Club Reviews: NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE

NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. Chris Voss. HarperBusiness

Run, don’t walk, to get this book! It is a practical guide to always getting a better outcome if you follow his advice. His advice makes so much sense, along with examples and the explanation of ‘why’ something worked. I most loved his examples of ‘use your late night DJ voice’ – and we all know what that sounds like. His technique of mirroring is spot on. I’ve been doing it for years, trained as a Transformative Mediator, which works just as he describes it.
I was one of the first to study Fisher and Ury’s Getting to Yes before I graduated law school in 1982. Just as Chris Voss describes, this approach is so limited compared to what Chris recommends. I’ve been a Mediator (Florida Supreme Court Certified in Circuit Civil and Family) for over 12 years. My success is based directly on the principles Voss espouses. These work.
The good news is once you become aware of the labels he uses, you will find yourself recognizing and putting into practice his approach almost seamlessly.  I found new techniques and an excellent refresher course in his information. Everybody negotiates every day. This is a great guide to doing it better. Anne Bloom

Unless you’ve been a lead international negotiator for the FBI, this book will open your mind to the how’s and why’s of high stakes negotiating.
We live in a world of conflict and the biggest obstacle for overcoming it is fear. What could be a higher stake then when gambling on one man’s life?  Chris Voss, takes the reader to the threshold and then walks the reader through it. The words are simply, empowering.
The mindset of the author is clear, the value of being a skilled negotiator will improve your relationships and position you to get the things which will impact your life and others around you.
Grateful for having this. Marc Cohen

Voss draws you in with some requisite self back-patting and stories of famous negotiating failures in law enforcement. 
Lesson 1: Understand why people want, not what people want, most notably, people want to be understood and accepted. "Listening is not a passive activity. It is the most active thing you can do." Voss quickly recounts a hostage situation where it takes an entire team to listen to one person. Who would have ever thought?
Voss reminds us that we may never have to deal with negotiating with a kidnapper or terrorist, but "life is negotiation." However, he goes on to explain that most of our daily interactions at home and work are a series of negotiations based on the universal urge of "I want."
The title suggests rigidity most of us don't encounter in the workplace and Voss explains early that a hostage negotiator "has to win." He can't split the difference by agreeing to let the hostage taker hand over half their captives and dispatch the rest. But, for the rest of us his book reads with a combination of adventure and valuable lessons that we can adapt with a lot more flexibility than Voss ever could. 
He gets to the practical applications in everyday life, but his negotiating style and skill clearly were formed by a long career of never being able to compromise. Most of us will never shed the stresses and anxieties that often come with negotiation, but trying a few of the skills presented by Voss at least has the possibility of shaving off a few dollars the next car purchase. After all, car salesman don't tend to take hostages. Patrick Whiteside 

This book has a lot of valuable material about negotiation regardless of whether you are an experienced or novice negotiator.
I graduated from business school over forty years ago, and negotiation skills were not part of the curriculum.
This book is invaluable for any old or new dog that wants to learn new tricks.
The author helps the reader understand the psychology that is embodied in a negotiation. Negotiation should not be a clash of wills or butting of heads. 
According to the author, you have to give your opponent “illusion of control.” Know the difference between “you’re right” and “that’s right” responses.
Ask “ calibrated questions.”
This is a book that needs to be read several times in order to be able to process and implement the strategies that the author provides.
Keep this book on your bookshelf and continually review and practice the skills outlined in the book. Michael Geringer

Great title that instantly made me want to read the book.  I am a real estate agent as well as an investor, so negotiation is of utmost importance to me.  I never want to split the difference as I want my price.  Although negotiation is a part of life, I initially assumed this book would be about real estate investing so I was a little disappointed when the book opens with hostage negotiations.  Although the stories about his hostage negotiations are interesting I got tired of them and wanted to get on with situations that would most effect my work.
I have always been of the opinion that everything in life is negotiable and that attitude has served me well.  I did pick up some pointers that I will put to use.  I found the 7-38-55 percent rule very interesting, and for that very reason I hate trying to negotiate in an email or over the phone.  Sadly so much of today’s real estate involves negotiation by fax, which albeit very convenient doesn’t give you the opportunity of rapport building and mirroring. Emily Gilday Miami, Florida

I was interested in reading this book because I use similar books in several of my classes. I wanted to see if there were any "new ideas" on an old and familiar topic - negotiating. The opening chapters grabbed my attention, since the author is very confident of his skills and tactics. He made a very interesting statement that the first step is getting over the common aversion to negotiating. I think most people are adverse to negotiating and feel that in order to be successful, you have to go in hard, in order to not appear to be weak.  
The author identifies several tactics, that on the surface, seem logical, such as using open ended, or calibrated, questions repetitively, as well as slowing the process down to buy time, shifting the frame of conversation from your counterpart's problem to solving your problem, the importance of listening, showing respect and the gathering of information. Other tactics highlighted include mirroring and labeling. I was intrigued by the concept, "The flip side of Getting to YES -  the importance of getting to NO," since Voss feels that NO actually kick starts negotiations. and I agree that it has some merit. 
However, as the book went on, I started to get a bit bored with all the "success stories" the author discussed. I recognize that Voss uses these stories as successful examples of implementing his strategies and techniques, and did mention a couple of negotiating "failures.".  However, I was left with a feeling of arrogance and superiority on the author's part. There are so many variables that affect the success or failure of negotiations; I think I would have found more value in the book if he had delved more deeply into "what ifs...." Although Voss implied that the strategies from  Getting to YES (BATNA, etc.) were old school and not very effective, I saw many similarities with Yes and his strategies - he just posed them differently. The author emphasized that several of his techniques should be used in conjunction with other techniques of his. I don't think I would use his book solely for my classes, but I would incorporate several of his techniques with other negotiating styles (Fisher & Ury, etc.). Claire Mostel

For a business book, surprisingly entertaining. This a great resource to prepare for, and then handle, negotiations for any type of matter.  The techniques are well explained, and a prep-worksheet web link is included. 
Chris Voss presents solid strategies and approaches to negotiations that, properly applied, will secure the best possible outcome for you the Negotiator.  In addition to picking up solid negotiating tools, I really enjoyed seeing how top experts used these tools to resolve high stakes transactions where lives were in the balance. 
Colorful real world scenarios bring the lessons home.  If mastering the art of the business deal is not enough to intrigue you, certainly the excitement of facing kidnappers, bank robbers and international terrorists will.  This book details interactions with all. Doramary Russel

I loved this book. Author Chris Voss did a great job of illustrating his points with compelling real-life stories,  as opposed to simply relying on his reputation as a top-notch hostage negotiator to carry the book.  He built in credibility along the way with his analysis of what went right AND wrong and was never afraid to admit when he or his team members made mistakes.  He seemed intent on helping the reader learn from his experiences and that generosity of spirit comes through.
Part of the reason this book works so well is that the strategies and techniques are based on human psychology, and as the description of the book points out, are "...field-tested tools for talking anyone into (or out of) just about anything." The examples used in the book directly illustrate HOW the tools and techniques work and in certain cases, explain why other approaches don't work. In the situations that went horribly wrong, Voss does a great job of conveying his utter sickness and horror at the lives lost and then is able to step back and explain how it happened like he did in the Burnham-Sobero case in Manila. His ability to debrief and provide lessons learned are invaluable to anyone in any career or in any relationship with other human beings. Voss does a great job of boiling every human interaction down to psychology.
The review of each chapter with Key Lessons provides an excellent method for making sure the reader understands and can apply the concepts and techniques. Because of the density of the stories used to illustrate each point, it's helpful to have the key concepts (and the sub-headings within each chapter) to review later. I plan to review these Key Lessons from time to time and refer to this book as I navigate both my personal and professional life. Kathy D. Doran

