In an increasingly dynamic and competitive world, organizations of all kinds are continually looking for leaders who can most effectively inspire others to improve productivity and performance. Yet, meeting goals and objectives is no longer enough. Leaders who exceed expectations will be in the best position to emerge as the superstars of their generation. General Looney reflects upon his most formidable experiences during a 40-year career and articulates his leadership philosophy, which is built around a very simple notion -- the greatest leaders are those who not only "exceed expectations," but also inspire others to do the same. Reviews Over the years, I've learned that people at every level of experience and responsibility learn about leadership best from stories which resonate with their own lives. Through a variety of stories, Bill Looney has captured the importance leaders play in creating the right environment to allow organizations to exceed expectations. His reflections on leadership provide a wealth of lessons learned. Well done! Richard B. Myers, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Whether you are leading military forces or a corporate entity, success is all about exceeding expectations. Bill Looney has it right, and his leadership approach works--I use it in my company! This is a must read for all leaders and those who aspire to leadership positions. Andrew C. Taylor, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Rent-A-Car There is a dire need for effective leadership in American enterprise today and General Bill Looney's book offers an excellent how-to perspective. As you read it, ask yourself, "How can I apply these common sense techniques to exceed expectations?" Believe me, they will work for you! Bob Gaylor, 5th Chief Master Sergeant of the US Air Force About the Author General Bill Looney retired from the United States Air Force as a general having served on active-duty for forty years. He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1966 where was the Cadet Wing Commander and continued to exceed expectations from that point forward. General Looney eventually commanded more organizations than any other Air Force general officer in history with each organization he led achieving demonstrable higher levels of performance and productivity. He is a highly-decorated officer with over 4,200 flying hours. He and his wife, Marilyn, have two daughters, two son-in-laws (both Air Force officers and pilots) and two grandchildren.

This book provides practical guidance to the contemporary manager, stressing the critical thinking and problem solving skills required to navigate today's complex business environments. This edition also stresses the role of technology and the dramatic rise and importance of social media and data driven decision making. Framed around the functional areas of management - Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Influencing, and Controlling -- the authors continue to emphasize the need for organizations and their people to be guided by effective leadership and continuous improvement. Each chapter includes a series of box inserts providing a deeper insight into specialized areas of management. Global Applications features the successful application of one or more of a chapter's concepts from the practice of management in non-U.S. situations. Ethical Management boxes showcase managers facing decisions that contain a variety of issues and consequences for themselves and others. Valuing Diversity and Inclusion boxes depict unique ways in which organizations show appreciation for their diverse employees. Managing Social Media boxes focus on managers' use of technology in various aspects of management, as well as its impact on the manager and the organization.

This book is the result of a journey that began with my first day of work as a restaurant busboy. On my first day of work, my manager said to me, "Work in this restaurant like you own it!" My manager challenged me to go beyond the basic expectations of my job title and dare to work with pride, passion and professionalism. I quickly understood that despite the leaders' best efforts, at some point the line staff has to step up and work with a sense of ownership. All 20 chapters of this book will provide multiple perspectives on how to be the best service professional you can be. Each chapter ends with a powerful activity that is designed to help reinforce the key learning points. About the AuthorDr. Bryan Williams is a service consultant, trainer, and author. His specialty areas include service excellence, employee engagement, and quality improvement.Learn more about Bryan and B.Williams Enterprise at www.bwenterprise.net .

A radical approach to growing high-quality talent--fast You know that winning in today's marketplace requires top-quality talent. You also know what it takes to build that talent--and you spend significant financial and human resources to make it happen. Yet somehow, your company's beautifully designed and well-benchmarked processes don't translate into the bottom-line talent depth you need. Why? Talent management experts Marc Effron and Miriam Ort argue that companies unwittingly add layers of complexity to their talent-building models--without evaluating whether those components add any value to the overall process. Consequently, simple activities like setting employee performance goals become multipage, headache-inducing time wasters that turn managers off and fail to improve results. Effron and Ort introduce a simple, powerful, scientifically proven approach to increase your ability to develop better leaders faster: One Page Talent Management (OPTM). Using the straightforward, easy-to-follow process described in this book, you will eliminate frustrating complexity, focus only on those components that add real value, and build transparency and accountability into every practice. Based on extensive research and experience in companies such as Avon Products, Bank of America, and Philips, One Page Talent Management shows you how to: Quickly identify high-potential talent without complex assessments Increase the number of "ready now" successors for key roles Generate 360-degree feedback that accelerates change in the most critical behaviors Significantly reduce the time required for managers to implement talent-building processes Do away with complexity and bureaucracy--and develop the high-quality talent you need, right now.

