Every book in the Berrett-Koehler catalog, in one place. Browse our full collection of titles spanning leadership, management, workplace culture, social change, and beyond.
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This essential playbook shows how companies can scale success by coupling digital strategies with an investment in the health of their organizations and the people within.
To scale and grow, a company must get the organizational elements right. That begins with having the right strategy, the right leadership to drive it, and the right talent, culture, and organizational design to realize a company's potential. This is especially true in the AI era, where a company's most valuable assets are its people.
To begin with, leaders must rethink their value creation strategies. To hone their organizational edge, leaders must prioritize their organization's health in seven vital areas: strategic direction, culture, leadership, talent, organizational design, EID (equity, inclusion, and diversity), and well-being. No matter what type or size of business, those essential conditions must be leveraged for increased value and growth. Put simply: organizational matters matter. To hone their digital edge, leaders must understand AI, as advances in technology allow leaders to build organizations that can compete and win in the future. Finally, an investor mindset will enable leaders to invest wisely in the technology (and leverage that tech) that sets their organizations apart.
To scale and grow, a company must get the organizational elements right. That begins with having the right strategy, the right leadership to drive it, and the right talent, culture, and organizational design to realize a company's potential. This is especially true in the AI era, where a company's most valuable assets are its people.
To begin with, leaders must rethink their value creation strategies. To hone their organizational edge, leaders must prioritize their organization's health in seven vital areas: strategic direction, culture, leadership, talent, organizational design, EID (equity, inclusion, and diversity), and well-being. No matter what type or size of business, those essential conditions must be leveraged for increased value and growth. Put simply: organizational matters matter. To hone their digital edge, leaders must understand AI, as advances in technology allow leaders to build organizations that can compete and win in the future. Finally, an investor mindset will enable leaders to invest wisely in the technology (and leverage that tech) that sets their organizations apart.
Sustainable company growth isn't just a pipedream. This 3-part blueprint is your guide to avoiding the traps that cause growth to stall.
As companies mature, their underlying growth naturally slows-this is called the ‘growth curse'. It's a pervasive problem that plagues companies, CEOs, and board members alike. In order to safeguard a company's future, a strategic form of governance in which the board plays a more active role on behalf of all stakeholders, must be activated.
This book is comprised of 3 parts. First it shows companies how to identify the traditional traps that hinder growth. The second part provides companies with a blueprint for building their board, defining long-term strategy, and adjustments necessary to serve continued growth. The final part delves into the specific ways that the board and executives must collaborate in relation to strategic renewal.
Reimagining the limits of growth and how companies are run as a consequence provides an escape from the ‘growth curse' at last.
As companies mature, their underlying growth naturally slows-this is called the ‘growth curse'. It's a pervasive problem that plagues companies, CEOs, and board members alike. In order to safeguard a company's future, a strategic form of governance in which the board plays a more active role on behalf of all stakeholders, must be activated.
This book is comprised of 3 parts. First it shows companies how to identify the traditional traps that hinder growth. The second part provides companies with a blueprint for building their board, defining long-term strategy, and adjustments necessary to serve continued growth. The final part delves into the specific ways that the board and executives must collaborate in relation to strategic renewal.
Reimagining the limits of growth and how companies are run as a consequence provides an escape from the ‘growth curse' at last.
Popular progressive radio host and New York Times bestselling author Thom Hartmann reveals how and why attempts to implement affordable universal healthcare in the United States have been thwarted and what we can do to finally make it a reality.
“For-profit health insurance is the largest con job ever perpetrated on the American people-one that has cost trillions of dollars and millions of lives since the 1940s,” says Thom Hartmann. Taiwan's single-payer system enabled the country to implement a nationwide coronavirus test-and-contact-trace program without shutting down its economy, resulting in just seven deaths, while in the United States more than 350,000 have died.
Hartmann offers a deep dive into the shameful history of American healthcare, showing how greed, racism, and oligarchic corruption led to the current “sickness for profit” system. Modern attempts to create some kind of government healthcare have been hobbled at every turn-including Obamacare, which Hartmann regards as basically a sellout to the health insurance industry.
There is a simple solution: Medicare for all. Hartmann describes the extraordinary benefits it would provide the American people and economy and the steps we need to take to make it a reality. It is time for America to join every industrialized country in the world and make health a right, not a privilege.
“For-profit health insurance is the largest con job ever perpetrated on the American people-one that has cost trillions of dollars and millions of lives since the 1940s,” says Thom Hartmann. Taiwan's single-payer system enabled the country to implement a nationwide coronavirus test-and-contact-trace program without shutting down its economy, resulting in just seven deaths, while in the United States more than 350,000 have died.
