventy examples of good and bad apologies drawn from the news, popular culture, and the experiences of Kador, his clients, and his friends. There’s nothing easy about apology. The news is filled with examples of leaders apologizing, needing to apologize, or failing miserably at the attempt. And certainly we all have occasion to apologize ourselves—maybe more often than we realize. "But we don’t need more apologies," says John Kador, "we need better ones."

Susan's interview of Ms Caprino reveals the key findings from her yearlong national research study – identifying the 12 ‘hidden’ crises of professional women, including chronic health problems, failure to find work-life balance, and painful losses of the ‘real me.’ It also shares 14 deeply personal stories – her own included – and shows how women are overcoming crises of personal and professional identity.

Susan Stamm interviewed Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff regarding this practical guide which details ten key principles that will profoundly change the way you think about, organize, and lead the meetings that matter most. Rather than trying to change anyone's behavior, Weisbord and Janoff show you how to change the conditions under which people interact. By doing less, you help others do more. With examples from around the world, and practical tips and exercises in every chapter, Don't Just Do Something, Stand There! gives you many new techniques for helping people discover common ground, make productive use of dissension, and take responsibility for action.

Listen to David Isaacs being interviewed about THE WORLD CAFE: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter. The World Cafe is a flexible, easy-to-use process for fostering collaborative dialogue, sharing mutual knowledge, and discovering new opportunities for action. Based on living systems thinking, this innovative approach creates dynamic networks of conversation that can catalyze an organization or community's own collective intelligence around its most important questions. Filled with stories of actual Cafe dialogues in business, education, government, and community organizations across the globe, this uniquely crafted book demonstrates how the World Cafe can be adapted to any setting or culture. Examples from such varied organizations as Hewlett-Packard, American Society for Quality, the nation of Singapore, the University of Texas, and many others, demonstrate the process in action. Along with its seven core design principles, The World Cafe offers practical tips for hosting "conversations that matter" in groups of any size- strengthening both personal relationships and people's capacity to shape the future together.

Based on Bruce Rosenstein’s 20 years-plus study of Drucker’s life and thought, this interview will help you construct a complete life plan through exercises, questions, and illustrative anecdotes and quotes. How can we have a rich and fulfilling life? For Peter Drucker, one of the most influential thinkers of modern times, the secret was “living in more than one world”—enjoying a diverse set of interests, activities, acquaintances, and pursuits. Drucker was able to do this despite extraordinary demands on his time, and now Bruce Rosenstein shows how the man who transformed organizational management can transform the way you manage your personal and professional life. By living in more than one world you gain new insights, see your world from fresh perspectives, access ever-changing sources of inspiration and stimulation. Peter Drucker managed a varied professional life as a writer, educator, and consultant, and was deeply immersed in literature, music, and art. But he wasn’t superhuman. This is a life that can be lived by anybody who has the tools and Bruce Rosenstein provides them in this thoughtful and inspiring book.

Noah Blumenthal’s recent book, Be The Hero, became an instant success. In the first week of its release it climbed into the top 20 in all books on Amazon and #1 in numerous categories, including Business, Self-help, Careers, and Success. At times we all feel frustrated, stressed, or out of control. What if you could be at your best when your challenges are on the rise? Well, you can. Be the Hero introduces us to the way of the “Everyday Hero” and shows how to turn self-defeating thoughts and behavior into heroic actions. The trick is in the stories we tell ourselves. All day long, without even realizing it, we tell ourselves dozens of stories—about other people, our situations, and ourselves—stories that shape our emotions and behavior. These stories are so powerful, they make us think and act like either a hero or a victim. Be the Hero shows you how to choose the stories that lead to personal and professional success. In the tradition of the best storytellers, Noah Blumenthal weaves a tale that is both captivating and profound. Be the Hero is destined to become a classic.

