Author: Norman Doidge, M.D.

Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

Well I read this book on several recommendations after a brief bit of research on the plasticity of the mind.  I was definitely not disappointed and to be honest, I really loved this book. It was a fascinating, revealing look at how how thoughts and actions can truly change the structure of our mind and it does so in a hopeful examination of many brain changing breakthroughs.

Doidge is an amazing Canadian author and he simplifies the most complex of sciences into clear, vivid stories and experiments that demonstrate the astonishing changes the brain can make and in turn, transform the people housing them.

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity has been formed by the discovery that the human brain is extremely malleable. Scientists have long known this is true with infancy, but the science now extends well into old age. In classical neuroscience, the adult brain was considered to be hardwired and a continuous working machine once formed.  Specific brain areas and maps were labeled with a specific purpose and little was known about if or how these areas could be replaced or repaired so it led to the common belief that you can’t easily mold the brain.

Who is the Book For?

This book drives home a paradigm shift in brain study and it has great value not only to those with a neurological disease, but for any human being with the curiosity and willingness to discover more about the makeup of their own abilities to learn, which is what interested me so much!

Doidge has numerous examples of neurologically diseased patients who gain from this revolutionary science to improve their condition.  Cases are studied from many severe conditions:

• Strokes
• Cerebral palsy
• Schizophrenia
• Learning disabilities
• Obsessive compulsive disorders
• Phantom limbs
• many more…

Each of these demonstrate the adult’s innate ability to alter the mind and how specific methods can be applied to reshape the brain.  Whether you know someone with these conditions or are purely interested in the marvel behind this new science, anyone can take away insight about learning and shaping the mind in a positive way.

The Learning Mind

Doidge also covers how the plastic nature of the mind affects not only mental mind maps in trauma but even in every day activities.  Societal differences and behaviors can have as much impact on the mind as a brain injury which he explores several examples of human abilities and specifically, the brain’s ability to mend itself due to social differences or environmental affects.

These implications of rewiring the mind however, are also to be cautioned.  The brain is actually so malleable it is also quite vulnerable to its surroundings and seemingly little impact input to the mind can make a drastic change to the way we perceive and handle the world around us.  The impact of media and television are showing significant impact and damage on the mind leading to disorders become more and more prevalent in today’s young people. This is something to be cautious of as people can highly influence and shape the mind as well.  Parents, peers, and leaders all make a significant contribution to the structure of our brains and while it can be changed, it is not always easy to do so.

Despite these risks of manipulating the mind, Doidge keeps a positive outlook through his fantastic stories of triumph and he walks through cases and ideas on how our thoughts can switch on specific genes and alter our brain anatomy.  He shows how intelligence can be improve with brain exercises, how people can improve their cognition, perception, muscle strength and music talents among others, all by letting the imagination shape our minds for us.  I found these areas and really the whole book, absolutely fascinating, uplifting and amazing to see and put into practice the thoughts, imagination and input for my mind that let me shape it the way I want to.  I can’t recommend this book enough.

Norman Doidge, M.D., is a research psychiatrist and psychoanalyst on the faculty at the Columbia University Psychoanalytic Centre in New York and the University of Toronto, as well as an award-winning writer. He has presented his scientific research at the White House.  Website: http://www.normandoidge.com

Posted by Mike King under Book Reviews | 12 Comments »

The Starting Point of Great Companies

Author: Nikos Mourkogiannis

To brilliantly match the title of the book, there is a single strong message through this book, that is: for companies to be successful, they must have a purpose that drives the strategy and values through all levels of an organization.

Purpose is explored with a moral avenue far beyond that of the typical mission and value often on display in companies.  It is presented by looking at four specific examples:

Discovery: Adventure’s Challenge

Mourkogiannis explores the way companies can make purpose and morality rooted in the adventures that they take through intellectual curiosity.  It ties closely to innovation and I love how the author relates discovery to a choice that enables freedom and opportunity to discover a new world.

Company example: Tom Walton’s IBM

Excellence: Virtue’s Fulfillment

Excellence means holding up high standards and great expectations of performance both internally and in the community of the business.

Company example: The Economist, Warren Buffet

Altruism: Empathy’s Justification

When a business exists primarily to serve its customers beyond the normal expectation or obligation tied in by a contract.

Company example: Sam Walton’s Wal-Mart, Hewlett-Packard, Nordstrom

Heroism: Power’s Effectiveness

Heroism is when a company can demonstrate great achievement and success despite the challenges and setbacks it faces.

