Today's challenge deals with how to break teams out of their mold to try new things, make some smart mistakes, and reach a higher level of success, particularly when you're not the boss:

"How can I get some help convincing management who has been doing the same things for many years to try different/new things?"- Corey

Work is mostly about relationships, but as work becomes complicated, busy, and hefty, so do the relationships involved become more complex. Sometimes this makes things more difficult, rather than simplified. In Corey's case, he's dealing with something internal (the desire for change), yet controlled by an external force (management). This relationship is a tricky one, so it's probably best to really have a good understanding of the relationship first. Then, he can work to transform this relationship, and offer practical change into the mix.

But don't take it from me. This is the overview of an interesting new book by Diana McLain Smith titled Divide or Conquer: How Great Teams Turn Conflict into Strength. Corey doesn't mention any conflict, but he's certainly feeling it internally. Though much of the book addresses external conflict, the overall message is how to strengthen the team for the best results by starting with you. This works for Corey's, or anyone's, case. In fact, a big part of the relationship analysis the author outlines deals with addressing those internal issues - the concerns, the questions, the doubts, that put our working relationships to the test. By addressing these first, the approach will be less defensive and will create opportunities.

Let's say Corey attends a meeting with other employees and his manager. The manager lays out the details of a project, and Corey sits there thinking, "Here we go again! The same old approach!" He exchanges glances with another of his co-workers who feels the same way as him. After the meeting, the manager thinks that things are moving forward, but really, the team is divided, and the project result will be mediocre at best.

The author states, "There's no getting around it: change is difficult, and the more significant the change is, the more difficult it will be. Yet many of us render it even more difficult by making three common mistakes: setting unrealistic expectations, failing to anticipate and to help each other overcome predictable barriers, and micromanaging the pace and direction of change."

So, it might not be about convincing management to think outside the box, it might actually be about finding ways to better understand the relationship, use experience to show potential, and integrate change naturally - particularly when it's from the perspective of employee to management. Divide or Conquer can help bring all teams together for better results.

Today's challenge deals with how to manage the insanity of work demands on top of other things, you know, like life and happiness:

"My biggest challenge right now is keeping my 6-8 bosses happy. Why 6-8 bosses? That's how many active projects I typically have as a consultant. Each boss wants to be the 'special' one, the one I'll bend the rules for -- "Mary, we know that you usually don't fly on Sundays, but can you be here on Monday morning to attend a meeting with our President?" -or- "Mary, we know that you're booked six weeks in advance, but can you shake a couple of days loose to help us out of a jam?" How do I maintain a life, and keep everyone happy, while still trying to go 'above and beyond' for my clients? - Mary

6-8 bosses? Many of us find it difficult enough to deal with one, so this challenge really jumped out at me. It's likely that Mary has very little time for non-work related, but equally important things such as health, family, and leisure, but how does she even begin to manage the demands and requests of her 8 bosses during working hours?

Robert Ashton has written a helpful, jam-packed little book called The Life Guide: 10 Things You Need to Know About Everything That Matters. In it, he covers both realms of Mary's dilemma - personal time, investing, retirement, entertainment, relationships as well as the daytime grind of setting priorities, making time, making changes, avoiding pitfalls, managing the boss, enjoying your work, and getting things done. Importantly, Ashton uses this guide to help the reader understand what success means, and how to accomplish it for themselves. It's different for everyone, after all.

A big part of Ashton's approach deals with how to make changes. By reevaluating things and re-prioritizing them, a broad improvement takes place. Regarding this improvement, he states, "In reality, it's not a straight ladder. You rarely want to change just one aspect of your life and leave everything else undisturbed. However you build your ladder, you want to make sure the rungs are equally spaced and not too far apart. Equally, it must be accepted that if no one else knows what you're trying to change in your life, it will be harder for you to stay on track. To make sure you're going to follow through, you need to be realistic in the goals you set and make sure you allow other people the opportunity to give you the occasional nudge in the right direction."

Even this point alone could help Mary have a conversation with her bosses and let them know her concerns, while stressing the positive impact her changes will have on her work (the benefits to them). All in all, this is a book we can all refer to that will keep us on the path, our head above water, and our lives (all parts of it) in order.

