Review: THE CASE OF THE MISSING CUTLERY

The Case of the Missing Cutlery: A Leadership Course for the Rising Star. Kevin Allen.

Short book, short review.

When I wrote a weekly biz books column for the Miami Herald, I imposed a few limitations, which I communicated to publishers, publicists and authors. Among them, “No parables,” after I’d covered “Who Moved My Cheese,” a popular but obvious tale about the perils of resisting change.

Fables and parables seemed like lazy and contrived ways to teach a lesson. And they were multiplying like vermin. Far too many to take seriously, I decided. Surely there are plenty of real-world examples available.
 
Indeed! Kevin Allen provides a great one here. His account is a perfect illustration of the most important qualities and behaviors required for leadership, based on his own experience managing a diverse team at NYC's JFK Airport. The brief tale is clearly conveyed and a pleasure to read.

That’s the first 14 pages of this 60-page book. The rest of it is ok, but laden with less compelling nuggets, formulas, quotes and the like. With respect to Mr. Case, it’s not needed. Very little of it seems new, fresh or revelatory. It’s not, by any means, horrible, though a real letdown after that first great part.

But if you want to read a terrific, telling and true tale that teaches, consider the lesson provided by The Case of the Missing Cutlery. The remainder of the book is entirely optional.

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Club Reviews: THE CASE OF THE MISSING CUTLERY

The Case of the Missing Cutlery: A Leadership Course for the Rising Star. Kevin Allen.

Easy to read and understand!  I really enjoyed this book, starting with the opening story of his early management trial.   He presents very practical insight into group dynamics, group management and problem solving.

I attended many "Leadership Courses" while in the military and this book puts everything we spent months going over into a nice concise, straight to the point  book.  The real life examples Mr. Allen uses are great!!  He gives us the leadership skills a person needs to be aware of intermingled with concrete examples and practical exercises.  

His writing style gives confidence and his identification of the "Gang of Four" is so right.

I feel this book is a good read for anyone interested in business management, sociology or psychology and would find this book enjoyable, practical and useful.  This is especially true for those new graduates of our business schools and military leadership courses who have a lot of theory but little in the way of tools to lead.

If a person takes the time to ponder the relevance of their own experience and apply his insights that person will have a starting point in their own development as a leader. Forrest Carper

It’s a very short book that could be even shorter.  I found it to be very repetitive as Allen continually reminds us of his successful “Priceless” ad campaign with Master Card, and how his likable personality made him a successful leader.   As for solving …”the case of the missing cutlery”, it seems to me it didn’t take any genius to go to the commissary and observe what was going on to quickly solve that mystery.  Then in lieu of a reprimand you enlist the guilty to trying to figure out a remedy.

The so called 'leadership lessons’ are just basic common sense examples of how you can accomplish more with honey, etc.  To take five chapters to deal with the cutlery case is an example of trying to stretch out a thesis lacking in actual worth.  I didn’t like the book at all and felt as though I was reading a grade school primer. Emily Gilday

Great book, short and precise and buoyant!

I was lucky and started right from college into management, but reading this book I see so many mistakes I made, not realizing how to deal with people I managed, I only focused on getting the job done.

Using these techniques would have made my life a lot easier!

I hope all future managers read this book and respect those they manage as people, rather than just getting the job done.

I am hoping to get back into the workforce, although with the economy it is tough.

This book has also helped me revise my resume and I give it a "thumbs up"! Cynergy

I have read and found Kevin Allen's book, The Case of the Missing Cutlery very interesting.  And since Kevin spent  many of his professional career years at Marriott, my favorite hotel chain, I was into the book as soon as I received it.  As you know it is a small book and a very easy quick read.  I spent the first 38 years of a 50 year career in the business world being at the top of a very large organization.  So I have experienced many time what Kevin presents in his "Case."  All too often people who may be well intention just keep doing what seems right but is costly and wrong.  They fail to come up with the right decision.  I like this idea of going undercover.  I know many times as I slipped into spots where I was not usually seen in my organizations I witnessed many things that may have felt right but were not.  And as Kevin found, they are clearly not in the best interest of our customers/clients.

Since I traveled extensively for many years I spent lots of time in airports, on planes and in hotels so I started extensive reading and for over 45 years read more than 100 books a year.  I have read extensively and am a student of leadership so much of my reading was on leadership.  One thing novel about Kevin's book is the use of the term buoyancy.  And Kevin uses it to remind us of the absolute need to adjust, sometimes start over and sometimes entirely scrap the way we do things in an effort to do what is both right and better.

I would recommend this book to all leaders.  You just can't go wrong reading material that is right on target and can be read quickly. Doug Newberry

The Case of the Missing Cutlery is a short simple book that pushes the doctrine that effective leadership and problem solving involves more than a scientific approach. The team leader or manager must relate to his members by listening, learning, trusting and most importantly empathizing in order to engender mutual respect and cooperation.