Without a shadow of doubt, this is one of those books once you have started to read you just do not want to put it down.  But even before I had started to read, I was quite impressed with Chris Voss and his background.  After all if anyone should know about negotiation, I can't think of anyone better prepared than one who is skilled as a hostage negotiator.  Right away Voss points out the use of open ended questions as a tool to better negotiation.  Sometimes this is also called calibrated questions.  Whatever we choose to call them, they are questions that must be responded to but do not have a fixed response.  NO canned answers here!  Voss also points out his use of passive-aggressive techniques.  He just keeps asking questions until he gets the other side to give up and give him what he wants.  I was quite intrigued by Voss account of negotiation in history.  He says that over time we found out that brute force just does not work.  He shares examples where he says the brute force approach simply pushes the aggressor into the "nuclear option" and people die.
Voss talks a lot about his negotiation training at Harvard.  He says he discovered that we are not all "rational actors."  So simply negotiating to maximize one's own value does not work.  We find people are not fully rational or completely selfish and thus their actions are not stable or predictable.  Over time negotiators found they had to be trained in quid pro quo bargaining and problem solving.  Emotions and emotional intelligence were found to be keys to success.  Voss introduced his concept of Tactical Empathy.  Listening is key!  Looking to influence behavior brings success when a negotiator can get into the mind of the other person.  He says "Life Is Negotiation."  I won't spoil it for you, GO READ IT! 
Trained negotiators know they can't stick with what they believe, they have to build several hypothesis and work hard to reveal the other persons surprises.  Then comes another concept called Mirroring. It is called isoproxim and essentially is imitation.  The language of negotiation is primarily a language of conversational rapport.  Page 49 has a lot of Key Lessons worth checking out!  Emotions will derail communications.  We must be able to label the other person's pain, not feel it.
Then comes a whole section with lots more detail on his concept of Tactical Empathy.  Let me share just a few points:

• Playing dumb is a valid negotiating technique
• The key is not sympathy but empathy
• Go toward negative dynamics in a fearless but differential manner
• Empathy is a very powerful mood enhancer

If you are like me you are besieged with telemarketers and you detest them.  Chapter 4 Beware "Yes"-Master "No" reveals a great approach you can use on these folks who are using the "Win at any cost approach" on you.  Here comes the Behavioral Change Stairway Model.  This is about behavior change, sometimes in life or death situations.  Another MUST READ!  Voss emphatically says the win-win approach used by many negotiators is usually ineffective and often disastrous.  He cautions "Do Not Compromise."
The section on being fair is very valuable.  He says people are swayed by feeling they are respected. People comply with agreements if they feel they have been treated fairly and they lash out if they don't.
Let me stop here.  I read the book cover to cover in just a few hours.  Buy the book and read it!  There are some great lessons that apply in all aspects of our lives. Doug Newberry

A wonderful review of tactics to use in negotiation. These suggestions can be used in many contexts, eg buying a car, asking for a raise, or even in financial or legal arenas.
Any one can benefit from the insight and experience that Chris Voss brings to the table.
I highly recommend reading and learning and from this primer in tactics and strategy. Marvin Stein Coral Springs

Having written a book about negotiation, I was very interested to see what Chris Voss, a former FBI international hostage negotiator had to say. Even though negotiating with labor unions was not as exciting as negotiating with ruthless hostage takers who might kill a hostage at any misstep, I was surprised that many of his principles were similar to my forty-one rules. For example, we both know the value of 1) being willing to apologize; 2) not negotiating against ourselves; 3) asking open-ended questions like, “How am I supposed to do that?”; 4) the use of silence in a negotiation; and 5) knowing how to negotiate with a crazy person. 
I learned a few new techniques, too. He suggests using a very specific number when negotiating. $2143.72 sounds like an accountant who has done a lot of number crunching. He showed how to renegotiate a lease with lower monthly rent by pointing out that the landlord’s increased expenses if he gets a new tenant and the apartment is empty for a month or more.
I grimaced when I saw that when he bought his new “salsa red pearl” car, a written offer was given that said “You win” with smiley faces on it. I also got the smiley faces and “you win” message for my new blue Ford Escape. Of course, Voss did not take the bait and got the deal he wanted. However, since this was the third round, I foolishly took the “I win” offer. I wonder how many other car buyers get those smiley faces.
I give the book five stars. He tells many fascinating stories about hostages and then gives the principles learned in each case. At the end there is an Appendix called Prepare a Negotiation Sheet, which summarizes in a few pages the tools he uses in negotiations. Mary Greenwood, St. Augustine, Author of How to Negotiate Like a Pro

Enjoyed reading this book a lot.  From the very literal sense involving police negotiations through just everyday personal situations.  Everything from having a spouse talking down a potential suicide victim from a steep overhead ramp on the interstate to being involved in police work myself for 36 years, the incidents are very relatable.  Also, over the years I have been able to (if need be) walk away from potential personal business transactions.  These include things like buying a new car & being able to call the salesman's bluff and letting a real estate transaction simmer on the back burner until the other party comes around to your terms.
I enjoyed the author's writing style & the contents of the book.  Easy to read and didn't want to put it down till it was completed. Terri Bryant Davie, FL

Never Split the Difference is a book that truly makes sense of the art of negotiating to the general person. It first grips the attention with anecdotes of negotiations and the styles used to acquire the desired outcomes.  The author provides some helpful tips on voice inflection, use of Tactical empathy, and  role playing. It builds anticipation in the beginning until the reader is transfixed and determined to master the art. This type of anticipation continues throughout the book.
I found myself salivating at the prospect that this book would make me a world class negotiator and it certainly delivered. This should be required reading in every business class. Lots of information on negotiation styles and techniques and offers great insights into the human mind. Even provides negotiation dialogues for every day situations.
Easy read because of subtopics in each chapters and content rich with real life situations gives the reader a first row seat into the negotiating room. Working on my DJ voice after this for sure. A definite must in every home library. For those looking to negotiate their next salary, this is the book to teach you how. Deidre Campbell Miami

I found the key lessons from each chapter very useful in breaking down a book packed with real life experiences in mastering the art of negotiating.
Practice and preparation are key in how we use our time to process the information to get what we want.
What I also found helpful from the book was the author’s breaking down three style type’s from the “methodical analyst”, “sociable accommodator” and the “assertive- wanting to be heard”.  Each puts their own value on what’s important and can determine success or failure.
Overall the content of the book delivers without being overly complex.  I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to relate better in negotiating. Peter Kihn Sterling Heights  MI

Engaging and focused. Voss does an incredible job of keeping a steady flow from the very beginning. It is a perfect layout for attention challenged readers. He tells an interesting story, then what to do, what not to do, why, and closes each chapter with the highlights.
Listening, the importance of listening, and the impact of interpreting what you are hearing as to create the appropriate response is the thread from beginning to end. The fundamentals of effective communication permeate through every chapter, scenario, and lesson given. Voss so clearly depicts the impact of communication (verbal and nonverbal), and how it can influence trust and the building of relationships as the negotiator. Verbatim questions to use, and cues to look for make this book a gem to keep handy as you “fake it till you make it.”
One of my favorites. How to position “No” differently within your repertoire, and how to use “No” to open up an entirely new direction of a conversation. More people would go into sales if they weren’t afraid of “No.” Finally, do your homework. Voss wants you to succeed. The Appendix is that perfect outline, setting you up to be a successful negotiator. A guided, fill in the blank, and practice what normally feels uncomfortable or unnatural. Voss is holding your hand and leading you through the process. Angie Stone