Hartmann offers a deep dive into the shameful history of American healthcare, showing how greed, racism, and oligarchic corruption led to the current “sickness for profit” system. Modern attempts to create some kind of government healthcare have been hobbled at every turn-including Obamacare, which Hartmann regards as basically a sellout to the health insurance industry.
There is a simple solution: Medicare for all. Hartmann describes the extraordinary benefits it would provide the American people and economy and the steps we need to take to make it a reality. It is time for America to join every industrialized country in the world and make health a right, not a privilege.
Learn how frictionless organizations cut costs, grow revenue, and create loyal fans by creating products and services that work so well, their customers never have to contact them for the wrong reasons.
Many organizations focus so intently on improving the way customers interact with them that they don't ask the more fundamental question of whether the interactions are needed in the first place. Every contact channel adds cost and complexity. And while customers appreciate that they can now call, chat, text, or email to check an order or resolve a problem, they appreciate not having to do anything even more.
Veteran customer service experts Bill Price and David Jaffe explain how service, support, and sales can be made invisible, reducing costs and providing a better customer experience. Drawing on examples from four continents and over twenty-five countries, they provide a logical and sequential methodology that every reader can follow.
Reducing contact with customers means proactively focusing on the customer perspective, which is always a good idea. This means organizations need to rethink all aspects of their business, from product and services design to quality and control. It is a whole enterprise initiative, but one with a huge upside.
Many organizations focus so intently on improving the way customers interact with them that they don't ask the more fundamental question of whether the interactions are needed in the first place. Every contact channel adds cost and complexity. And while customers appreciate that they can now call, chat, text, or email to check an order or resolve a problem, they appreciate not having to do anything even more.
Veteran customer service experts Bill Price and David Jaffe explain how service, support, and sales can be made invisible, reducing costs and providing a better customer experience. Drawing on examples from four continents and over twenty-five countries, they provide a logical and sequential methodology that every reader can follow.
Reducing contact with customers means proactively focusing on the customer perspective, which is always a good idea. This means organizations need to rethink all aspects of their business, from product and services design to quality and control. It is a whole enterprise initiative, but one with a huge upside.
In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of one of the most popular change methods in the world, Cooperrider et al. track the recent changes in the field and explain how AI can contribute to sustainability and the triple bottom line.
One of today's most popular change methods, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) has been used to undertake transformational initiatives in dozens of organizations, ranging from McDonalds to the U.S. Navy to Save the Children.
The assumption of AI is simple. Every organization has things that work right-things that give it life when it is vital, effective, and successful. AI begins by identifying this positive core and connecting organizational visions, plans, and structures to it in ways that heighten energy and inspire action for change.
This book presents all of the concepts, examples, and aids necessary to engage groups of all sizes in Appreciative Inquiry. The authors provide background information on what AI is and how it works and offer sample project plans, designs, agendas, course outlines, interview guidelines, participant worksheets, a list of resources, and more.
This second edition has been extensively revised, updated, and expanded, including new case studies, new tools and supplemental articles, an expanded bibliography and resource list, and an entirely new chapter on case applications. And throughout, the authors focus on how AI can support an organizational focus on sustainability and the “triple bottom line” of people, prosperity, and planet.
One of today's most popular change methods, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) has been used to undertake transformational initiatives in dozens of organizations, ranging from McDonalds to the U.S. Navy to Save the Children.
The assumption of AI is simple. Every organization has things that work right-things that give it life when it is vital, effective, and successful. AI begins by identifying this positive core and connecting organizational visions, plans, and structures to it in ways that heighten energy and inspire action for change.
This book presents all of the concepts, examples, and aids necessary to engage groups of all sizes in Appreciative Inquiry. The authors provide background information on what AI is and how it works and offer sample project plans, designs, agendas, course outlines, interview guidelines, participant worksheets, a list of resources, and more.
This second edition has been extensively revised, updated, and expanded, including new case studies, new tools and supplemental articles, an expanded bibliography and resource list, and an entirely new chapter on case applications. And throughout, the authors focus on how AI can support an organizational focus on sustainability and the “triple bottom line” of people, prosperity, and planet.
Why are we so divided today? Paradoxically, Howard Ross, author of Everyday Bias, says it's our compulsion to belong to a group--something hardwired into us-- that ends up making us deeply connected with some, yet deeply divided from others. Ross shows how we can overcome this growing tribalism.