This message resonates the same in all industries and organizations.

Truly if people learned how to respect trust and be honest with each other what a better world we would live in. Marvin Stein, Coral Springs

Short.  Easy to read.  Informative.  Great resource.  A must read for all new and experienced leaders who want to lead others and succeed in today's global business environment.  The principals Kevin introduces are easily relatable and can be successfully applied to any situation that involves people and goals.  This is a book that you definitely want to keep at "arms length". Alex Camacho

I felt the book was short & sweet.  It almost felt like I was reading the Cliff’s Notes version of the actual book, as the author managed to cut to the chase & get right down to the good stuff.  Important reading for a novice in the business industry or anyone that wants to brush up on their leadership skills. Terri Bryant Davie, FL

I kind of liked the idea behind The Case of the Missing Cutlery. When a book promotes itself as a Leadership Course for the Rising Star as written by a successful tycoon, you expect you'll get an anecdotal review of situational learning which is how this little(60pages) work starts out.  In this "case" however the old adage Good things come is Small Packages, applies.

Despite the glitch vocabulary like:  we'll catalyse your organization to achieve balance through organizational analysis and reach flow;  there are some good behavioral lessons being promoted by this interesting 'I learned from experience" guru.

According to Allen, it is all about a way of thinking, and his application of the lessons which others have developed more fully(like Daniel Pink maybe) to mobilize intrinsic motivation in the practical situations, for the good of people rather the extrinsic, rapidly becoming archaic rules from business standards.

   The take-away from this story is not original though: when faced with a crisis - Take Action collectively

1. Acknowledge a problem

2. Consider possibilities

3. Target the cause

4.  Inspire confidence

5. Organize the right team

6. Nominate a catalyst to drive through to a successful conclusion

The people that you inspire, who believe in your shared values, create the conditions of buoyancy that sustain the solutions long enough to reach sustainability. This reaches beyond extrinsic motivators of the carrot and stick approach.  Have we heard this before?  its oft repeated. The presentation of this message is the same, despite a curious promotional twist, that seems like a add campaign, at http://www.buoyantleader.com/

But he saves the best for last.  Don't miss the virtual connections that  Kevin Allen creates to get the management lessons he's learned across.  Yes, it saved the book; you can log into a game simulation to practice these applications - a Game Theory final for the course.  Take  a look, its an original that justifies the cost of the printing. Jim Swaner  Miami Shores

The book is more of an introduction since the topics are simple  originate from complex hospitality business scenarios.  Thebuoyantleader.com may provide the missing sections of this small, short, brief read which  is similar to a text blog with a bit of artist description.  The topics include the change from a dictatorship economy to demand economy.   Also, qualities such as listening, learning, challenges and readiness fall under the new title of this book  The Short Case of  the Buoyant Leader. William Murtada

This book is an effective leaders guide to leadership. A light and easy read will propel its reader from simply a person in leadership to a motivated and effective leader. This should be a mandatory read for all MBA students. Deidre Campbell

The case of the missing cutlery is a book  written in a style of storytelling which is unique to most leadership books that are published.  This style  makes the book easy to read and enjoyable. The concept of leadership is expressed  in the book  in a clear and precise way, however I found it somewhat superficial.  Human behavior is very complex and interactions between individuals and situations makes it almost impossible to make predictions of what works with certainty.  Plenty has been said and written about effective leadership and  just like diets, there is no  one single good answer. The book shows the importance  of making  genuine connections with employees. It  also exemplifies the value of establishing a trusting relationship between leaders and followers. Pilar Somoza
 
Great book – fast read. Wish my previous bosses had read this lexicon on leadership!  Love the clear demonstration of how to achieve buy-in and drive productivity, solve problems and improve job satisfaction, from executive suite down to the factory floor trenches.  Pass this one along to everyone who works with others! Doramary Russell Coral Springs

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Next Book: THE CASE OF THE MISSING CUTLERY

The Case of the Missing Cutlery: A Leadership Course for the Rising Star. Kevin Allen.

From The Publisher
Kevin Allen, author of the Wall Street Journal best-selling The Hidden Agenda: A Proven Way to Win Business and Create a Following, is back, with a fabulously entertaining (and true) tale of a newly minted leader made buoyant during The Case of the Missing Cutlery: A Leadership Course for the Rising Star. As a young manager at an airline catering facility, Kevin had to find out why silverware was disappearing at a rapid clip. The route to solving this mystery of The Case of the Missing Cutlery results in Kevin learning to rise to the occasion, to become a leader who inspires followers and is able to rely on their hard work and support. For those who might find reading about leadership success at the Fortune 50 level inspiring but too far removed from their experience, the author offers up this down-to-earth story of an everyday employee turned rising star. The Case of the Missing Cutlery also provides exercises and further examples to bring the leadership messages home.