Before reading this book I thought of negotiating as a given in all of our human interactions, and although it is, I now realize it is a set of skills that can be honed with practice, especially for those people to whom it doesn't come naturally. I am average at best. The ability to put oneself in another person's shoes and see the world through their eyes depends on one developing those skills that Voss sets forth: mirroring, calibrated "How" and "What" questions, using a label to build empathy, and/or to extract more information, smart anchors, saying "No" without using the word explicitly, face time with your counterpart, non-round numbers, listening which Voss emphasizes that, far from what we have been led to believe, it is not a passive activity.
That what we're looking for is not problem-solving but a people mover took me by surprise because I am a high school teacher and it is what I instinctively do with my students. Since I am a lone figure in the classroom as their teacher, there is no room for good cop versus bad cop positions. I have to be the one the rely on inside those four walls as well as being a supportive friend off the clock as situations may dictate. It is the emotional climate this book emphasizes is key to negotiating, one the school system must realize is the true foundation for learning. We need authentic, *emotional*, sensitive schools.
I love the book because it presents world scenarios, from the seemingly trivial buying real-estate to the more serious hostage-type situations and walks the reader step by step in order to shed light over the common roadblocks we are most likely to encounter. For example, jumping to volunteer a ringleader's full name as a way to let him/her know you're on to them. A premature move to say the least because what are the chances that the person in question would admit to it. I am enchanted by this book since it is practical and I will be reading it again over my Summer break , In Voss words: "Life is negotiation. Prepare, prepare, prepare." Nadja Atkinson 

Great book that details topics helpful for salespeople. This is different than the typical win-win type of negotiating. One strategy used well in this book is to ask open-ended questions to slow down the negotiation, and also to get more information from the other person. The other thing the books shows how to do is getting the other person to agree and believe “that’s right.”
You can find several items you can apply right away and start seeing results immediately. One good way to read this book would be to read one chapter at a time, then try and use some of the concepts before moving on to the next chapter.
Some of the best techniques are around mirroring people’s words. This is an easy concept to start with, by simply repeating back what the other person said. When this is done, the other person will slightly reword what they said, giving you the ability to tailor their words in a way that helps your side of the negotiation.
The book is divided into sections that first start with a type of role playing exercise based on Chris Voss’ real life experiences, then uses that to explain the concept to apply to your negotiating role. About the only negative I had with the book is that Chris Voss spends more time writing about his experience than he does at actually explaining how to apply the concept to business negotiating. On the other hand, there is no filler in this book. The author uses every word purposefully.
I also like the way the author adds an appendix to the end of the book, and gives a summary of each section. This appendix also gives sample questions to ask and checklists to help you with the negotiation.  Great overall read for anyone looking to enhance negotiation skills. Frank Donn Miami, FL

Chris Voss is truly the expert in negotiating. If anyone knows the expertise in life and death situations as well as business decisions, Chris is the one to call upon.

Chris's personal stories about his negotiations through out the world in real life situations leave you speechless and wanting to read more. Chris has a way of transforming his knowledge and experiences into a manual of how to negotiate any type of situation in business and personal life with a new way of thinking. 

This book is a very interesting page turner, the complete opposite of a boring business book. There is nothing else quite like his or even close to Chris's situations and training. I highly recommend Chris Voss book as life is truly one negotiation after another and he helps you see a little more clear the different strategies needed to work towards coming to a positive resolution. Trisha Molina Miami

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Next Book: NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE

NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator Chris Voss.

Voss makes the provocative argument that everything we’ve previously been taught about negotiation is wrong: humans are not rational; there is no such thing as ‘fair’; compromise is the worst thing you can do; the real art of negotiation lies in mastering the intricacies of No, not Yes. These surprising tactics — which radically diverge from conventional negotiating strategy — weren’t cooked up in a classroom, but are the field-tested tools FBI agents used to talk criminals and hostage-takers around the world into (or out of) just about any scenario you can imagine. 

In NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE, Voss and co-author Tahl Raz break down these strategies so that anyone can use them in the workplace, in business, or at home. Voss draws on his experiences in truly life-or-death situations to illustrate these techniques, and offers scores of examples of how they translate into our working lives. He explains how simple these tools can be, such as your tone of voice, the types of questions you ask the other party, or even how you enter the conversation in the first place. Successfully asking for a raise, a new position, a client concession, or a change to the terms of a contract can all be influenced by the techniques outlined in the book. Voss was part of the generation that revolutionized and refined the FBI’s approach to the process  of negotiation. And now he can help readers do the same in their own lives.

We spend most of our days at work negotiating for something. Knowing the most successful, crisis-tested approaches to the process will ensure the conversation more frequently goes your way. What sets these strategies apart from other negotiation paradigms — i.e., the standard thinking in negotiations is to approach them as logical and sequential problems to be solved—is the injection of emotional intelligence and empathy into the negotiation process. This was the game-changer for the FBI, Voss writes, and these are the unique skills emphasized in NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Chris Voss teaches negotiation at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business and at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He has also taught at institutions such as Harvard University, the Sloan School of Management, and the Kellogg School of Management. Through his firm The Black Swan Group, Voss works with Fortune 500 companies around the world. He is a frequent guest on CNN and Fox News, and has appeared on The Daily Show, Anderson Cooper 360, and NPR.

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Club Reviews: Busy

Busy: How to thrive in a world of too much by Tony Crabbe

I found this to be another of those books I could not put down once I started reading.  I read the book from cover to cover in one sitting.  I found this book to be an easy ready and it kept my attention throughout.  The author makes some very practical suggestions on how to deal with "busy."

The author makes a very interesting point right up front that "things have changed but we have not."  We still think and operate as if "busy" is the only way to be successful.  We go day after day chasing e mails, phone calls, texts, and meetings.  We never stop or slow down to allow ourselves any "brain rest."  We are always on GO!  But in the final analysis busy is an addiction that will not generate success.  All too many of us are overwhelmed but we let that stress push us to work harder not smarter.  We hear lots about the ability to multitask.  NOT if you want to be successful!  It is a recipe to FAILURE!  The author makes it clear he want to change the way we think about busy. He says rather than bragging about being busy, he wants us to feel at least slightly embarrassed.  He suggests the opposite of busy-sustained, focused attention.  The point is made that our brains are not made for constant business.  In fact, a study out of the University of London reveals that busy lowers our IQ.  Our brains have limited processing power at any given time.  So we must choose to do what is more important and leave the rest of the stuff go.  And Time Management is not helping!  In fact, it is making things worse.  The author shares and suggests we learn how to divide things into inputs and outputs.  Inputs are the things that come to us.  Outputs are what we actually do.  So the author says the key to success is MASTERY-what we choose to do or not do.  We are cautioned about mindlessness.  We just do things because they are in front of us but not the best things for us to do.  I found it quite interesting how the author says "busyness is like a buffet table."  We just keep, piling stuff on our plates, more than we can ever eat.  We must come to the point where we say "enough is enough."  We must recognize the relationship between the quality of the stuff we do and busyness.  We must learn that it is not about rushing around and being impatient.  It is about focusing our attention on the important and letting the other stuff go.  I won't repeat it hear but the section on "Maintaining Attention," pages 52-56, is a MUST read for busy people.  One of the things we find hard to do as busy people is to say NO!  Read pages 70-76 for some practical helps.  The authors says we have to stop being so productive and become more strategic.  We have to stop, playing the "more game."  While productivity does have advantages, it will not keep us ahead for the long run.

In conclusion, what do we do with busy?  Crabbe offers some very practical suggestions:
-Practice strategic focus.
-Play to your strengths.
-Learn that less is more.
-Do the big stuff first.
-Have a balanced scorecard.
-Innovation is a MUST!
-Solve the right problem.
-We must build our brand.
-We must walk our own path.
-Stop procrastinating!
-Learn to manage emotions and build confidence.
-Get away from more and put values first.
-Develop a few good friends.  More is not better!
-Build your support network.
-Work towards affinity, not popularity.
-Learn that enjoyment is a performance enhancer.
-We must develop and have the joy of commitment.
-Learn that boredom is OK!
-Allow yourself to have some "Happy Attacks."
-Finally, we must make our good intentions stick.