Company example: Henry Ford and Microsoft

Final Thoughts

While those are the four themes carried through the book, it is done well with many segments of practical advice and guidelines for discovering purpose and especially for turning that into strategy.  The third part of the book explores the areas that I was most captivated by.  It looks at purpose from each of these perspectives:

• Morality
• Innovation
• Competitive Advantage
• Leadership
• Action

These wrap up the implementation of purpose into strategy very well and give the reader a lot of food for thought on their own business strategies.  There is plenty of wise advice throughout this book and one that you will certainly enjoy if you are planning strategy and guiding any significant portion of a company.  There is certainly a lot of wisdom for an individual perspective as well, even for entrepreneurs, but it is never really explored in that sense within the book, which is something I would have liked to see more of as I think it is much more common with that segment of business on the rise.

Posted by Mike King under Book Reviews | 9 Comments »

Author: Robert I. Sutton

Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t

First of all, if you weren’t thinking it already, let me say, I think the title of this book drastically limits sales. I for one, was very reluctant to pick up this book simply because of that first impression from the title.  I’m not a fan or user of harsh language and so I was a bit skeptical of the book because of the title.  Even still, I try to accept people and what they want to express in their own way and I can say that Sutton definitely does this in his book.  Not only does he express his book in his own style and language, he does it very well with a strong message and point portrayed, despite some of the harsh expression.  If anything, the language Sutton used actually made me laugh out loud a number of times throughout the book.  This is partly due to what he has to say, but also in the humorous (and harsh) language to express it.  I think I’ll translate in this article to "Jerk" despite Sutton’s claim that it just doesn’t have the same ring of authenticity or emotional appeal.  Perhaps he’s right, but too bad, its my article!

Identifying One

Sutton first defines what a jerk is, the kinds of things they do in the workplace and how you can easily identify them.  He lists and explains several methods with some things that stand out as such an obvious sign right down to the everyday things like interruptions, personal insult and flaming emails.  These things done consistently are sure signs of that jerk mentality.

Avoid Being One

Sutton explores many ways that a jerk can surface and the types of situations that make this behavior reinforced and dangerous to you if caught up in it.  It can literally be contagious so avoiding these situations in the first place a sure method to deal with it.  Here are a few more covered in the book:

• Walk away from gossip and other bad situations
• Focus on similarities to others, not differences
• Recognize when you are being a jerk yourself
• Don’t ever play power cards over others to get your way
• Focus on win-win negotiations with others

Dealing With One

Again, various techniques and behaviors are explored for dealing with a total jerk at work.  Lower your expectations of the person but still hope for the best, you don’t want to get sucked into their vortex of despair.  Another technique explored is to avoid dealing with them or even working to expose them for their poor choice of actions.   He touches on the advantages of looking for tiny bits of progress or wins when dealing with such a person and he even goes so far to mention some of the advantages a total jerk has, or you might have in being one yourself.  Personally, I think he spent too much time on the book and the toxin of thinking for months about total jerks spilled over, I didn’t agree with that area much as I believe there are better ways to handle his suggestions.

Ruling Them Out

The book is really about keeping these types of people out.  Out of your organization that is.  Sutten looks at how this can be done with existing jerks and then how to stick to that plan and ensure no new jerks get in.  It applies across all areas of the organization as well, employees, vendors, contractors, everyone.  Since they can so easily spread, this rule must be applied swiftly and across the board.  It’s like exterminating a bad insect or clearing out some toxin.  Best to do it suddenly and all at once.

Summary

So, the book does explain the problem of these total jerks well and it answered all of my questions around finding them, dealing with them and also then in keeping them out of your life and organization.  The advice here is very helpful, and you don’t have to be a total jerk in the process, it’s quite the opposite!  I always enjoy books with humor and many personal stories, and this one is no exception to that once again.  Stories shed example on what impact some of these jerks have in organizations and on the people as well.  In addition, there are positive stories where corporations have turned around their business by implementing the title of this book.  It’s great to see a business book that is entirely written about relationships and the people factor and I’m thrilled to see the interest it’s generated and I respect Sutton for the guts it took to be so bold to put out a frontal attack against the type of people that consistently belittle others and cause pain in the organization simply for their own pleasure and gain.

Posted by Mike King under Book Reviews | 12 Comments »

Author: Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Well there is no wonder this book became very popular in a short time. It’s a wonderful book to read with lessons in communication and marketing that put immediate changes into your way of thinking about your influence in what you write and say.

The brothers, Dan and Chip Heath have put a set of studies on communication and human nature to the test and drawn not only useful, but easy to absorb and apply steps to make your ideas that you present to others more “sticky”.  That is to say, they will be remembered, have more impact and increase the chance of causing lasting change.  The concepts written about in the book are applied beautifully by example in the title and cover as well as the duct tape patch job has actually been embossed out on the books cover.  A brilliant idea that ensures the title of the book at first glace will even stick in your mind.

