The Answer To How Is Yes

People keep asking "how?" as a defence against living their life. In this work Peter Block puts the "how to" craze in perspective and teaches individuals, workers and managers ways to act on what they know, and reclaim their freedom and capacity to create a world they want to live in.

Modern culture’s worship of “how-to” pragmatism has turned us into instruments of efficiency and commerce—but we’re doing more and more about things that mean less and less. We constantly ask “how? and still struggle to find purpose and act on what matters. Instead of acting on what we know to be of importance, we wait for bosses to change, we seek the latest fad, we invest in one more degree. Asking how keeps us safe—instead of being led by our hearts into uncharted territory, we keep our heads down and stick to the rules. But we are gaining the world and losing our souls. Peter Block puts the “how-to” craze in perspective and presents a guide to the difficult and life-granting journey of bringing what we know is of personal value into an indifferent or even hostile corporate and cultural landscape. He raises our awareness of the trade-offs we’ve made in the name of practicality and expediency, and offers hope for a way of life in which we’re motivated not by what “works,” but by the things that truly matter in life—idealism, intimacy, depth and engagement.

"In 1974 I told the man in the dole office that had verbally gripped my balls and my life, that I would look after my family myself. There was no way on this earth that I would go cap in hand to him or anyone like him ever again."

This darkly exuberant debut novel—by turns a fierce, funny coming-of-age story and a teasing work of literary suspense—traces the precipitous rise and fall of a teenage impresario at the zenith of the New York club scene. Matthew Acciaccatura of Teaneck, New Jersey, begins his freshman year at NYU in the fall of 1995 with one goal in mind: to become cool. A former high school outcast, used to lumbering the hallways alone in oversize turtlenecks, Matt seems an unlikely candidate for such a transformation. Yet by dint of effort he lands the coveted position of promoter at one of the hottest clubs in New York in the heyday of rave music and Ecstasy. However, as “Magic” Matt rises to fame, portents of tragedy begin to appear, literally in the margins of the story. Footnotes from one Dr. Hans Mannheim, an imprisoned German academic obsessed with Matt’s dangerous trajectory, suggest that Matt is not as in control of his destiny as he might appear…. A gorgeously written archetypal tale of self-discovery (and self-deception) and a love letter to the enduring possibilities of New York City, The Answer Is Always Yes will keep readers guessing until its explosive climax.

Four Simple Steps. That's all it takes to deliver legendary service and build a thriving team culture. Is negative service impacting your bottom line? Do you find it hard to maintain your confidence when you have to disappoint a customer? Then Yes Is the Answer is the leadership book you need to read. ​ Christine Trippi shares her energy and passion for Sweet Hospitality--the key to success in the hospitality industry--by taking readers through the simple steps of responding positively while developing strong relationships. Along the way, she reviews examples that cover all aspects of work and family life with opportunities to test your new skills in the book (or with a downloadable Yes Is the Answer companion workbook). By the end of this fun, quick, and easy read, you'll have the information and skills needed to always say Yes and achieve Sweet Results! The best part is that you'll learn how you can change the world, one Yes at a time! ​ Should you read this book? Yes Is the Answer!

Cameron Mitchell's "dish room to board room story" began when he was 16-years-old and started working as a dishwasher at a local Columbus, Ohio steakhouse. Two years later, when Mitchell was working as a line cook during a chaotic shift change, he had an epiphany. He realized he loved the restaurant business and set out to make it his lifelong career and knew he wanted to be the president of a restaurant company one day. In this book he tells the unvarnished tale of his rapid rise, a rags-to-riches story that any entrepreneur or restaurant enthusiast will love and learn from--Adapted from jacket.

Harvard Business School's Michael Roberto draws on powerful decision-making case studies from every walk of life, showing how to promote honest, constructive dissent and skepticism; use it to improve decisions; and align organizations behind those decisions. Learn from disasters like the Space Shuttle Columbia and JFK's Bay of Pigs Invasion, from successes like Sid Caesar and Bill Parcells, from George W. Bush's decision-making after 9/11. Roberto complements his compelling case studies with extensive new research on executive decisionmaking. Discover how to test and probe a management team; when 'yes' means 'yes' and when it doesn't; and how to build real consensus that leads to action. Gain important new insights into managing teams, mitigating risk, promoting corporate ethics, and much more.