Clearly one of the top books I have read this year.  And that is a real compliment from a guy who has read over 200 books a year for over 50 years. You MUST read this book if you feel the pressure of BUSY! Doug Newberry

This was a comfortable and relevant read because I hate being so busy!  Life is going by too quickly to be constantly busy, and contrary to common thought Tony Crabbe says ‘time management’ is not the cure.  I so welcomed his opinion of time management saying it may make us more efficient but less effective  a feeling I have long embraced and now can proclaim!

In our present world where the number of friends on Facebook is an achievement I salute his idea of fewer friends, but cultivating true friendships.  As a senior I look back on friendships of many years.  I enjoy frequent contact with close friends far more than hours spent connecting on Facebook.
Today Branding is so important, and I found this book to be helpful in finding a clear and simple brand.  And then living up to it. 

 What I didn’t like about the book was the multitude of quotes.  Crabbe lists 3 pages of authors from which he drew his arguments and developed his ideas, and 13 pages of notes for the many quotes.  It seemed every thought or argument was supported by a quote,  documented by one of these authors.  It was so frequent that I found it distracting.

After reading this book I find myself aware of how busy everyone claims to be, almost as though it were a badge of honor.  I hope to refrain from this common response after reading this book. Emily Gilday, Miami

I deeply enjoy reading the book. Usually, when I read a business book, I think that may be the book can be summarized in a nice business magazine article without losing any content. With this book, I feel in the same way, but the difference was that the book is not about just one main topic, which you can condense in one article, you will need at least 3 or 4 articles to cover the interesting topics discussed in the books. And this exactly, what it makes the book word of reading.

The book is not a pure business book,  I consider that it is more a business, plus self-help, psychology and new age book. It has like an holistic approach, which makes it especially relevant nowadays.

I think that you can read the book in no particular order and it will be nice too, actually, I will save your time and I will let you know the chapter that you should not miss because they are especially interesting and worth it of your time: Chapter 2, 3,4, 7, 8, 9, 10,11  out of a total of 12 chapters, which is a very good proportion. Think about years ago when you had to purchase a complete CD, just because you like it 1 or 2 songs. With this book, the several interesting chapters included in it make it a very good investment for the reader. Alejandro Silvestre Miami

This was a good one!
As opposed to other books where messages are sometimes lofty and ethereal, this book is very practical, with direct impact on the way to do things. It might not be as hands on as “getting things done” but to my taste is far more understandable and applicable to a wide range of human situations. I find it funny that being a physician making life and death decisions in matter of seconds, I find myself being “good busy” at work, but somehow out of the cocoon of the operating room, I find myself many times scattered, pulled and distracted. 

We are busy because we want the spotlight, because we can’t disengage, because we are open 24/7.
We are busy busy because we don’t want to pay attention.
We are busy because we just can’t commit to what’s important.
We are busy because it’s easier to say yes than no.

The book explores the way busyness creeps into you, destroys the fallacy that we think we can keep up and do it well, and gives you clear pointers about how to reconnect and concentrate your time, your efforts, your real self. Real good book, highly recommend. Miguel Cobas

The author got me when he said if you're reading this book, you are probably too busy to read this book. He was right. It was difficult to fit in the time but I am glad I did. Although it was geared mostly toward professional life, there were areas in personal life that were also addressed. Crabbe's big ideas challenge the way we live today with constant access, or overload, of information. With too much, we need to forget the notion of "more" and do less, but do it well, more in depth, and make it something we love. The book is filled with anecdotes of notable characters in history to illustrate different points and also many psychological studies to back up the advice given. The best thing about the book is that it gives concrete suggestions and examples on how to get past the busyness to live better. Some I could use right away at work, like the brain dump, and turning off email notifications. The author doesn't claim every idea as his own, and even lists a large suggested reading section in the back of his book, which is appropriate since he references many other books in conjunction with the organization of ideas in his own. "Eat that frog" is a book and also an idea he presents, for example. My only complaint is that it is a lot of information in one book, and I felt it could have been either shorter, or more organized into do-able, actionable chapters so that a person could work through different steps or ideas more easily. Crabbe attempts to summarize each chapter with "go do" and "experiment" items, which I do appreciate, but as a busy (I guess I am going to try to stop using that word so much!!) working mom of two small girls I want to read a book once through and retain the main points or life changing advice without having to go back and review it again. I will give him the compliment though that I probably take the time to do exactly that! This subject is so important in this overwhelming culture and he does give very good advice that I will be taking. Sarah Freudenberger

The book was really good and gave great strategies for getting rid of the busy work that is getting in the way of being productive. This would really be good for people that can control some or most of the things that get in the way. Unfortunately, in the corporate world, you can’t really say you won’t do these things. Especially if those things are part of your job responsibilities. There are however some great strategies that everyone can use, regardless of what your job responsibilities are.

One thing I did like about the book was how it summarized each chapter in a way that allowed you to try some or all of the concepts. That way, you could try and implement a few things at a time and see what works best for you.

Most of the things in the book seemed to be recycled common sense idea. But the author does organize the ideas, and add ideas of his own, in such a way that makes this book easy to read and easy to apply to your day-to-day work life. Frank Donn, Miami

Anyone who follows this book club by definition multitasks and is wrapped up in "Busy" activities. 
Tony Crabbe has a message for us SLOW DOWN smell the roses, and dig deep into a limited selected topic or two. This will make you personally and professionally more efficient and knowledgeable and valuable to your work and family. 
Focus , Specialize and differentiate yourself, develop new ideas and concepts by sharpening your attention at work and with your family and circle of friends and supporters.
Once you develop your new habits keep reinforcing the behavior and all the compulsive "busy" activities will be marginalized and only the more important aspects of life, family, business project development in depth will surface. M Stein, Coral Springs

I finally got out of Facebook, now I'm less busy, and more happy! How is that for a nod of approval for Tony Crabbe's How to Thrive in a World of Too Much. How to thrive? It's all in there: stop managing your time, stop being productive, stop justifying busy, stop having so many friends! Time management ruined it for us because what it taught us, unintentionally or not, was to multi-task. Everybody got on to this treadmill where they thought, "as long as I keep busy, everything will be OK." We turned "flow" into panic. And it wasn't long before all of us, including children started to "tune out" in order to cope. Or not.

This book instruct us, do not say time is money, say time is opportunity. The opportunity to make an impact, a must in this global economy, weighs more heavily than productivity as it does not take the place of  differentiation. Consider it. It reminded me a little bit of Arianna Huffington's book Thrive where she introduces the concept of “Third Metric of Success." In the same vein as Crabbe's definition of success, she is aware about  money and power being the two the traditional two metrics, but highlights well-being, wisdom, wonder and community giving as the components of a third metric essential for thriving.   

When busyness is deliberately sought, sometimes expensively so, it feels more rewarding even as it becomes a slippery slope, a hard one to come back from. In a world of too much, it is better to let life go; if it comes back to you, it is yours; if it doesn't, it never was. The more you hold on to it, the faster it seems to go. Sit under a tree, throw your head back, savor you not-to-go cup of coffee, smile, read this book, earn your "being and nothingness." Get BUSY  building your inner resources, tend to your emptiness and getting comfortable with your idleness. Learning to thrive is after all an adaptive challenge. You learn as you go. But don't run. Take your time. Run for what? Nadja Atkinson

If you have ever wondered why the most popular time management techniques don't seem to work for you, Busy may be just the help you need.  Rooted in psychological and change theory and grounded in scientific evidence, the information presented in this work can leave you both inspired and depressed.  You will be given many explanations as to why you may have been unsuccessful in accomplishing your "want to's" in life and many suggestions on methodologies to improve both your professional accomplishments and your personal relationships. 