About the Author
Kevin Allen is Founder & Chairman of employee engagement company Planet Jockey, which specializes in gamified learning and collaborative mentorship platforms, and re:kap, a business transformation company which counts Burberry, Smythson, Swedbank and Verizon among its global clients. He is recognized as one of the world’s most accomplished growth professionals.

With decades at the top of advertising giants McCann-WorldGroup, the Interpublic Group and Lowe and Partners Worldwide, Kevin worked with such brands as MasterCard — developing the globally famous “Priceless” campaign — Microsoft, Marriott, Smith Barney, Nestle, L’Oreal, Lufthansa and Johnson & Johnson, and was an early part of Rudy Giuliani’s team that prepared the way for the successful Mayoral election and turnaround strategies for the City of New York.

An academy instructor at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Eurobest Festival, and a visiting lecturer at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and the European Business School at Regents College London, Kevin is a featured speaker at companies like Google, Microsoft and has appeared on BBC.

Read an excerpt here.

His website is here
And an excerpt from the website follows below ...
OUR TAKE AWAY FROM THE CASE OF THE MISSING CUTLERY

1. To provide a proven treatise on the concepts of contemporary leadership you can apply right away.
2. To outfit you with implementable practical methods and tools to use in your leadership journey.
3. To structure a "course" with task and applications you and others can apply in context of your practical working environment.
4. To equip you with a in the minute reference guide you can refer to when you confront new and challenging leadership situations.

Want to review this book? It's free! Please send your name and U.S. terrestrial mailing address here.

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Review: Unlimited Sales Success

Review by Richard Pachter

Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy. Amacom Books. 272 pages.

If you wanted to learn how to ride a bicycle, could you do so by reading a book? How about watching a video or listening to an audio program?
Of course not, yet sales books always seem to be popular, with new ones appearing with startling regularity.
One of my longtime favorites is Soft Selling In A Hard World by Jerry Vass. I read it upon my boss’ recommendation several lifetimes ago. Its consultative approach immediately appealed to me. But as many times as I studied and performed the recommended exercises, it wasn’t until I started making actual sales calls that it became real for me.
Fortunately, this is implicit in most sales books; far from providing a rote formulas or recipes, the best of them offer a strong framework and rich toolbox of tactics to apply to a variety sales strategies. But until you’re actually trying to apply the lessons in a real and usually unpredictable setting, it’s just a lot of dreams and theory.
This book is no different in that respect. But it distinguishes itself from the pack by Tracy (abetted by his son). Their writing is sharp and clear, and very relatable. The style is personal and the persona is quite personable.
Brian Tracy’s written tons of books on sales, marketing, presentation and more. He occasionally recycles stories (like the one recalled herein about finding an effective sales close, and then refusing to do callbacks), but he’s an authoritative and experienced guy, and this book is a superb summary of his ideas and principles.
Is it a substitute for experience? Of course not. But before you get on your bicycle — or shortly after you begin peddling — it’s valuable to know how to navigate down this difficult path.
 
Here’s an excerpt: “When I began my sales career, I knew nothing of the skills and techniques you are about to learn. I did not graduate from high school. I worked at laboring jobs for several years. When I could no longer find a laboring job, in desperation, I got into straight commission sales, cold-calling one office after another in the daytime and houses and apartments in the evenings.
I got the three-part sales training program that is common worldwide: ‘Here are your cards, here are your brochures, there’s the door.’
If I didn’t sell, I didn’t eat. I got up every morning at six and was waiting in the parking lot when people came to work at eight o’clock. My sales results were terrible. I was making just enough sales to eat and to pay for a small room in a boardinghouse. I had holes in my shoes, empty pockets, and no future.
A Life-Changing Event
Then I did something that changed my life. I went to the top salesman in our office, a man a few years older than me who was selling ten times as much as anyone else. And he wasn’t even working very hard! He always had a pocketful of money. He went to nice restaurants and nightclubs. He drove a new car and lived in a beautiful apartment.
I took a deep breath and went up to him and asked him outright, “What are you doing differently? How is it that you are making so many more sales than me, or anyone else?” He looked at me with surprise and then said, ‘Well, if you want some help, show me your sales presentation and I will critique it for you.’
Now, I admitted that I had heard there was such a thing as a ‘sales presentation.’ But it was like the far side of the moon, something I had never actually seen in reality. I told the top salesman that when I called on customers, I simply said whatever fell out of my mouth.
He said, ‘No. No. No. Selling is a profession. It is both a science and an art. It follows a logical, orderly process from the first step through to the closing of the sale and the satisfied customer. Let me give you an example of a sales presentation.’
He then sat me down and asked me questions, commenting as he went along, exactly as if I were a prospective customer for our product. Instead of talking continually, as I did when I got in front of a prospect, he asked questions in a logical sequence, leading from the general to the particular, from qualifying me as a prospect through to closing the sale. It was different from anything I had ever experienced.
From that day forward, instead of talking continually, I asked better questions of my potential customers and listened closely to their answers. And my customers reacted to me differently. And I started to make sales, and then more and more sales. I began reading books on selling and listening to audio programs. I began attending every sales seminar I could find. And each time I learned and applied something new, my sales went up, and up, and up. Within a year, I was earning ten times as much income. My whole life changed forever.“

