It’s rare when a business book finds the right balance of practical advice, referenced background research and relevant stories but that’s exactly what Greg McKeown has assembled in his latest book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. Greg received his MBA from Stanford after coming to realize that completing law school in England wasn’t the best use of his most productive energy. He ha... »
– DUSTIN BURLESON, DDS In this month’s Harvard Buiness Review, Jordan Etkin and Cassie Mogilner take a look at one of my favorite pet peeves, multitasking. Years ago, when I was involved in the hiring process and actually read resumes, (we have a much more sophisticated system for seeking out great talent now) nearly every applicant listed the word “multitasking” as a job strength. If you’ve hung ... »
How do you pay attention to Feature Search Trends in our industry? If you’re not asking your patients exactly what they searched for when they found your practice on Google, now is the time to get serious about monitoring precisely what features and benefits patients are looking for when shopping for a pediatric dentist or orthodontist. Research out of the Bauer College of Business in Houst... »
The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, is a neat little reminder to focus on the one thing that can make everything else easier or unnecessary, moving forward. It’s a great book for achieving maximum results in your life, both personally and professionally. It’s written by two great business minds; one who built Keller Williams Realty and the other who coa... »
In a brilliant and visceral essay published in this month’s Atlantic, Meghan O’Rourke takes us through the current state of doctors, empathy and the American health care system that has not only complicated how patients receive care but also how doctors become fulfilled in their professions. Although many doctors enter the profession to become healers, teachers and care givers, too ma... »
Container Store CEO Kip Tindell was one of the Inc. 5000 Awards Gala keynote speakers this year with a powerful message for business owners both large and small. Conscious capitalism, as he calls it, is building a business where everyone around you thrives. Employees, customers, vendors, share holders and the community. It’s possible and Tindell is proving the point. With 3 year growth o... »
Peter Thiel, founder of PayPal in 1998 and first outside investor in Facebook and other brilliant startups through his venture capital firm, and his student Blake Masters have expanded their notes from Peter’s class in Stanford Law on what it takes to make meaningful and valuable startup companies and see them transform the world. If it sounds like a big promise, Thiel’s concepts and ... »
Ryan Holiday’s new book, The Obstacle is the Way, offers a fascinating and well-researched look at the classic philosophers and their lessons on overcoming obstacles. Ryan takes it a step further, however, in laying out practical steps you can take in your business and in your life to not only overcome obstacles but actually embrace each setback and discover the inherent opportunity within every ... »
One of the great thinkers of our time, Thomas Friedman, consistently provides in-depth reporting on a range of topics that affect us all. His book, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, provides an interesting look at what the New York Times calls “a brilliant guide for the here and now.” Just as relevant today as it was when it was initially published in 1999, Friedman, a three-time Pulitze... »
The brightest entrepreneurs I’ve met take calculated risks. Diana Kander’s book, All In Startup: Launching a New Idea When Everything is on the Line, is an excellent look at how the smartest minds in business know exactly when to go “all in.” The defining characteristic of true entrepreneurs and those who want to “play business” is clearly defined in Kander... »
What happens when three Kellogg School of Management professors hop in a car and take a road trip? Not only will you read about some great stories, but also you will discover a host of significant business lessons as told through the perspective of a classic American road trip in the book Roadside MBA: Back Road Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Executives and Small Business Owners. I appreciate the prac... »
Clotaire Rapaille’s bestseller, The Culture Code:An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do, deserves a spot on the shelf of any serious marketer. Known for his pivotal work with Chrylser and other major brands, Dr. Rapaille’s depth of market knowledge is unsurpassed. He has the innate ability to break things (products, systems, services and br... »
After 130 Years, Ladies’ Home Journal is ending monthly publication and going digital. Reported on the TODAY show, the hosts were asked how many magazines or journals they receive at home. Their answers: only one or none! As a subscriber to over 30 monthly journals, periodicals, 4 daily newspapers and someone who has been reading a book per week for years, I’m pleased to offer this ... »
No matter how good a business manager you are, there is always room for improvement. Knowing what makes for a good manager and what effective principles you should be using can make your business run smoother. Effective managers are not born. They are created and you can be one, too. Even if you are a good manager at this point you will gain additional insight from this book that can improve your ... »