Without sounding overly statistical, Busy supports its theories with examples of studies or people who demonstrate what it proposes.  The reader is introduced to three essential elements to moving beyond busy:  mastery, differentiation, and engagement.  The author assists the readers in looking at themselves and making decisions that can impact them both professionally and personally.  Each chapter includes a summary of the "Big Message" in case you didn't catch it and some "Go-Do" action steps and things to "Experiment." The concepts are practical and doable and really make a lot of sense. I was shocked to learn that I couldn't name my "15" key relationships.   

As a former certified facilitator in one of the most widely used time management techniques, I was fascinated to learn the whys behind behaviors and motivated to do something about areas in which I have always had issues. Tony Crabbe personalized his theories with his own situation without promoting his work or his services.  He even suggested the works of other authors that would be of benefit.  It is not my practice to relate information to others while I am trying to digest it myself.  With this book, I did it often.  I was eager to finish and to implement. Sara Jane Hope, Ridgeland, Mississippi

Tony Crabbe tells us how to avoid being too busy! The answer is to develop a plan to become more efficient with a positive attitude toward life. Efficiency is the answer for a less stressful, easier personal life and for a better business plan.

Crabbe presents a plan thoroughly explaining the best course of action using a positive attitude. He uses examples of both failures and successes.

Some suggestions to become more efficient follow:
Put in writing on paper (yes, writing)  the most important things to focus on for the day.  Now choose 3 !

Write down the 3 most important activities in priority order on a post - it note and stick it where you can see it all day long.  Before turning on the computer or doing anything else, start working on # 1.
It is about attention, not time. One thing at a time.  Avoid distractions. Realize you can't do or have everything!  Know it is all right to say no! Enough is enough!!!!

Optimize your time by taking advantage of time stuck in traffic to listen to language learning tapes for example.

Performance is what matters. Put your values first, have clear goals, think positive, remembering that less is more. Too much often results in failure.

The lyrics to the song "Accentuate the Positive" by Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen summarize Tony Crabbe's book perfectly! "Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with mister in-between, along with the rest of the words make a perfect summary! Everything is perfectly clear and makes sense.
Enjoy the read!!!! Margot Byrnes, Miami

The book is filled with plenty of examples of methods of replacing productivity and use thinking, creativity, and attention to create a large picture.
 Busy is constantly being defined as a work goal of achievement.

The book is divided into three sections Mastery, Differentiation and Engagement.  Mastery defined  as the present conditions of Busy.  
Differentiation defined as success.  Engagement for defining happiness.

The book  makes an interesting read and has a wide variety of ideas and concepts to choose from and apply in our lives. 
This is a great business psychology book.
William Murtada, Miami

Overdosed on advice as to how I can cram more productivity into my hectic days, I was reluctant to take on another volume on the subject. I put my cynicism aside, plunged into “Busy,” and found a horse of an entirely different color. Here was an author spreading the gospel of doing less, not more. Within a few pages I was hooked. After a few chapters, I had done more highlighting, underlining and corner-folding than I have done in my last 10 business books combined. All this in an attempt to hold on to the message of less in a world that keeps asking for more.
As the owner of a creative business, and a resident of the 21st century, I flit from task to text to email to meeting, checking items off my to-do list with intensity and fervor. All this gear-shifting creates inefficiency. “Busy” suggests a different approach. Ignore those emails. Undo that to-do list. Make choices and focus on the things that are important, and get to the small stuff during designated bursts. Pursue depth and real relationships instead of the buzz of busyness.
If one could really apply its lessons, this book could be a life-changer. If we can make clear choices, employ strategy to rethink our priorities, and devalue busy-ness, maybe we can really succeed on another level. I, for one, am going to try. I’m also sharing it with my family and colleagues, to see if we are all up to the challenge of making ourselves more productive and happier, by making ourselves less busy. Robert Kirkpatrick, Miami Beach

This book presents an interesting thesis: improving time management will increase production, but ultimately reduces quality of life and the quality of your output! We are all having to deal with ever increasing streams of input, whether it is email, social media updates or excessive business meetings for those in middle management.  We are so BUSY dealing with the torrents of information coming at us, that we struggle to find time to process all of the information, and have little or no time to get the most important things done.

Crabbe’s reasoning is supported by psychology principals (psychology majors will love this business book), and each section gives great practical tips that define the problem, and then offer practical real life ‘experiments’ to implement to help move from managing information to actually thinking about and engaging in solutions to problems.  This is actually productive, and allows us to achieve a much more fulfilling existence.

I found the reading enjoyable, but really appreciate being able to jump to the helpful exercises in each section.  In the information age, this book provides a helpful guide to navigating the raging stream and making sense out of the clutter. Doramary Russell, Coral Springs

Interesting book that I thought was another Time Management book…surprise…it's a book that says its okay to manage your attention to what you are doing now and not how to manage your time.  In other words, it is okay say no to projects and other tasks in order to concentrate on finishing your current project.  It is okay to base your career not on productivity but by considering success on what matters, and how to put these changes into effect.
The four sections of BUSY - Mastery, Differentiation, Engagement and Momentum show readers how to manage attention not time.  The author shows the reader how to develop a new approach to taking back their life.  It does seem like we have all been overwhelmed by the disease of “busy-ness”, especially since the Internet came hugely popular. Our professional and social lives and are ever more and more consumed by a world of “too much”. This book guides us toward becoming healthier, happier and successful as human beings. It presents research and best practices along with interesting stories and strategies to help the reader truly thrive in today’s busy world.
“How are you doing?” is usually followed by the response “busy” at some point. All around the world people seem over-whelmed; exhausted; in the face of the machine. We keep up, our technology, but we keep falling behind.
What I took away from this book is the following:
Stop managing your time!
It is no longer possible to do it all, or to get on top: there is too much to do. All time management does is is splinter time into smaller fragments; we cram and squeeze activity into every second of our day; we stay busy, but in doing so, we stop thinking and breathing.  So, time management becomes the problem, not the solution!
Stop being so productive!
Having people “work hard” seemed to be the biggest management challenge! Now in some cases that problem is solved; almost everyone works hard. But we still play the “more game”. We assume if we produce more than others, if we respond more quickly, we will succeed or be more of a success. We probably will not since we cannot put our full effort to making “all” our projects excellent. In fact, all this “productivity” can be seen as a weak substitute for genuine impact and differentiation; the things that matter in the information age.
Stop justifying busy
Busy is self-defeating. We tell ourselves that we are busy so we can succeed, either for our loved ones or for our happiness. But as we get caught up in this “busyness”, we tend to disconnect from relationships and activities that probably matter more to us. As we disconnect we damage the very relationships and happiness we are trying to improve.
Stop having so many friends!
Social media is great!  We can maintain all those distant relationships that otherwise wither; but there is a downside: it is another demand we have to manage. In simple terms, the greatest benefit from relationships does not come from the many but the few. In actual fact, aiming or being popular may be bad for you, from a health and happiness perspective! Forrest Carper

Busy was an enjoyable read.  It details that no matter how occupied we might be in our lives, there is always a way to simplify it.  He talks about how it's not enough to just think it, you have to actually change your behavior.  This can involve not just our work schedules but our home life, too.
It is important to make wise choices to get the most out of our day.  Confidence is a big plus in trying to accomplish this. The author breaks this down in simple tables.
I would recommend this book no matter how busy you are or think you might be.  Try to find the time to read it. Terri Bryant, Davie

This book is written for busy people!  At the end of each chapter there is an overview of the material covered "The Big Messages" as well as homework to put in practice what we just learned: "Go-Do", very useful for those that only browse through books.

