Showing results by narrator "Steven Menasche" in All Categories

When philosophy professor Adam Briggle moved to Denton, Texas, he had never heard of fracking. Only five years later, he would successfully lead a citizens' initiative to ban hydraulic fracturing in Denton - the first Texas town to challenge the oil and gas industry. On his journey to learn about fracking and its effects, he leaped from the ivory tower into the fray. In beautifully narrated chapters, Briggle brings us to town hall debates and neighborhood meetings where citizens wrestle with issues few fully understand.

The growth engine of the global economy is no longer through mega-production and huge conglomerates, but rather through the proliferation of smaller enterprises. In America alone, tens of thousands of businesses crop up each year. Unfortunately, few will succeed, though not due to a lack of ingenuity, initiative, or even capital. Why, then?

When "metadata" became breaking news, appearing in stories about surveillance by the National Security Agency, many members of the public encountered this once-obscure term from information science for the first time. Should people be reassured that the NSA was "only" collecting metadata about phone calls - information about the caller, the recipient, the time, the duration, the location - and not recordings of the conversations themselves? Or does phone call metadata reveal more than it seems?

Ellie Pringle has spent endless hours and countless dollars working with a therapist to remember the lost years of her childhood. She's baffled and more than a little intrigued when the grandmother she hasn't seen in 34 years dies and leaves her a fortune. The time has come to face her past in person. Still reeling from a recent breakup of a long-term relationship, and with nothing to keep her in San Francisco, Ellie packs her meager belongings and boards a plane for the South Carolina Lowcountry.

50 Great Myths of Human Evolution uses common misconceptions to explore basic theory and research in human evolution and strengthen critical thinking skills for lay audiences, listeners, and students. Includes myths such as: "Humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs"; "Lucy was so small because she was a child"; "Our ancestors have always made fire"; and "There is a strong relationship between brain size and intelligence."

The ability to influence people's thoughts and feelings, to generate their buy-in, has emerged as the paramount leadership skill. The strongest leaders are those who create a positive vision of the future, paint a "big picture" that generates action by tapping into people's emotions, ask for a commitment, and inspire their listeners to take steps toward the goal. Generating Buy-In: Mastering the Language of Leadership will help you master the powerful language that breeds such a commitment.

The tumultuous changes of the past decade, including China's economic rise and the financial meltdown, were just the beginning. The next cataclysmic wave is surging relentlessly ahead, demanding leaders who can steer their companies through complexity and change. Leadership 2030 uncovers six megatrends that will dramatically impact organizations' markets, cultures, systems, and processes.

James Dallas' Mastering the Challenges of Leading Change is an informative, insightful guide to effectively leading the transition through change. While most change management books present case studies about what happened at other companies, this audiobook is based on the author's own experiences managing over 10 transformational and turnaround initiatives, 15 acquisition integrations, and five operations/quality shared services centers of excellence.

The single greatest opportunity that an organization has to improve both performance and culture in one stroke lies in the hiring of a new executive - the right executive. The fresh thinking of a skilled leader has the potential to unleash innovation, empower employees, and generate wealth for the company. Similarly, a bad hire may mortally wound the organization and cause ripple effects throughout the entire economy.

The combined impact of social technologies, the mobile internet, and cloud computing are creating incredible new business opportunities. They are also destroying unprepared companies, transforming industries, and leaving behind workers who are unwilling or unable to adapt.

Why do four in every five employees quit their job? According to research, it's because they don't feel appreciated. Maybe this employee is you. Or maybe you're a manager wanting to hold on to good people. Either way, appreciation is the key to a workplace people care about. Dr. Paul White, a psychologist and leading workplace authority, unpacks the obstacles holding you back from authentic appreciation.

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.

Do you know how your customers experience your brand today? Do you know how they really feel? Do you know what they say when you're not around? Without defining experiences, brands will become victim to whatever people feel and share. In an always-on world where everyone is connected to information and also one another, customer experience is your brand.

Leadership is the most overanalyzed, thoroughly dissected, and utterly confused topic in business. In Leaders Open Doors, author Bill Treasurer helps lighten the leadership load by distilling that leaders are simply creators of opportunity for others. Using personal stories and anecdotes, Treasurer presents the idea of open-door leadership - that is, the responsibility that leaders have for noticing, identifying, and creating opportunities for the benefit of people, organizations, and society.

Virtual Banking: A Guide to Innovation and Partnering takes a hands-on approach to competing in the modern banking environment. Former PayPal head of financial innovation Dan Schatt explores the reasons behind the massive consumer migration away from traditional banks and provides clear, actionable guidance on beating new banking models at their own game. Digital payment is the hottest topic in banking today and is set to define the future of the industry.

This is a theme that has fascinated the author throughout his career and even appears in his seminal work Ringworld, where the central character celebrates his birthday by instantly teleporting himself to different time zones, extending his “birthday.” The author also discusses the impact of such instantaneous transportation in his essay, “Exercise in Speculation: The Theory and Practice of Teleportation.”