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www.HartfordBusiness.com December 5, 2016 • Hartford Business Journal 37 BIZ BOOKS Business books that make great holiday gifts of knowledge, motivation T he holidays are fast approaching. Shoppers search for that special gift. While choices seem endless, choosing is simple: Give gifts of knowledge, motiva- tion and self-improvement. Gifts they'll thank you for many times. Here are three suggestions in the $4.95-$22 range. "Workarounds That Work: How to Con- quer Anything that Stands in Your Way at Work" by Russell Bishop (McGraw Hill, $22). While "continuous improvement" sounds good, procedures and processes always lag behind workplace reality. As a result, productiv- ity lags because workers can't really "work smart." Mean- ingless meetings, mountains of reports to prepare (even though many aren't read),"stop that; do this" and silos also make work smart an oxymoron. Most employees adopt an "it is what it is attitude" grumbling through their workdays handcuffed by "the system." Bishop offers alternatives based upon problem solving and prevention. His major workaround: "How you frame the situation is the problem. Labeling something as a problem automatically sets up the obstacle dominoes." Framing situations as opportunities keeps options open; think puzzle (i.e. how can I … ), not problem. Using the puzzle analogy, think of what you get when buying a jigsaw puzzle. There's a pic- ture of the finished puzzle on the box cover — this is your outcome. It's the same way at work — but you have to cre- ate a picture of the outcome. Odd-shaped pieces fill the box; the more pieces, the more difficult the puz- zle. If you've ever worked on a puzzle as a family activity, you know that the group achieves the outcome quicker than one person does. It's also more fun when others participate. Similarly, you're not the only one affect- ed by a workplace puzzle. Ask yourself: Who else has skin in the game? Who else might be affected by a successful outcome? How can you engage these others to play? When a group becomes involved, many per- spectives are shared. • • • "Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO — 50 Indispensable Tips to Help You Stay Afloat, Bounce Back and Get Ahead at Work" by Beverly E. Jones (Career Press, $15.99). Way too many workers think of themselves as employees rather than the job-owner/entre- preneur of "Me Inc." Employees see themselves as gears in the machine of business. Job-owner entrepreneurs, on the other hand, constantly look for ways to build their skills and brand by managing up (i.e. bosses), down (subordi- nates), and sideways (peers). They know what they need to contribute and accomplish to achieve an organization's goals. Here are some of Jones's brand-building tips: "Think like an entrepreneur wherever you are." Focus on the people with whom you work; they're your "customers." Without satis- fied customers, no business grows. Ask yourself how you could better serve them. By meeting their needs, you'll meet yours. Positive inter- action also creates allies needed to promote ideas. "Talk back to the voice in your head." When the cautionary voice becomes loud, you become worried about what could go wrong. When worry translates to action, you play not to lose, rather than playing to win. Reframe worry to a positive by chang- ing outlook from "I'm not sure" to "Today, I will take the next step toward my goal." "Measuring progress makes your goals more powerful." Develop a Fitbit mentality for tasks by measuring activities most likely to con- tribute to achieving your goal. The more steps you take, the more likely you'll reach your goal. Also measure the non-contributors. When you recognize they're not moving you forward, take action to minimize their negative effects. • • • "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper can be found in the chil- dren's section of any book- store. Prices range from $4.95 to $17.95. You may have read it as a kid. Read it again. Piper's message is not kid's stuff. Its "I think I can" mes- sage of inspiration and perspi- ration should be applied every day to get you from where you are to where you want to be. n Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer. Jim Pawlak THE RAINMAKER Business myths that get companies into trouble By Ken Cook W e're going to plug holes in a few con- cepts that are alluring, but usually not true and can be very expensive. Myth 1 — We differentiate on service. Everybody differentiates on service, or at least they say they do. And if everyone claims it, then in the mind of the customer no one owns it. Service is just too generic a term for something that is individual to each customer. One customer considers good service to be extended hours, while another cares less about the hours you are open. They do every- thing online, and good service to them is an easy-to-use website that offers complete functionality. If you want to dif- ferentiate on service, change the word. Instead of service, you differentiate on people, or listening, or empathy. Service comes from how a cus- tomer perceives they are treated, and how they are treated is totally dependent on your people, not on a policy. Invest in your people. Differentiation on service then becomes possible because your people focus on each customer instead of a policy that may or may not be applicable. Myth 2 — Everyone is a potential cus- tomer. Everyone breathes, eats and sleeps. Everyone does not potentially buy any prod- uct or service, anywhere, anytime. The myth of marketing to the masses is long gone. Unfocused advertising or mass mailings will cost much and produce little. Think about how much junk mail you throw out each day. You throw it out because it is not applicable or important to you. Instead, focus on your actual customers and understand why they do business with you. Who are they? What is important to them? Are these the types of customers I want going forward? Don't be lured by the myth of a broad mar- ket potential. Say no to large, yet unfocused opportunity. Instead, focus on clearly defined markets where actual customers and poten- tial customers exist. This is where you will find sales opportunities and greater returns on your marketing investments. Myth 3 — Variations on a theme work. You have a product that is highly successful with a targeted group of customers. You are buoyed by your success, and want to capitalize on it. Why not take that brand identity and apply it to another product, or another market? Stop now! Line extension and market extension thinking usually ends up just dilut- ing the original perception of the brand and confusing the customer. Avoid these kinds of variations on a theme. They inevitably cost money and reduce the power of the brand. Exceptions exist. One is where market research validates that the altered or extend- ed product is different enough to satisfy addi- tional needs. The second is where another market has similar enough needs to see value in the product. With these exceptions you are extending a well-earned position into viable new areas of opportunity. Myth 4 — If we build it, they will come. This worked for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams." It does not work for companies. Truly differenti- ated and winning positions in the marketplace start from the customer's point of view. They do not start from the product point of view. Make sure that any new product or service you want to offer meets a pre-existing need in the marketplace. Then put the engineers and design people to work and build the best product or service possible to meet that need. You don't have to hope customers come to what you've made. They are already waiting for your solution. Myths are often alluring because they usu- ally promise a quick or simple solution. But if something seems too good to be true, it usual- ly is too good to be true. Differentiate on spe- cifics, not generic terms. Be disciplined and find the right customers. Respect the position and uniqueness the customer assigns to you. And offer things customers deem important, not something you consider important. n Ken Cook is the co-founder of How to Who and co-author of "How to WHO: Selling Personified," a book and program on build- ing business through relationships. Learn more at www.howtowho.com. Ken Cook ▶ ▶ If you want to differentiate on service, change the word. Instead of service, you differentiate on people, or listening, or empathy. Service comes from how a customer perceives they are treated, and how they are treated is totally dependent on your people, not on a policy.