Tag Archives: Book Review

The Customer Rules (Book Review)

The Customer Rules: The 39 Essential Rules for Delivering Sensational Service by Lee Cockerell

As an HR professional, I don’t often interact with the end-customers for our business. However, I learned early in my career that HR’s internal customers (managers and staff) are to be treated as well as, if not better than, we actually treat our customers who purchase our products and services. It’s the opportunity for an HR/recruiting professional to serve others well.

I’m always looking for ideas on how to better serve our people here, and when I saw this I knew I had to check it out. Read on for a few ideas that I picked up from this handy book.

The Customer Rules Lee CockerellWhat I liked

  • You hear stories every day about great service, poor service, and everything in between. This simple statement hit me pretty hard: Great service does not cost any more than average or poor service. When it costs nothing to offer a smile and a kind word, why isn’t it the norm instead of the exception?
  • Your service statement should inspire your staff to new heights of delivering world-class service to customers. This quote from the book is a perfect example: It has been our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality. Wow. It doesn’t say, “Be nice” or “Help customers quickly.” It says “fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” If that doesn’t inspire you I don’t know what will.
  • In the chapter on hiring the best people, Cockerell talks about the time he learned to stop asking leading questions in interviews. We all know that behavioral interviewing can bring great results, but when the question sets the person up to sound like a rockstar (whether they truly are or not), it reduces the value of the responses provided. An example he gave is “Tell me about a time you went above and beyond to satisfy a customer.” A better question might simply be “Tell me about a time you served a customer,” and then you judge if it’s truly an above and beyond type of experience.

Wrap up

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for ideas to serve customers (internal or external) better. I think we can all learn a few lessons (or be reminded of the tried-and-true principles of service, at the very least) from this book. If you are interested in checking it out, click here to get your copy of the book.

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The Crown Publishing Group provided this review copy.

Business Boot Camp (Book Review)

Business Boot Camp: Management and Leadership Fundamentals That Will See You Successfully Through Your Career

Most of you know that I transitioned into a more formal leadership-type role last year. That brought about multiple changes that are still affecting me today:

  • I’m more aware of my role as a leader and what it means to our staff/company
  • I’m on the path to becoming a  first-time manager in the next year or so
  • I’m coaching managers on leadership/management skills on a weekly basis

So when I picked up this book, I was really looking for a handful of ideas that would help me with all three of those areas. Read on to find out what I learned.

Business Boot CampWhat I liked

  • Delegation is normally seen as “get something off my plate” for most leaders. However, it’s truly a two-way street. In some cases, it can even be a type of coaching when it allows employees to improve their skills and knowledge through on the job training. And employees with managers who delegate well are more capable and enthusiastic because of their career growth opportunities. Note: this doesn’t mean handing off filing papers or something you hate as a means of delegation. That can be done, but it doesn’t apply to this coaching-type scenario.
  • Speaking of coaching… Coaching isn’t an ad hoc, spur of the moment type meeting. It’s a well-planned interaction with specific goals. Here’s a good quote to support that: “Coaching is about identifying the existing situation and the desired one and then helping the team member plot and travel the path to get from the first to the second.”
  • Strategic thinking is a critical skill for a leader. Actions are not made in a vacuum, and decisions should be made in a way that filters through these four key areas: increased organizational effectiveness, reduced costs, improved customer service, and/or positive contributions to the bottom line. If it doesn’t satisfy any of those requirements, then it might not be worth doing. There’s a quick litmus test for you.
  • One more that hit home with me–Your leadership image. How do people perceive you? No, let me ask the proper question: how do people perceive you when you’re facing a crisis? You don’t always have to know the answer or solve the problem single-handedly; however, you must maintain your integrity, confidence, etc. Over time, you’ll gradually become more confident in your responses to problems, but never forget that your team is watching you and will follow your lead (whether positive or not).