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Club Reviews: PLANET ENTREPRENEUR

Planet Entrepreneur: The World Entrepreneurship Forum's Guide to Business Success Around the World by Steven D. Strauss

Strauss makes the hypothesis that we are living in the age of entrepreneurial solutions and that we need those solutions not just to create the Next Big Thing, but to solve the Next Big Problem!
Strauss asserts that both old and new problems and challenges are being faced by the "global revolution of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship."
And Stauss makes it clear no matter what we may think, we are all living on Planet Entrepreneur.
Chapter 1 emphasizes the tremendous change going on.  It is big change, transformational change.  Humanity has to adopt, adapt, and adjust to move forward.  The author says we have only two choices: utopia or oblivion.  We must count on our entrepreneurs who will seize the opportunities and challenges to solve huge problems.
Chapter 2 tells us we are in a technological revolution and entrepreneurs are seizing on that opportunity.  People are internet-driven and socially connected.  This technology allows entrepreneurs to find ways to make us smarter, wealthier and more connected.
Chapter 3  defines entrepreneurs as truly global adventurers.  And they come from anywhere, not just Silicon Valley. These entrepreneurs are loaded with vision and can see needs way before the rest of us know we have them.
Chapter 4 says business is an agent of change.  And change we must because we cannot continue as we are.  We must grasp and pursue the concept of sustainable development in all that we do.
Chapter 5 says that social entrepreneurs have come onto the scene and have a burning desire to make a positive social impact.  What we need is radical change and our social entrepreneurs are all over it.
Chapter 6 strongly states that we must empower women and minorities in this adventure of social entrepreneurship.  We are once again reminded that "all of us are smarter than any one of us."
Chapter 7 says we must find a way to tap the untapped potential that lies at the very base of our population pyramid.  No doubt that propblems at the top and the bottom of the pyramid are different but they all need solutions and that takes every strata of society.
Chapter 8 today we live in an accelerated, interconnected, global e-economy with no street address.  It is noted how China has made a radical turn toward capitalism.  Today it is commonly believed that small business entrepreneus can can help create a better, more peaceful, more affluent world.  We are now seeing "angel investors" pop up who have money to invest and are willing to do so to help grown business.
Chapter 9 in 2009 we had a deep recession and record unemployment but we also had a record number of business startups, highest in 14 years.  We will continue to need sources of investment and what we see are reward-based crowdfunders surfacing.Chapter 10 crowdfunding has taken startup funding to a whole new level.  People make their case, connect and get virtual strangers to invest in their dream. And the social media is the catalyst for all this.
Chapter 11 tells us that we see a huge paradigm shift and we must stress our educational systems to produce the needed entrepreneurs.
Chapter 12 it is noted that we no longer need to change our world through revolution, we must change our world through innovation.  To do that we are now seeing "innovation hubs" pop up all over the world.
Chapter 13 says when you empower people to think and act entrepreneurially within your organization, it is called intraentrepreneurship.  That simple means you allow people to think, dream, act and create.
Chapter 14 reminds us that the entrepreneurial revolution is here to stay.  Our challenge as big and small business is to find out how to be involved.
Chapter 15  by way of conclusion, Strauss says that while there are 28m businesses in the US, 20m are solopreneurs, self-employed. We cannot face the challenges and opportunities without these entrepreneurs! Doug Newberry-Antioch, TN

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was broken down nicely.  Easy to read format while telling the reader everything they needed to know about business and ownership all over the globe.  Also, reminds us that technology is our friend & we should embrace it. Terri Bryant-Davie

Wow. Great book by a think tank of entrepreneurs (well, not exactly but close enough).
It seems like this book covers it all from what is an entrepreneur, intrapeneurship, funding, and role of social media, environment and the list goes on. There is something to interest everyone in this book.
The book planet entrepreneur was relevant, current, interesting, well organized and crafted. It is FULL of REAL information to get you thinking and get you started.
some of the ideas make you want to jump right in however you can't; you need to determine first if you are suited to be an entrepreneur, what type of entrepreneur will you be, what motivates you and then you need to do your diligence. And this is putting it very simply.
This is hard work; there is no easy overnight solution for success as an entrepreneur. You need to focus and be patient and try, try again.
There are many examples of success and failures.
This book really sheds light on the topic; this book is a great resource and provides real world advice and information from a very impressive group of people, each successful in their own segment (and beyond). Each chapter tackles a different topic by different authors.
There are some recurring themes like the personality traits of a successful entrepreneur. But no world view is exactly the same. Really interesting. And leaves room for everyone to be unique and still be a success.
And throughout the book you see in many cases success is not just about financial gains.
Bottom line this book helps you determine do you have what it takes!  Entrepreneurial spirit and desire is not enough. Success requires a real commitment, enthusiasm, fortitude and the proper personality and a sense of humor is always helpful!
One of the most interesting points (and there were many) was that today it is not whether you know how to find information, but whether you know what to do with all the information that is so readily available.
This book gives you lots of information...and now what?! Lynn Wiener-Coconut Grove