A critically acclaimed business book, Authentic Conversations challenges conventional wisdom on key business and workplace practices and presents concrete ways to Coverconsciously make ordinary conversations the primary driver of workplace change. Susan Stamm interviewed the authors, Jamie and Maren Showkeir on September 23, 2009. Authentic Conversations goes to the heart of why so many people today are disengaged, uninspired, and uncommitted to their organization’s success. It challenges the conventional wisdom about managing people and sets out specific, concrete ways to consciously make conversations the primary driver for change.

Elizabeth Doty speaks with Susan Stamm about how healthy compromise is necessary for accomplishing any meaningful goal with other people. But when your job presses you to betray your word, your principles, or other important commitments, it becomes profoundly unhealthy and deeply stressful. And it can happen even while working for an organization or leader you otherwise respect and admire. Elizabeth Doty offers a new approach: redefining the game. When you feel pressured to play by rules that undermine your integrity, Doty shows how you can tap into six personal foundations that will allow you to stay true to your deepest values and aspirations. Through more than fifty vivid firsthand accounts of compromise and courage in business, she provides guidance for anyone at any organizational level who wants to act with greater clarity, strength, and purpose, as well as for senior leaders striving to lead organizations that allow people to remain true to themselves.The Compromise Trap details a strategy that enables you to act as a positive force—for yourself and whatever you define as the greater good—no matter how difficult the circumstances.

On March 26, 2012, for this episode of Bookends Bookclub, Susan Stamm interviewed Michael Dulworth, author of The Connect Effect. Networking is not mere socializing—it is a vital personal and professional development skill. An effective network can make you more knowledgeable, help you address critical issues, accelerate your career, and even improve your health and well-being. As a recent article in MIT’s Sloan Management Review reports, “What really distinguishes high performers from the rest of the pack is their ability to maintain and leverage their networks.” Networking is simply too important to be left to chance. In this book, Michael Dulworth shows how to take a conscious, systematic approach to networking. After a short quiz to measure your “networking quotient” (NQ), The Connect Effect identifies three distinct kinds of networks: personal, professional, and virtual. Dulworth examines their specific characteristics and offers strategies, tools, and resources for building up and making the best use of each one. Stories from Dulworth’s twenty years of experience running networks, as well as interviews with top executives, researchers, and thought leaders, provide insights and advice about how networks function in the real world.

There is personal, corporate and global power which emerges when we turn conflict into collaboration. In his revised and expanded book, Getting to Resolution, Stewart Levine show how this can happen. On Februrary 25, 2010 Susan Stamm interviewed Stewart Levine about the issues found in his book. Current models for resolving conflict don’t really work. They waste incredible amounts of time, money, and energy and take an enormous emotional toll on participants. People remain embittered, relationships are destroyed, and the conflict resurfaces in a different form because the real emotional aspects of the conflict were not addressed. Stewart Levine offers a revolutionary alternative that goes beyond compromise or giving in and provides real resolution for everyone involved. Marriages run amuck, neighbors at odds with one another, business deals gone sour, and the pain and anger caused by corporate structural changes are just a few of the conflicts he addresses. The new edition has been thoroughly revised with new examples: new tools; new material about communication, building trust, and virtual collaboration; and a more global outlook.

In this book, the authors, Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom use examples from many different types of organizations to illustrate Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in action, drawing in particular on a five-year project with Hunter-Douglas Window Fashions, a company which achieved a 15 to 20% improvement in their bottom line and created a new strategic direction and culture using. On February 24, 2010, Susan Stamm interviewed Diana Whitney for Bookends, a service of The TEAM Approach. The Power of Appreciative Inquiry describes a wildly popular new approach to organizational change that dramatically improves performance by encouraging people to study, discuss, learn from, and build on what's working, rather than simply trying to fix what's not.