Tony Crabbe discusses the importance of focus, prioritization, problem solving and innovation. The "less is more" philosophy is the theme throughout the book. The target audience is career minded employees, but the chapter about branding (ch. 7) has excellent application for the self-employed and business owners as well.

The "What I have learned" chapter is excellent, because we can see that this book is not theoretical, but empirical. It gives us a glimpse of how the author practiced what he is trying to teach us.

And I also liked the "Other Books to Read" section. All in all great book and worthy of the readers' time regardless of how "busy" we are. Liliana Delara

This book goes to the point and cuts the frosting of the wording. That's why I wasn't "too busy" to read it.  Enjoyable, practical reminding us to go to organize priorities and balance your actions of tie consumption. EJ "Henry"Ventura Jr. – Miami

As someone who is guilty of being busy all the time, I was forced to rethink my lifestyle when I read How to Thrive In A World of Too Much Busy. In his book, author Tony Crabbe wakes us up to the reality that many of us are pushing ourselves, driving ourselves to be always on when the body and brain aren't designed for it. Rather than just point out the problem, Crabbe offers solutions. Overall, his solutions are common sense. However, by using research to explain how and why we need to change our daily habits, Crabbe makes busting busy seem possible.

Rather than fall into busy by default, Crabbe tells reader to make our primary driver for activity internal "what do I want to achieve?" He urges us to make tough choices with our time, set limits on too much, and to make time in our day for thinking. He also suggests we stop taking busyness so seriously and inject playfulness into our lives to feel less overwhelmed and more creative.

At a time when distraction is rampant, managing attention has become a hot topic and Crabbe lays out an argument for changing our mindset by focusing on the moment or task at hand. When we get caught up in the relentless washing machine spin of fears and concerns, he wants us to immerse ourselves in a single task and allow ourselves to delay our worries for later. The goal is to maximize chunks of focused time, he asserts.

Where other self-help books focus on time management, Crabbe goes deeper to urge us to think differently and examine our values as we navigate the endless quest for success by doing and acquiring more. Instead of striving for more, Crabbe tells us to focus on doing what we love and where we are strong. At the end of each section he gives readers a Go-Do box with steps to take to change our behavior. Making changes is hard work, especially when by being busy, we actually get to feel productive while procrastinating. Most of us need to figure out a better way to work and live and Crabbe gives us a new, well-thought-out approach to move us toward change.
As someone who is guilty of being busy all the time, I was forced to rethink my lifestyle when I read How to Thrive In A World of Too Much Busy. In his book, author Tony Crabbe wakes us up to the reality that many of us are pushing ourselves, driving ourselves to be always on when the body and brain aren't designed for it. Rather than just point out the problem, Crabbe offers solutions. Overall, his solutions are common sense. However, by using research to explain how and why we need to change our daily habits, Crabbe makes busting busy seem possible.

Rather than fall into busy by default, Crabbe tells reader to make our primary driver for activity internal "what do I want to achieve?" He urges us to make tough choices with our time, set limits on too much, and to make time in our day for thinking. He also suggests we stop taking busyness so seriously and inject playfulness into our lives to feel less overwhelmed and more creative.

At a time when distraction is rampant, managing attention has become a hot topic and Crabbe lays out an argument for changing our mindset by focusing on the moment or task at hand. When we get caught up in the relentless washing machine spin of fears and concerns, he wants us to immerse ourselves in a single task and allow ourselves to delay our worries for later. The goal is to maximize chunks of focused time, he asserts.

Where other self-help books focus on time management, Crabbe goes deeper to urge us to think differently and examine our values as we navigate the endless quest for success by doing and acquiring more. Instead of striving for more, Crabbe tells us to focus on doing what we love and where we are strong. At the end of each section he gives readers a Go-Do box with steps to take to change our behavior. Making changes is hard work, especially when by being busy, we actually get to feel productive while procrastinating. Most of us need to figure out a better way to work and live and Crabbe gives us a new, well-thought-out approach to move us toward change. Cindy Krischer Goodman

There is certainly a lot of books, articles, and videos on one or more aspects of time management. This book has taken a very unique approach while at the same time remaining true to some of the tactics and tools that have been around for decades. The best thing about this book from my perspective was the chapter on Managing Attention in the section of the book referred to as Mastery. The other sections were Differentiation and Engagement. The chapter on attention was one of the more unique approaches to self-help that I’ve read recently. I guess that I had just never thought about getting more done or juggling my time issues in that way. If you read that chapter carefully you will come away with a greater appreciation for managing your focus as a most helpful approach for getting things done. I have often felt myself working mentally with 2 or 3 things at the same time. I think that I enjoyed the intellectual challenge. However, I have found myself recently missing the right brain file or putting in a file and losing it. I do write things down on sticky notes and the author would say that I a good idea.

Today I had a couple of things going on in my brain (this review, writing my blog, reviewing an infograph). The ideas were swirling. I referred to the last couple of pages of my favorite chapter and came across an idea that straightened myself out…I needed to use intentional attention and meandering rather than meandering mind wandering attention. It paid off for me. That is the sign of a book worth reading and keeping as a helpful tool for the future. Bob Preziosi, Davie

Tony Crabbe’s book, HOW TO THRIVE IN A WORLD OF TOO MUCH BUSY (or “BUSY” for short),  was one of the best nonfiction books I’ve read in a long time.  I’ve enjoyed participating in Richard Pachter’s Business Book Club, and reading some good, not-so-good, and great business and organizational effectiveness books over the years.  This one was GREAT!  It came at a time in my life where I’m retired, only teach at the university as an adjunct when *I* want to, and have time to share with family and friends here in North Carolina, as well as back in Florida.  I love being a grandmother, and being able to help family and good friends out whenever I can….   And I’ve been able to handle “whenever I can” fine – until this past month (when, coincidentally, I was trying to get this book review on “BUSY” back to Mr. Pachter by the deadline!)

I also belong to a wonderful national charitable organization, and our “Gala” was scheduled for this past month.  We have a relatively small lodge – just about 50 members – and even smaller volunteer staff of workers.  This year, for various reasons, we had even less than the small amount making preparations and following through with preparation, participation, and follow-up of the “Gala.”    Well – things HAD to be done, and HAD to be done in a certain way, at a certain time…  and, all of a sudden, I was thrust into what I had managed to avoid for the past two years – a world of Too Much Busy!

“Busy” reaffirmed that we all can handle only so many things well before we start mishandling things – getting sloppy, getting irritated, getting sick (including “sick and tired”), and so on.   I like the way Crabbe busted busy-ness.  In his Preface (as with every chapter of his book), he presented a concept and then gave concrete examples of why he said what he said, backing it up with real-life instances and examples.  I found myself agreeing with everything he had to say and loving the way he presented his concepts. I actually feel he helped me make it through some of our last-month crises by reminding me that it doesn’t have to be this way the next time – that there are actions to be taken to survive the world of too much busy.