I found the approach and organization of this book to be extremely effective.   First, the book is a compilation of individual entrepreneurs writing on separate subjects, surrounding global entrepreneurship.  Many chapters, such as  Chapter 5 on Social Entrepreneurship and the End of Charity not only explained the theoretical aspects but gave case studies of successful projects.
The organization showed different aspects of entrepreneurship: 1) The New World—how the global aspects have changed the nature of entrepreneurship—explores different types such as going green, social entrepreneurship, and empowering women; 3) The Toolkit—which gives examples of successful tools being used such as social media, alternative financing and education; and 4) Joining the Entrepreneurship Revolution—featuring intrapreneurship and  self-employed businesses.
It is an excellent variety of topics that shows different aspects of entrepreneurship on  a global basis.
A new world created through the expansion of technology is explored through distribution and borders (or lack of them), crowdfunding, and new views on subjects like charity (which can be served while developing revenues) brings us into a new view of entrepreneurship which explores different global strategies.
There are so many useful examples of ways the principles in the book have been used that it will broaden your perspective, even if you have an entrepreneurship background.   Extremely valuable information and examples, it is worth reading more than once! Randy B. Lichtman-Miami

Excellent read! Valuable resource for entrepreneurs interested in global opportunities.  I most enjoyed entrepreneurship presented through a social lens,  not only with a focus on creating profits, but also as a tool to improve the lives and conditions of billions of less fortunate who are on the “bottom of the pyramid.”  Such wonderful progress in improving lives thanks to Entrepreneurs. Doramary Russell-Coral Springs

The book is a combination of many authors who form part of the World Entrepreneurship Forum.  There are 14 entrepreneurs whose current and very enlightening strategies can make the reader into a successful entrepreneur.  Topic include mobile phone, internet, poverty-rich and angel investors, emerging marks, youth, micro credit, 7 year cycle & Food Recovery.  The chapter are short but well written and a pleasure to read. William Murtada-Miami

This book is more a how-to and review of what you can do to start a business.
The term entrepreneur is wildly used but really means a person who brings value to some operation. I really would like to see how entrepreneurship is taught. My take is that it's more knowing thyself, being self-confident and also being a good leader.  This is what and might be taught in a class of entrepreneurship.
This book is a compilation of several articles by different people some by the compiler, Stephen D Strauss.  This makes the book a little bit uneven.
However this book is very useful as a source for how to start a business and how to use the Internet particularly for an international setting.
The one thing this book does not do is discuss about what would be the product. Product has to be one that is in high demand and can be sold over the Internet.
A good example is what Steve Jobs did with Apple. He made sure that the product was the hardware and the software, where others went different directions, splitting the hardware and the software.  Jobs was proven right only after about 20 years.  Of course on his return to Apple he did have the computer stores that everybody thought would be unsuccessful he also developed the iPhone and others devices.  He made sure they could all be interconnected and were very use full as smart phones which really are mini- computers.  This is what the competition are working towards today.  Jobs and Apple did have failures - remember the Newton?
There is a chapter on how a government can get involved with encouraging people to start a business, called entrepreneurship,  this was Start-Up Chile.  I had a friend in this program and I think that overall he had a good experience.  However since doing this he has moved to the California area.  This program does sound better then what our  Government is doing.  It seems that our Government is placing bets on products that might succeed in the marketplace. So far there seems to be a great deal of failure.
In summary it is very important to be an entrepreneur to be self-assured of yourself, have patience, be prepared to not succeed and have a product that people will want.  I am not sure how you can teach this as this book tries to do.  Knowledge and perseverance is key along with being a risk taker. Gordon E. Ettie-Miami

This book was very timely for me, as I am in the process of launching my first entrepreneurial business and in every business you have be a salesperson as well as wearing many other hats.  The information provided in the book is very straightforward and for a logical person it is a great way to understand all the necessary steps for unlimited selling.  We all have many tools in our toolbox but usually fall back on our go to tools.  While this is okay, each new tool that we employ in our daily routine becomes a new go to tool and increases our ability to be the best we can at what we do.  Learning gives us confidence and increase our energy around different parts of the sales process that may have us stuck. 
Building trust with a potential customer, Understanding our potential customer's needs, and Understanding what we have to offer will either make you a perfect fit or put you in the position to make a recommendation to your potential customer that may not result in your sale but will increase your customer's trust that you are honest and looking out for them.  Understanding who your customer is and how you serve them, is what differentiates you from others.
If you want to learn simple steps, that are given from the beginning to the end of the book, that will help you in your goals, read this book now!  It is easy to follow and will help you understand how to consciously identify and assist your potential or existing customers. Bari Schanerman-Miami

