Everyone knows that relationships are critical to business success, but no-one has provided a simple system to turn contacts and acquaintances into valuable assets -- until now. The first systematic program for advancing business relationships. In five easy-to-follow steps, the book shows how to transform any casual business relationship into a valuable source for revenue, leads, and advice. Ed Wallace combines memorable anecdotes with a clear theoretical framework that shows individuals how to leverage their hard business skills with the often-overlooked soft skills of rela-tionship building. Surveyed executives say they need this book. In a recent survey, 88 percent of executives indicated that the strength of their client, cus-tomer, and referral relationships was critical to achieving their goals each year. But only 25 percent of those same executives said they had a formal process for planning, managing, and growing business relation-ships and 73 percent of the group surveyed said they would be very interested in reading a book on this topic. This book delivers the process that so many people and organisations need.

In Building Relationships That Last a Lifetime, Ron Rice reveals the secrets he has learned in his fascinating, entrepreneurial journey to success. He examines the key strategies he used to identify, develop, and maintain both professional and personal relationships over the course of his career. Beginning as a traveling salesman, Rice navigated up through business opportunities and relationships to obtain the American dream for himself and his family. He has proven himself a trustworthy businessman, salesman, and leader. Following his story, you'll be able to evaluate your own business relationships, strategic leads, and entrepreneurial goals against Rice's powerful example.

This book offers a wealth of good, solid business advice. "Fares to Friends" is the business professional's equivalent to best-seller "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom. Like Albom, Ed Wallace '81 VSB invites the reader to share in a series of literally and figuratively transporting conversations with his mentor, a cab driver named Max. Over the course of many trips to the airport, Max, a former business executive who gave up high-level commerce to become a service entrepreneur, points out what the author considers to be crucial guideposts on the road to business success: how to build relat.

In order to defend themselves against commoditization and disruptive innovation, leading companies are now gaining competitive advantage through networked business models and tapping into talent from outside their company. Rather than implementing rigid "built-to-last" processes, organizations are now constructing more fluid "built-to-adapt" networks in which each member focuses on its differentiation and relies increasingly on its partners, suppliers, and customers to provide the rest. With contributions by the biggest names in business network transformation, this book offers cutting edge research and an in-depth exploration of critical topics such as customer value, supply networks, product leadership, global processes, operations, innovation, relationship management, and IT. The book also provides practical guidance for successfully engaging in BNT, and is filled with illustrative case studies from some of the world’s largest and most successful companies. It contains the vital information business leaders need to enable their companies to deliver faster innovation to customers at lower cost by sharing investments, assets, and ideas across their business networks. An essential resource for all business leaders, Business Network Transformation shows how to transform any business network to achieve competitive advantage and increase the bottom line. Contributors include Geoffrey Moore, Philip Lay, Marco Iansiti, Mohan Sawhney, Ranjay Gulati, David Kletter, Venkat Venkatraman, John Hagel III, John Seely Brown, Gautam Kasthurirangan, Randall Russell, Henry Chesbrough, Jeffrey Dyer, and Andrew McAfee.

Are you frustrated in your relationships? Are you an employee, manager or boss? Are you parent, teacher or caregiver? Are you a sibling, friend or part of a couple? In this book, Dr. Marcia Sirota gives you the straight talk with real-life stories, deep psychological insights and practical, easy-to-apply tools to rebuild your self-esteem and stop trying so hard to make other people happy. In Be Kind, Not Nice, you'll discover how: To escape the vicious circle of people pleasing, being mistreated, frustration and addiction To become a more compassionate, kind person To love and accept yourself first To take better care of yourself and live a more authentic, empowered life To create positive, successful relationships at home, school and work If you're a people-pleaser and can't stop being nice, this book is for you. We use words like kindness and nice every day without ever really thinking about what they may actually mean. By deconstructing two seemingly simple words in an attempt to define them, this book opens a doorway to a deep meditation on self-forgiveness, healing and true personal potential. - Jeff de Boer, metal artist and creator of suits of armour for mice Every page of Dr. Marcia Sirota's new book reflects her own intelligence and compassion. Be Kind, Not Nice offers the kind of encouragement we all need - not rooted in fantasy or wishful thinking, but based in a truth that is unlocked with greater understanding of ourselves and our own potential. You are amazing, and Dr. Sirota can prove it. - David Hopkins, author of We Miss All the Great Parties Finally, a book that champions your success. Don't miss out on even one more day of getting all you want in life.

Chip R. Bell--author of the popular Managing "Knock Your Socks Off" Service--presents a clear blueprint for maximizing business success by enhancing customer loyalty and building lasting relationships. Each chapter includes an illustrative story and key principles. "Excellent advice".--Ken Blanchard.