Today's challenge deals with doing everything that matters in order to improve your business:

"Strategic thinking -- how to get a better grasp on thinking strategically to tie PR, communications and marketing efforts to driving and achieving business results" - Sandy

Business is sort of like the game Tetris. You have to do one thing to make it conducive for the next unknown event to fit without problems. How do you plan this? In the game, it's sort of luck. In business, it's a little of that, but your chances of success can be greatly improved by reading books like James M. Kilts' Doing What Matters.

Kilts was the CEO of Gillette, and during his time there, saw every key metric of the company improve. This book details his methods for making that happen. In Sandy's challenge, she's looking to connect a number of things together in order to create that smooth Tetris scenario, where each shape magically fits nicely with the next, and allows the game (your business) to move forward without a hitch. Kilts sees these connections, and adds a ton more, in his overview of things to do that matter. Part strategy, part organizational behavior, part intuitive skill, Kilts lays out an approach to strategy beyond PR and marketing, encompassing an entire overview of how he took Gillette to levels that impressed even the likes of Warren Buffett.

Here's a very abbreviated list of his things that matter:

- Growth
- Relationships
- Loyalty
- Small moments
- Timely decisions
- Doing what you enjoy
- Life's early lessons
- Right team members
- Confronting reality

Throughout the book, he goes into great detail on each of these things, and offers examples, facts, and his own experiences to make them transferable to Sandy or anyone's situation to think strategically.

Today's challenge deals with managing poor decisions from above:

"How does a senior level person working in a small corporation keep the owners from making mistakes? In other words, how do you manage one level up in the organization? Often, experience is overlooked and sales are made that should not be made. After all, some deals are too good to be true!"- Gary

Walking into your boss' office and telling them that they've made a mistake or should do things differently might put you in a worse off situation than the mistake is. There are, of course, diplomatic ways of communicating such things, but even then, it might just be viewed as an opinion and overlooked in the end.

Developing a team is a challenging process, particularly if hierarchy is involved. Ruth Wageman, Debra Nunes, James Burruss, and J Richard Hackman have written a helpful book on this subject called Senior Leadership Teams: What it takes to make them great. In it, the authors talk about how to design a system that takes the bulk off one head (CEO) and shares it with a group of dynamic executives operating under analysis, feedback, accountability, goals, and group direction. The initial challenge is formation, as the author's identify that good leadership teams develop slowly over time - it's not about one person deciding they need a team and "making it happen." Rather, a series of discussions, gathering the right people, the conceptual thinkers, with the agenda of making hugely positive changes for the company must take place. Imagine the results.

However, the author's state:

"Expect the process to be emotionally demanding. All the leaders we worked with and studied struggled with the emotional aspects of setting direction for their leadership teams. Clarifying the team's purpose invariably uncovers discrepancies and conflicts about what members think their role is or should be, and using your authority to say, "This is what we will do" triggers anxiety for leaders and members alike. But when done persistently and well, it also energizes and inspires."

In Gary's case, this book will provide some thoughts on how to approach the owners of his company and begin to form a solid team that is involved in the issues he refers to. By creating a solid case for development and improvement, while taking burden off them, Gary will succeed at showing interest in helping the company, and also accomplish his goal of avoiding the bad deals, once he and his team have more input in the process.

More info on this book can be found in the Jack Covert Selects article published last week.

Today's challenge deals with how to champion a project so teammates become engaged without involving management:

"I am working on a Six Sigma project to earn my Green Belt. I was told what project to work on and who my team members would be. 2 of the team members are the biggest stake holders and object the most to the changes that need to happen to reach our goal; they do not have buy in to the project or the goal. I do not hold a management position so they do not feel the need or pressure to cooperate. The person who assigned the project and my team is no longer with the company so can not address this. I get the idea that they feel the project is no longer an issue and that it, and I, will just go away. How can I gain their cooperation without going to their supervisor? I feel that going that direction would only make them despise the project/changes more and they would contribute even less than they do now." - Debra

This is a difficult issue, and Debra is right about her assumption that if she involves her co-worker's supervisor, things will only get worse. So, what's a dedicated employee to do? Seth Godin's book Free Prize Inside has a chapter called "Selling the Idea" that offers great insight to this particular challenge.