I want to teach this book!  Crabbe covers well-known theories of psychology, education, and business while presenting his concepts, which gives the book even more validity.  Chapters such as Stop Managing Your Time! (…and Go Surfing),  and Stop Striving for “More”! (Put Your Values First) grab your attention…and would make great speeches with almost any group of people, because the core concepts are those we all face. He ends each chapter with “The Big Messages” or summaries of each chapter, and then has a final GO-DO section of things to do to satisfy the goal, and EXPERIMENT with the concept by trying it out.  This is a wonderful way to teach a concept, and Tony Crabbe hits the nail on the head with practical advice on how to change what needs to be changed in your life, your family, and your organizations. Betty G Hubschman – Whitsett, NC

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Club Reviews: A WORLD GONE SOCIAL

A World Gone Social: How Companies Must Adapt to Survive by Ted Coine, Mark Babbitt. AMACOM. 256 Pages
The very first statement in the Forward is dead on!  After 38 years as COO of a 14,000 member organization in the "defense business" I can tell you mass advertising is almost useless, a relic of the past.  Today it is all about customer contact and that means social.  It is pointed out so very well that the key is engagement.  It is very true today that business executives do not write the rules, customers do!  Customers want to voice their opinions and be heard and they want their thoughts acted upon.  Anything else brings inevitable death for a business.  Customers today no longer tolerate being ignored.  This being social today just has to be the "new normal" because it is also what our associates are demanding in the workplace.  As it points out the big issue is not social media, FB, Twitter or some other platform, it is transparency with customers and associates.  Trust is the new competitive advantage.  Organizations must adapt or die!  Peter Aceto gives the bottom line right up front "Less jargon, more sincerity...Less propaganda, more value...Less process, more humanity."  The authors tell us that the 20th century attempts organizations used to fine tune the status quo, Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, the Lean Movement are not real change.  Real change is human change.  It ain't easy but it is essential!  If you are leader of an organization or any part of it, YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!  Because my space is limited, I just want to share with you a few key points from the book:

Today's organizations find themselves in a catch up mode trying to seize the moment before opportunity passes.  Organizations are just getting into the social age so they can lead, not follow.  Today way to many executives see "social media" as all hype and this must change! Executives must recognize that today the majority of the workforce are Millennials who think differently and they think social.  The authors say so very well, "We as organizations and leaders must adopt social, collaboration, open environment or we simply won't survive.  For many of us who are still entrenched in the old way, we must adapt and change!  If not, we need to get out of the way.  The authors make this critical point, "The powers that be-those previously  able to hoard knowledge-are now impotent rulers and the powers that were."  The article about Stan Phelps purple goldfish is insightful but you will have to read the book to learn more.  Social is how business is done and it works because we are social creatures.  Social media allows us to be more of us.  And we must recognize that both good and bad are magnified in the social media. For sure as the authors share, "the customer holds all the cards."  Businesses do business like the customer wants to do business or they decline and die in time.  Social media provides the customer "a good and bad voice."  Enough bad voices can kill you!  Engagement is key today.  It is no longer a top down issue.Everyone in a business must be engaged to be successful.  In the online era, an online community is critical.  Successful organizations have large online communities that are sharing and self-learning.  And here is the bottom line-"Those unwilling to change will cease to exist."  Key to remember in today's social world is that large is a relic of the past and even large organizations best find a way to be small to survive.  "Flat" is the new normal.  Organization associates from bottom to top must be empowered to make decisions.  Hierarchy is DEAD!  We must have ordinary people with an extraordinary network fully engaged and making decisions.  Jim Claussen says, "My passion is the social organization-or rather bringing the social leader to organizations.  Right now they are about as common as blue unicorn."  So this tells us, we have a very long way to go.  It is pointed out that successful CEO's today must be social and above all they must be sincere.  There is a sense or urgency and there are no two-day courses.  As John Carlzon so appropriately says, "If you are not serving the customer, you job is serving someone who is."  Lest we forget, in today's world, the customer is KING!  Chapter 12 does a wonderful job of sharing that customer service is a leadership issue and we must have leadership by example.Social media is marketing.  John Wanamaker points out that "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, the trouble is I can't figure out which half."  Open collaboration is our new normal.  The authors conclude by saying, ours is a world gone wild and to survive you must be on the social bandwagon.
READ this book!
Doug Newberry

I felt A World Gone Social is definitely a timely book & one much needed at this time in our society.  It gives good tips about what to do & what not to do to stay relevant in today's workplace.  Whether doing business globally or locally, we all can learn some new ideas when going online.  We are no longer in the Flintstones era but have progressed to the Jetsons.  The authors break down the segments nicely & in an easy to read format. Terri Bryant, Davie

A World Gone Social can be summarized in 2 single words -personal interaction. The personalization of one human interacting with others and in groups sharing feelings,thoughts,ideas and philosophies via any form of internet forum, Twitter, Facebook , Linkedin etc. will be the glue that will cement relations with customers, clients,  competitors, employees that will shape the corporate and business strategy of the future. 
This well written and documented book can serve as a primer for the whys and how tos  of implementing and using this approach in business, personal advancement, customer service, reputation maintenance and marketing for the 21 century.
The authors showed concrete examples and thorough knowledge of the subject and presented the concepts in an easy to understand and implement format. Highly recommended and hope to use this information in my own medical practice. Marv Stein, Coral Springs


"Social Media" "Social World" how do I as a business leader/manager, employee, job seeker learn to use it to stay competitive in this new computer driven world. Co-authors Mark Babbitt and Ted Coiné provide you the guide on using this new world that not only betters you but makes you a success!
Do not fear the social world, embrace it. 
Society is undergoing revolutionary changes, in order to excel so must business. Personal engagement with employees and customers alike builds trust and loyalty. In this present shock world, a business cannot think that what was said years ago matters anymore. Coine and Babbitt outline and detail a step-by-step playbook on how to identify and fix a failing Industrial Age system and how to forecast a successful system.  
Their "OPEN" concept – Ordinary People, Extraordinary Network - gives you the knowledge that you cannot afford to leave talent, skills, engagement and contribution of many on the table. Decision-making and taking action on the most important strategic issues are no the job of a few but of everyone. 
Customer Service is the leadership issue in this Social Age, customer experience comes first. Businesses and those who want to succeed in bringing their business or message to the masses need to understand how people today are getting their information and what drives them to get involved. Forrest Carper

A World Gone Social serves as a slap of reality to managers who must either hop on the social media train or cower as it runs them over.  The book, however, also provides a guide to addressing the issues surrounding companies' policies concerning and use of social media as a business tool.
My business and I have accounts on Twitter and LinkedIn. I keep up with old friends and new on Facebook and Instagram.  A World Gone Social made my organization's social media presence feel stunningly inept and inactive. The book case studies had me running to the company manual to update our employee social media policy.
A World Gone Social confirms that flat is the new black, and companies must develop strategies for social media that integrate multiple levels of organizational planning including marketing sales, and even production, and that allow for previously unimaginable creativity and interaction inside the company and with clients.
The chapters and sections were separated into manageable pieces, which allowed for reading a little or a lot.  The subject matter and writing style kept me taking on just one more chunk before putting down the book.
Maybe after reading A World Gone Social, I will be able to evolve from a dinosaur into a blue unicorn. Scott D. Rembold, Coral Gables

What does this book have to do with dinosaurs?  They are extinct because of something they didn't see coming or have control over. Social media is having the same effect for business owners who don’t embrace it. Am I a dinosaur? Maybe, just maybe I have had the layers of the onion peeled back for me by reading A World Gone Social by Ted Coine and Mark Babbitt.
As building relationships is the fundamental basis for any business relationship ultimately resulting in profits, now more so than ever this is true.  Using “social” to create trust and “giving” to others rather than looking at “what’s in it for me” is the game changer.
I owned a manufacturing business from the late 70’s through 2007.  Just as social was coming of age I transitioned out of owning a “brick and mortar” business. Now I am working in my own network marketing business. Am I social? Good question. Reading this book is a game changer for me.
So I am going social! I am updating my Facebook page, I am tweeting, participating in LinkedIn conversations, listening to Podcasts and learning to do Podcasts myself. All of this because of reading this book. I believe just as there are no coincidences, I was and am ready for these changes.
A special thanks to you Richard and the connection that has been in place since your days at the Miami Herald doing business book reviews. Tom Hinz, Blue Lake, CA