I LOVED this book!! It takes everything I've long suspected as going on in the world and gives tangible examples in essays written by the members of the World Entrepreneurship Forum, "the first ever entrepreneur think tank." I've always been fascinated by people who can make something out of nothing and have studied entrepreneurs for as long as I can remember.  The essays in this book illustrate how the lack of full time employment, underemployment and the decision of corporations to get by on as few employees as possible has made entrepreneurship a viable alternative.
"Planet Entrepreneur" author Steven Strauss makes readers believe that they, too, can start and successfully run a business:
"Not long ago, and for eons before that, a small business was confined to its local micro geography and economy. But no longer. Today any small business can be a glocal business. This is a fact has not been true for the history of the world, except for the past decade or so. If your business is not taking advantage if it, you are missing out on the biggest change in business, ever. That’s not hyperbole, it's fact."
Not since reading Tim Ferriss' "Four Hour Workweek" have I felt this empowered. Kathy Doran-Miami Beach

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Club Reviews: UNLIMITED SALES SUCCESS

 Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy.

I have read all of Brian Tracey's books and like his writing very much.  But I am not a sales professional so I had some apprehension about reading this book and its application to me.  But yesterday as soon as the book arrived in the mail, I picked it up and started reading.  And to my surprise, I quickly learned that many of the principles Tracey shares are applicable to any profession, not just sales. At that point, I could not put the book down.  I will say right up front, that the book was useful to me up to about page 150 and after that Tracey spends time on the "nuts and bolts" of successful selling.  But again the first 150 pages were worth the time and the read.
Let me share, by way of review some of the points I picked out that apply to any and all professions:
We are reminded that the Law of Cause and Effect says that for every effect there is a cause or a series of causes (in every profession).
The Law of Cause and Effect shows us that success is not a matter of luck.
Tracey constantly, throughout the book, reminds us that if we find out what successful people do and do those things we too can be successful.
We learn that as our world changes, we too must change to be successful.
In all professions, it is a reality, that there are more sellers than buyers.  Competition is fierce!
To be, or remain, successful we must be prepared.  We must always do our homework.
Credibility has never been more important.  Credibility comes from trust.
Self-confidence is a vital psychological tool of success.
Tracey quotes a Marine saying, "Adapt! Adjust! Respond!  Good advice for any profession.
We are reminded that no matter how successful one becomes in any profession, they started at the back of the line.  We have to work our way to the front of the line!
We can learn any skill we need to learn in order to achieve any goal we set for ourselves.
Self-esteem is the "reactor core" of your personality that determines your levels of optimism, self-respect and personal pride.
Les Brown says, "if you want to be successful, you've got to be hungry."
Ambition is the fuel in the furnace of achievement.
Anything less than a commitment to excellence is the acceptance of mediocrity.
Your level of ambition and your determination to be the best in your field is the nitroglycerin that causes your potential to explode over time.
Success requires that we overcome the fear of failure which is the single biggest obstacle to success.
Successful people are continuous learners.
The quality of your thinking largely determines the quality of your life.
We make a huge mistake when we think we work for someone else rather than ourselves!
Tracey talks about personal strategic planning as a way to increase our ROE. ROE is return on energy.
Tracey encourages the use of the GOSPA (goals, objectivies, strategies, plans and activities) method of strategic thinking and planning.
In any profession, we need focus and concentration.  Focus means we are clear about what we are trying to accomplish. Concentration means we have a single-minded focus on doing the things that lead to success.
Successful people choose to be around positive people.  They know that negative people can bring you down emotionally.
Tracey quotes Abraham Lincoln, who said, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other factor."
Top sales people (and I would submit to any profession), are referred to by their clients as friends, adviser, teachers.
Everyone in every profession must have a good reputation. Without that,  NO success!  Your reputation is your key business asset.
Over and over throughout the books, Tracy reminds us of the importance of the skill of asking good questions.
William James has said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."
With that I close by saying again, this is a GREAT book for any professional! Doug Newberry-Antioch, Tennessee

I enjoyed reading this book.  It was broken down nicely.  Easy to read format while telling the reader everything they needed to know about business and ownership all over the globe.  Also, reminds us that technology is our friend & we should embrace it. Terri Bryant-Davie