Practical advice for making the shift to your first leadership position The number of people who will become first-time supervisors will likely grow in the next 10 years, as Baby Boomers retire. Perhaps the most challenging leadership experience anyone will face isn't one at the top, but their first promotion to leadership. They must deal with the change and uncertainty that comes with a new job, requiring new skills, and they've been promoted from peer to leader. While the book addresses the needs of any manager, supervisor, or leader, it pulls from the best leadership and management thinking, and puts the focus on the difficulties that new leaders experience. Includes practical information for new managers who must supervise friends and former peers Authors are expert consultants who work with leaders at all levels Shows how to adopt the mindset of a leader, including: communicating change, giving feedback, coaching employees, leading productive teams, and achieving goals This much-needed book can help new leaders get beyond the stress and fear to focus on becoming the most effective leader they can be-starting right now.

The steps you need, for the results you want. There's no shortage of advice out there on how to perform better, and better than others, at work. The problem is knowing which methods are actually proven to work--and how you should act on them to get the best results. In 8 Steps to High Performance, talent expert and bestselling author Marc Effron cuts through the noise with his signature "science-based simplicity" approach to identify what matters most and show you how to optimally apply your time and effort to boost your performance. It turns out that higher performance comes from doing many things well--but some of those things are not in your power to change. Effron reveals the eight key factors you do control and practical steps for improving yourself on each one. You’ll learn: How to set goals that create higher performance Which behaviors predict higher performance in different situations How to quickly develop the most important capabilities Who to connect with and why How to understand and adapt to your company's strategy Why you sometimes shouldn’t be the "genuine" you How to best manage your body to sustain your performance How to avoid management fads that distract you from high performance Research-based, practical, and filled with self-assessments, tools, and templates to support your performance goals at work, this short, powerful book will help you and anyone on your team deliver outstanding results.

Convenience is King When you make it easier for customers to do business with you, they will reward you with their money, their loyalty, and their referrals. There’s a reason they call it a convenience store – because it’s convenient! When you have to pick up a gallon of milk, would you rather stop by a large supermarket or a 7-Eleven? Customers who shop at convenience stores know the selection is smaller and the prices are often higher...yet they still come in droves because of the ease of purchase. What about the minibar in your hotel room? That’s convenient too...but the convenience comes at a cost. Did you ever stop to think that the same $5.00 can of Coca-Cola in the hotel’s mini-fridge can be bought down the hall from the vending machine for just $1.25? Yet even with that can of Coke being four times more expensive, hotels are restocking minibars every day. Customers will pay for convenience. And they’ll choose to do more business over time with the people and companies that make their lives more convenient! Whether you’re trying to out-service a competitor or disrupt an entire industry, creating less friction and being more convenient for your customers should be your strategy. When you raise the convenience bar, you create the next level of amazing customer experience. This book shows you how to leverage convenience as a powerful way to differentiate yourself from your competition. You’ll learn six compelling strategies, supported by numerous examples and case studies that will fuel your plan to create a focus on convenience for your customers. The value proposition is both simple and profound: when you reduce friction and make it easier for customers to do business with you, they’ll reward you with their money, their loyalty, and their referrals. That’s the advantage of being a part of The Convenience Revolution.

"Brian Buffini, an Irish immigrant who went from rags to riches, shares his strategies for anyone who wants to achieve the American dream. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Brian Buffini immigrated to San Diego, California at the age of nineteen with only ninety-two dollars in his pocket. Since then, he has become a classic American rags-to-riches story. After discovering real estate, he quickly became one of the nation's top real estate moguls and founder of the largest business training company, Buffini & Co., in North America. But Brian isn't alone in his success: immigrants compose thirteen percent of the American population and are responsible for a quarter of all new businesses. In fact, Forbes magazine boasts that immigrants dominate most of the Forbes 400 list. So what are the secrets? In The Emigrant Edge, Brian shares seven characteristics that he and other successful immigrants have in common that can help anyone reach a higher level of achievement, no matter their vocation. He then challenges readers to leave the comfort of their current work conditions to apply these secrets and achieve the success of their dreams"--

Looking to improve your customer experience? These 68 strategies will show you how to stand out from your competitors, whatever your business. Full of practical tips, inspiring insights and interviews with a wide range of leaders and entrepreneurs, How to Wow reveals all you need to deliver a world-class customer experience. Covering both the customer and business side of the equation, you’ll learn how to attract new customers, design a leading customer experience and quickly resolve a wide range of problems, plus much more. Don’t let your business fall behind, look inside and take your customer experience to the next level. “Essential and powerful insights for everyone who aspires to map out and enhance the customer journey and drive growth.” Keith Lewis, COO, Matchtech Group plc “At last – a book that provides practical ways of delivering the superior experience that today’s customers demand.” Olivier Njamfa, Co-Founder and CEO of customer experience software company Eptica