Weeds in the Garden of Words

Weeds in the Garden of Words is a fascinating cultural history of the language we use. It’s not particularly useful if you want a concise style guide, but it can come in very useful at parties or in heated arguments about grammar.

It’s divided into sections that you can dip into, much like a gardening book (it’s obvious the author is a keen gardener), so if you need quick backup from an academic on your heretical position on grammar, it’s easy to find.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Weeds is the story of how language evolves. Take, for instance, the F word. Originally spelt and pronounced “firk”, it originally meant to hit or bang. Just goes to show we as a race have dirty minds!

There is also some news that will be welcome to some: apostrophes are a dying breed. People just can’t handle them properly, so they will probably disappear in favour of something easier. What that ’something easier’ will be is anyone’s guess.

If you don’t mind the odd digression into gardening, Weeds in the Garden of Words is a very good read indeed.

Submit Now takes web design theory beyond usability to persuasion, to find that the two aren’t necessarily that far apart. Andrew Chak does a good job of explaining the buying process, and what makes the web different from any other form of selling – the customers have an unprecedented amount of power.

Chak takes us through the steps needed to build trust, to make it easy for buyers to buy, and browsers to browse.

The book’s one weakness, though, is that it focusses solely on the site itself, without addressing how people get there. In other words, he’s neglected to put in details of how to make your site search engine friendly. (For more details, see my whitepaper on Getting the Words Right for the web and email)

Apart from that major weakness, though, Submit Now is a very useful – and usable – book! I highly recommend it, not just for web designers, but also for anyone responsible for a business website.

Buy Submit Now: Designing Persuasive Websites from Amazon.com.

Selling with Emotional Intelligence is the equivalent of an intensive one-on-one session with sales coach Mitch Anthony.

The great thing is, you don’t have to pay by the hour, and you can stop when you want. But you won’t want to very often.

Everyone’s heard of Selling, and most have heard of Emotional Intelligence, but it’s not often the two meet. This book helps you to see why, and how you can improve your sales – or simply your relationships – with more people.

You see, we like people like us. Which is great, if our customers are like us. But often, they’re not. Often they’re creeps. They talk silly, they think funny, they’re weird. And we just can’t relate to them – which is a real shame, because our job depends on us relating to them.

The self-fill questionnaires and exercises in this book help you identify how you think, and how others think. You can then recognise barriers to effective communication, and pull those barriers down, brick by precious brick.

For a sales book, Selling with Emotional Intelligence is refreshingly free of hype. As I said earlier, it feels more like a one-on-one clinical session rather than a crowd of door-to-door salespeople trembling with excitement. It’s a book that practices what it preaches – giving you room to be yourself!

So if you’re ready to change some personal habits and understand others better – and make some sales along the way – check yourself into this book. You’ll enjoy the appointment.

Current management theory has a launch date,1982 when In Search of Excellence was published. Written by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, the book clocked a million copies in its first print run. As John Micklethwait and Adrian Woolridge, staff editors of the Economist, observe in The Witch Doctors: “The book came at a time when America was worried about its declining competitiveness. Employment figures had hit a high 10%, amidst a glut of books extolling the wonders of Japanese management.”

It was just the tonic that corporate America needed to boost its morale. In Search of Excellence listed a number of leading companies, including a few high tech names, and exhorted industry to implement the lessons. The trumpeting lasted for a number of years, but a few analysts were already picking up the discordant notes. As early as 1984, Business Week published a cover story entitled “Oops!” that debunked some of the book’s claims, but the tide of popularity swamped any flags of caution being run up. (Two companies—Amdahl and Data General were in rigor mortis a few months after publication).

Over the next twenty years, enough evidence was apparent that all wasn’t well with some of the ‘excellent’ high tech companies. In fact, ‘disaster’ seemed a more appropriate word. And it needed an insider to chronicle the stupidity that led to the demise of famous names in high-tech America, as well as the successful perseverance of others, due mainly to a lesser degree of… you guessed it… stupidity.

