The holidays are fast approaching. Shoppers search for that special gift. While choices seem endless, choosing is simple: Give gifts that keep on giving — knowledge, motivation and self-improvement.
Here are four suggestions of gifts they’ll thank you for many times:
“The Little Engine That Could” by Watty Piper.
This volume can be found in the children’s section of any bookstore. Prices range from $4.95 to $19.95 for the “executive” pop-up version. It occupies a special place on my bookshelf.
You may have read it as a kid. Read it again. Piper’s message is not kid’s stuff. Its “I Think I Can” message of inspiration and perspiration should be remembered and applied every day if you want to get from where you are to where you want to be.
When I became a corporate VP, I gave a copy to each person in my area and every new hire. I recognized individual, quarterly performance through “Little Engine” awards — models of old-fashioned locomotives.
“The Power of Small — Why Little Things Make All the Difference” by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval (Broadway Books, $17.95).
In these days of overflowing inboxes, 24/7 connectivity and multi-tasking, the authors promote mini-tasking as the productivity alternative. Mini-tasking pays attention to the details lost when stretched to the limit. Creating an action list with mini-tasks effectively breaks down the “big” into the day-to-day achievable.
Their step-by-step approach to planning forces us to eat the workday “apple” one bite at a time. It also allows us to savor each bite — “relish the satisfaction from smaller accomplishments that lead to the big goal.”
Five key points:
1. When you do nothing, you did something — you made inaction a conscious choice.
2. When you make things happen, you exercise some degree of control over “what comes next.”
3. Every point of contact presents an opportunity to learn and share your knowledge.
4. Get over stranger danger. Master small talk because it’s the icebreaker that opens doors to meatier conversations.
5. Fill a need by tackling tough assignments that provide the opportunity to do what others don’t, can’t or won’t do. While there’s risk in such assignments, there’s no better way to establish yourself as the go-to person.
“Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It” by Peggy Klaus (Warner Business Books, $24.95).
Think of bragging as the art of bringing forward your best parts with authenticity, pride and enthusiasm. It’s a way of showcasing your strengths.
The book’s numerous situational conversations (taken from Klaus’ communications coaching background) show how to use “brag bites” to find common ground, build engagement and put your best foot forward. Klaus believes artful braggers weave their brag bites into a two-way, information-sharing process. True braggarts just talk about themselves.
As Baseball Hall Of Fame member Dizzy Dean once said: “It ain’t bragging if you’ve done it.”
“101 Things I Learned in Business School” by Michael Preis with Matthew Frederick (Grand Central Publishing, $15).
It’s Business Basics 101. Those without business background and the self-employed should use the book as a reference guide to understanding what it takes to operate a business and manage people.
My favorite was #2: “Business is not a single field of endeavor.” It meshes various parts into an on-the-same-page entity. Accounting is its monetary language. It provides a financial report card. Finance involves money management — today and tomorrow.
Marketing deals with 4 P’s: Product, Place, Promotion and Price. Production and operations coordinates and oversees manufacturing/service provision. Organizational behavior (I believe it’s most important) involves leadership, a firm’s culture, managing and motivation.
Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer.