Wrap up

I would recommend this book for new managers/leaders or those looking to brush up on their skills. This book contains solid foundation concepts, and might even be a little basic for those with a more advanced role (though, like I said, I was able to pull a few new ideas to share). If you’re looking to hone your skills as a leader/manager, click here to get your copy of the book.

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AMACOM provided this review copy.

AMA Business Boot Camp
Reviewed by Ben Eubanks on
Jan 10.
Foundational business and leadership principles
This book focuses on some of the key principles and knowledge that strong managers and leaders need to know in order to be successful in a managerial or leadership role.
Rating: 4

Tweak It (Book Review)

Tweak It: Make What Matters to You Happen Every Day by Cali Williams Yost

Tell me if you’ve heard this one.

Bob heads home after a long day of work. He’s looking forward to seeing his kids and spending some time with his wife. 

He decides to jump onto his email when he gets home. You know, just to check. 

He sees an “urgent” message from a coworker, and he takes a few minutes to respond. Then another message comes in, and he’s already working, so he might as well respond to that one, too. 

Three hours later, he looks up and realizes that his wife and kids are in bed and he’s missed the entire evening with them. He resolves to look at that “work/life balance” stuff and heads to bed so he can get up early for work. 

Tweak It is the antidote for that guy (and the rest of us). Read on for more good info on work+life.

tweak-it-cali-williams-yostWhat I liked

  • When you’re in the throes of a work/life mess, it seems like everyone around you has it all figured out. Cali throws out a comforting number of “10-15%” with regard to those who are happy with their own work/life. The other 85-90% (AKA most of us) are still trying to find the right steps to take to make everything work in harmony. Next time you have a moment of panic, take a moment to remember that nine out of ten people feel just like you.
  • The “tweak it” method is fairly simple. First you get started. Then you pick a “tweak of the week” to focus on. Then you review and revise your plan and start it all over again.
  • One of the tweaks Cali recommends made me laugh. She recommends balancing “Batman” moments and “Robin” moments–meaning you should take times to chase your own dreams (Batman), but you should also make time to help others pursue their own dreams (Robin). In case you didn’t know it, I’m a Batman fan. :-)
  • A few other quick “tweak it” moments that I particularly agree with: younger workers need to take speaking/writing courses (desperately) and older workers need to take time to sit back and remember why they made their career choice in the first place. That’s a great way to rejuvenate the spirit and reignite the passion deep inside.

Wrap up

I just wanted to take a second to talk about my own approach to work+life, because it might offer some insights for those looking to make their own changes.

I use various tools for flexible work, but I also have a philosphy that helps with the time management side of things. I try to tie as many interests together as feasibly possible. It doesn’t always work and I can’t always make things fit like I’d prefer, but in many cases I am able to satisfy multiple needs with fewer overall actions.

For instance, when I run into a crazy situation at work, I will share it on the blog. It doesn’t really require me to create a new idea, but it helps to tie my work and online worlds closer together. Or maybe it’s time to hang out with the kids. I sit with them on the couch and read a book to review on the blog while they read their books or watch cartoons. I’m there and quickly available if needed, but I’m also working and making myself better. The last way is with book reviews like this one. I read many books to review here, but I also know that I will glean ideas and concepts to help me be better at my work as well.

Those are just a few ways that plays out, but it’s served me well thus far and I never feel like any part of what I do is truly out of “balance” with the others. However, I am vigilant, because I know all to well how easily things can quickly fall to pieces without constant attention.

The bottom line: we all run into work+life issues at some point in our lives. If you’ve ever had the thought that you can manage your work and life in a better way, this book is for you. If you’re interested, click here to get your copy.

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Thanks to Cali and her team for providing a review copy!