Courageous followership recognizes that to be effective at almost every level of an organization, individuals need to play both the leader and follower role adeptly. The notion of courageous followership was developed by Ira Chaleff. Susan Stamm interviewed author, Ira Chaleff, on October 29, 2009 for The TEAM Approach. They discussed his book The Courageous Follower. The updated third edition of The Courageous Follower includes a new chapter, “The Courage to Speak to the Hierarchy.” Much of Chaleff’s model is based on followers having access to the leader. But today, followers can be handed questionable policies and orders that come from many levels above them—even from the other side of the world. Chaleff explores how they can respond effectively, particularly using the power now available through advances in communications technology. Everyone is a follower at least some of the time. Chaleff strips away the passive connotations of that role and provides tools to help followers effectively partner with leaders. He provides rich guidance to leaders and boards on fostering a climate that encourages courageous followership. The results include increased support for leaders, reduced cynicism and organizations saved from serious missteps.

In his work, Michael Stollard described how to create an environment that helps people and organizations thrive, even during the challenging seasons. He tells inspiring stories about leaders of business, government, the social sector and the world of sports. In addition, Michael draws on research from psychology, neuroscience, mental and physical health research, political sociology and organizational behavior. Susan interviewed Michael on 29 July 2009 for The TEAM Approach. In this podcast, you not only hears several highlights from the book but some supplementary material and personal insights as well.

Employee engagement is the cornerstone of achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. In Engaging the Hearts and Minds of All Your Employees, leadership expert Lee J. Colan delivers the “how to” for inspiring your team so they deliver unparalleled value to your customers. Susan Stamm intercviewed author Lee Colan on June 17, 2009 for The TEAM Approach. Colan reveals how to meet employees most basic intellectual and emotional needs while assessing your own engagement style. By fully engaging your employees, you’ll nurture a team that gives their all to deliver stellar service.

The most successful organizations of the future will be those that are capable of rapidly and effectively bringing about fundamental, lasting, system-wide changes. On 21 August 2009, Susan Stamm interviewed Robert Jacobs to discuss the evolution of Real Time Strategic Change. Real time strategic change is a way of redesigning how organizations change-a mindset and accompanying methodology-that ensures that: •Change occurs at a fast pace and in real time throughout an organization; •Change occurs simultaneously within the whole organization; •Buy-in, commitment to, and ownership of a change effort is a natural by-product of involving people in the process of change; •People feel responsible for the ultimate success of the organization's change effort; •Broad, whole-picture views of the organization's reality form the basis of information used to support people in making changes; •Change is viewed as an integral component of people's "real business;" •Substantial changes are made across an entire organization.

Using real world examples, the authors of Closing The Engagement Gap show that consistently better engagement really is possible and can deliver a huge impact to the bottom line. On 19 May 2009, Susan Stamm interviewed Julie Gebauer. Julie was co-author of Closing The Engagement Gap. When people are truly engaged in their work they give more "discretionary effort" and make a huge difference to their company. They ask, "What's in it for us?" instead of "What's in it for me?" Yet an engaged workforce is as rare as it is valuable. Here is a groundbreaking global study, led by Julie Gebauer and Don Lowman of Towers Perrin showing that most people are not engaged and don't contribute as much value as they could. Not because they're inherently lazy or apathetic, but because their companies and managers don't know how to draw out the best from them.

Keith Ayers suggests leaders must bring their workforce to an even higher level than "engagement." Business leaders around the world have tried to demand, request, and even buy engagement—through bonuses, benefits, and share options. Ayers presents a compelling argument that not only will these methods fail, but the goal itself is misguided. Ayers points to the first place for leaders to look when seeking a solution—the mirror. Business leaders need to ask themselves: How can I change my behaviour to get the most from my employees? Ayers lays down this challenge to you and argues that by adjusting your own behavior, and tuning in to the core needs and values of your employees, you can empower each individual in your organization, and unleash their unique skills and talents.

Explore two powerful tools for strengthening employee engagement. On March 24, 2009, Susan interviewed authors of these workbooks: Dick Axelrod and Peter Garber. Dick Axelrod's How to Engage People When You Don't Have Time is an integrated double CD and workbook program which teaches the secrets of instant employee engagement and how to engage others even when there are many demands on you. Peter Garber's 50 Activities for Employee Engagement is a three ring notebook containing six categories of activities from clarifying elements of engagement to exercising specific exercises which can be selected to address specific needs in an organization.

