Lasting Lessons From The Corner Office

The author of the bestselling "New Ideas from Dead Economists" brings to life history's greatest CEOs--from Ray Kroc to Este Lauder--and shows how their lives, leadership, and lessons can teach and inspire modern leaders.

A different way of discovering and developing the best business ideas Jack Welch once said, "Someone, somewhere has a better idea." In this myth-busting book, the authors reveal that great business ideas do not spring from innate creativity, or necessarily from the brilliant minds of people. Rather, great ideas come to those who are in the habit of looking for great ideas all around them, all the time. Too often, people fall into the trap of thinking that the only worthwhile idea is a thoroughly original one. Idea Hunters know better. They understand that valuable ideas are already out there, waiting to be found - and not just in the usual places. Shows how to expand your capacity to find and develop winning business ideas Explains why ideas are a critical asset for every manager and professional, not just for those who do "creative" Reveals how to seek out and select the ideas that best serve your purposes and goals and define who you are, as a professional Offers practical tips on how to master the everyday habits of an Idea Hunter, which include cultivating great conversations The book is filled with illustrative accounts of successful Idea Hunters and stories from thriving "idea" companies. Warren Buffet, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Mary Kay Ash, Twitter, and Pixar Animation Studios are among the many profiled.

Boards may not appear to be noticed while business activities are going well. Yet, when things start to go awry, they are usually the center of attention, and their effectiveness is actively questioned. Are todays' boards equipped to create value for companies in the future? Dr. Almona's proprietary ©Five-Way Directional Model, which can be used in various contexts, guides board members to focus their attention on what matters most. It helps them leverage their board leadership role to achieve success in the short, medium, and long term. The model requires business leaders to look intentionally in the right direction, learn from what they see so that they can lead effectively, and consequently leap exponentially. Looking in the right direction allows the board to have a robust perspective of its stakeholders and the business landscape. Over the past twenty-five years, Dr. Almona has studied board behavior and worked with several boards as an advisor, assessor, trainer, and consultant. In this book, she harnesses her wealth of experience to assist boards in professionalizing their practices to achieve sustainable business success. Boards that look and learn effectively, lead and leap exponentially.

The "Corner Office" columnist and head of a Pulitzer Prize-winning national reporting team draws on the insights of such leading CEOs as Microsoft's Steve Ballmer, Yahoo's Carol Bartz and DreamWorks's Jeffrey Katzenberg to identify proven leadership principles as well as the qualities that CEOs most value in their employees. 40,000 first printing.

This title examines the remarkable lives of Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita and their work building electronics and entertainment company Sony. Readers will learn about each founder's background and education, as well as his early career. Also covered is a look at how Sony operates, issues the company faces, its successes, and its impact on society. Color photos and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read, compelling text. Features include a timeline, facts, additional resources, Web sites, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This biography examines the remarkable life of Est?e Lauder using easy-to-read, compelling text. Through striking black-and-white images and rich color photographs, readers will learn about Lauder?s family background, childhood, education, and innovative work as the founder of the Est?e Lauder cosmetics company. Informative sidebars enhance and support the text. Features include a table of contents, timeline, facts page, glossary, bibliography, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.

The movie The Founder, starring Michael Keaton, focused the spotlight on Ray Kroc, the man who amassed a fortune as the chairman of McDonald’s. But what about his wife Joan, the woman who became famous for giving away his fortune? Lisa Napoli tells the fascinating story behind the historic couple. Ray & Joan is a quintessentially American tale of corporate intrigue and private passion: a struggling Mad Men–era salesman with a vision for a fast-food franchise that would become one of the world’s most enduring brands, and a beautiful woman willing to risk her marriage and her reputation to promote controversial causes that touched her deeply. Ray Kroc was peddling franchises around the country for a fledgling hamburger stand in the 1950s—McDonald’s, it was called—when he entered a St. Paul supper club and encountered a beautiful young piano player who would change his life forever. The attraction between Ray and Joan was instantaneous and instantly problematic. Yet even the fact that both were married to other people couldn’t derail their roller coaster of a romance. To the outside world, Ray and Joan were happy, enormously rich, and giving. But privately, Joan was growing troubled over Ray’s temper and dark secret, something she was reluctant to publicly reveal. Those close to them compared their relationship to that of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. And yet, this volatility paved the way for Joan’s transformation into one of the greatest philanthropists of our time. A force in the peace movement, she produced activist films, books, and music and ultimately gave away billions of dollars, including landmark gifts to the Salvation Army and NPR. Together, the two stories form a compelling portrait of the twentieth century: a story of big business, big love, and big giving.

A reexamination of the major economic theories of the past two hundred years discusses how long-dead, famous economists such as Adam Smith and others would handle today's economic problems.