We are living in a world of almost unparalleled separation. People are no longer disagreeing, but are instead disavowing each other's rights to an opinion. What is driving this polarization, and how can we overcome it? Howard Ross says that ironically it's our profound need to belong. He delves deeply into the powerful psychological, neurological, and biological forces that drive us to want to identify so strongly with a group we're sometimes even willing to sacrifice our individual identity.
Drawing on his decades of leadership in the diversity and inclusion field, Ross probes the depth and impact of this growing tribalism, the role social media plays in exacerbating it, the ways it impacts every aspect of the daily lives, and how to combat it. Readers will gain tools for exploring contentious dialogue in healthier ways and guidelines for breaking down barriers and building bridges across difference, and organizations and institutions will be able to develop approaches that can open dialogue and encourage mutual understanding.
We are living in a world of almost unparalleled separation. People are no longer disagreeing, but are instead disavowing each other's rights to an opinion. What is driving this polarization, and how can we overcome it? Howard Ross says that ironically it's our profound need to belong. He delves deeply into the powerful psychological, neurological, and biological forces that drive us to want to identify so strongly with a group we're sometimes even willing to sacrifice our individual identity.
Drawing on his decades of leadership in the diversity and inclusion field, Ross probes the depth and impact of this growing tribalism, the role social media plays in exacerbating it, the ways it impacts every aspect of the daily lives, and how to combat it. Readers will gain tools for exploring contentious dialogue in healthier ways and guidelines for breaking down barriers and building bridges across difference, and organizations and institutions will be able to develop approaches that can open dialogue and encourage mutual understanding.
High-pressure situations can make us panic-but if we can change our perspective, what seemed impossible can suddenly become doable. Legendary pitching coach Rick Peterson is a master at this kind of reframing. He and bestselling author and leadership expert, Judd Hoekstra make this skill available to everyone.
Everybody faces high-pressure situations, and in today's fast-paced, hypercompetitive world it's arguably worse than ever. But ace pitching coach Rick Peterson and organization and leadership expert Judd Hoekstra say our ineffective response to pressure often causes us to perform far below our capabilities.
Peterson has less than a minute to help a struggling athlete performing in front of millions and flip from butterflies to boldness. His breakthrough is to use “reframing” to recast any situation from a perceived threat or crisis to a positive opportunity. Using dozens of stories from his long career, he and Hoekstra offer six different ways anyone can get a new perspective that will keep them from striking out when the heat's on. These techniques are explicitly made applicable far beyond the pitching mound-anyone can learn to outthink their brains with the power of reframing.
Everybody faces high-pressure situations, and in today's fast-paced, hypercompetitive world it's arguably worse than ever. But ace pitching coach Rick Peterson and organization and leadership expert Judd Hoekstra say our ineffective response to pressure often causes us to perform far below our capabilities.
Peterson has less than a minute to help a struggling athlete performing in front of millions and flip from butterflies to boldness. His breakthrough is to use “reframing” to recast any situation from a perceived threat or crisis to a positive opportunity. Using dozens of stories from his long career, he and Hoekstra offer six different ways anyone can get a new perspective that will keep them from striking out when the heat's on. These techniques are explicitly made applicable far beyond the pitching mound-anyone can learn to outthink their brains with the power of reframing.
"This important book offers organizations the keys to introvert inclusion."
-Susan Cain, New York Times bestselling author of Quiet Influence
The first guide to creating a welcoming culture that maximizes the powerful contributions introverts bring to the workplace.
As the diversity, equity, and inclusion wave widens and deepens its reach, introversion is becoming a natural part of that movement. After all, about half the population identify as introverts, but many organizations are stuck in traditional extrovert-centric workplace cultures that reward people for speaking up publicly, expect them to log face time, and employ hiring and promotion practices rooted in the past. This ultimately discourages introverts from contributing and reaching their full talent potential, which could have a major impact on the bottom line.
"Champion for introverts" Jennifer Kahnweiler offers a road map for everyone in the workplace-including leaders, human resource managers, and team members-to create inclusive, introvert-friendly cultures. Kahnweiler provides an assessment to determine how introvert friendly your organization is and looks at every aspect of organizational life-hiring, training, leading, communicating, meeting, designing workplaces, and more-through an inclusive lens. You'll discover how to make open-space offices introvert friendly, what the best practices are for encouraging introverts to participate on teams, which training techniques work best for introverts, and how to make remote positions work. Kahnweiler gives you the tools to build a culture that embraces all your employees and maximizes the strengths introverts bring to your organization.
-Susan Cain, New York Times bestselling author of Quiet Influence
The first guide to creating a welcoming culture that maximizes the powerful contributions introverts bring to the workplace.