Rick Chapman’s In Search of Stupidity is a fascinating thriller of billion dollar bungling, of loud-mouthed egos, death-wish rituals and the constant slug-fest between the suits and the geeks. Written in an easy, chatty style without the IT gobbledegook, Chapman’s book is like everyman’s journey—in search of the Tech Grail along an information highway littered with dinosaurs, demons, self-destruct advertising and well… tombstones. The stories are sprinkled with nuggets of stupidity, such as Intel’s Inside stories, Motorola’s Digital DNA, the big mouth of Netscape’s Andreessen; frictionless e-commerce, and other Venture Cap blowouts during the Lotus-eating days of the dotcoms.

(The chapter on the Internet and the ASP busts is aptly titled Purple Haze All Through My Brain!)

Of course, not everyone was plain stupid. Some made mistakes and learned from them. (Bill Gates is not the kind of man to repeat a mistake). Others fell short of ultimate oblivion, and survived to fight another day. For example,

“ Money managers swooned at Jeff Bezos’s newly found ability to simply lose money, not lose it hand over fist.”

For anyone connected with commerce, marketing, software, PR and communications, In search of Stupidity is a book that’s enjoyable to read, curled up under a lamplight. Sprinkled with anecdotes, first-hand observations, and ghoulish humour, the behind-the-scenes financial mayhem is ruthlessly documented, and complemented with cheeky illustrations by Marc Richard.

In spite of the title, the book comes with its inherent wisdom. It has ample lessons in common sense, born out of hindsight, for companies and individuals not to rush in where angels fear to tread. However, the career-minded reader has been warned. Because no tech organization is immune to hara-kiri, and if you hear phrases such as “crufty code” and “bad architecture” as launch date approaches, dig out the resume and click on Send.

Last, but not least, the book is blessed with a foreword and an afterword by Joel Spolsky, President and one of the founders of Fog Creek Software. ( The afterword is in the form of an interview)

And talking about the original corporate wisdom that kick-started it all, Tom Peters confessed, in Fast Company, that the data from In Search of Excellence was faked. “Pretty small beer” said Peters.

Work…Prison or Place of Destiny

Why are so many people unsatisfied with their job?

Maybe it’s because they think that their true destiny is in some other sphere which they will never attain. Or maybe they’re hindered by fear. Or maybe wrong ideas are getting in the way.

Businessman and church leader David Oliver does his best to answer those questions, and raises a few of his own to answer. For too long Christians have artificially divided work into ’secular’ and ’sacred’.

Instead, the truth is much better. Our work is a calling – whether that’s in the ‘world’ or in the church. God has a purpose for you that doesn’t necessarily involve becoming a pastor, priest or missionary.

Work… Prison or Place of Destiny is intensely practical, asking you to make important decisions about the way you look at God, yourself and your life.

Enquire about Work… Prison or Place of Destiny at your local bookstore.

This book excited me when I first heard about it – and it is exciting. But you need coffee (or something!) when you read it – it’s not a relaxing read.

Collaborative Communities begins with something we don’t often get – a history lesson on the last century, particularly the last 5 years. Often we’re so close to events within our own lifetime we don’t realize their significance.

Why the history lesson? Because the way we do business has changed so much in just a few years. We’ve gone from a mass-produced mindset where the business dictated what the customer got, to an increasingly personalised world where the consumer dictates what they want.

What’s in it for us? This book shows you, step-by-step, how you can make your business part of the new economy – the “networked economy”.

As I read this, I recognised many of the ideas from other smart, small businesses long before the internet. But the way the authors apply the principles here makes it very easy to follow.

At the heart of Collaborative Communities is this: it’s the consumer’s world. Business is a dance, and the customer is leading.

Instead of thinking of your business in the ‘industry’ it’s in, think of what your customers need. They give plenty of examples of this – a footwear manufacturer, for instance, should not confine themselves to the footwear industry. Instead, they provide experiences in sport, outdoor activity or fashion.