Being in the field of dentistry or orthodontics there is a good chance you have heard of Painless Parker. Whether you have heard of him yet or not, you should put this book high on your summer reading list. The book, Painless Parker: A Dental Renegade’s Fight to Make Advertising Ethical, offers a historical look at this dental renegade is not only fascinating, but it also teaches us a lot about th... »
Long considered a “bible” in the advertising field, Reality in Advertising, is out of print. But don’t let that stop you from reading it, as there are plenty of used copies you can pick up. If your practice does advertising, and there’s a good chance that you do, you want to make sure you read this book. It should be required reading for any business that is going to do advertising. Ju... »
Addressing the dynamic relationship between marketing and the public interest, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing is a source for understanding today’s most important issues that rest at the nexus of marketing and public policy. Each issue features a wide-ranging forum for the research, findings, and discussion of marketing topics related to business and government, including, but not limite... »
Readers rely on the Journal of International Marketing for the latest in global marketing issues. Geared both to international marketing and business scholars and to senior- and mid-level practitioners, Journal of International Marketing features analysis of the latest marketing theories, in-depth articles, and coverage of new methods. Also included are scholarly and managerially relevant articles... »
Journal of Marketing Research delves into the latest thinking in marketing research, from philosophy and theories to methods and techniques. Written for technically oriented research analysts, educators, and statisticians, Journal of Marketing Research covers a wide range of marketing research concepts, methods, and applications. You’ll read about new techniques, contributions to knowledge b... »
For more than seven decades, Journal of Marketing has been a vibrant outlet for the communication of ideas and thought leadership in marketing, bridging the gap between theory and application. By providing thought-provoking, in-depth articles covering vital aspects of the marketing industry, Journal of Marketing is the premier publication for academics and practitioners. Each issue includes origin... »
The book, Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant, has been translated into numerous languages around the world, and for good reason. The information is universal, solid, and when applied can take your business to a whole new level. Reading about real-life companies that have used the blue ocean strategy to create a whole new market place, such a... »
Most business leaders are up to their eyeballs with projects and to-do lists. This can create a lot of stress and weigh on them. It can also decrease their productivity and effectiveness. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a solution to this problem, as David Allen explains in his book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. You can have a to-do list as long as your ar... »
Do you want your business to be a good one? If so, why are you stopping there, as opposed to wanting it to be great? The answer to this question, as Jim Collins points out in his book, Good to Great:Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t, is that most people settle. They are willing to settle for good over great because it’s just easier to get to good. But that doesn’t mean that g... »
There is no doubt that you have been marketing your business. But do you really know if that marketing has been effective or if it has paid off? If you don’t know the return on investment when it comes to your marketing efforts there is a good chance you may be throwing money away. You are also missing the target when it comes to bringing in new patients. Dan Kennedy has long been considered a bus... »
Every business can benefit from an effective sales letter. Yet not every business knows how to produce one that will get it the results it’s seeking. That’s where Dan Kennedy comes in. His guidance on writing effective sales letters has helped many companies and copywriters over the years. The Ultimate Sales Letter is an essential book for every business leader, whether they plan to write their ow... »
How much have you thought about how your attitude may be impacting your business success? If you are like most people you don’t give it much thought. Yet attitude plays a huge role in everything we do in life, and our business success is no exception. Your attitude in life and in your business ventures can help set the course for things to come, making it important that you have a good one. Lead t... »
Attitude has a lot to do with everything. That’s the main message you will get out of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Our thoughts and attitudes are what can literally make or break us. Forget the idea of seeing the glass half full or half empty. If you want to be successful in life and in your business, there is only one way to see things – with a positive attitude. This book does an amazin... »
