Career Skills

There are four stages of transition that all of us experience when making a successful adjustment to a new work situation...and eight common, potentially negative consequences that are likely to accompany any organizational change initiative. Leaders who understand these four stages and who understand the human dynamics behind the eight most common challenges can improve their odds of success.

We all need help navigating the politics of ministry. In The Politics of Ministry, Bob Burns, Tasha Chapman, and Donald Guthrie combine their long ministry experience with sociological research on the topic. Filled with real-life stories taken from a variety of ministry settings, this book sets out wise principles and practices that help us see more clearly the political dynamics at play in our churches and parachurch ministries.

SOUNDVIEW BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR Control freaks. Narcissists. Slackers. Cynics. Difficult people are the worst part of a manager's job. This book turns this seemingly difficult chore into a straight-forward process that gently, yet effectively, improves behaviors. It all begins with...

Imagine if you had the magical ability to read people's minds. You would always know what they were really thinking, and how they formed their opinions. You would be able to tell if they were lying. You would know what decisions they were going to make even before they did. Wouldn't it be great if you could always know just the right thing to say to influence them effectively? Well, it turns out that this isn't a magical superpower at all - it is simply the ability to analyze people.

The story of Captain D. Michael Abrashoff and his command of U.S.S. Benfold has become legendary inside and outside the Navy. Now Abrashoff offers this fascinating tale of top-down change for anyone trying to navigate today's uncertain business seas.

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.

Get more of the communication ideas you want, from the authors you trust. With insights from leading experts, this book will inspire you to: rethink how you give feedback to employees; ask questions to encourage learning and the exchange of ideas; invest in the right virtual communication tools for your team or business; establish a language strategy for your company; negotiate effectively with anyone - including liars; and present data more powerfully using visualization.

In our rapidly evolving world, sharp, critical thinking and solid logic are more critical than ever. With the flood of information, opinions, and misinformation overwhelming our daily lives, the capacity to discern truth from falsehood, think clearly, and make well-informed decisions is not just an asset—it's a necessity. This book serves as a beacon for those looking to enhance their cognitive abilities. It's a practical guide offering a deep dive into critical thinking and logic.

As a manager, you know it takes more than just delegating tasks to your team to succeed. It takes building trust, having open communication, and offering complete transparency. That's where this book comes in. Offering innovative concepts and practical tips, it will help you build strong relationships with your team, communicate effectively, and empower them through coaching and delegation.

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.

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."

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, assessing, and developing social intelligence at a personal level.

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?

You see the giant footprints the moment you walk through the door. The conference room is a swirling mess of tension, heaviness, anxiety, and peanut shells. Something is very wrong with your team. Everybody knows it, but nobody is talking about it. It’s obvious there’s an elephant in the room. Is it an Avoidephant, feeding off the fears of retaliation and exclusion? Perhaps it’s a Blamephant—whom we love to feed because it makes us feel better about ourselves. In Don’t Feed the Elephants!, Sarah explores how you can address the true elephant in the room: avoidance.

Ready to captivate any room and inspire action with every word? Imagine delivering speeches that leave audiences spellbound, commanding attention the moment you speak. In this transformative book, renowned speaker trainer Gerard Grogans reveals the techniques that help you tap into your innate charisma and authenticity by discovering your unique "It" Factor.

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

Body Language Sales Secrets helps salespeople at any level build rapport through active listening, invitational body language, and mirroring and reveals how their own body language can reinforce the perception of competence, relevance, and truth.

For some, projecting confidence and credibility is second nature. For others, it seems like a foreign language they’ll never learn - until now. Rob Jolles delivers down-to-earth solutions for anyone looking to enhance the most basic need of all: to be believed. He leverages his over 30 years of experience to equip listeners with empowering and practical tools for achieving business and social success.

Meet the 12 people that can accelerate your success - in business and in life. It's Who You Know is the long-awaited handbook to effective, productive, and influential networking.