101 Business Ideas That Will Change the Way You Work

321 Pages·2013·4.936 MB·English

by  Antonio Weiss

Praise for 101 Business Ideas That Will Change the Way
You Work
by Antonio E. Weiss
‘Weiss has done an invaluable service to managers by creating an
enticing sample dish of the biggest ideas in business and social
science. His book offers a short, sharp education in the essentials.’
Philip Delves Broughton, author of the New York Times bestseller What
They Teach You at Harvard Business School
‘What fun. A box of chocolates for the managerial mind, containing
many surprises, some chestnuts given new meaning, and a year’s
worth of intellectual nutrition.’
Walter Kiechel III, author of The Lords of Strategy
‘I greatly admire Antonio’s work and writing and Pearson’s record in
bringing the best thoughts and practice in business to a global market.’
Sir Alcon Copisarow, first non-American senior partner at McKinsey &
Company and chairman of trustees of the Eden Project
‘The gap between business academics and business people is bad
for both. This book makes a valuable and stimulating contribution to
bridging the gap.’
David R. Kaye, former partner with Andersen Consulting and
former dean of the City University Business School (now Cass
Business School)
‘Here is your chance to use the latest findings in your organisation.
These business ideas will help you rethink your strategy and your
approach as a manager. Bringing the best academic insights to the real
problems we all face is truly clever thinking!’
Christopher McKenna, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and
author of The World’s Newest Profession
‘Antonio Weiss has synthesised key concepts from business research
and practice in a manner that is both erudite and highly readable. This
book will challenge the way you think about business and help you see
the world and the people around you more clearly. It is a book to be
read once and then dipped into many times.’
Morgen Witzel, fellow, Centre for Leadership Studies, University
of Exeter Business School and author of A History of
Management Thought
101 Business Ideas That Will Change the Way
You Work

101 Business
Ideas That
Will Change
the Way You
Work
Turning Clever Thinking Into
Smart Advice
Antonio E. Weiss
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow CM20 2JE
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Web: www.pearson.com/uk
First published 2013
© Antonio E. Weiss 2013 (print and electronic)
The right of Antonio E. Weiss to be identified as author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Pearson Education is not responsible for the content of third-party Internet sites.
ISBN: 978-0-273-78619-1 (print)
978-0-273-79455-4 (PDF)
978-0-273-79456-1 (ePub)
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for the print edition is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
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All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of
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affiliation with or endorsement of this book by such owners.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
17 16 15 14 13
Illustrations: Mercedes León
Cover design: Dan Mogford
Print edition typeset in 9.5pt Scene Regular by 3
Print by Ashford Colour Press Ltd., Gosport
NOTE THAT ANY PAGE CROSS-REFERENCES REFER TO THE PRINT EDITION
Contents
About the author xv
Acknowledgements xvi
INTRODUCTION AND IDEA #1 xvii
How to turn theory into results
PART 1
IDEAS ABOUT PEOPLE
1
IDEA #2 2
If you fear losing, you’re more likely to lose out
IDEA #3 5
The hedgehog and the fox – why experts get it wrong
IDEA #4 8
How fortune favours the beautiful
IDEA #5 11
When you can skip that meeting
IDEA #6 14
How to improve your memory
IDEA #7 17
Nice gals finish last, nice guys aren’t far behind
IDEA #8 20
People are terrible at fractions
IDEA #9 23
Why diverse support networks are crucial for success
CONTENTS vii
IDEA #10 26
When your gut instinct may be right
IDEA #11 29
How good do you think you are?
IDEA #12 32
The changing face of great working relationships
IDEA #13 35
When not to take an overseas assignment
IDEA #14 38
The virtues of exchanging favours
IDEA #15 41
Going on leave? Mind the career gap
IDEA #16 44
You are so clever! Flattery and the boardroom
IDEA #17 47
Avoid choice overload: ‘keep it simple, stupid’
IDEA #18 50
Why we’re anchored to what we know
IDEA #19 53
The negative impact of the superstar
IDEA #20 56
The value of caring
IDEA #21 59
Take every email with a pinch of salt
IDEA #22 62
Anger management: she needs it, he doesn’t
IDEA #23 65
Why emotional inconsistency is the worst trait in a manager
IDEA #24 67
How to catch a feeling
IDEA #25 69
The antisocial network
viii CONTENTS
IDEA #26 72
Why being boring can make you a brilliant CEO
IDEA #27 75
How to tell if a leader is lying
IDEA #28 78
Your willpower levels are precious and finite
IDEA #29 81
The optimistic salesperson
IDEA #30 84
Stress leads to poor decision-making
IDEA #31 87
To opt in or opt out?
IDEA #32 90
Rational man is dead. Salute the animal spirit
IDEA #33 93
I can see your halo
IDEA #34 96
To get to the C-suite, be a generalist
IDEA #35 98
The two yous
IDEA #36 101
Work stress? Go for a run
IDEA #37 104
The power of peer pressure
IDEA #38 107
The benefits of believing in immanent justice
IDEA #39 110
It’s lonely at the top
IDEA #40 112
It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it
CONTENTS ix