If you have ever wondered what it would take to be the hero in your company, look no further. Be the Hero: Three Powerful Ways to Overcome Challenges in Work and Life, by Noah Blumenthal, a coach and consultant, offers you the information you need to do just that. Using the advice in this book will have you on the path to improving communication and strengthening relationships, both of which will ... »
Do patients leave your office and become raving fans? Even the smallest of complaints that they have can change their opinion of your practice. It may be the difference between them recommending someone to your office, and not. What you don’t know about having raving fans and satisfied customers could be hurting your business. In the short fable presented in Raving Fans, you will read a story you ... »
Reading a fable about leadership makes for an interesting way to deliver the message. In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, that’s exactly what the author does. Patrick Lencioni has taken the principles of leadership and turned them into a fable that you will not only be able to relate to, but you will learn a great deal from. No matter what type of field you are in you will gain... »
Negotiation, by Brian Tracy sheds important light on the importance of negotiation. In fact, he explains to readers that “Life may be viewed as one long, extended negotiating session, from the cradle to the grave.” Being that negotiation is this important and such a big part of our lives, this book makes for a great read for everyone, but especially those in business. The first line of this book l... »
No matter what type of field your business is in there is a good chance that you come across the latest research. Each week, the news carries information about studies that focus on the way people think, act, or why they do the things they do. But what we may not realize is that a lot of that science may not be sound or based on good testing principles. Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal of Mindles... »
What makes you tick? Have you ever thought about what it is that motivates you do the things you do? What about your patients or staff? The more you can understand why it is people act as they do and what motivates them, the better you will be able to lead. This book, written by Harvard Business School professors, will give you the thoughtful insight you need in order to gain a better understandin... »
How do you know if you and your staff are delivering a quality service? You can take a guess, you can evaluate how many customers consistently return, or you can poll them to see if they are satisfied. Better yet, you can read Delivering Quality Service and get a firm grasp on what is meant by delivering quality service and more. This down-to-earth account of customer service in the business world... »
If you are like most people running their own practice you probably put your focus on the larger issues. Most people do, tending to overlook the small things. Yet the small things, according to Michael Levine and his book, Broken Windows, Broken Business, are what can make or break your business. Learning to identify what those small issues are and fixing them is crucial to keeping your patients c... »
If there is one main theme that comes from reading The 80/20 Manager: The Secret to Working Less and Achieving More it is that Richard Koch advises, “Do not tackle everything with equal effort.” That’s because, as he explains, 20 percent of what you are doing in your business ends up generating 80 percent of the money. Understanding this concept can be helpful in both your private life as well as ... »
If there was ever a person who dominated an industry and became it an icon it was Estee Lauder. The success she experienced in the world of beauty has made her an icon. Not only do we today associate the name with a high-quality line of products, but we also recognize it as the name of someone who has had great business success. Estee: A Success Story tells the story of her success and provides fo... »
Millions of people are using social media to help their businesses. Yet many may not be using it as effectively as they should be. In order to gain the most from using social media sites it is important to know how to effectively use them. That’s what this book is all about. Forget just posting anything on your company Facebook page. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Soc... »
“Most influence will require that you help someone override old habits.” That’s just one message of many that you will find in The Story Factor by Annette Simmons. She lays out the information about the importance of storytelling in our culture and especially in the business world. Get ready to hear some stories in each chapter, as she convinces you that it’s time to hone your storytelling skills ... »
“Never substitute the mission in order to get money.” That’s just one crucial piece of advice you will get from The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization by Peter Drucker. If you have ever wondered what type of questions you should be asking about your company, this book is for you. This book takes you through the five most important questions that you should be a... »
Considered one of the most successful businessmen in history, largely earning his fame and fortune from the success of Standard Oil Company, Rockefeller is considered a business icon today. The autobiography, Random Reminiscences of Men and Events, is short, sweet, and to the point. You can finish this book within a couple of hours, yet you will walk away with an inspirational look at a business m... »
