After spending 26 years working for the car rental giant - Enterprise Rent-a-Car - I became all too familiar with the way big corporations run their...enterprises.
As we all know, the vast majority of big companies in corporate America are run by humorless bureaucracies that don't really understand what it takes to operate in a manner conducsive to achieving maximum productivity. They may think they do, but they don't have a clue.
If you work for a big company, chances are you agree with that assessment; unless of course, you happen to be the CEO. If you're the CEO of a major corporation, you probably don't understand why most of the employees working under you don't seem to like their jobs. You don't understand why just about everyone you oversee has an "attitude problem"; after all, they have jobs, so they should be grateful; they should work harder. What's wrong with them?
The problem is you, pal. Maybe you're not a pompous, self-absorbed tyrant; maybe you're actually a nice enough person; but you're clueless when it comes to running your...enterprise.
Let me fill you in on what I observed during my 26 years of faithful service to Enterprise. It's a scenario that plays out repeatedly in big business; especially when a relatively small company achieves some measure of success; that's ususally when the trouble begins; they get too big for their own good and start changing their operational structure, and worse; they lose focus on how they should deal with employees. Sound familiar?
When I began my Enterprise career (1974) they were just a little regional company that had a knack for providing great customer service; just as important, they provided a great working environment for their employees, gave them fantastic career opportunities, and turned 'em loose.
It was simple formula for success, and it worked quite well; the company grew like crazy, and guys like me became upper level managers, making tons of money in the process. By the mid '90s, Enterprise had grown to become the largest and most profitable car rental company in North America; all seemed well in paradise.
But a funny thing happened on the way to becoming Number One; they moved their corporate office to a big, new, fancy facility and started adding layer upon layer of additional corporate management. It seemed logical; after all, Enterprise was now a corporate giant, and corporate giants are supposed to have gigantic corporate headquarters, staffed with all sorts of important people running around trying to look like they're doing something; sound familiar?
Welcome to Corporate America; an overstaffed and inefficient bureaucracy; where micromanagement, finger pointing, and backstabbing reign supreme. In this hostile environment, is it any wonder things are in such a mess?
It doesn't have to be this way; the solution to much of Corporate America's woes requires a pardigm shift in the way most hierarchial operations conduct business. This requires a tremendous leap of faith from the CEOs, themselves; they've got to place more trust in their management teams in the field; a successful organization gives the maximum level of autonomy to its high level managers; let them do their jobs! Cut the red tape, the useless reports, and the fruitless meetings; focus on the things that really matter in running the business. By concentrating on providing better service for the customers and creating a positive work environment for the employees, everybody wins.
That's the way any good business should operate; unfortunately, that's not the way many businesses are operating nowadays; I witnessed the corporate bureaucracy first hand; especially during the last four or five years of my career.
Being subjected to unreasonable scrutiny - living under the corporate microscope - was a very stressful time for me; but at least it made for a pretty good book; and I know I was doing a good job for the company.
That's good enough for me.
Larry Underwood wrote Life Under the Corporate Microscope - A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective
To order directly on Amazon: http://bit.ly/b2pBY
Or check out the author's webpage: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Vindication
I don't care how think your skin is, if you get whacked from your job, it's going to hurt. It's been almost nine years since my last day with Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and I don't really think I ever really admitted it (even to myself), but getting forced out of my job really hurt my ego. Sure, I knew I was still doing a worthy job, and the decision to gas me was driven by economics (although the company never admitted it), but it never feels good to be told you're no longer welcome with the company you spent over a quarter of a century toiling with.
But, shit happens. I got whacked, and I had to move on. I suppose I could've landed another job, but the prospect of going back to work for another slice of corporate America didn't really appeal to me; so I stayed retired, licking my wounds; trying to heal my bruised ego. Whatever.
It's been nearly a year since I published my iconoclastic masterpiece, Life Under the Corporate Microscope---A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective; and I must say, I think it's even better than I originally thought. Wow.
You see, when I first wrote it, I thought it was merely a little historical perspective about the company that grew to dominate the car rental industry---Enterprise. Sure, it was irreverent as hell, and packed with more LOLs than just about any "business" book ever written; but, is that really saying much? Come on.
What I've recently come to realize is, this book is much more than some humorous recollection of the car rental industry from some talented, fun-loving executive. The fact of the matter is, this book represents "the truth" about corporate America, and how it's morphed into a humorless, fear-based micro-managing bureaucracy, that is really only good at draining the life out of its employees. Enterprise is really no better or worse than the vast majority of corporate America; it merely represents a typical slice of that stifling, oppressive work environment which everyone loves to hate. The culture of fear permeates the entire organization, because that's what corporate America does best---intimidate and alienate its employees. It's no wonder employee engagment is so fragmented everywhere you look; it all starts at the top of any organization, and works its magic down through the disillusioned front-line employees.
Nobody's having fun at work anymore; hell, I used to have a blast every day, toiling in the trenches, making close to nothing, while working my ass off for 60 or 70 hours a week. To me, work was recreation; a chance to mingle with my friends while we were in the process of creating something very special. We didn't really know for sure that this company would grow to dominate a very competitive industry; but that's what happened. We were a vibrant, fun-loving enterprise and most importantly, we knew ownership really cared about us.
At that time, "ownership" was not some faceless corporate hierarchy; it was the man himself---Jack Taylor---probably the greatest entrepreneur to ever walk the face of the earth; and I mean that with all my heart. When the inevitable process of age put Jack Taylor on the sidelines, the company started acting like a big corporation; certainly, they have long since become a huge corporation, but as long as Jack was in charge, they refused to act like one.