I have had the pleasure of reading, listening to and seeing Brian Tracy in his seminars on sales, personal development and other areas of growth for many years. His work is well researched, practical and has shown proven success in his stories and my own use of his principles.
In some ways, it is a highlights version of his many sales programs including “The Psychology of Selling” (which is summarized in Chapter 1), Advanced Selling Techniques (which is included in several chapters) and others as well.  He sums up the principles well in bullet point form, making it easy to comprehend. 
The book, “Unlimited Sales Success”, is a practical primer in successful sales techniques, one that focuses on the “12 Simple Steps for Selling More than You Ever Thought Possible”.  The consultative selling approach is well explained and they explain the principles in a very easy to understand manner colored with stories from real sales.  The many questions they put in our hands are also very valuable tools.
In sales, going back to the fundamentals from time to time can be very valuable, and this is such a book to help do that. Overall, I found the book to be excellent in achieving its purpose—educating both experienced and new salespeople in how to be very effective in a very structured manner.  I highly recommend it! Randy B. Lichtman-Miami

What an excellent primer for serious sales persons. Every chapter has learning pearls that any one selling products to ideas can benefit from. All throughout "The Wolf of Wall Street" I kept on seeing Brian Tracy's concepts in actual practice. Marvin Stein MD-Coral Springs

I'm a sales professional and also a reader of most of Brian Tracy's books. With that said, I was fairly impressed by the information Brian and Michael put together in this book. Truly gives you a realistic view of what sales readily is today. Many of the old school thinking just doesn't apply anymore. Not only does Tracy tell you what doesn't work, he gives you ideas on what does work and how to go about executing these ideas. We're all in sales whether we like to admit it or not. This book is a must read for those of us who take selling seriously and are looking to take our profession to the next level. David Mesas-Miami

“Unlimited Sales Success” might be a good book for those just starting out on their own, but for those of us who have done some research already on sales and entrepreneurship, this book is really pretty elementary. I can see its usage as an undergraduate textbook in a course on marketing and sales.  There are “Action Exercises” at the end of the chapter, that reinforce and review what was covered in the chapter.
Probably the most relevant chapters for me would be “Time Management for Sales Professionals”  and the epilogue, “Seven Secrets to Success in Selling.” Good tips for sales, and for life management in general! Betty Hubschman-Whitsett, North Carolina

I have been in real estate sales for more than thirty year and have found the new Brian Tracey book to be by far the best book ever on the market, not only for sales but for approaching and dealing with others in every walk of life.  Everyone is in sales from a child first swapping a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in kindergarten to those working at the highest corporate levels.You give and get.  Every page of this book has some useful idea for helping you to move ahead in your career.  Those in public service and employees working in stores and businesses should find that they will have an easier time of assisting those who want to buy or purchase their products if thy follow even a tenth of the messages here..
I especially liked the chapter where Mr. Tracy discusses treating your customer/or client as a doctor would see a patient.... discuss the issue first and determine what the patient feels they need or how they feel, then examine the options, and develop a trusting relationship while determining the plan to accomplish what is needed.
This book is so good and so full of hundreds of positive ideas that I am going to pass it on to my co-workers.  This book is so great  that I feel it is worth reading twice to absorb the details which is exactly what I am going to do. Jeannett Slesnick-Coral Gables

Unlimited Sales Success by Brian and Michael Tracy seems to be the perfect manual
for anyone currently in a sales career, just beginning one, or just thinking about starting one.
It is a well thought out organized masterpiece that treats sales as an art and science
rather than just another job.
The book is written from the experiences of the authors. It focuses on the law of cause and
effect, therefore it makes sense to emulate their examples.
Their tips give logical, inspiring and motivating steps for success.
Unlimited Sales Success is well worth the investment of money and time spent reading it. Margot Byrnes-Miami

Everyone is a salesman.
I am a small business owner.  While my company provides services, not products (in the "widget" sense), I am constantly cajoling my employees that "everyone is a potential client" and that sales and marketing, while not normally considered a high priority is truly a "24/7 job".
Many people in my line of work don't consider themselves as a seller, don't work on their elevator pitch, don't spend time developing prospects.  I think that is a mistake.  While the Brian and Michael Tracy don't open any revolutionary doors in Unlimited Sales Success, the book provides a very nice outline or overview of some of the fundamental principles of selling.  Even if one sells all day for years, a refresher on what is the goal and how you can work to achieve it is always beneficial.
What the book did for me was help me to refocus on some of the simple, yet important elements of selling, presenting, and closing.  Sellers can get lazy off of success, or discouraged by consistent failure.  Regardless, the "12 Simple Steps" allow the reader to reflect on their selling technique by focusing on steps that, while important, are easily overlooked.
Again, Unlimited Sales Success is not bleeding edge sales theory.  It proves, however, that a simple, well-written presentation can often be just the thing to close the deal. Scott D. Rembold-Coral Gables

Brian & Michael Tracy have hit a home run with Unlimited Sales Success.  They make it simple to understand and outline all the basic secrets of great sales professionals. They start with simple tips on how to just go out and sell, keys on building relationships and the most important step of all, which is asking for the sale.
The book is fun to read, easy to absorb and a great tool for anyone who wants to be a winner in the world of sales. Trisha Molina-Miami Springs

