Pick of the month: Speed thinking
Ken Hudson, Allen & Unwin
S$29.96 incl. GST
In this time-poor world where time is literally equivalent to money, it is a luxury to even think slow. But if you can accelerate your thinking process, come up with ideas and solutions almost instantly, you are a winner.
For business people who live in a perpetual dread of a shortage of time this book is your life-saver. Whether it is having to give an immediate response in a meeting or defend yourself quickly when criticised, it is a must to think fast on your feet.
Therefore, this book is relevant for a working adult in the modern corporate world where speed is valued highly.
The "magic" in the book lies in the way the author conveys the concept of speed thinking.
While reading the book, one can find oneself embracing the essence of the theory.
It also includes exercises, which readers should use to understand speed thinking, at the end of the book which has under 150 pages.
Although time is of the essence, one should slowly savour the book to fully grasp
the concepts behind the speed-thinking process.
Bookmark this!
Speed thinking allows us to operate at the "edge of our unconscious" - a dynamic space between our conscious and unconscious - that can sometimes help access new ideas our subconscious has been playing around with.
Get to the Point
Eric Feng, Candid Creation Publishing
S$29.96 incl. GST
Many people think one of the most important qualities of being a good leader is having good public speaking skills - and that they should be intrinsic.
But contrary to popular belief, anyone can develop into a great speaker with good guidance and practice. Get to the Point is a FAQ guide that provides answers to a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions on public speaking.
For example, one can revise some public speaking tips by the author before making a speech. Some readers may be interested to fast-forward to chapter five, "Overcoming your nervousness and stage fright", which deals with the pitfalls of public speaking.
Business executives can also pack the paperback in their briefcase, in case of any 11th-hour revision.
The only issue is that the subject of public speaking has been explored and talked about so frequently that there are hardly any original points for readers to note. This book is no exception.
Bookmark this!
You can only be confident in speaking publicly if you have certainty that your message can have an impact and you are offering your audience value.
Drucker on leadership
William A. Cohen, John Wiley & Sons
S$49.17 incl. GST
Although Peter Drucker, described as the “father of modern management”, died in 2005, his timeless teachings are still widely practised by organisational leaders today. Hence, Drucker on leadership, written by his student William Cohen, is an apt addition to his previous books on the same subject.
The book captures the essence of Drucker’s leadership lectures, including the explanation on how to apply those teachings.
The book also reveals that some of Drucker’s noteworthy leadership concepts were derived from unusual sources such as the military.
Readers can also expect to gain insights on the various aspects of leadership development from chapters “The seven deadly sins of leadership” to “Applying marketing to leadership”.
This is highly recommended for the curious and ambitious leader.
Bookmark this!
Drucker learned from his association with Japanese companies that continual introduction of new concepts was insufficient to maximise productivity.
Rather, increased productivity requires continual training – it is not learning the new, but learning to do better what is already known.
