Smart Organization

Although it was first published more than 35 years ago, Up the Organization continues to top the lists of best business books by groups as diverse as the American Management Association, Strategy + Business (Booz Allen Hamilton), and The Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management. 1-800-CEO-READ ranks Townsend's best seller first among 80 books that "every manager must read".

Through her global consulting projects, keynote speeches, and work with thousands of leaders, Karen has seen first-hand how a pervasive lack of clarity strangles business performance and erodes employee engagement. Ambiguity is the corporate default state, a condition so prevalent that “tolerance for ambiguity” has become a clichéd job requirement. It doesn’t have to be this way.

On her way home from a long day of teaching, Lisa realized she was failing in every aspect of her life. With her 40th birthday looming in the distance, she wondered when she would feel like a success. Her days started at five am: waking to get the kids ready for school, working as a teacher all day herself, and then arriving home around five pm just in time to start the housework.

The status quo is dead, and it’s costing you more than you know. In today’s business environment, indecision is the most expensive choice you can make. While your teams debate, your competitors are executing. While you gather input the old way, they’re innovating at speed. While you’re stuck in cycles of consultant-driven discovery and bureaucratic meetings, customers are walking out the door, and not coming back. This book is your blueprint to break free.

When we started camping, we knew nothing. As a result, we made a lot of mistakes. Over the past 20 years of trial and error, we have found tricks and tips that make our RV camping vacations much easier and more enjoyable. This book provides tips that are not found in the common RV guide. What you find in this audio will make the difference for those who want a great camping experience.

What is your organization's glass ceiling? Wondering why your organization isn't reaching its potential? You're not alone. Many leaders sense something is amiss but struggle to identify the missing link. In Build Smart, organizational leadership expert Simon A. Taylor tackles this challenge head-on.