To get buy-in from co-workers, Godin talks about creating a "Fulcrum of Innovation" that will change co-worker's project perception in regards to three important questions: "Is it going to be successful, is it worth doing, and is this person able to champion the project?" To answer these, Godin says the champion must exude a strong sense of confidence, and then find out what each individual involved would be looking to gain from the project. In other words, are they looking for challenges, job security, making the world a better place, making their job easier, or something else? The project champion should find out what each individual's self-interest is, and approach the project from that angle when talking to them about it.

Godin then goes through a thorough list of tactics to increase involvement, one of which fits Debra's situation nicely; "Dare Them to Improve Your Idea." By encouraging each person involved to improve the idea, they'll take more ownership in it, and by taking ownership in it, they'll start to view it as something they are apart of, not against. From there, Godin describes a variety of other tactics that will make people want to get on board. With this approach, the project won't just get done, it will turn into something even greater than what it was planned to be, and your efforts will be the reason. Godin states, "Once you know how to champion a project, you're set for life, regardless of where you happen to be working."

I'm sending Debra a copy of the book today. Beyond this chapter, she'll find even more ideas that will help turn her into a champion of this project, and many more going forward.

Today's challenge deals with how a consultant can better manage quality vs. quantity workload:

"I'm an independent consultant. My challenge is knowing when (and how) to be selective in taking projects. To be able to build value by knowing which projects to take (so that I am not overwhelmed with work; and I can do my best on the projects that I do take). With the economy the way it is, I don't always feel that I can turn down work." - Greg

Sometimes we might feel like we are on an island at work; that many decisions rest on our shoulders alone. That might be the case, but consider being an independent consultant, where you wear many hats: salesperson, accountant, guru and speaker. That is a lot of work, so it is easy to understand Greg's challenge.

Fortunately, we have Peter Block's book Flawless Consulting. Known as the "consultant's bible," this almost 400 page book is packed with pretty much everything a consultant needs to know - even if you don't consider yourself a consultant, the book provides a lot of insight for anyone who offers services to clients.

Regarding Greg's challenge, Peter Block states:

"Consultants should make their own decisions on which projects to accept. We should say no to projects as often as we say yes. There are many reasons to back away from business. Clients often want us to treat a symptom. They think training or restructuring will solve their problem, when it will only postpone resolution. Say no when the chemistry between you and the client is not good. Be careful when the client has expectations of you that you cannot fulfill."

I'm sending Greg a copy today. As thorough and informative as it is, I am sure it will provide answers for him far beyond his challenge, and become a guide he refers to again and again. It's just that good.

This week's installment of Ask 8cr! is a little different. As Rebecca mentioned elsewhere on our blog, we recently published our first magazine called In The Books, featuring articles and write-ups on the most notable current business books. It's a handy resource people can use to quickly find some specific topics, or discover something entirely new. Looking at it made me think that this publication is sort of an Ask 8cr! umbrella, in that it leads readers to a variety of sources that cover the most common business challenges. So, I'm using it for today's Ask 8cr! book, and sending everyone who's sent me a challenge in the past a free copy.

But that's not all. The next 100 people that order In The Books get 40% off by using the discount code g6kjm when you purchase online.

Today's challenge deals with re-examining your sales culture by looking at your most important asset - your customers:

"How do you change a sales culture to be more aggressive? To be more responsive? To keep pushing even though sales goals are being met? To make them realize that when things are going well is when we ought to keep prospecting. To teach them the long term benefits of being responsive." - Larry

The sales war rages on. Organizations scramble for leads, battle over price, bend over backwards to close deals. Still, it never seems to be enough. Larry's challenge is a clear example of this. How can sales people be more aggressive and keep pushing even when goals are met? It seems the answer is a shift in perspective.