The next step is to find out what else your customers want. For instance, someone who wants hiking boots also wants tents, freeze-dried food and 4 wheel drive accessories. If you can profitably provide these things, good. But more likely you’ll find another business that does that much better than you can – so partner with them.

And there’s where the title comes from – this whole process is Collaborative, resulting in a community of shared interest. And the collaboration is not just with other businesses, it’s with your customers too. Remember, they have much more power now than they did in the 20th century. Ignore them at your peril.

As I said, this idea is not new. Marketing guru Jay Abraham calls it the ‘Host-Beneficiary Relationship’ and others simply refer to it as ‘Strategic Partnerships’. But Collaborative Communities gives a very thorough blueprint for actually carrying it out.

Another point it makes repeatedly is that building a Collaborative Community is an iterative process – it doesn’t happen right first time. I quote from the book: “We’ve seen that you will never get your business model right the first time. Never. Thinking you can is simply wrong. Successful businesses are built from instant feedback and adjustment cycles. The message is clear: Don’t bet your company’s future on a specific business model, no matter how well that model has done or is currently working.”

Enough said.

There are a couple of other great features about Collaborative Communities.

Firstly, it’s a genuine 21st century book. In certain sections there are what looks like barcodes. These are actually hotlinks to URLs, so you can access up-to-date information about the subject matter. You can get a free :CueCat Reader to scan these codes into your browser (just find out at http://www.rhythmofbusiness.com) or just manually type in the URL.

The second great thing is the ‘To Reiterate’ at the end of each chapter. If you’re in a hurry or just lazy like me, you can check these out first and then go back to clarify anything that doesn’t make sense at first.

There are also lots of diagrams, some of which are helpful, others which just look pretty spectacular but defy comprehension. Or maybe I need coffee.

To sum up, Collaborative Communities is a guided tour to the ‘networked economy’ and gives some good practical advice on how to do business in this day and age. It’s worth the cover price of US$22.00 in my opinion, particularly with the continually updating information available on the web (however the :CueCat reader is not free if you’re outside of the USA).

For more information, see http://www.collaborativecommunities.com .

Buy Collaborative Communities from Amazon.com.

Back to Bookstore Entrance

As featured in the Communicate! Newsletter and then some!

Samoan Proverbial Expressions Pocket Positives The Book of Celtic Wisdom The Little Book of Bad Business Advice See also The Bible

Samoan culture is one which involves a great deal of talking and oratory (as seen by the phrase “Ua vela le fala”, which means “the mat is warm” i.e this speech has gone on too long). However the wisdom and culture of Samoan oratory is largely hidden from palagi (European) eyes.

That’s no longer the case, however, with this book of Samoan Proverbial Expressions and their meanings.

A fascinating look at an ancient culture that still thrives today. As featured in the May 2000 Communicate! Newsletter.

Order Samoan Proverbial Expressions / Alaga’upu Fa’aSamoa from Amazon.com.

Pocket Positives Maggie Pinkney and Barbara Whiter, editors

A great source of smart sayings and genuinely encouraging quotes. Subjects from curiosity to procrastination, understanding to beauty and everything in between. Great source material for speakers and writers. (Why do you think I’ve got it?) It’s easy to appear smart by quoting people such as Sir Winston Churchill, Mark Twain or T.S Eliot – nobody knows you only know that one quote out of everything they’ve written!

Enquire about Pocket Positives at your local bookstore.

The Book of Celtic Wisdom Michael Scott
	Like the Samoans, the Celts have a lot to say. And whether it’s in Gaelic or in English, it makes a lot of sense to somebody! Phrases like “There is no bone in the tongue, and yet the same did often break a man’s head.” really hit the nail on the head. And that’s just a sample of what’s in this little book.

There are also great insights into Celtic history, folklore and culture. I love that sort of understanding into the background of a proverb, don’t you?

Enquire about The Book of Celtic Wisdom at your local bookstore.