I follow Brian Tracy on Social Media, and was a bit disappointed that he did not discuss more on this aspect of sales and relationship development.  Great basic information guide that is sure to help you develop the key skills required to succeed as a professional consultant (aka salesperson).  Highly recommend. Doramary Russell-Coral Springs

I enjoyed Brian Tracy’s Unlimited Sales Success, 12 Simple Steps for Selling More than you Ever Thought Possible.  While much of what Brian provides in the book is somewhat basic material, the fact is so many salespeople are not following the fundamentals.  This book would clearly re-energize a sales team and assist in refocusing people who are in the sales profession.  While I understand much of what is in this book is taken from his previous books, I have not read them myself and enjoyed the book.  I would recommend it for anyone who is currently in or is about to enter the sales profession.
John Lyon-Barre, Vermont

This book was very timely for me, as I am in the process of launching my first entrepreneurial business and in every business you have be a salesperson as well as wearing many other hats.  The information provided in the book is very straightforward and for a logical person it is a great way to understand all the necessary steps for unlimited selling.  We all have many tools in our toolbox but usually fall back on our go to tools.  While this is okay, each new tool that we employ in our daily routine becomes a new go to tool and increases our ability to be the best we can at what we do.  Learning gives us confidence and increase our energy around different parts of the sales process that may have us stuck.  
Building trust with a potential customer, Understanding our potential customer's needs, and Understanding what we have to offer will either make you a perfect fit or put you in the position to make a recommendation to your potential customer that may not result in your sale but will increase your customer's trust that you are honest and looking out for them.  Understanding who your customer is and how you serve them, is what differentiates you from others.
If you want to learn simple steps, that are given from the beginning to the end of the book, that will help you in your goals, read this book now!  It is easy to follow and will help you understand how to consciously identify and assist your potential or existing customers. Bari Schanerman-Miami

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NEXT BOOKS: Planet Entrepreneur AND Unlimited Sales Success

Two books to read and review this time! If you're interested, click the link to sign up on the upper left of this page.

First up is Planet Entrepreneur: The World Entrepreneurship Forum's Guide to Business Success Around the World by Steven D. Strauss, USA Today’s small business columnist and more.

Here’s what he says about the book: “I wrote it with several co-authors from the World Entrepreneurship Forum. I am more excited about this book than almost any other I have written in a while, for a few reasons:

First, I think (hope!) it is very interesting. It looks at the explosive growth of entrepreneurship around the globe ('regular' entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs, green entrepreneurs, etc.), and how they are changing the world, right now, radically, and for the better.
Second, at a time when the world is so divided, it is nice to share a book that is positive, hopeful, and looks at ways and ideas that link us together.
We are living in a world of incredible challenge and changes, and for both the entrepreneur and potential entrepreneur alike, this also means it is a world of ample opportunities. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the rise of e-commerce and social media, there are now, today, more markets, tools, and opportunities for entrepreneurs than ever before. Even better: we are now also living in a world more predisposed to entrepreneurial solutions than ever, and we need those solutions—not just to create the Next Big Thing, but to solve the Next Big Problem. Every issue that individuals, communities, and nations face offers the entrepreneur the chance to make a difference. For anyone ready to embark on a mission to solve problems, create communities, build businesses, tap technology, and think entrepreneurially, this new world is teeming with opportunities for success.”

You can read an excerpt and find out more about the book here.

Next is Unlimited Sales Success by Brian Tracy. Tracy is a longtime sales trainer and guru, and this is a very solid primer on sales basics and more.

Here’s a brief description:

“If there were a single great "secret" to being an elite sales professional, surely one of the millions of attendees of Brian Tracy's sales seminars would have spilled the beans by now. There isn't a secret. But there is a set of consistently successful selling techniques that most companies don't teach their salespeople, and which most entrepreneurs and independent sales pros think they don't have time to learn. Based on more than 40 years of selling experience - in virtually all product categories and market conditions, Unlimited Sales Success shows that these proven sales skills are learnable - by anyone. Highlighting practical, time-tested principles including: the psychology of selling: your own mindset is just as important as your customer's; personal sales planning and time management: whether you work for yourself or someone else, great planning equals great success; prospecting power: get more and better appointments; consultative and relationship selling: position yourself as a partner with the account; identifying needs accurately: you'll know how to arouse their interest and overcome objections; influencing customer behavior: learn what triggers quick buying decisions; closing the sale: the five best methods ever discovered; and more. Unlimited Sales Success is loaded with eye-opening facts and exercises, peppered with stories of great selling techniques in action, and organized into a use-it-now approach that will help you become a top sales professional-starting today.”

You can read more about it here.

You can review both books or choose one. The deadline will be generous, so no worries.

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