Most people are familiar with who Thomas Edison was and with some of the important things he did during his lifetime. But what they don’t know is how he went from having very little formal education to being one of the most successful inventors and businessmen in history. His name will also forever be synonymous with success in business as well. Edison, as demonstrated in Edison: A Life of Invent... »
Henry Ford was one of the most successful businessmen ever. He is a bit of an icon in the business world and rightfully so. He went from not having a whole lot, except for a lot of ambition, to building an empire. He also changed the way the business world worked, proving he was a true all-around innovator as well. My Life and Work is an autobiographic account of his life and work and provides a f... »
Within your practice there is a good chance you have many things you would like to do. The list may be long of goals you have for “someday.” But what putting it off for the perfect day may prove to be disastrous. Even when all conditions are not right and everything doesn’t seem to be in place, you sometimes have to still take action and go forward. In Robert Ringer’s book, Action: Nothing Happens... »
Did you realize that about 40 percent of your daily life is made up of habits? That’s the message you will find in The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. Habits are those things that emerge, he says, because our brains are always looking to reduce the amount energy we spend doing something. We tend to automate things in order to make our lives easier. But ... »
Written by a psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Thinking, Fast and Slow will open your eyes and mind to the process of thinking. The author takes a deep look into the way the mind works, citing decades of research. What you will find is that your mind works in ways you never dreamed possible! Topics explored in this book include making future predictions, bias of intuition, a... »
You probably don’t realize it after a while, but you are inundated with marketing messages every single day. We become immune to many of them because the market is so saturated with all of this communication. So how, as someone who wants to promote a business, can you stand out in that crowd and get noticed? And better yet, how can you get people to take action after they see your message? These a... »
Lee Iacocca is an American legend in the business world. He pulled Chrysler back from the brink of destruction and has a history of being a success. So what is it that makes him such a success? What makes him tick? These are the questions that people have and they are the ones that are answered in the book, Iacocca: An Autobiography. Although car buffs will love this book, it really has a universa... »
“There are leaders and those who lead,” explains Simon Sinek in Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. What it means to be a leader is exactly what he delves into throughout these pages. He is well experienced in the area of leading, having worked with a wide variety of people in top positions. When it comes down to it, the information in this book can help everyone bec... »
You may not even be aware of it, but there is a good chance that we all crave good leadership. This is the message that Erika Andersen puts forth in Leading So People Will Follow. Not only do we crave good leadership in every aspect of our lives, but we can learn to be good leaders ourselves. In the business world, every person who wants to have a successful practice has to learn how to be a good ... »
We all like to think that as we age and have various experiences throughout our life that we gain wisdom. Yet that’s not what we always use to base our decisions on. In Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing, Barry Schwartz explains what practical wisdom is and the many things that challenge us from practicing it. This information can be helpful in our quest of having a successful p... »
Working with the public and trying to get patients to follow your advice can at times be tricky. One of the things that you need in every practice is the ability to persuade people. In order to do that you have to first understand what it is that motivates others to make the decisions that they make. That’s what Dan Ariely lays out in this eye-opening book, Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Force... »
Every day we make decisions to do things or not do them. Our patients are doing the same. We may not even realize it, but there are underlying forces that are motivating us in either direction. That’s exactly what you will discover in Daniel Pink’s book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. When you are finished with this book you will have a much better idea about what motivates y... »
We live in a day and age where selling is taking place everywhere. It is in our practices, but it is also in our day-to-day lives outside the office, too. We may not even realize it, but we are in a daily sales movement. As Daniel Pink explains in To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others, selling is the human condition. This book will make you think, but it will also provide you ... »