While the book might seem from the topic to fit only the presenting, marketing or sales type of roles and personalities, it is certainly not limited to those groups of people.  It is an entertaining book that will enable anyone to share their ideas more effectively and to explore the reasons that an idea will last, whether that is in a story you tell, or an idea you have to share.  It will definitely transform your thinking when it comes to your communication and it will engage your mind on simple principles that will enable you to have more winning ideas applied in a way so your message will stick!

The book is segmented into 6 pieces that the authors say are the principles behind any sticky idea.  They are:

• S implicity – make ideas simple by who it’s presented to and how it is described and delivered, regardless of what complexity it is drawn from
• U nexpectedness – using shock or surprise to draw attention and then taking them deeper through genuine interest that will last
• C oncreteness – putting ideas in a perspective anyone can understand and relate to, while making them obvious and hard hitting
• C redibility – use common or believable evidence (people and things) to make your idea easy to access and something that can quickly be trusted
• E motions – ideas can benefit from having a deep emotional connection to morals, beliefs, values or relational bonds
• S tories – put your ideas into memorable and interesting stories to realize the advantages of story telling with your ideas

Many stories are used as evidence and they include urban legends, low-fare airlines, mission to the moon, soap operas, genetics, Disney, nuclear war, classic tests, famous people, state missions, fast food diets, smoking and many many other topics demonstrating brilliantly the sticky ideas that worked in each. They prove these principles and clearly demonstrate why they are so memorable and effective.

The authors make real these concepts by stories as example, but they also explore data from studies and surveys in many areas as evidence as well.  They do this the whole way through with a touch of humor, easy reading, valuable topics and making what could be made very complex, quite simple.  I love how they show so well in their writing exactly it is that they are in fact, writing about and the book is one you will remember, the concepts live on with techniques to apply them and I’m sure you would enjoy the book if you have any interest in it’s message at all.

Like any book, it is only as useful as you take application of it.  I did however, find there is much more applicable content and guides from Made to Stick than there was in similar books like the Tipping Point or Blink .

You can grab a bunch of free outlines and content by the authors here .  It’s good content and quite useful whether you’ve read the book or not, so do check that out!

Posted by Mike King under Book Reviews | 8 Comments »

Author: Timothy Ferriss

The 4 Hour Workweek

I finally got around to listening to The 4 Hour Workweek after hearing mixed reviews about it and I have to say I have mixed thoughts as well.  Not for the quality of the book itself or the usefulness of it, because it certainly has that, but the style and attitude that is portrayed.  I find that Ferriss encourages his avoid work attitude in his own personal way which clearly works for him, but I’m afraid it’s not going to work for other personality types.  There are certainly many wise and useful pieces of advice throughout the book and you can definitely look to apply some of those in practical ways as he gives step by step instructions and guides for many of these.  However, I found his delivery of them to be far too heavy on the self promoting, "look what I did" kind of attitude there where many times I had to laugh past his ego to try to get to his point.  The book is like a great big long rant about stupid people and I think Ferriss highly exaggerates his points about general workplace, people and how easy everything is if you just make it happen.  Now, I am certainly not one to doubt anyone with that kind of ambition and desire, but that is exactly what the book is lacking, a way to help provide some practical steps to the less confident, less forceful person.  If you have a "who cares what anyone else thinks kind" of attitude and can be proud of becoming a reseller of someone else’s products and have no fears and experience traveling on dollars a day with zero security in your life, then the Ferriss lifestyle is something to follow and his guide provides clear steps how.

Lifestyle Design

If that is not your ideal of a 4 hour work week, then the book still has a lot of great advice to be gained but you will have to look past the Ferriss style and it likely won’t take you anywhere near the same level of living that Ferriss can enjoy with a 4 hour work week.  Still, there are useful ways to free up time and he looks heavily at outsourcing, not just outsourcing your work tasks, but everyday life management as well.  This is something that highly intrigues me and is something I need to look more seriously at.  One important point that Ferriss makes throughout the book is that you need to give up the idea of having everything to make you happy and start thinking like the "new rich".  This is to start thinking that living simple is all you need and that your excess is what makes you rich and enables you to do the things that only rich people do.  It’s all about the experiences you have and not the possessions you own.  There are things to do, places to see and events to attend that money enables you to do, so put your money into that, not the things that tie you down to one location or job.  This I can certainly agree with he gives great advice and practical steps to achieving this.

