The Smart Strategy Book

This is the autobiography of one of the most influential management consultants of recent times. Herbert Henzler grew up in the German village of Neckarhausen during the Second World War. Starting his career as a sales apprentice with Shell, he went on to study at the universities of Saarland, Ludwig-Maximillian and California, Berkeley, where he received his PhD in economics. In 1970, Henzler accepted an offer to join McKinsey & Company, a rapidly growing firm that would eventually become the world’s leading consultancy group. Working in its German office, Henzler quickly rose to Partner in 1975 and then Director in 1978. His spectacular rise continued when, in 1985, Henzler became head of McKinsey’s German office and one of the most powerful management consultants in the world. Honest and at times direct, this book provides a rare insight into the world of management consultancy and how one man made it to the top by constantly pushing the boundaries.  

Maintaining performance today is no longer simply about having an annual appraisal and telling employees “you must try harder”. Research demonstrates that regular discussions about performance and providing feedback to the people you manage is a more effective way to motivate them and keep them on track. Distilled into this single, handy-sized volume are 50 tips, advice and techniques to help any manager become quickly skilled at regularly discussing performance, setting goals and objectives and providing the necessary feedback to ensure individuals and teams thrive in the company. Structured into five key parts, each of the 50 concise chapters also contains a practical exercise to help the reader understand and implement the concepts and ideas of this book.

We are witnessing the new age of empowered customers, armed with online reviews, five-star ratings and social media, never has it been more important to manage your reputation and referrals. This book is for anyone who wants to systematically build their reputation and increase their referral sales whilst delivering a consistent and continually improving customer experience. Put together in a simple, clear, no nonsense way, with step by step instructions on what to do along the journey. The information is based on over 10 years coaching, advisory and training experience in the area of feedback, customer experience and referrals, and all the advice is underpinned by real life experience and examples ...and continued doses of common sense!

Author: Guy Arnold & Russell Wood