As the diversity, equity, and inclusion wave widens and deepens its reach, introversion is becoming a natural part of that movement. After all, about half the population identify as introverts, but many organizations are stuck in traditional extrovert-centric workplace cultures that reward people for speaking up publicly, expect them to log face time, and employ hiring and promotion practices rooted in the past. This ultimately discourages introverts from contributing and reaching their full talent potential, which could have a major impact on the bottom line.
"Champion for introverts" Jennifer Kahnweiler offers a road map for everyone in the workplace-including leaders, human resource managers, and team members-to create inclusive, introvert-friendly cultures. Kahnweiler provides an assessment to determine how introvert friendly your organization is and looks at every aspect of organizational life-hiring, training, leading, communicating, meeting, designing workplaces, and more-through an inclusive lens. You'll discover how to make open-space offices introvert friendly, what the best practices are for encouraging introverts to participate on teams, which training techniques work best for introverts, and how to make remote positions work. Kahnweiler gives you the tools to build a culture that embraces all your employees and maximizes the strengths introverts bring to your organization.
American opportunity is not dead. Bestselling author and entrepreneur John Hope Bryant outlines the mindset and practices that will allow us to achieve the American Dream, no matter what our current circumstances are.
Americans have lost faith in their country. With job security disappearing and fewer glimpses of a better future, it can feel like we are barely surviving, much less thriving, in today's problematic economy. Americans want the "old" America back-- the America where opportunity comes knocking at the front door. But the real problem, John Hope Bryant says, is that we're forgetting that this is still the Land of Opportunity--a site of upward mobility, a place teeming with different ways to create and grow wealth. The opportunities of today are not only greater than the obstacles, but they are greater than they have ever been. What we need, he says, is a mindset shift--a way of recalibrating to recognize that there is still a bounty of resources for establishing entrepreneurship and success in this country. The first step for us, for America, is to remember our storyline--how, coming up from nothing, we established and harnessed the invincible American Dream.
Americans have lost faith in their country. With job security disappearing and fewer glimpses of a better future, it can feel like we are barely surviving, much less thriving, in today's problematic economy. Americans want the "old" America back-- the America where opportunity comes knocking at the front door. But the real problem, John Hope Bryant says, is that we're forgetting that this is still the Land of Opportunity--a site of upward mobility, a place teeming with different ways to create and grow wealth. The opportunities of today are not only greater than the obstacles, but they are greater than they have ever been. What we need, he says, is a mindset shift--a way of recalibrating to recognize that there is still a bounty of resources for establishing entrepreneurship and success in this country. The first step for us, for America, is to remember our storyline--how, coming up from nothing, we established and harnessed the invincible American Dream.
In FLIGHT PLAN, bestselling author Brian Tracy (author of Eat That Frog, over half a million copies sold) explains the real secret to success in business and personal life. Using the metaphor of an airplane trip from coast to coast, Tracy reveals the key ingredients that go into accomplishing any long-term, meaningful success.
“This timely book reminds us that innovation is agnostic about where it's created.”
-Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft
Over and over, we see big legacy businesses getting beaten to the punch by energetic little start-ups. It seems like innovation can come from only the bottom up or from outside in. But tech experts Vivek Wadwha, Ismail Amla, and Alex Salkever are here to tell you that "big equals slow and stodgy" is a myth. Based on decades of experience working with the world's leading brands and start-ups, they explore the opportunity legacy companies have to create new markets, supercharge growth, and remake their businesses by combining the scrappy mind-set and tool belt of hypergrowth start-ups with the massive benefits of incumbency: boatloads of customer data, decades of brand equity, robust distribution channels, enormous financial asserts, and more. Equally important, they provide a playbook on how to use their insights in your own company, team, or career. This is a fast-paced, anecdote-rich story that rethinks modern innovation-a book every manager, executive, and ambitious employee will want to read.
-Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft
Over and over, we see big legacy businesses getting beaten to the punch by energetic little start-ups. It seems like innovation can come from only the bottom up or from outside in. But tech experts Vivek Wadwha, Ismail Amla, and Alex Salkever are here to tell you that "big equals slow and stodgy" is a myth. Based on decades of experience working with the world's leading brands and start-ups, they explore the opportunity legacy companies have to create new markets, supercharge growth, and remake their businesses by combining the scrappy mind-set and tool belt of hypergrowth start-ups with the massive benefits of incumbency: boatloads of customer data, decades of brand equity, robust distribution channels, enormous financial asserts, and more. Equally important, they provide a playbook on how to use their insights in your own company, team, or career. This is a fast-paced, anecdote-rich story that rethinks modern innovation-a book every manager, executive, and ambitious employee will want to read.