Ram Charan has written a wonderful little book about this shift called What the Customer Wants You to Know: How Everybody Needs to Think Differently About Sales. In it, Charam describes his system of "value creation selling," a practical method of understanding your customer's problems and finding ways to solve them. Through this system, Charam details a method that takes attention off of price and places the focus on what the customer really needs. By describing how to develop a value creation sales force, the book is a guide that can be used by management to change the culture on a larger scale, as it reveals that sales is every employee's business - not just the sales department.

In creating the process, sustaining the process, and taking it to the next level, value creation selling becomes a way for organizations to be their customer's trusted partner. However, it does require the right perception and work from all involved. This important fact will change current employees as well as better define future hires. Charam states, "If people don't have the gregarious personality and psychology that lets them work in groups and build relationships, they won't succeed."

I'm sending Larry a copy of the book to address his questions by hopefully changing them. After reading, he'll ask questions like, "What problems do my customers have? What risks do they see having with their customers? How can we provide solutions for them?" These are questions every organization should be asking themselves, and this book is a practical guide to help us work out the answers.

Today's challenge deals with focusing on the big picture, knowing what you really want to accomplish, and building a system to get there - though from the note, you might not initially expect this:

"For the longest time I kept my email inbox at zero. It was heaven. Then, I went on a week of vacation and everything has fallen apart. Plus, I moved my whole office that I've been in for 13 years to a new office away from our main building. So, sorting through years of material, reorganizing it, and then trying to keep up with the day to day grind has left me feeling totally out of control. Is there really help for me?" - Annie

Don't we all feel like Annie sometimes? I could easily respond with a note about organization, setting priorities, and making a schedule, and apply a useful, but perhaps temporary book solution to Annie's challenge. But, let's face it, none of us need a quick fix. We should be looking at the larger scope of our daily actions, and how those can pile up over time to help or hinder our efforts. What's really at stake for Annie, and all of us, as we get buried in emails and material, is our strategy.

Mark Morgan, Raymond Levitt, and William Malek have written a book called Executing Your Strategy: How to Break it Down & Get it Done and it's right on the mark for Annie's core issue. We all get distracted and buried over with day-to-day stuff. It's inevitable. But, if we look at the ideas these authors have presented, they're extremely helpful in keeping focused on our vision, and also lets us know how to do something about realizing it.

Clarifying identity and purpose, and looking at long range intention are the initial steps. The book then leads into how to form your strategy into projects, and how to effectively manage and develop those projects. The author's state: "One of management's biggest blind spots is the failure to recognize that any significant shift in strategy requires changes in day-to-day activities throughout the organization." From there, strategic project types are discussed, along with many case studies and examples of how to apply the ideas herein.

The book is big on management, projects, and long-term strategy. It's my hope that by studying these ideas, and by focusing on the bigger picture, Annie will naturally develop ways to address her day-to-day clutter, and solve far greater issues. Again hopefully, this will engage her in her work, and lead her into more successful territory, where the little stuff is no longer considered a challenge. I'm sending her a copy of the book today so she can get a fresh start in the New Year. How about you?

Today's challenge deals with keeping employees from slipping into mediocrity, or worse. Here's what one of our readers is dealing with:

"Long time associate is 7 out of 10 on best days, 4 out of 10 on worst days, but never the worst at any time. Every time a corner is turned, she slips and falls and reverts back to her old ways soon thereafter. Firm embraces longevity and diversity. Suggestions on how to fire her up or fire her outright?" - Phil

The good news with this challenge is that things are never at their worst, implying there's hope for the situation. From the outside, it appears that the employee generally does a good job, but then something happens. What causes that change? Something personal? Frustration with her responsibilities? Concern with management? Her co-workers? It could be anything, really, and not knowing that causes a great challenge for managers, but also puts them in a position to help their employees and become stronger leaders in the process.

Erika Andersen has written a great book (that we've talked about lots here) called Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers. In it, she levels the playing field to start with the fundamentals:

"Your employees are, like you and I, flawed and hopeful human beings whose success is at least partly dependent on your skill as a manager: human beings who will thrive with skillful and consistent attention and wither without it. Kind of like plants."