Tweak It
Reviewed by Ben Eubanks on
Jan 8.
Tweak your work/life to fit your needs
This book focuses on strategies for tweaking your current work+life setup to allow you to get things accomplished at work and home without stressing you out or forcing you to give up your dreams.
Rating: 4

The Titleless Leader (Book Review)

The Titleless Leader: How to Get Things Done When You’re Not in Charge by Nan Russell

I’m in a unique position. Due to the importance of my role (hey, HR is important, right?), I’m a member of the leadership team where I work; however, I don’t have anyone who directly reports to me, which makes some requests a little difficult. I can’t tell or force someone to do something for me, and even if someone did listen, the diminishing returns of playing the boss card are always out there. If anything is going to get done, it will have to be through gentle persuasion and steady leadership. So when I saw this book by Nan Russell, I knew I had to check it out (it’s on my list of leadership reading recommendations). It was a huge hit, and I have some phenomenal tips and ideas to share with you today. Let’s jump in.

the-titleless-leader-nan-russell

What I liked

  • The book starts early with this great quote: “Discretionary efforts are tamed, ideas are shelved in heads, and interest in work has waned at a time when intellectual property and initiative are competitive necessities leaders can’t buy with a paycheck.” Paying for physical effort is vastly different from paying for intellectual effort, though many managers still cling to the ideas that worked 60 years ago when manual labor made up the lionshare of the workforce.
  • Titleless Leadership is common sense, but uncommonly displayed behaviors that, when practiced, create trust, positive influence, exemplary results, and natural followership. For a titleless leader, it’s not rank that gets results, it’s actions. Wow.
  • Leadership is a choice. You don’t become a leader by taking a class or reading a book. You become a leader by making “leader decisions” time and time again.
  • How do you get trust? By giving it first. Assume the best. The trust “calculator” on page 29 is an intriguing idea. It looks at what levels of trust you can delegate to people and when to give more or rein it in based on the results you’re getting.
  • The chapter on teaming with others starts with this phenomenal proverb: If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. A strong team can take the business farther than the sum of its parts.
  • Want to draw people to you? Practice self-accountability, and practice it well. When you hold yourself up to a high standard, others will want to achieve that same standard. Be accountable for keeping your own tasks on target, and others will want to follow that success.
  • Rankism sucks. If you don’t know what rankism is, it’s basically treating others differently based on their rank or status. And it’s a terrible practice. And that leads us to…
  • Don’t look for special treatment. Give it instead. Yeah, you heard me. Instead of expecting someone to treat you with kid gloves or offer you something special, you should be practicing that for others, especially those who wouldn’t expect it.
  • One more for this review since it’s getting pretty long. A little later in the book the author brings up an example of an organization that had some public fallout due to 10% of their staff using the government web servers to view pornography and other illicit content. It’s a quick and easy illustration for how we all too quickly focus on the negative and ignore the fact that 90% of the staff are doing the right things. I see this as especially valuable for HR pros. Too often we get bogged down in the negative and lose focus on the great work the rest of the staff is accomplishing. Don’t let the negativity take over!

Wrap up

I would highly recommend this book as a resource for anyone who wants to have more influence within their organization.  Just a word of warning: you will be ready to take over the world when you pick up some of these contagious ideas. Some of the concepts are very “common sense,” but even those are presented in a way that is fresh and invigorating. I’m going to be recommending this to friends and coworkers, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for you as well. Click here to get your copy of the book.

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The Titleless Leader
Reviewed by Ben Eubanks on
.
Leadership from the bottom up!
This book focuses on leadership and how to do it when you don’t have a fancy title or manager responsibilities. Highly recommended for those looking to advance their career and grow their leadership influence.
Rating: 5

The Temp Factor (Book Review)

The Temp Factor by Cathy Reilly

the temp factor book cathy reilly

Recently I received a copy of The Temp Factor: The Complete Guide to Temporary Employment for Staffing Services, Clients, and Temps from Cathy A. Reilly. I didn’t know what to expect from the book, because I don’t have much experience with temps or staffing companies. I ended up with a well-rounded understanding of the client/temp/agency relationship triangle, and I feel much more comfortable with the possibility of working with a staffing company at some point in the future. Below you’ll see a few tips I learned and also to whom I might recommend this book.

