Reading List for Week Ending 8/1/09

Stack of Magazines

This week’s topics include leadership and information assurance. I hope you enjoy the best of what I read this week.

Leadership

10 Things Business Schools Won’t Teach You Do you folks holding a MBA agree?
The Value Every Business Needs to Create Now. Very interesting discussion about profits – not all profit is the same.
Hire People Who Disagree with You. Are you secure enough to hire people who disagree with you?
4 Rules for Effective Negotiation
Collaboration – If it Were Easy We Would All Do it Well This article provides links to more documentation and a video lecture on the topic.
Calm the Tantrum Throwers in the Corner Office I hope none of you are acting this way or are dealing with someone who is, but just in case, read this article.
How Women Have Changed Norway’s Boardrooms,

“Women, in sufficient numbers, change board dynamics for the better. Why? Because as a group, women tend to display a different set of characteristics from men as a group — characteristics that broaden discussions, reduce unnecessary risks that a corporation takes on, and punish people who would increase foolish risks.

For instance, women tend to demand more facts and details. Said one former CEO and current board member: “If I had to generalize about the differences between men and women on boards? Women are more interested in getting the facts. Much more prepared; ask many more questions. Men tend to shoot from the hip. Women on boards are also more interested in how the organization will actually work. Think of an acquisition or a re-org to take a company more global. When women are in the discussion, they ask questions like: ‘Don’t just show me the Powerpoint. Who are these people? What are their responsibilities? Matrix type questions. Women tend to see the organization as more of a living thing.”