Like plants, one cannot expect employees to grow without creating the right scenario to facilitate growth. Andersen follows the plant metaphor throughout the book (preparing the soil, planning, picking your plants, weeding, spreading, etc.) and reveals methods to truly grow great employees. However, like plants, not all employees are going to be great, and so some must go. But, before that happens, particularly in a scenario like Phil's, where things are potentially hopeful, a manager can find out what causes poor results from the employee (ie, what causes her to "revert to her old ways") to help create a situation where that becomes a less desired path for the employee. Those who've nurtured a sick plant back to health can clearly see how true the metaphor is.

As Andersen notes, social styles play a big role, and the first step is to define these - for both the employees and the manager. By doing so, an understanding develops; one that puts the focus on communication and participation, rather than demands and passive aggressive behavior. From there, the real issues come to the surface, and the initial questions can be addressed: Something personal? Frustration with her responsibilities? Concern with management? Her co-workers? With these answers, the manager can either grow a great employee, by working with her on a path toward greater fulfillment and productivity, or, know that it's time to start the weeding process. With these tools, managers can become what Andersen refers to as "Master Gardeners." Pick up this book and get to work on your 'garden.'

Today's challenge deals with keeping employees engaged and fulfilled with their jobs and employers. Here's what one of our readers is dealing with:

"My challenge is finding people to hire who have passion for their work. Starbucks does it and they pay a fraction of what we pay, yet they get tons of people. We have to look high and low and the % of successful hires is so low!" - Harold

Since downsizing and outsourcing has become such a normal part of business, employees have become both consciously and unconsciously adept at viewing their employers with a sense of half-hearted dedication. It protects the employee's morale should they ever get laid off, but unfortunately, the employer gets less of what they sought to hire in the process. Less dedication means the employee might hold back in any given situation, when under other conditions, they might give much more effort.

Judith Bardwick has written a book about this issue called One Foot Out the Door. In the book, Bardwick provides a good amount of hard data, showing the correlation between a company's numbers and lack of employee commitment. However, the book is much more than research, and also provides strong advice on how to overcome this situation, offering practical strategies on increasing retention, improving performance, and getting employees excited and fulfilled in their roles. Part HR guide, part leadership text, One Foot Out the Door identifies the importance of regarding employees as major stakeholders.

From hiring for best fit to developing your relationship with your current employees, Bardwick clearly defines ways to find out and provide what your employees want and need. When handled properly (providing the right things), this will keep all employees engaged and dedicated. With both feet inside the door, both company and employee are fulfilled. Previously featured in a Jack Covert Selects, this is a great book, and perfect for Harold's challenge.

Today's challenge deals with managing coworkers when you're not their manager. Here's what one of our readers is dealing with:

"One of the problems I will be facing in the near future is with the different personalities on my team. I will soon be responsible for ensuring our product meets schedules and customer requirements on my team of 8 engineers. There are several different personalities that worry me including some who goof off most of the day and get little work done. I'm unsure of how to ensure they get their work done while still maintaining a jovial atmosphere." - Matt

As a team, everyone's got to chip in, do their part, and give their best. Oftentimes, management only sees the result of the project, but the team undergoes a process like Matt describes: slacking, goofing off, just enough to be annoying but still getting things done on deadline. To the slackers, this is life. To the 'Matts' of the world, this can be extremely frustrating as there's always the concern that the deadline will be missed, and the hammer will come down. Not fun. So, what does one do when they're not in a supervisor position and has to live through this situation project after project?

Carmine Gallo offers guidance in his book Fire Them Up! Even though 8cr's Kate Mytty featured this book in a separate post recently, I feel it's the perfect book for Matt's situation as well. For instance, the first sentence of the introduction is a great indicator that this book is exactly what Matt needs: "You have the power to inspire anyone, anywhere, anytime. You may not have a leadership title, but you exert influence over someone every day." The book continues on with discussions on getting yourself inspired (I think Matt's likely already "inspired"), and then how to get others on board through conversation, telling stories, inviting participation, getting others to care, creating optimism; and how to live by the principles outlined in the book. In communicating these principles, Gallo reveals a set of "simple secrets" that are concise, insightful points to put into place that will strengthen your vision and your team, whatever the project is. Gallo states, "Inspiring people is not that complicated. It's rather simple, really. But it does require that you examine how you communicate to the people you intend to motivate."