Kim Cameron shows how to reach beyond ordinary success to achieve extraordinary effectiveness. Susan Stamm talked with him about his book "Positive Leadership" on February 24, 2009. In order to achieve spectacular results, Kim Cameron calls for "positively deviant performance"--performance far above the norm. Citing a wide range of research in organizational development and psychology as well as real-world examples, Cameron shows that to go from successful to exceptional, leaders must learn how to create a profoundly positive environment in the workplace. They must build on strengths rather than simply focus on weaknesses; foster positive emotions like compassion, optimism, gratitude, and forgiveness; encourage mutually supportive relationships at all levels; and provide employees with a deep sense of meaning and purpose. In this concise, inspiring, and practical guide, Cameron describes four specific positive leadership strategies, lays out a proven process for implementing them, and includes a self-assessment instrument and a guide to assist leaders in the implementation process.

An interview with Peter Block to discuss his book, Community: The Structure of Belonging, recorded on Thursday, January 15, 2009 by Susan Stamm. The power of an organization’s sense of community has a direct impact upon its success emerges in this interview with Peter Block who discusses his book, Community: The Structure of Belonging. Peter Block is a partner in Designed Learning, a training company that offers workshops designed by Block to build the skills outlined in his books. He is the author of several best-selling books, including Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used; Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest, The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work; and The Answer to How is Yes.

Vernon Williams brought to his book his work experience including two decades as a manager and over 10 years as a consultant to frontline managers. In Performance Expectations, readers will discover the 20 most common causes of performance failures along with results-producing tips that are guaranteed to help readers eliminate them. Susan's interview with Vernon Williams took place on December 11, 2008. In this interview, Susan and Vernon discuss issues of accountability, SMARTER goals, job-fit issues, guidelines for giving effective feedback, workplace barriers, tapping into employee commitment, worker expectations, and understanding the subtleties of duty performance. The industry is increasingly becoming aware of the importance of work expectations in the employment relationship.

How to retain and engage talent to gain and maintain that competitive advantage and maintain profits in the face of a struggling economy is the theme of the latest edition of the bestselling classic, LOVE ‘EM OR LOSE ‘EM: GETTING GOOD PEOPLE TO STAY (Berrett-Koehler, 2008) by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans. This practical guide was written to and for managers who want to do more with diminishing resources. Susan interviewed Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans on November 19, 2008 for The TEAM Approach. In the podcast, Susan engaged the authors around several key issues that relate to most organizations’ most critical resource--their employees. At stake is the retention of strong workers through easy-to-implement inexpensive strategies. The industry is increasingly becoming aware of the importance of work expectations in the employment relationship.

In Take Back Your Time, well-known experts in the fields of health, family therapy and policy, community and civic involvement, the environment, and other fields examine the problems of overwork, over-scheduling, time pressure and stress and propose personal, corporate and legislative solutions. This book shows how wide-ranging the impacts of time famine in our society are, and what ordinary citizens can do to turn things around and win a more balanced life for themselves and their children. Susan interviewed John de Graaf, editor of the book, on October 15, 2008.

Susan interviewed Carol on August 22, 2008. The workplace is a “blink” world: studies show that we form opinions of one another within seven seconds of meeting and that 93 percent of the message people receive from us has nothing to do with what we actually say. Good nonverbal communication skills are a huge professional advantage, but until now very little has been available to help people hone their ability to use and interpret body language on the job. In The Nonverbal Advantage, Carol Kinsey Goman combines the latest research and her twenty-five years of practical experience as a consultant, coach, and therapist to offer a fun and practical guide to understanding what we and the people we work with are saying without speaking. While firmly grounded in recent discoveries in evolutionary psychology, neurobiology, sociology, criminology, anthropology, and communication studies, Goman writes in an informal, conversational tone and illustrates her points with cartoons, photos, and entertaining anecdotes. She includes dozens of simple and enlightening exercises readers can practice on and off the job to gain control over the message their body is sending.