What I liked

  • For the newbies-pages 19/20 have a great checklist of items that will help put new clients at ease. I know if I was hiring a staffing firm that the answers to these questions would be very valuable to help establish a trusting relationship with my new provider. It includes basic info, but the new clients might not know to even ask some of the questions!
  • Culture matters! Thankfully Ms. Reilly covers one of the biggest concerns I would have about hiring temporary workers: culture. How do we explain it to them? How do we find someone who is only temporary but still a fit for what matters most to us? She goes into some detail here on presenting candidates that are “company ready,” meaning not only fully prepared for the operational aspects of the role, but also the cultural considerations that could make or break the staffing company’s reputation if handled poorly.
  • Tip for the agencies: use updated and fresh materials, including timesheets and business cards. Just because the concept of a time card is 80 years old doesn’t mean your forms should be using an 80 year old design. Every time a client signs off on the timesheet, it’s a marketing opportunity to reinforce your brand identity–use it well.
  • Handling problems: the customer service side of the client/agency relationship can be complex, but one piece of advice stands out. The manner in which you handle problems can become the problem itself. Find out about an issue with a temp? Take care of it, or it could hinder the relationship with the client on a larger scale.
  • Top three issues with temps: performance, policy related, and “fit.” Those are the key areas to ensure your temps are performing up to par if you want to remain on contract for your services as a staffing firm.
  • Shopping for a temp agency? Ask these questions… Page 250 has a laundry list of “wants” that a company could desire from a staffing firm. The challenge is to pick the top five or ten and customize the list for your business. For instance, if you are looking for a satisfaction guarantee, a temp that is coachable within their specialty area, and a person that is a strong culture fit, make those the top three items for the agency to agree to. That allows you to differentiate among those providers who might be able to do one or two of those but isn’t quite a fit for what you need overall.
  • Just say “no” to celebutemps. If the agency is pushing someone on you who is “great” and “really nice,” ask for more concrete information. Find out what makes them so “great” and “nice,” because those hard facts are going to be the basis of why you decide to bring them on (or not). This is the equivalent of an employee trying to refer a clueless friend with no marketable skills–if they can’t tell you what makes them a fit, they aren’t going to fit!

Wrap up

Again, I am not extremely experienced with temps and temp agencies, so my take on it is from that perspective. I would recommend this book for temps looking to hone their craft, HR pros looking to partner with a staffing agency, or staffing agencies looking for innovative ways to serve clients and grow the business. This book covers all that and more! Click here to get your copy of the book if you are interested.

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Adverse Impact Analysis: A Practitioner’s Guide (Book Review)

statistical adverse impact analysisStatistical Analysis of Adverse Impact: A Practitioner’s Guide by Stephanie R. Thomas

I know, adverse impact analysis is not my usual fare.

However, I’m working on a new project, and I need to expand my horizons a bit. To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I thought I might pick up an idea or two, but I wasn’t prepared to be sucked into the world of statistics and how they can be used to prove (or disprove) a claim of adverse impact.

Being in the government contracting industry, I have the OFCCP and the EEOC to think about, which means the topics in the book were exactly what I need to know to do my job better.

Highlights from Statistical Analysis of Adverse Impact Continue reading →

Seeing the Big Picture (Book Review)

Seeing the Big Picture: Business Acumen to Build your Credibility, Career, and Company by Kevin Cope

Okay, I’ll admit it. I requested a copy of Seeing the Big Picture by Kevin Cope because I wanted to pick up a few tips. I have always had a weakness of working “in” the business as opposed to working “on” the business. That applies to this blog and to my day job. I get bogged down in the day to day details and never take the time to step back, look at the wider landscape, and see what things could be improved on a higher level.

I was a little skeptical that I wasn’t going to get what I wanted when the book started with discussions on cash flow and net profits. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the great content and probably took more notes in this book that I have in many others dedicated exclusively to the HR/recruiting space. And that, in my opinion, is a very good thing.

seeing-the-big-picture-kevin-copeHighlights from Seeing the Big Picture Continue reading →