If you are familiar with the game of poker then you have heard of the “tell” before. It’s that little sign that players give that tips the other players off to the type of hand they are holding. It’s a form of non-verbal communication that says way more than the poker player wanted to share. In fact, many players are not even aware of what their tell is or when they are showing it to the others at... »
If you have ever wondered what makes some of the people who come into your office do the things they do you will want to read this book! The Why Axis: Hidden Motives and the Undiscovered Economics of Everyday Life demonstrates what we all want to know in our lives and our businesses – why people do what they do. Using controlled experiments and delivering information in a Freakonomics style, you w... »
There is a good chance that you probably haven’t given much thought to the steam engine before. Whether you have or haven’t, The Most Powerful Idea in the World will give you the history of it from the bottom up. It will also explain why it was such an important engine, essentially becoming a turning point in human history. What you will gain from this book that can help you in your practice is th... »
Ever wonder what one of the wealthiest and most successful businessmen in history has thought about, well, a lot of things? Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffet on Practically Everything answers those questions! Carol J. Loomis, senior editor at Fortune, has made it her mission over the decades to follow Warren Buffett’s career. In this book she shares an interesting collection of articles dating fr... »
Have you ever given much thought to the community in which your practice is located? If you are like must of us, probably not. But there are some good reasons why you should. The more you understand the community around you, the better able you are to identify with them and create a cohesive relationship. That’s exactly what this book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,... »
Have you ever thought about what it is that influences people? Being in business and having a practice that is selling treatment options to people, it’s a good idea that you consider it. There is a lot of psychology behind influence and that’s exactly what Robert Cialdini brings us in this popular book that has sold more than 1.5 million copies. If you want to have a successful business you have t... »
As an executive of the auto industry who has a career spanning over four decades, Bob Lutz is in a great position to share his insight. And that’s just what he does in Car Guys vs. Bean Counters. If you ever wondered what would happen when cost cutting measures come before customer service and quality products, this is where you will find out that and much more. Lutz holds nothing back in sharing ... »
Not sure how to handle the strategic planning for your practice? No problem! Once you read Competitive Strategy you will have some idea of the direction you will want to take. This book serves as a checklist for anyone who wants to grow their business and do it strategically. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor, delivers a well-written and informative account of how you can use competitive... »
Managing people is fraught with challenges— even if you’re a seasoned manager. Here’s how to handle them. If you read nothing else on managing people, read these 10 articles (featuring “Leadership That Gets Results,” by Daniel Goleman). We’ve combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selected the most important ones to help you maximize your employees’... »
Forget everything you thought you new about your products and services! There is a good chance that, like most people in business, your goal has always been to sell, sell, and sell. Well, Theodore Levitt explains in detail why this is the wrong approach. Not only is it considered the wrong approach, but it’s one that will leave you behind as the field innovates and continues to move forward. In th... »
Think someone having a high IQ means they are bound for success in life? Think again! In Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman will shatter everything you thought you knew about intelligence. Forget how much someone scores on an IQ test. What is more important, as he explains, is how well someone can get along in the world around them. That’s what emotional intelligence boils down to! In your pra... »
Chances are you, like other orthodontists who have their own practice, had a dream. You dreamed of the day that you could take your love of straightening teeth and turn it into your own business. But, also like many others, you didn’t realize that running a business came with so many other responsibilities. Straightening teeth is actually the easiest part of your day. In your practice there are so... »
Do you know the time? If you are like most executives and people managing their practice you probably don’t. Maybe you think you know what you do with your time all day, but there is a good chance that when it gets down to it you could be doing better. That’s what Peter Drucker’s book, The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done, comes down to – time management. ... »
Is innovation always a good thing? Can great managers lead a company to lose it all? These are some of the questions that are answered by Clayton Christensen’s book, The Innovator’s Dilemma. Not only does he delve into the answers to these questions, but he provides case studies and real life examples that you can apply to your own business management skills. There is some important insight ... »