THINK BIG BY BEN CARSON

 

 

THINK BIG, by Ben Carson with Cecil Murphy

The detailed narration of the author’s life – domestic, spiritual, inter-personal relationship, academic and career has been succinctly explained to highlight the need for a conscious effort to achieve greatness and excellence through simple, yet disciplined approach to life. He shared his experience as a clueless, temperamental and lowly ranked child in school, raised by a single mother in the state of Detroit, USA to achieving the best grades, performing unimaginable surgeries to break new grounds in medicine and becoming the Head of Pediatric neurosurgery at the prestigious John Hopkins Hospital, USA at the age of thirty three. His hopes of living the American dream was in oblivion with a clueless approach to achieving greatness in his academic pursuit and morale balance during his early life save for the wisdom of an illiterate mother who guided him to greatness . The title clearly identifies with the author’s struggle to have a fulfilled life having started from the street of Detroit to become a world renowned Neurosurgeon – one with a record breaking surgery to separate the Binder brothers a Siamese twin in 1987. He was referred to as ‘the remarkable surgeon who gives children a second chance at life’ (Gifted Hands – Ben Carson, 1990)

THINGS FALL APART BY CHINUA ACHEBE

 

 THINGS FALL APART

Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe and first published on 17 June, 1958. The book sold over 10million copies and has been translated into fifty languages. An unparalleled accomplishment by any other literary work from Africa.

 

The things fall apart focused on pre-colonial typical Ibo characters, plots and value systems. It’s a novel that humanizes Africa and presents its past and culture as intriguing, profound and elaborate enough to inspire the most considered literary treatment. It’s a novel that teaches something new, each time we return to it.

 

The setting is Umuofia, present day Imo state. The principal actor is Okonkwo; who is well known throughout the nine villages and beyond. Okonkwo was very hardworking, brash, brave and titled. He represented everything that his father is not.

 

WINNING WITH PEOPLE BY JOHN MAXWELL



 Winning With People

 

Winning with people is about getting things done through people, and this is an essential attribute for anyone who wants to be successful in life. This book review highlights the factors that are very critical to winning with people.

ONE - Start with Yourself

If you want to win with people, you've got to be a winner or at the very least be on your way to becoming one.

Also, being a Winner comes to your value - “Winners are Valuable”. When you embrace your own personal value, when you are secured in who you are, then you have become a winner.

Below are some things you must do in becoming a winner:

 Recognize your values

 Accept your values

 Increase your values

 Believe in your values

 

WHY PEOPLE FAIL BY SIIMON REYNOLDS

Why People Fail: The 16 obstacles to success and how you can overcome them. By Siimon Reynolds

 

We seek success. But it’s often through failure that we can learn best.

“After all, success is often just a moment – a goal fulfilled, soon to be replaced with new goals. But failure is the ambitious person’s constant companion, often dogging us for months, years, or even decades before we finally reach our aim,” – Siimon Reynolds

Who is Siimon Reynolds?

Reynolds became one of Australia's youngest self-made millionaires and an agency director at the tender age of 21. After his acrimonious fallout with former Omon agency partner Mark de Teliga over shares. "Sacked at 21" over the phone and "without reason" from Grey Advertising. He went on to found The Photon Group, a group of marketing companies. He's now chairman and co-founder of OMG, one of Australia's largest online networks, and a business consultant, author and public speaker.

 

WHALE DONE! THE POWER OF POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS

 

Whale Done! The Power of Positive Relationships - Ken Blanchard

A Brief Review

 

Preamble

 

Using the life shared between a whale trainer and killer-whales, this motivational 6-chapter piece generally examines the intrinsic values derivable from maintaining good relationships at the workplace and at home. It speaks of the need for synergy of positive attitudes (and positivism) for more effect while playing down on, and, ultimately eliminating excessive focus on negative attitudes (and negativism).

Accentuate on the Positive Attitude of the Person

THINK AND GROW RICH BY NAPOLEON HILL



THINK AND GROW RICH

INTRODUCTION: "If you can think it, you can have it". The book dwelt extensively on the money-making secret that has made fortunes for millions of people over the years. The secret work more successfully when it is merely uncovered and left in sight, where those who are ready and searching for it may pick it up.

THE RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON



THE RICHEST MAN IN BABYLON... the Success secrets of the Ancients – the most inspiring book on wealth ever written by George S. Clason



Overview:
Babylon became the wealthiest city of the ancient world because its citizens were the richest people of their time. They appreciated the value of money and practiced sound financial principles to acquiring money; keeping the money and making their money earn more moneys.

The book seeks to suggest cures for lean purses, advice right investments, control expenditures, make investments grow and guard against treasure losses through some of the famous Babylonian parables of that time.
The Seven Cures for Lean Purse - 7 Simple Rules of Money
The riches of the richest man in Babylon did not occur overnight. The lessons learnt through time management and discipline formed the bedrock of his riches. The following are his 7 simple rules of cures for lean purse:
Step1: Start Thy Purse to Fattening:



For each 10 coins you earn, spend only 9. You deserve a return in exchange of your time. A minimum of 10% of earning is recommended.
Step2: Control Thy Expenditure:

THE INVALUABLE LAWS OF GROWTH- JOHN MAXWELL



The Invaluable Laws of Growth

 

Live Them and Reach Your Potential

The first word as stated in the introduction of the book is “Potential” which is one of the most wonderful words in any language. Potential as defined by the Advanced Learners Dictionary as someone’s ability to develop, achieve or succeed. Reaching your maximum potential implies fulfillment and not reaching your potential is like dying with the music still inside of you. Following the Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell will help you grow and reach that desired potential.

These 15 laws are important for an effective next generation leader who is committed to self development. These laws serve as a blue print for your growth.