A World Gone Social seems to have the overall theme of "meet your customers, clients, employers, employees where they are now"
I recommend this book for anyone looking at starting a business as it goes through the history of businesses and how they attracted clients and were managed to where we are today with 3D printers and flat organizations.
As you read and reread the chapters you discover ordinary people are now managers and when a job is done you move on to the next.
Great book and a text to study whether you are a college grad seeking employment or a company finding your customers. Cynergy Egbert

With computers taking over the world of business, it was inevitable that the social net work would follow.
Communication is easy and wide open to everyone. Ideas, thoughts, opinions, and an enormous amount of information is available to share and contribute to.
All manner of opinions, either positive or negative, go viral on the internet,especially if there are visuals included, even if the information is from the past. The information can still be used to destroy a business or anyone working there.
People have many "so-called friends" on face book to share with. There are even lists to add your opinion to that have turned into actual money making businesses. This can be good or bad, depending on the action or reaction of those involved. Unfortunately, social networking can turn into digital bullying resulting in negative results for companys and people as well.
A World Gone Social written by Ted Coine and Mark Babbit  is the perfect survival guide for those who wish to survive in this social driven world where more transparency and accountability are demanded from customers who are better informed. Margot Byrnes, Miami

When leadership of a Business is more conscious of social media, employee’s care more due to a “feel to fail” mentality.  I found the Authors gave clear examples of how to correct mistakes quickly and staying relevant in the growing social landscape are key’s to learning and thriving in the future.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking to make a greater impact Socially. Peter Kihn, Sterling Heights MI

A World Gone Social is the book to  bring you up to speed on the rising tide of social media.  Not only will you learn social’s impact on how business is done, but also learn the importance of jumping in right away if you haven’t already!  The good news is, it is not too late.  Social platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In and others) are transforming how business is done and what it means to be OPEN (“Ordinary People Extraordinary Network”) for business. 
The insightful analysis of business trends shows that businesses are already moving away from traditional management hierarchies (and so avoiding the ‘management tax’) and toward increasing use of  crowdsourced information and expertise.  The authors show that Social is a definite game changer and dynamic force, similar to the industrial revolution.  It is clear that the information age has matured, and Social Media is disrupting the status quo.  Great handling of this topic – entertaining and a smart lexicon on social media – a must read. Doramary Russell, Coral Springs

My first impression of the business practices this book supports, like to “take your business practices and organization online” was would it really work?   Then I remembered the thesis of a recent book by Siva Vaidhyanathan, called The Googlization of Everything (and why we should worry)  and I thought “be careful”, there might be a tradeoff in this philosophy.  Do we really have to network our personal lives with our work associates, into the business product?  And if we do this, despite the accolades Silicone Valley organizations get, does it necessarily improve organizations and create a successful business model?
I get the point of staying in touch with coworkers when much of our processes are becoming impersonal with no water cooler or lunch breaks, but going to this level with the competition and the customer base is dubious and taking risks.  And what is the purpose of going there, if the primary result is messiness and a complicating waste of time because we’ve overstepped our boundaries.  In large organizations where is a place for families?  Really ...on the net?
Where does the chat and twitter become a real factor, or obfuscation?.  In business there are standards and legal limits that must be maintained,  as anybody whose been stung by an eBay deal can attest to.  This hearsay model of business might be undependable at best.  So why go there?  If this is the new business climate, my question becomes  “Does it meet the customer’s standards and their needs enough to be successful or is the result a throwback and longing for “face-to-face dependability”? James Swaner, Miami Shores

I devoured this book! It helped bring me up to date and is helping me transition from the dinosaur era into the Social Era. I understand what it’s talking about, it’s very easy to read and it makes so much sense. My favorite part was the example of 100 CIOs in an hour, when Ted set out to show the CEO of a company why he needed a social media strategist by using Twitter to identify and, as it turned out, converse with,  100 CIOs. He reached over 1000!  In an hour.

It delights me that the world is becoming more human again, and that the way to beat the bigger is better philosophy is occurring on-line. This book makes it clear that authenticity matters and that honesty really is a good policy. People respond to real. The best takeaway I took from this book is that I no longer view the time I spend on Facebook as a waste of time. Instead, I view it as a productive way of keeping in touch. We may not see each other face to face as much as in decades past, but we can still visit with each other and keep in touch in  a meaningful way. We can all be helpful and participate in being part of the human race, from the comfort of our own devices. As a solopreneur, this is good to know. Welcome to the Social Age. Now go and engage. Anne Bloom Ft. Lauderdale

What an interesting and easy to read book; The World Gone Social is a collaboration between two known authors each in his domain; Ted Coine (leadership development) and Mark Babbitt (social media).
The book is written in a blended style with great emphasize on a flow that takes the reader step by step through the maze of individuals topics.  The headings selected for each segment of each chapter inform the reader well ahead about what to anticipate.
As an industrial psychologist who help the occupiers of the “C” Suite maneuver the landscape of their daily emerging challenges, I see this book as a “Must Read” in every library of a leader of small to medium size organization.
While the average entrepreneur seem to consider social media is outward looking activity, the authors emphasize the like between the “ identity “ of the company which is developed internally and the “image” which is the reflection of the organization outward.  By offering this unique perspective, the authors suggesting that the social media engagement should be look at from a broader perspective and everyone should be involve to their capacity with the input related to the content presented on social media. In summary the book is well written, offers a balanced set of ideas, easy to understand and follow. Doron Zilbershtein, Miami

There is a whole new world out there. As a social media neophyte, this book was eye opening and extremely informative.  I really enjoyed the examples and comparison stories of how companies or individuals used the power of social media to impact their agenda. The best story of all is the United Airlines guitar incident.  After growing his viral video to over 11 million viewers, he is now on the speaking circuit talking about the situation among other things.    
From a business standpoint, a huge take-away is the difference between the companies that engage in social media and the ones who use it for self serving purposes.  It's apparent the ones who engage will still be around in the future.  However, there is a significant business opportunity for someone who can assist those "dinosaur" companies that don't understand the engagement factor.
Overall, a must read for someone who needs to understand the power of social media. Greg Alexander, Plymouth, MN


The title of this book piqued my interest.  Social Media, for example, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. (the writer is a member of these and other Popular Social Media sites) has become a major force in our world society along with the advancements of Smartphones, Pads and computers.  These devices are used in communicating and searching for information.  These devices are plentiful and are what makes Social Media so popular.
The book is about reasons that businesses (including the top people) should use and be acquainted with Social Media.  These reasons to use Social Media are primarily to be in personal contact with the customer and also to solve issues through your following in Social Media (Called in the book - OPEN, Ordinary People Extraordinary Network).
 I think all the major retailers such as Target, Home Depot, Walmart and others already use Social Media extensively for marketing purposes.  This is called business to consumer selling.
Some of the reasons presented for using Social Media are not valid examples and may not be justified.  This is particularly true for Business to Business selling.
There is an added cost in the use of Social Media.  The book indicates that Social Media should be used instead of traditional marketing methods such as print, TV and other Media. This will keep the total marketing cost about the same.  It does seem to be true that Social Media will give you more contact with the customer and help you solve problems or get information quickly, but at what cost?
Social Media is hard to evaluate in its effectiveness, but the book does acknowledge that and gives arguments on why companies should do Social Media.
The book is a good sales tool for the authors if you plan to be more involved in Social Media their consulting would be useful.  The book states that they have been involved with Social Media almost from its birth.
 We do need to learn about Social Media and where it is going.  The book is helpful in detecting what the trends are for Social Media.    Gordon Ettie Miami, FL

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