If Matt went in to work on Monday morning and told his coworkers, "Ok everyone, here's what we're going to do," he'd be met with resistance. However, by developing a story around each project, and getting each team member to participate and buy into it, everyone is then on the same page, with a clearer understanding of what needs to be done, and potentially more concerned with when and how it needs to be done. Fire Them Up! shows Matt, and each of us, how to accomplish this successfully.

Today's challenge deals with developing underutilized skills and getting on a path that's more in line with your interests. Here's what one of our readers is dealing with:

"I am not happy with the career path I seem to be on. I would like to get out of the accounting field but don't want to 'start over' or go back to school. I know I have some skills that will translate but have doubts whether others might see them. Any thoughts on mid-career changes?" - Roger

The previous Ask 8cr! post featured Seth Godin's The Dip, which also addressed the issue of personal change, and knowing when and how to adapt to it. This week we have a reader looking to move forward based on skills that might not be recognized and utilized enough. And not utilizing them often enough is exactly what others will analyze when considering Roger's move into another area. "What should I do with my life?" might be the fundamental question. It's something we ask ourselves when we're young, but, as Roger proves, something we can ask ourselves throughout our careers. People change, skills change, and each person's perspective on what they want becomes an internal issue, regardless of the physical work they've spent their lives doing. Author Po Bronson recognizes this, and wrote a New York Times Bestseller called, appropriately, What Should I Do With My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered The Ultimate Question.

The author traveled the country and met with a variety of people and listened to their stories. He discovered a wide range of challenges overcome, internal stumbling blocks, people finding happiness, and people struggling, all to answer the question posed by the book (and themselves). It's about discovering and pursuing something to devote your life to. Maybe that happens where you already are, but maybe not. Take Roger, for instance. He admits he's not happy, he wants change, BUT, he doesn't want to do what he feels is likely the solution to make the change. He knows he has other skills (and those might be his true interests), but he has doubts about their validity to others. As the book shows, Roger is not alone in this situation. But things can, and do, change.

By reading the 50+ stories in the book, you walk away with a deeper sense of all the variables, both internal and external, that make the title of the book such a profound question. From a New York housewife, a content editor, a White House assistant, to a California police officer, the stories in this book are interesting glimpses into real people's lives that end up reflecting our own pursuits, missed opportunities, hopes, dreams, and quite possibly, our decision to finally take life by the horns and follow our interests simply because we want to, despite all the "reasons" not to. It's an inspiring book and a great read, revealing evidence of those who overcame the "buts" and doubts that hindered them. Pick it up and find your answer to the question it poses.

Welcome to "Ask 8cr!" - a new section of our blog where we've created a forum to find out what kinds of issues and challenges people are having in the workplace. We then take these issues and apply a business book we feel offers a viable solution. Others then chime in via the comments section. The person with the selected challenge gets a free copy of the book, but everyone who reads these posts, wins. Do you have a challenge at work? Send it to me at jon(a)800ceoread(dot)com.

Today's challenge deals with knowing when to quit (or not). Here's the brief challenge sent from one of our readers:

"When do I know it's time to quit my job and move on?" - Kevin

Seth Godin has written a most appropriate book for this challenge called The Dip. In it, he states:

"Most people will tell you that you need to persevere - to try harder, put in more hours, get more training, and work hard. 'Don"t quit!' they implore. But if all you need to do to succeed is not quit, then why do organizations less motivate than your succeed? Why do individuals less talented than you win?

It involves understanding the architecture of quitting, and, believe it or not, it means quitting a lot more than you do now."

It's a short book; a really short book. But it says a lot; much more than simply how to quit. Godin is a master at analyzing situations and injecting a slight shift into the common perspective to create an astounding result. In Kevin's case, he would first need to take a good look at his "Dip" (the moment where he starts questioning what he's doing as being the right thing). This is the important first step. As Seth Godin points out, sometimes Dips can be misleading - we feel like quitting, but will someday look back on challenging times thankful we stuck it through to the tremendous success awaiting around the corner. Other times, the misery we experience will never go away, and what we do has little positive effect on us, our work, the company, and the world in general, so we quit. Those are the two routes, and deciding which one to take is never easy. As Godin states, "the Dip is your secret to success."