1. The Law of Intentionality

 

In all your dreams, goals, or aspirations, you need to grow to achieve them. Growth can be accidentally or intentionally. Accidental growth comes with your experience in life and hope that you learn what you need along the way. The following growth gap comes with accidental growth;

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE – THE NEW SCIENCE OF SUCCESS BY KARL ALBRECHT

Social Intelligence – The New Science of Success by Karl Albrecht


Introduction
Karl Albrecht defines social intelligence (SI) as the ability to get along well with others while winning their cooperation. SI is a combination of sensitivity to the needs and interests of others, sometimes called your ‘social radar’ an attitude of generosity and consideration, and a set of practical skills for interacting successfully with people in any setting. Social intelligence provides a highly accessible and comprehensive model for describing, accessing, and developing social intelligence at a personal level.

This book is filled with intriguing concepts, enlightening examples, stories, cases, situational strategies, and a self-assessment tool - all designed to help you learn to navigate social situations more successfully.
Chapter 1.A different kind of "smart"
This chapter aptly provided insight to how to get along well with others and to get them to cooperate with you. That what we will call SI consists of both insight and behavior.

The chapter used various concepts to drive home this belief i.e.:

SEE YOU AT THE TOP --ZIG ZIGLAR

 

 

 

SUCCESS IN LIFE

 

 

QUESTION: Are you successful?

So many people would automatically say “yes” to that question if they have got an extremely fat bank account. But think deeply here and reflect on this “is success all about money”? Being successful is not all about money, if you go for standard of living (money). First, you will probably earn considerable sums of money, but you will have no guarantee that your quality of life will improve. However, if you go for quality of life first, your standard of living will inevitably go up. With this approach, you will arrive at the end of life’s road with more of the things money will buy and far more, of the things that money cannot buy.

QUESTION: Who is a Successful person?

A successful person is he who is happy, healthy, reasonably prosperous and secure, has friends, peace of mind, good family relationship, helps others to achieve their dreams and goals, has hope that things will either continue as they are or get better and most importantly, has a relationship with God because without God, all things are permissible but with God, all things are possible.

 

TAKE THE LEAD BY BETSY MYERS

 

 

TAKE THE LEAD

   

(Motivate, Inspire, and Bring out the best in yourself and Everyone around you)

Author: BETSY MYERS

Who is Betsy Myers? I cannot possibly do a comprehensive review of this book without first giving you an insight into the life and background of the author.

Betsy Myers served as chief operating officer and senior adviser to Barack Obama’s 2007- 2008 presidential campaign and chaired the women for Obama organization. A senior official in the Clinton administration, she was the first director of the White house Office for Women’s initiative and Outreach. Before joining the Obama Campaign, she was executive director of Harvard’s center for public Leadership, and she currently serves as founding director of the Center for Women in Business at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Question1. ”Why is it that some people challenge us and motivate us to rise to our best abilities, while others seem to drain our energy and spirit?? What is that particular quality certain people have that causes those around them to engage fully and feel connected?”

PRACTICING SERVANT LEADERSHIP SUCCEEDING THROUGH TRUST, BRAVERY AND FORGIVENESS BY LARRY C. SPEARS AND MICHELE LAWRENCE

 

PRACTICING SERVANT LEADERSHIP SUCCEDING THROUGH TRUST, BRAVERY AND FORGIVENESS by Larry C. Spears and Michele Lawrence.

 

The idea of the servant leader came out from the reading of “Hermann Hesse’s Journey to the East”. In the story, we saw a band of men in a mythical journey. Leo who accompanies the party as the servant who does their menial chores, and also sustains them with his spirit and his song. He was a person of extra ordinary presence. All went well until Leo disappears, then the group falls into disarray and the journey was abandoned. They could not make it without the servant Leo. After some years of wandering one of the party finds Leo and was taken to the sponsor of the journey, there it was discovered that Leo, whom he had known first as a servant was infact the titular head of the “Order” – a great and noble leader . No wonder his presence motivated, encouraged and challenged them all though a servant. St. Francis of Assisi – Grant that I may not seek first to be understood, but to understand.

 

Who is the servant Leader?

The servant leader is a servant first – as Leo was portrayed. Becoming a servant leader begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve – to serve first, this conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.

WHO SAYS ELEPHANT CAN'T DANCE – LOUIS V. GERSTNER JNR

 

Who Says Elephant can’t dance – Louis V. Gerstner Jnr

The book “who says Elephant can’t dance narrated the story of IBM  - the foremost and leading American computer company that became the shadow of its old self and how it was resuscitated by the able Louis V. Gerstner at a time when competition was very hard.

For a better understanding of the impact Mr. Louis brought to bear on IBM  survival and revival, it’s very important we understand where IBM was before  Mr. Louis took over.

Brief History

IBM is a great organization with head office in the US and operating in more than 50 countries of the world and once controlled 90% of the computer mainframe market share in the 70s and 80s. The company was an albatross and symbols of American business. The company origin dated back to the early 20^th century when Thomas J. Watson (Snr) combined several small companies to form the International Business Machine incorporated.

CONTAGIOUS: WHY THINGS CATCH ON

Why do products, ideas and behaviours catch on, spread or go viral?

 
There are a lot of examples of things that have caught on, e.g. yellow livestrong, wristband, six sigma management strategy, etc.  These are all examples of social epidemics, instances where products, ideas and behaviours diffuse through a population.  They start with a small set of individuals or organizations and spread often from person to person, almost like a virus.

Most likely reasons for products to get popular are that they are plain better, attractive pricing and advertising also plays a significant role.  But these do not explain the whole story, i.e. some videos in Youtube can go viral than others and no prices are attached to view them, it’s free.  What does make them catch on?