Clarity and Content

The one thing that is incredible about the book is simply how clearly things are written with specific guides and steps in many many areas of life.  There is a single page (or 3 minute) guide to speed reading that will double your reading speed in about 15-30 minutes of practise and while this seems crazy, I found his advice to be right on par with any speed reading lessons I’ve already done and he really misses nothing of significance.  He adds his own thoughts and hugely clarified process of learning to speed read with only a few steps each taking a few minutes to complete. He leaves that by saying now you are done, you’ve doubled your reading speed, time to move on to your next problem you have and kill it.  He does this over and over with all the things you could use to challenge him from a boss’s reaction to working at home, to coming up with your own audacious goals and plans in life.  It’s entertaining to see his simplistic view of these problems and left me feeling like I was on the edge of a balance between amusing and egotistical.

I think his ideas on email, phone usage and eliminating distractions are easily worth it on their own.  Ferriss takes batching these processes to the extreme and shows ways to actually train others how to communicate with you by customizing your auto responders and voice mail.  These among others are all great productivity tipes and ways to get the right things done, which I’m a BIG advocate of.

One thing I found quite odd in the audio version (and obviously since it was unabridged) is that there were nearly hundreds of URL links read out loud to endlessly bore you in the audio version.  I mean, really, who on earth is going to go back to these and sit there replaying them from their device in order to type in the exact URL.  A single website reference is all that is needed to Ferriss’ site and all that character reading could have been eliminated, it was in no way helpful in the audio book.  Other than that gripe and just the attitude by Ferriss in book, I think it is definitely worth reading and take what you can from it.  There is a lot of concise information and enough to last anyone quite some time learning to really implement.

Posted by Mike King under Book Reviews | 8 Comments »

Author: Daniel Gilbert

Stumbling on Happiness

Daniel Gilbert makes a wonderful examination about the "only animal that thinks about the future" in his book "Stumbling on Happiness".  I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I generally look for specific actions and books that give a variety of guidance but I must say that this one offers none of that.  What it does do however, is examine what humans are capable of from the thinking perspective and he presents how that can be a huge benefit to our social and life decisions yet at the same time a limiting hindrance in our decisions and thoughts.

Gilbert makes reference to tens of studies and correlates them into a pretty common theme for the book.  Humans are pretty bad at predicting what will make them happy!

I absolutely love Gilbert’s style of writing as there is much subtle humor and jibes toward the general intelligence (or lack thereof) at people’s ability to gauge and plan their own happiness.  He has a very engaging style with this work and leads you around a variety of topics on happiness with scientific studies, personal observations and a lot of intriguing questions to ponder.  He demonstrates how our brains lead us more often than not to obscurity in the future when it comes to happiness and there is little we can do about it, no matter how hard we try.

Subjective Happiness

Another important premise of the book is that happiness is completely subjective.  One person’s idea of extreme happiness can be very different from anothers’.  Not only that but individuals are not even consistent with their own happiness as what may have led to us being extremely happy a year ago or even last week, could be completely different now.  It will also be completely different in the future.  All of our experiences are faded in our memories so what we think we were feeling in the past that made us happy shifts over time in our memories.  Similarly, our imaginations cannot be relied on for future prediction of happiness as it is altered by our memories and tinted by what we are experiencing at the time we imagine it.

Joy of Delusion

The examination that happiness really cannot be predicted, remembered or even repeated leaves us with one option, to enjoy the delusion and understand that happiness is what it is at that time only and will never again be the same so get what you can from it at the time.  We’re incapable of imagining accurately so I’m certainly not going to try to think of happiness in the future.  I’m instead going to enjoy what I can, when i can and know that my experiences are not something I can accurate predict in the future so its rather mute to try.

Some of the things presented in the book and how it affects happiness are:

• Our minds often exaggerate or filter out content in our memories
• Imaginations are never accurate predictions since our applied memories always shift
• People naturally rationalize situations to conclude themselves into some kind of happy state
• Happiness is rarely as good as we imagine it and it rarely lasts as long as we think it will
• Things that prevent happiness are often repeated and ignored when searching for happiness

These (and more) are covered in 5 parts just to give you an idea of the various angles he approaches things with.

1. Prospection
2. Subjectivity
3. Realism
4. Presentism
5. Rationalization

Anyway, I definitely recommend this book, not so you gain a better understanding of how to be happiness, but more to realize what happiness is not, and how that changes some of your beliefs around happiness that you use to steer your life.  The book is incredibly funny and quite similar to the books, Blink and Freakonomics in study and style.  I’d recommend the unabridged audio version as it’s great fun to hear the author himself putting the emphasis on his content with wit and humor.  I certainly was happy listening to it!

Posted by Mike King under Book Reviews | 5 Comments »