A comprehensive study of the power of differentiation as a key component of any business model, this book includes a step-by-step process to help leaders discover, achieve, express, and sustain their own authentic position. For the first time in recent history, trust is as important to corporate reputation as quality of products and services, according to the 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer. Still, nearly 70 percent of people say that organizations will revert to "business as usual" once the economy recovers. Moreover, U.S. job satisfaction is at a 22-year-low, according to a 2010 Conference Board report, and by most every measure, the consumer outlook is bleak. The good news? Organizational authenticity is attainable, declares Morin in Better Make it Real. However, it isn't the goal, she says, but the result of providing, consistently and continuously, an authentic "total experience" to your stakeholders—workers, customers, vendors, and other business partners. In other words, Morin affirms, authenticity isn't a destination—it's an ongoing journey that will serve to differentiate any organization in its marketplace, which too often is littered with fakes. Morin's recommended roadmap is Kahler Slater's Total Experience Design—a specific, step-by-step process for designing stakeholder experiences that are "authentic, intentional, and wholly integrated." In Better Make It Real, Morin offers a comprehensive guide to implementing Total Experience Design inside organizations of all types and sizes. She also shares behind-the-scenes stories from Kahler Slater projects and clients, including Google, Robert Redford's Sundance Cinemas, Monster.com, and numerous entrepreneurial enterprises. Bottom line: Organizational authenticity is sorely lacking—and urgently needed. On the heels of the Great Recession, Morin rolls out a roadmap to "real"—helping executives and entrepreneurs find their way forward.

"In this book, readers will discover how companies such as Google, Monster.com, and Robert Redford's Sundance Cinemas moved their vision forward by incorporating the 4Ps of total experience design. They will learn how to seamlessly integrate all aspects of a business in order to deliver customer experiences that will lift them far above their competitors. Author Jill Morin outlines a five-step process for identifying the kind of organization you want your enterprise to be, the kinds of customers you want to serve, and designing how to deliver your best to them. She emphasizes the importance of engaging all one's stakeholders in the process of transforming an enterprise into one that will thrive well into the future." --Book Jacket.

From carrying camera gear on the sets of MTV's Road Rules, to pioneering the celeb-reality genre by creating such breakout hits as The Surreal Life and The Flavor of Love, and now as one of today's most prominent figures in the television industry-Cris Abrego's career has been nothing short of extraordinary. In Make It Reality, Abrego provides practical and motivating lessons collected from almost twenty years on the frontlines of television to help you realize there are no limits on what can be achieved.

They were only faking it…. A landscape designer for his family’s construction firm, Joe Walker, is nearing completion on one of the most important projects of his career—gardens for spec homes that if they wow, Walker Construction will survive. When a freak accident sidelines him with a broken leg, the firm hires a competitor. Her ideas are radically different, but his stalker ex arrives to play nurse, and Joe needs more than gardening help. After six-years working in English manor gardens, horticulturist Kara Sudbury returns to River’s Edge to help in her grandparents’ struggling garden center. She’s thrilled when Jackson Walker hires her to execute his injured cousin’s designs. Ignoring Joe is difficult because he’s as sexy now as he was in high school and even more stubborn. But when Joe asks Kara to play the role of girlfriend, they strike a deal that will help Joe handle his tenacious ex and put Sudbury’s Nursery back in the black. Kara’s up for the subterfuge…for a price, but then the pretense feels real, and Kara is reminded that every rose has its thorns.

The Girls of Grace conferences have inspired thousands of young women across the globe. Now, Make It Real, based on the 2005-2006 Girls of Grace conference theme, inspires each and every girl to see herself through God's eyes and be the person He wants her to be. Point of Grace is: Shelley, Denise, Leigh, and Heather. Together in this fun, biblically-based book, the girls discuss and apply the issues facing young women today: Words, Worth, Relationships, and Me. If you enjoy their conferences or their music, you're sure to love this book as they encourage all young girls to Make It Real!

Every Catholic teen will be evangelized in the coming year. That is a fact. The question is this: Who will evangelize our teens, and to what will they be converted? Ironically, most "evangelization" is being done not by the Church but by contemporary American culture. A variety of voices are vying for the attention and allegiance of our youth. Many of those voices, often electronically piped into our unsuspecting households, proclaim relevantly, creatively, and persuasively a message contrary to our Catholic faith. Yet the Church possesses a message that addresses the most significant hunger of every teen's heart. We have exactly what young people are searching for. We struggle, however, in constructing an environment that teens find attractive, and we often fail to proclaim the Gospel in a creative and culturally relevant manner. Make It Real: A Practical Resource for Teen-Friendly Evangelization is all about building evangelistic ministry that not only is worth teens' time but also addresses the issues that are real in their lives. This book provides fresh, clear, and test-driven principles for building an effective and teen-friendly ministry for evangelistic outreach. The fully designed sessions help the busy youth worker implement dynamic and spiritually powerful evangelistic gatherings.

"This exceptionally well-organized, practical, and impressive work should be on every administrator′s and character educator′s desk. Olsson redefines the lens through which educators view the factors that impact school climate, teacher-student relationships, student behavior, and ultimately the character development of young people." —Edward DeRoche, Director Character Development Center, University of San Diego "Needed in the character education movement for a long time, this book is written by a principal who′s been leading the way and now shows how we can help students develop their character without sacrificing academic standards. It′s easy to read, well organized, and, most important, contains hundreds of practical strategies that work." —Hal Urban, Teacher and Speaker, Redwood City, CA Author, Lessons From The Classroom A powerful tool for influencing students′ attitudes and behaviors! Based on current research, solid theory, and real experiences, this resource provides school leaders with a comprehensive yet practical framework for creating and sustaining a schoolwide character development program. Real-world scenarios tackle tough issues such as vandalism, truancy, chronic tardiness, and bullying, and demonstrate how to bring about positive change. The book thoughtfully addresses factors that may keep students from developing positive attitudes and helps educators: Evaluate student behavior, staff morale, and school climate Target real problems with commonsense strategies that can dramatically turn around student behavior Assess a character development program′s effectiveness