Business Development Skills

In a televised social experiment before millions of viewers, police sergeant Derrick Levasseur demonstrated that techniques used by undercover detectives could help people achieve their goals in everyday social situations. The result: he walked away with more than half a million dollars. In The Undercover Edge, Derrick shares his personal mind-set surrounding human behavior and motivation. Even more than that, he provides easy yet groundbreaking tools acquired while overcoming personal adversity.

It really is true: What you say and how you say it speaks volumes about your professional promise and leadership potential. Whether it's giving an impromptu sales pitch or keynoting a major business conference, public speaking can make you or break you.

We all know eloquence when we hear it. But what exactly is it? And how might we gain more of it for ourselves? This entertaining and, yes, eloquent audiobook illuminates the power of language from a linguistic point of view and provides fascinating insights into the way we use words. David Crystal, a world-renowned expert on the history and usage of the English language, probes the intricate workings of eloquence in this lively analysis. Crystal focuses on the here and now of eloquent speaking - from pitch, pace, and prosody to jokes, appropriateness, and how to wield a microphone.

Our world is constantly changing, but something that always remains true? Manners matter. Etiquette is about more than just knowing which fork to use at a fancy dinner or how to write a thank-you note. Modern Etiquette For Dummies shows you how to navigate tricky interpersonal scenarios and tough workplace dilemmas with ease. With the help of Dummies, you'll toss aside stuffy old notions of etiquette and discover how to conduct yourself in various environments. This book is full of tips on tackling today's unique challenges.

Knowing how to transform conflict is critical in both our personal and professional lives. Yet, by and large, we are terrible at it. The reason, says longtime mediator Chad Ford, is fear. When conflict comes, our instincts are to run or fight. To transform conflict, Ford says we need to turn toward the people we are in conflict with, put down our physical and emotional weapons, and really love them with the kind of love that leads us to treat others as fellow human beings, not as objects in our way.

Have you ever wondered how different your life would be if you increased your confidence by just 10%? Paul McGee has – and in this audiobook, he explains what confidence is, where it comes from, why it's important, and how to develop it in yourself and others. Not only does the audiobook deal with confidence in business, romance, social situations, and all areas of life, it explodes common myths, including why 'over-confidence' and 'under-confidence' are both harmful. Loaded with practical tips on bouncing back from a setback and feeling confident in challenging situations

Bestselling authors and international speakers Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram share their simple but powerful strategies for boosting your emotional intelligence and elevating your interpersonal communication skills. Step by step, you will learn to integrate Care, Celebration, Collaboration, Critique, and Clarification into your communication toolbox. Using one of these 5 Cs, you can verbally ask someone to respond in the way that you most want, and as a result, facilitate a successful interaction.

Communication expert and leadership coach Shawn Kent Hayashi has spent more than two decades studying how the things people say impact their business and professional lives. In her new book Conversations for Change: 12 Ways to Say It Right When It Matters Most, she not only identifies the 12 most important types of conversations people have, but shows readers how to reach their maximum potential by using these conversations effectively.

From your head to your feet, your body is communicating something out to the world, whether you know it or not. Sometimes this is helpful, but sometimes you don’t want to reveal all of your cards. You may be unintentionally communicating something to the world that is hindering you from success, whether at work, with friends, or with your love life. By becoming aware of body language, you can learn how to present yourself better to get what you want and figure out what others are thinking and feeling to better work with them.

Sometimes, that promising lead turns out to be a bust. That first date doesn’t lead to a second. The sales pitch fails to land the client. But what if they could? What if you knew the steps to “set up” each conversation to increase the likelihood that you connect, engage and win?

Best-selling author Bill George ( True North) and longtime corporate executive Doug Baker have participated for decades in a unique small group of peers dedicated to personal growth and leadership development. In this book they provide the first practical guide - including detailed instructions, rules, and resources - for anyone to start and manage such a group on their own.

In the midst of a world filled with disagreements and disputes, the art of effective argumentation stands as a beacon of clarity. Doug Madden, in How to Argue Like a Lawyer, transforms the courtroom strategies used by seasoned attorneys into everyday tools for clear communication, productive disagreements, and mutual understanding.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to grow stronger with every challenge, while others feel trapped by self-doubt? It’s frustrating to watch others make progress and question why you can’t experience the same breakthroughs. Negative thoughts have a way of creeping in, convincing you that your skills are limited and that you’re destined to remain where you are. This can weigh heavily on your heart, making it hard to believe there’s a path forward. But what if you could turn self-doubt into confidence?

Like it or not, professional relationships are impacted - positively or negatively - by the ability to communicate. Customers are won or lost, employees are encouraged or demotivated, professional networks are expanded or extinguished - all by how well we communicate. We Need to Talk reveals key strategies to help you build trust, win respect, and sidestep common minefields when communicating gets critical.

Not getting what you want or living with what someone decides you deserve is exhausting and dispiriting. Linda Swindling provides principles, tactics, and strategies to help you show up powerfully to negotiate for the best deals at work and in life with confidence and integrity.

Strategic thinking has become a core competency for business leaders globally. Overused and under-defined, the term is often used interchangeably with other strategic management terms. This book delineates and defines strategic thinking as an advanced, conceptual cognitive capability, focusing on the nonlinear, divergent, a-rational, and informal nature of strategic thinking. This unique and practical book is an original primer of how successful strategists learn to think strategically.

The legendary New York Times bestselling tale of top-down change for anyone trying to navigate today's uncertain business seas. When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that...

You will never come across a business person who wishes for his or her business to end when he or she leaves. If an organization chooses not to embrace change, it will have no customers because people only buy things that meet their needs. For this reason, an organization needs to ensure that it stays ready for what is to come. The way to do this is to continually sharpen own tools by creating a learning environment so that own employees learn all business and change-related tricks to help them maneuver the business world.

Communication is essential in a healthy organization. But all too often when we interact with people - especially those who report to us - we simply tell them what we think they need to know. This shuts them down. To generate bold new ideas, to avoid disastrous mistakes, to develop agility and flexibility, we need to practice Humble Inquiry. Ed Schein defines Humble Inquiry as "the fine art of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you do not know the answer, of building a relationship based on curiosity and interest in the other person."

Public speaking is a process of telling stories to get a message across - if we think of it this way, then we only need to work on getting better at telling stories. We tell stories every day. We tell them to our friends, to our families, to our colleagues. We even tell them to strangers on the plane. If we learn to share our stories well, then people will have a positive association. As salespeople, we can link stories to our key points.