Book Review: Business Storytelling for Dummies

Karen Dietz and Lori Silverman have been steeped in business narrative since long before the current rush to story and bandwagoning that has been taking place. What they share is an essential resource that is informed and practical. Their aim is to help people both craft better business stories, and know how to apply them in business and organizational life. The book’s opening line promise is “We guarantee if you choose to read this book, your work life will change for the better”.

 

 

 

Karen and Lori deliver by adding to their easy-to-read script, many pragmatic annotations in the form of tips, warnings, key points to internalise, real life illustrations and examples and numerous web and other links. Business Storytelling for Dummies is in 6 parts:

 

·       Getting Started with Business Storytelling graphic

·       Moving People to Action: Creating Compelling Stories

·       Sharing Stories for Maximum Value

·       Tailoring Storytelling to Special Circumstances

·       The Part of Tens (tips, no-no’s, measures)

·       Appendix: Real-Life Stories and a Template

 

As a Christmas gift to yourself and anyone you know in the business world, this is it!"

A Review of The Treasure Punt by Peter Christie Hands-On books 2013

I wholeheartedly endorse the back cover understatement that the book brings home “important lessons for those on both sides of the job market: recruiters and people looking to be recruited”.

Peter Christie’s latest book goes far beyond simply ‘important lessons’ for recruiters and candidates, in two senses:

·        It is the complete guide to talent management, from recognition through acquisition, engagement, deployment and retention – for both permanent and temporary placements in the modern world of work. Here you’ll find, as savvy hirer or socially intelligent candidate, all that you need to inform your strategies, policy, ethics and values, processes, perceptions, blind spots and behaviours for both print – based or electronic activity

·        The Treasure Punt contains much that is of value to suppliers and internal managers, especially in the areas of effective communicating, relating, engaging, forming emotional connections, harnessing the richness of diversity, and focusing not only on skills, knowledge and experience, but also on more important underlying values and virtues

Peter Christie’s style is authentic, engaging, persuasive and playful – subtly making use of literary devices that enliven the reader’s experience. Consonance, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, anthromorphism, onomatopoeia, analogy, allegory, story, oxymoron, satire, character foils slip easily and seamlessly into his writing. Yet it is clear that he is communicating with intent to express rather than impress. He has taken great pains to make this a highly readable, enjoyable book. The text is well-complemented by Binnie Christie’s illustrations, which not only enlarge the narrative but also act as lasting memory-anchors. In the words of Dr Seuss: “Words and pictures are yin and yang. Married, they produce a progeny more interesting than either parent".

The content is deeply rooted in scientific findings, yet practical and accessible. Every chapter ends with a tip for the hunted and a tip for the hunter, so that the book becomes a ready reference of principles and best practices for wise recruitment, selection and on-boarding to secure and leverage the right match.

The Treasure Punt is a thought-full book. Get it.