The other day someone asked me why I write books. I answered to help people. The person looked at me and said, “Of course but you want to make money, gain exposure, and find new clients don’t you?” That’s all good, but it’s not the reason I write books. Let me explain.
My first book came about after I quit my job. I wanted to go out independently and help businesses with leadership development. The more I visited and talked with companies, the more appalled I became due to the lack of management and leadership training. I was naïve. Companies were doing little training, and it was hard to find a course that taught the basics. It’s why I wrote my first book. From the beginning, it wasn’t about money or prestige; it was about helping new managers thrown into the deep end without a life preserver.
I’ll give you an example, a few years ago, a management development trainer contacted me. He had read my first book and left a wonderful review on Amazon and wanted to meet and talk about my book. He was in charge of developing a management development program for a large transportation company, and wanted to use my book but couldn’t convince leadership to spend the money. I told him no problem, I’d send a PDF, sign a waiver, and he could share it with his team. The book was made available to more than 4,000 employees.
Later he told me he had broken it down by chapter so that any employee could open what they needed help with. He told me the team used and appreciated the book. It was making a difference. This made me happy. It’s why I write books. (The subhead titles link to the book.)
Why I write Books
If You Need a Book Let Me know
Yes, if you need a book reach out to me, and I’ll get one to you. I’d rather make a difference than make a buck. Here are my books.
The New Manager’s Workbook: A Crash Course in Effective Management
The New Manager’s Workbook: A Crash course in Effective Management is a workbook and guidebook to help new managers navigate the intricacies and pitfalls of being in a position of power over employees.
Most everyone has experienced a manager who falls at one extreme or another, from the angry micro-manager to the absentee “sure, whatever” manager. With decades of managerial experience, Randy Clark guides you toward that happy middle where good managers live and work. He shows how to deal with the good (hiring, praising, and motivating employees), the bad (navigating silos and dealing with low-quality work), and the ugly (controlling confrontation employees and, if need be, firing them) while keeping your soul intact.
The Manager’s Guide to Becoming a Leader
The Managers Guide to Becoming a Leader is about service leadership. Its philosophy is that projects can be managed but people should be led, and that leaders aren’t born they’re created. The book focuses on improving oneself as a person and as a leader. No single book, or series of books, could cover every contingency leaders face, fit every organization, and answer every leadership question. However, you can share a way of thinking, a leadership thought process. Leaders with an employee-centric, influence-based, leadership belief system can face most management obstacles and find the opportunities in them. If you, the reader, take nothing away from this book other than how service leaders think—I will be content, and you will be a better leader.
How to Stay Ahead of Your Business Blog Forever
Maybe you’ve heard that a business blog can help attract leads. Or you’ve started a business blog but never seem to find the time to keep it updated. Anybody can create a blog, but it takes planning, organization, and time to turn it into a way to connect with clients and potential clients and keep it working for you. How to Stay Ahead of Your Business Blog Forever takes you step by step through planning your blog. From recruiting writers and editors to creating an editorial calendar while keeping your blog supplied with fresh content week after week.
You Can’t Talk Shit Done: Adding Actions to Words
From weekly updates to companywide mission statements, businesses fail when there is too much talk and not enough action. You Can’t Talk Shit Done provides frameworks for getting the most out of business interactions. From meetings and training sessions to conferences and seminars.
Help Networking
I’ve secured multi-million-dollar contracts through networking. I’ve held positions such as director of communications and vice president of operations for multi-million-dollar organizations without ever having a resume. And I’ve been privileged to present on leadership, social media, writing, and more, all because I had a networking plan. I’m no genius, and I don’t have special powers. What I have is a networking plan that fits my needs. What this workbook can do is help you create a networking plan that works for you. Are you ready to get to work?
Terrible Smiles: Short Fiction with a Twist
This one was just for fun! Terrible Smiles is an anthology of 41 flash fiction stories. Many of the stories are set in the future, others in days gone by. What they have in common is a twist. From a young woman facing the most significant interview of her life to a scientist leading a south pole expedition, the stories take a surprise turn.
How to Sell Without Becoming “that” Salesperson
Wait what? A book with salesperson in the title about how NOT to be a Salesperson. Yes, because a salesperson puts sales first. For a salesperson, the sell is more important than the customer. Do you think I’m exaggerating? Most sales books and sales training programs are based on sales tactics and sales psychology, not on helping the customer. I get it.
When I was younger, I used every sales trick in the book and even invented a few. I used these tactics to sell and taught others how to dupe a customer into buying the product I wanted to sell, which wasn’t always what the consumer needed. I’m not proud of my early years in sales. I was “that” salesperson.
Eventually, I learned that helping customers rather than “selling” them built lasting relationships. It not only made good business sense, but it also felt good. It was the right thing to do. Are you ready to do the right thing? Do you want to learn how not to be a compassionate sales consultant and increase sales while building your customer base?
The New Sales Managers Workbook
HOW EFFECTIVE ARE YOUR SALES MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES? Are you leading people or managing projects? Do you set goals based on activities to continue, eliminate, or improve or do you strictly look at the results? Do you believe one sales strategy fits all of your clients and all of your sales team? If so, you’re walking the streets I paved, and those streets lead to disappointment. The good news is if you recognize these behaviors in yourself, you can change. I did. I eventually became a highly effective sales manager and so can you. This workbook is the place to start.
I Think I’m Funny: and it gets me in trouble all the time
Writing “I Think I’m Funny” has been a labor of love. Of the 47 stories in this book, more than 30 are true tales from my days on this planet. Most of those make it clear how my warped sense of humor gets me in trouble.
I based several of the stories on something I like to do, which is ask people what funny things happen to them at work. One of the stories, “Our First and Only RV Vacation,” was a true experience shared by a friend. You’ll understand why I had to include it when you read it.
I grew up with Top 10 lists. I almost didn’t include them, but a few laughs hide there.
I wrote Rachel’s Rants for a friend’s blog, but two of the three never made it to print.
And finally, I end the book with a couple of pieces of fictional humor. At least, I hope they’re funny. Enjoy.
Six Months
The story of two men living in the same town. One who Is terminally ill, the other running for elected office, and how their lives eventually intertwine. Ficton.
How Can I Help You?
I like to help people and organizations, but I have three criteria I consider before taking an assignment. I believe in what the organization stands for, I know I can help, and it looks like fun. If you have any questions, or could use a book, Contact Me.
Does your business have a management training plan? Businesses and universities use my book, The New Manager’s Workbook, a crash course in effective management, as the basis for their leadership development program. I’m also available to conduct training.
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
