Golden, Michelle. Social Media Strategies for Professionals and their Firms: the Guide to Establishing Credibility and Accelerating Relationships.

(Wiley Professional Advisory Services) Wiley. 2010. c366p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-470-63310-6. $45.00. Google eBook. $29.99. Kindle Edition. B004CFBLCK. $45.00.

While new media oftentimes provide the fastest and most effective means whereby professionals may build their practices and reach audiences, many professional service firms have been hesitant to change their corporate marketing strategies and integrate social media into them. Golden (Owner, Golden Practices Inc.; Senior Fellow, VeraSage Institute), a recognized, practice management advisor and marketing specialist in social media use and strategy, particularly in the Certified Public Accountant field, has written an accessible, comprehensive guidebook to social media for professionals and their firms with an emphasis on the accounting and legal industries. She sets forth a one- stop, reference handbook that can be read from cover- to- cover or by chapter, as needed. Nicely- organized and presented, this book covers the what, why, how, and more of social media. In fourteen chapters, the author addresses various topics as they relate to social media, professionals, and their firms, including the basics, communication policies and guidelines, business purpose, integration, strategies, marketing tactics, case studies, tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and web blogs, social web writing and etiquette, as well as best practices. Filled with lessons, tips, tools, how- to information, guidance, practical approaches, and sound advice, this invaluable manual is likely to serve the needs of individuals and entities seeking to establish, develop, and maximize effective online presences, even though parts of it quickly may become outdated or obsolete due to changing institutional environments and/or evolving and/or emerging technologies. Sufficiently well- documented, with endnotes, a glossary, and a back- of- the book index, this book is highly recommended for students, professionals, and others. It belongs in large public, academic, and special libraries. Review copy. Availability: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Google Books

Linenberger, Michael. Master Your Workday Now! Proven Strategies to Control Chaos, Create Outcomes and Connect Your Work to Who You Really Are.

New Academy Publishers. 2010. c.344p. illus. bibliog.. index. ISBN 978-097493044-2. $19.95.

Many of us are familiar with this scenario. You just have walked in the door at work and turned on your computer. Not only are you faced with your boss standing at your office door or cubicle but your inbox and voice mail box are full again and the pile of work from yesterday that was sitting on your desk remains even though you stayed late last night trying to eliminate it. Overwhelmed, you take a deep breath. You feel like you have too much to do in too little time. Where to begin? How to begin? These are two questions passing through your mind. In this nicely- presented and expertly- argued self help book, Linenberger (management consultant and technology professional for more than 20 years; formerly, Vice President, Accenture; Head, U.S. Peace Corps’ technology department; author of three books including Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook, 2nd Edition), an efficiency expert and renowned international consultant, speaker, and seminar leader, attempts to help those suffering from the abovementioned scenario, “workday chaos.” He presents his brilliantly- conceived “Workday Now” system for anyone who wants greater results at work, less stress, and deeper satisfaction from his or her employment situation and thereby life in general. Explaining how work is largely a mental game, Linenberger argues that “urgent” tasks that must be completed by the end of the workday should take precedence over merely “important ones” or less time-sensitive endeavors. In his breakthrough “Workday Mastery Pyramid,” modeled after psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, he advocates getting control of your workday by managing Urgency Zones, creating your outcomes by using Now Goals and Goal Activation, and connecting your work with who you are and what will fulfill you. In each of the three sections of his book covering the control, create, and connect sequences of his Pyramid, the author presents specific strategies and tools for helping you reach the top. You will learn how to utilize the “urgency zone” concept to create a Workday Mastery To-Do-List, overcome email overload, create Now Goals, Activate Goals, connect with yourself and your life’s work, and more. For the most part fast-paced, easy-to-read, and understandable, this somewhat lengthy publication contains many helpful value-added features not limited to illustrations, diagrams, and two appendices containing a quick start Workday Mastery Toolkit and a list of recommended print and non-print resources. The author also provides downloadable tools and templates on his masteryourworkday.com website that enable you to implement his system while additional resources such as a daily planner are being published. For anyone who wants to transform his or her work and thereby personal lives as well as bring the two closer together, this book will appeal to general and specialized readers. It is highly recommended for many public, academic, and special libraries. Review copy. Availability: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com

Foreman, George with Abraham, Ken. Knockout Entrepreneur.

Thomas Nelson Publishers. Sept. 2009. c227p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-7852-2208-8. $22.99.

Here former Olympic gold medalist in boxing (1968) and two-time, World Heavyweight Champion (1973, 1994), Foreman (also a best-selling author of ten books; founder, George Foreman Youth and Community Development Center, Houston, TX; ordained minister; philanthropist; father of ten children), a successful entrepreneur whose portfolio includes the infamous George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine, George Foreman Knockout Cleaner, a clothing line with Casual Male, and more, shares his personal secrets, principles, and strategies for business success. Defining the successful, “knockout” entrepreneur as a visionary and risk-taking, doer, who wants to succeed, is willing to do the hard work, and seizes the opportunity to grow and prosper, the author sets forth his way of doing business, which serves as the model for the “knockout” entrepreneur. In fourteen chapters that are filled with recollections of his lifetime experiences as a boxer and businessman, Foreman sketches a plan for achieving success that is based upon a plethora of real-world experiences, sound advice, good judgments, and faith in oneself and God. While the first several chapters provide the foundations for becoming successful, the remaining sections encompass ways to overcome obstacles and continue to achieve. The author covers topics not limited to recognizing and seizing opportunities, building a “corner” team, persevering, pursuing the counterintuitive, facing deal breakers, public relating, knowing your foes, overcoming obstacles, making the most of what you have, continuing to the play the game, celebrating success, and more. He ends each chapter with a list of knockout ideas in the format of questions to further stimulate readers. Nicely- presented, well- organized, and insightfully- written, this inspirational and sometimes humorous publication by one of the world’s most beloved athletes and personalities actively will engage general readers and business audiences. Unfortunately, given Foreman’s emphasis on the importance of reading for success (pp. 180-4), it lacks a selected bibliography and back-of-the book index but does include endnotes. After being purchased in print, this Nelsonfree book is available as a free, downloadable audiobook and ebook from the publisher’s website. Recommended for public library collections. Availability:Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com