Recommended Reading Are you looking for some inspiration? Please find below a selection of books we feel may provide you with ideas to take your business forward. Please do not hesitate to contact Simon Chaplin if you have any comments on the books (you could prepare your own review) or have problems obtaining copies. The links will take you directly the correct Amazon page. If you don't have time to read the books we suggest you read The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey first!
 The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Michael Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited should be required reading for anyone thinking about starting a business or for those who have already taken that fateful step. The title refers to the author's belief that entrepreneurs-typically brimming with good but distracting ideas-make poor business people. He establishes an incredibly organised and regimented plan, so that daily details are scripted, freeing the entrepreneur's mind to build the long-term success or failure of the business. You don't need an MBA to understand or follow its directives; Gerber takes time to explain buzzwords and complex theories. Written in a clear and well-paced manner, The E-Myth Revisited is like receiving advice from an old friend. [Review from Amazon]
 The Richer Way by Julian Richer Julian Richer focuses on a people oriented approach, where by staff and customers are truly treated as the most important asset of his company. His ideas and attitudes are strongly centred around friendliness which he evidently believes is a winning attitude. As a budding entrepreneur I can safely say that my attitude towards business has been positively shaped around much of the ideas in this book. A must read! [Review from Amazon]
 Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard A straightforward and snappy guide to successful customer service, this text should prove useful in every kind of organisation or business which wishes to deliver efficient customer service and achieve bottom-line results. [Review from Amazon]
 Ken Blanchard, Hal Burrows and the late William Oncken define the problem of picking up other peoples Monkeys. The little problems that effectively stop you from performing at your optimum efficency. Learn the four simple rules from the One Minute Manager to pass these Monkeys back to the approriate keeper and reduce the burden on yourself. This is great follow on in the classic One Minute Manager series and is to be well recommended to anyone who who finds themself burdoned down with other peoples problems. Regain control. Cut the Monkeys free. [Review from Amazon]  Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’ is a fantastic little book to help you deal with changes in both the work environment and in life. The book is set in a maze which represents where you spend time looking for what you want. This can be the organisation you work in, the community in which you live or the relationships which you have. In this case, cheese is the success you want in life, whether it is a job, a relationship or money. The story is told as a parable through the eyes of Haw, a little person, and he explains how the attitudes of Hem, Sniff and Scurry effect their successes and failures. Whilst disbelieving and sceptical readers may find the book a little too simple, its beauty is that it sums up everybody’s life in one of the four characters and reminds us that things change whether we resist or not. Whilst there is no single way to deal with change, the consequences of pretending change won’t happen are always the same – the cheese will always run out! [Review by Carla Cumbridge]
 Fish!: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale... How do you stop your company becoming a toxic energy dump? Why not draw inspiration from Seattle’s world famous Pike Place Fish Market! That’s what Mary Ramirez, the main character from Fish (the latest edition to Green Stone & Co’s recommended reading list) did. Mary, a successful manager in one of the cities largest financial company’s, is asked to turn around a data processing department. The department is the butt of the whole company’s jokes. Nobody has the enthusiasm to do anything and the culture of the department is such a powerful and depressing force that new people quickly loose their spark. Under pressure from her boss and unsure of where to go next, one afternoon Mary discovers the local fish market. It’s a hive of activity, with everyone, staff and customers alike, having a great time. Mary starts to meet with Lonnie, one of the fish guys, and discovers that once, the fish market was also a toxic energy dump. Managers and employees at the market then decided to do something about it. “There is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself.” The company decided to become “World Famous”. The fishmongers also came up with four basic principles to improve there work lives, and as a result productivity:- Choose your attitude – How do you feel when you arrive at work? Play – Have fun doing your job Make their day – Customers, colleagues, managers or anyone else you come into contact with Be Present – Always look for what needs to be done If you want to change the way your organisation works, you may need a spark. Fish, by Stephen C. Ludin, Ph.D, Harry Paul and John Christensen, may provide that spark. (reviewed by David Swann)
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