The Little Book of Bad Business Advice Steve Altes
	This book is funny, but be careful – you may just see your own behaviour written in these pages! Rocket scientist (yes, I’m serious) Steve Altes has put together a whole bunch of “must-not’s” in the business world. Advice like: “Never answer phones promptly. You don’t want to appear too desperate for business.”

Or how about this one: “If your staff presents you with new ideas, keep ‘em in line with, ‘Hey, if I had wanted creativity, I would have asked my accountant. You’re a doer, not a thinker. Get back to work.’ “

Undoubtedly powerful motivational stuff. A great laugh, and a great gift for anyone starting their own business!

Buy The Little Book of Bad Business Advice from

Robert Laidlaw – Man for our Time Ian Hunter Here’s a book that every business owner should read! It’s the story of one man who from small beginnings established a retail chain that still thrives today, Farmers Trading Company. In fact he did even more – he inspired thousands to live better, dream bigger and aim higher.

This book continues that legacy by telling Laidlaw’s story from start to finish.

Here’s what I wrote about “Robert Laidlaw – Man for our Time” in the January 2000 issue of Fortune Small Business :

” …He was indeed a “Man for our Time” and ahead of his own time, exploring mail-order when it was considered a quaint novelty, then becoming a pioneer in socially responsible business, launching chain stores into New Zealand, and becoming an efficiency expert before F.W Taylor’s classic “Scientific Management” was ever published.

Also impressive was Laidlaw’s integrity. He frequently had customers send him blank checks with their order because they trusted him to fill in the right amount. That kind of trust doesn’t just happen — it’s earned!

The book contains many inspirational quotes from Laidlaw’s internal business magazine, and speeches from lectures to management students.”

And here are some words from the man himself:

” Someone has said, ‘Opportunity knocks at a man’s door but once.’
I say emphatically this is not true. Opportunity is everywhere around us. She is beckoning us continually if we only had eyes to see. Some men expect opportunity not only to knock at their door, but to knock the door down, come in and lead them gently out.
No – opportunity is not a nurse … No bar or padlock stands between you and the opportunity you seek.
Its door is always open and you can pass in whenever you will, if you can show the passport of competency.
Success has its price – you can pay it if you will.
But ability is the only coin that passes current in its purchase.”

Find out more about Robert Laidlaw – Man for our time direct from the publishers.

Email john@daybreak.co.nz or write to:

Castle Publishing
Box 68-800
Newton
Auckland

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Iacocca: An Autobiography When I first saw this guy sitting back in his office chair, looking smug … and when I read the controversial things he’d said on the back of the book, I thought “what an arrogant git!” But my mother taught me something a long, long time ago: never, ever judge a book by it’s cover (literally!).

Lee Iacocca is an inspiration. From humble beginnings as the son of Italian immigrants who couldn’t even speak English, to president of one of the world’s largest car firms, to saviour of a car company that was almost beyond help – boy this guy deserves some credit! The thing I like most about Iacocca’s story, though, is his honesty. Not many successful people – especially men – are willing to share their mistakes as well as their successes. But Iacocca is, and despite my original impressions of the book, I have found his tone to be almost grandfatherly – he’s a great mentor! Even though this book was written in the distant past (1984!) and deals with a business totally unrelated to mine, the principles that Lee Iacocca lives by can teach anyone a lesson. And the way he has tried to live by those principles. Buy Iacocca:An Autobiography from Phrases that Sell Edward Werz and Sally Germain. No matter how ‘creative’ your advertising or marketing materials, there are certain things that are proven to increase sales. After all, fashions change, but people stay the same. Phrases that Sell is a collection of phrases that have sold, promoted or inspired trust in products over the years. The blurb on the back says Phrases that Sell is “the ultimate resource for anyone needing hands-on, instant access to the key phrases, slogans and attention grabbers that will gain more attention and sell more product”. That’s why it’s on my shelf right next to the Thesaurus and Dictionary. There are also some great introductory chapters on copywriting and branding your business. (I’d better stop recommending it now, otherwise I might give away some trade secrets!) Buy Phrases that Sell from