Susan interviewed J. Bert Freeman on July 17, 2008. In this interview Bert explains how your choice of words can move you in a direction that takes you closer to or farther away from effective relationships. He shares a number of examples from his book to illustrate how your tongue is the steering mechanism that moves you in one direction or the other. His key point - you are in charge of that direction.

David Coleman is an expert in the area of collaborative processes and technologies and Stewart Levine is an expert on how to get people to work together more effectively. Together David and Stewart encompass a holistic view of these new technologies and processes and help groups, teams, departments and organizations to work better and more effectively over time and distance. David and Stewart help us make sense of the new world of collaboration technology from IM/Chat to a virtual team space. The book is most beneficial for teams, groups, departments, cross-organizational teams and distributed organizations that are looking at some of the Web 2.0 technologies focused on communication, collaboration and interaction. Susan Stamm interviewed David Coleman and Stewart Levine, authors of Collaboration 2.0, on June 27, 2008.

Susan Stamm interviewed Nick McCormick on May 30, 2008. His new book, Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager, is a straightforward guide for managers at all levels. “I wrote the book somewhat out of frustration,” says McCormick, who has many years’ experience as a manager in the IT industry. “I’ve witnessed incredibly poor management throughout my career, and I’ve seen the negative impact this can have on people and companies. I wanted to help those who recognize the need to improve.”

Susan Stamm interviewed Julie Straw, author of The 4-Dimensional Manager on April 23, 2008. Successful managers work like coaches, assessing each person's strengths and weaknesses and developing the best strategy to get the job done. The 4-Dimensional Manager shows how managers can become more effective by using the DiSC system. "DiSC" stands for four communication styles: Dominance (direct and decisive); Influence (optimistic and outgoing); Supportive (sympathetic and cooperative); and Conscientious (concerned and correct). In the book's first part, readers assess their own style, the style of the people they manage, and the style of their organization. The second part shows how to choose the most effective style (or combination of styles) for any situation, focusing on seven key areas: delegating, decision making, problem solving, motivating, complimenting, giving constructive feedback, and developing skills. Susan's interview with Julie takes the listener through the key points in the book providing great background on the DiSC Model of Behavior and how to apply it in management relationships.

The Great Connection is the story of a man on a journey to learn to connect with himself and who, in the process, learns how to connect with others. Written by Arnie Warren, published by Pallium books, 1997. Susan Stamm interviewed Arnie on March 7, 2008 just one month prior to Arnie's untimely death on April 19, 2008. The Great Connection has been used by practicioners of the DISC model of behavior as a way to help audiences develop a deeper appreciation of behavioral styles. Arnie's skill as a professional interviewer, and his practical approach to DISC, has created a story that leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Susan Stamm interviewed Rich Meiss on Februsry 22, 2008. It has to do with "S.C.O.R.E." - Super - Closers - Openers – Reviews – Energizers for Enhanced Training Results. This book is a compilation of some of the best exercises that Rich and his colleague Doug McCallum have come across in the past 30 years of training. Categorized into four sections , the book gives you 12 closers, 15 openers, 12 review techniques, and 29 energizers – both mental stimulators and physical activators.

An interview with Denny Coates to discuss his ASTD InfoLine publication: Enhance the Transfer of Training. Recorded on December 7, 2007, this interview was the first in a series of "Meet the Author" events which eventually became Bookends, a monthly, virtual, book club hosted by Susan Stamm and sponsored by The TEAM Approach. Listeners can join in a discussion on this book at LinkedIn. Search groups and join Bookends: The Discussion.

Dan Tobin is a consultant on corporate learning strategies and leadership development programs, and a coach to corporate training directors. Learn Your Way to Success helps you spot otherwise overlooked opportunities to learn and teaches you how to take advantage of them. It provides tools for setting a personal learning agenda, keeping track of what is learned, and determining how to use that learning to improve performance in their current job, prepare for their next job, and plan their careers.