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Taking care of business in style
REVIEWS BY STEPHANIE SWILLEY Business books don't have to be boring. These gift books combine business with pleasure—for both the giver and receiver. A nephew who loves The Sopranos? Got it covered. Stumped on the coworker with a crush on Paul Newman? Check it off, honey. The relative who looks ready to "go postal"? Yep, we've got that. Here's a reading wish list for those looking for laughs or hoping to relax in 2004. Tony Soprano on leadership You've probably never pictured mob boss Tony Soprano as a role model, but he's a hero to millions who are addicted to the HBO series. And despite his illegal activities and tendencies toward violence, the head of the Soprano family is actually a great model of leadership, says Deborrah Himsel, VP of organizational effectiveness at Avon. The charismatic leader of the hit TV show combines a results-orientation with empathy, and he's a pro at giving direct feedback and standing up for himself and his people, Himsel contends.
By Deborrah Himsel Dearborn, $20 208 pages, ISBN 079318150X Paul Newman on entrepreneurship
Insisting on doing things their own esoteric way, Newman and Hotchner delighted in defying the so-called experts. They refused to compromise their commitment to all-natural ingredients and maintained a hands-on approach to taste-testing every food sample. The salad-dressing kings soon expanded their empire to spaghetti sauce, popcorn, lemonade and salsa. Only the ice cream flopped. The "anti-management" lessons abound: trust your instincts, don't leave your sense of humor at home and take risks. But the real message is one of altruism. Every December 31, the company gives away all of its profits, so far distributing more than $150 million. Before Newman and Hotchner took the leap, no celebrity had been successful in the food business (though many had tried). The famous duo rewrote the book, and their success story proves to be a tasty treat for all readers.
By Paul Newman and author A.E. Hotchner Doubleday, $22.95 272 pages, ISBN 0385508026 Dalai Lama on the job
Cutler began his series of conversations about money, careers and coworker conflicts by asking the Dalai Lama to define his job. The answer was surprising: "Nothing. I do nothing." Pressed further, the Dalai Lama answered, "I just look after myself, just take care of myself." The exiled monk's busy schedule would indicate otherwise, but that serene, simple attitude is at the heart of the new collaboration, The Art of Happiness at Work. More a story than a business text, the book discusses relevant issues like dissatisfaction at work, dealing with the "human factor" and finding the right balance of challenge and boredom. Don't be fooled; training the mind, changing your outlook on life and cultivating a wider perspective are tough human endeavors. But don't let that stop you from treating stressed-out friends to this helpful roadmap for finding peace at work.
By Dr. Howard Cutler and the Dalai Lama Riverhead, $24.95 224 pages, ISBN 1573222615 Stephanie Swilley is studying for her M.B.A. at Vanderbilt University's Owen School of Management.
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Leadership Sopranos Style is a case study of Tony's techniques. Fans will love
the plethora of examples from the show, and the quizzes and role-playing exercises will force you to practice being direct
(dressing like a thug is optional). Himsel is heavy on application, and she clearly demonstrates how to put the actions of the
mob boss into practice in the real world. A perfect gift for Soprano lovers (or spineless friends).
Funny and irreverent are two of the terms that best describe the business adventures of actor Paul Newman and author A.E. Hotchner.
With Newman's obsession with the perfect salad dressing as the goal, the pair decided to bottle and sell his savory concoction and
went into business in 1978 with no marketing strategy and no business plan. They chronicle their surprising success in
Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good.
Dr. Howard Cutler and His Holiness the Dalai Lama first teamed up in 1998 to write The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living.
Millions snatched up the instruction manual for inner development. Now they've teamed up again to apply those principles to
one of the biggest sources of stress and anxiety: work.