From there, Godin tells many examples of common Dips, and the variety of choices you can make when experiencing them: brave, mature, and stupid. Unfortunately, "stupid" is the most common route, and when you read his definition of it, you can understand why. Understanding the architecture of quitting, as referred to in Godin's quote above, is the key to making the right decision between these three categories. In a nutshell: no one should remain mediocre in a dead end. Avoid it at all costs, and if that means quitting, it's not accepting failure, it's being smart.

Quite literally, everyone should read this book. Regardless of position, industry, or personality, everyone faces The Dip, and if we could all react to it wisely, think of what that would do for us, our companies, and eventually, our economy. It's a big deal. If you haven't read this book, do yourself a favor and pick it up. In fact, I'll send the first three people who send me their challenge at work a free copy.

Welcome to "Ask 8cr!" - a new section of our blog where we've created a forum to find out what kinds of issues and challenges people are having in the workplace. We then take these issues and apply a business book we feel offers a viable solution. Others then chime in via the comments section. The person with the selected challenge gets a free copy of the book, but everyone who reads these posts, wins. Do you have a challenge at work? Send it to me at jon(a)800ceoread(dot)com.

Today's challenge deals with getting momentum back. Here's a note from one of our readers:

My biggest challenge right now is staying motivated now that I've crushed all my professional and personal objectives. Work has lost its zest. I find myself going though the motions and I gotta ask...how long before I lose my edge? How long before I go from the golden boy to the has-been? What can I do to keep it interesting now that I'm on top (and actually have the time and resources to try something new)? - Curt

This note from Curt really struck me. His questions almost imply a self-fulfilling prophecy. There are a ton of books in both the business and self-help categories that address staying inspired and focused, but one came across my desk recently that I feel is timely, and is co-authored by someone who surely has found ways to keep going, stay in the limelight, and exude an intense amount of momentum.

Donald Trump and Bill Zanker have written a book called, Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life. Now, despite what you think of Trump, the guy's done a lot, and just keeps on going. In this book, Trump and Zanker pen a chapter that addresses Curt's challenge: "Big Mo!" "Big Mo" is momentum, and Trump begins by telling a story of one-time real estate guru William Levitt - a man who literally had it all and lost everything, simply because he lost his momentum. When Trump met him (post-momentum), he learned the big lesson that losing your momentum means losing everything; for without it, you're done. He states, "The funny thing about momentum: when you stop, it stops" and, addressing his own moment of questions similar to Curt, "All I ever saw were the good times. I thought it would always be that way. Over those sixteen booming years I had always been intent on one thing: building bigger and bigger momentum. Then I stopped." Trump's work lost its zest; he was going through the motions. Did he lose his edge? The answer, we all know, is no. But, what did he do?

"One way to keep your momentum going is to keep giving yourself greater and greater challenges. It is also important to give your knowledge and insight freely to anyone who asks. I believe people absorb more efficiently and faster when they learn by doing, and I am intent on giving people the knowledge they need to succeed. I give two hour speeches at The Learning Annex Wealth Expos for the same purpose, and I donate a large portion of my speaking fees to charity. To keep your momentum going you must have intrinsic values as well as monetary values, and you must recognize when it is time to start giving back." - Donald Trump

Co-author Bill Zanker adds: "Latch onto a business trend that has great momentum. Then partner with others to set big goals and let the momentum lead you to higher and higher levels."

This is merely one chapter of a kick-in-the-pants book to get all of us fired up about our business. The rest of the book is filled with equally blunt, yet insightful experiences of the man who's recently become best known for his "accountability" (a nice way to coin his "You're Fired!"). The book also features an appendix filled with a variety of resources: best of Q&A, true stories from others, must reads, and more. Give this book to any entrepreneur and watch them explode. I'm sending a copy to Curt, and am excited to hear about how it changes his perspective, and gives him back the passion to create new challenges for himself.