Jack was a truly humble man; self efacing and good hearted; a man who really cared about people---customers and employees alike; it was the magic formula for incredible success. Unfortunately, when companies grow too big for their own good, they often lose that sense of loyalty towards people; short term profit rules the roost. Senior managers, who were paid handsomely for their efforts---based on performance---were now considered expendable; that of course, includes me.
Less skilled replacements were brought in; sure, they were paid less, but they were also performing at a lower level of competency. Very few upper level managers from my last year on the job are still around; one by one, they've been getting whacked; business as usual in corporate America.
What a mess. Interestingly enough, there have been many fine books that have been published over the last few years which identify the problems in corporate America, and offer very real solutions to fix the disaster. Will anyone ever listen though? With the enormous egos of the majority of the CEOs running amok out there, the future doesn't bode well.
One thing I have realized however, is I'm a goddamned smart fellah; if I were in charge of some big corporation, I'd listen. You better believe it, baby; I'd listen.
Yeah, check out my website so you can order my masterpiece: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
But, shit happens. I got whacked, and I had to move on. I suppose I could've landed another job, but the prospect of going back to work for another slice of corporate America didn't really appeal to me; so I stayed retired, licking my wounds; trying to heal my bruised ego. Whatever.
It's been nearly a year since I published my iconoclastic masterpiece, Life Under the Corporate Microscope---A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective; and I must say, I think it's even better than I originally thought. Wow.
You see, when I first wrote it, I thought it was merely a little historical perspective about the company that grew to dominate the car rental industry---Enterprise. Sure, it was irreverent as hell, and packed with more LOLs than just about any "business" book ever written; but, is that really saying much? Come on.
What I've recently come to realize is, this book is much more than some humorous recollection of the car rental industry from some talented, fun-loving executive. The fact of the matter is, this book represents "the truth" about corporate America, and how it's morphed into a humorless, fear-based micro-managing bureaucracy, that is really only good at draining the life out of its employees. Enterprise is really no better or worse than the vast majority of corporate America; it merely represents a typical slice of that stifling, oppressive work environment which everyone loves to hate. The culture of fear permeates the entire organization, because that's what corporate America does best---intimidate and alienate its employees. It's no wonder employee engagment is so fragmented everywhere you look; it all starts at the top of any organization, and works its magic down through the disillusioned front-line employees.
Nobody's having fun at work anymore; hell, I used to have a blast every day, toiling in the trenches, making close to nothing, while working my ass off for 60 or 70 hours a week. To me, work was recreation; a chance to mingle with my friends while we were in the process of creating something very special. We didn't really know for sure that this company would grow to dominate a very competitive industry; but that's what happened. We were a vibrant, fun-loving enterprise and most importantly, we knew ownership really cared about us.
At that time, "ownership" was not some faceless corporate hierarchy; it was the man himself---Jack Taylor---probably the greatest entrepreneur to ever walk the face of the earth; and I mean that with all my heart. When the inevitable process of age put Jack Taylor on the sidelines, the company started acting like a big corporation; certainly, they have long since become a huge corporation, but as long as Jack was in charge, they refused to act like one.
Jack was a truly humble man; self efacing and good hearted; a man who really cared about people---customers and employees alike; it was the magic formula for incredible success. Unfortunately, when companies grow too big for their own good, they often lose that sense of loyalty towards people; short term profit rules the roost. Senior managers, who were paid handsomely for their efforts---based on performance---were now considered expendable; that of course, includes me.
Less skilled replacements were brought in; sure, they were paid less, but they were also performing at a lower level of competency. Very few upper level managers from my last year on the job are still around; one by one, they've been getting whacked; business as usual in corporate America.
What a mess. Interestingly enough, there have been many fine books that have been published over the last few years which identify the problems in corporate America, and offer very real solutions to fix the disaster. Will anyone ever listen though? With the enormous egos of the majority of the CEOs running amok out there, the future doesn't bode well.
One thing I have realized however, is I'm a goddamned smart fellah; if I were in charge of some big corporation, I'd listen. You better believe it, baby; I'd listen.
Yeah, check out my website so you can order my masterpiece: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
"We Come in Peace!"
The hilarious satire, "Mars Attacks!", was made well over a decade ago, yet its outrageous social and political humor is even more applicable today than it was at the time of its initial release; during the relatively tranquil Clinton administration.
Yes, those were the days. "Homeland Security" as far as our former President was concerned, consisted of keeping Hilary out of the Oval Office, to allow him enough time to enjoy a good cigar. I wonder if any of the Secret Service guys were enlisted as Bill's "wingmen"? I wouldn't doubt it. After all, Clinton was one of our most engaging head-honchos; a charming silver tongued devil who knew how to get what he wanted out of people. Let's not forget; he did a pretty good job of running the affairs of state (no pun intended).
He was a darned good leader; forget the guy's character flaws. Clinton certainly had a great admiration for our late, great President, John F Kennedy; including his free-wheeling lifestyle. Enough said.
Getting back to the motion picture industry; what makes "Mars Attacks!" the hilarious iconoclastic phenomenon that it became, was the brilliant parody it portrayed of American life; in all its banal, gullible, superficial and self-serving splendor. The premise is quite simple: The Martians decide to pay a visit to Planet Earth, and after a few conference calls back and forth (but no lunch), agree to meet the United States' military representatives out in the Nevada desert (Parumph), not far from the entertainment capital of the universe---Las Vegas. I suppose Parumph was chosen, just in case our visitors might be feeling a bit frisky after the long trip from Mars; but I don't think earth girls were what these aliens had in mind when they landed.
After an elaborately planned dose of pomp and circumstance greets our new friends from outer space, the Martian leader steps forward to address the world. His words bring immediate joy and relief to the masses attending this historic gathering: "We come in peace!"
At that point, some clown in the crowd, rejoices "They come in peace!" and proceeds to let a white dove of peace fly around, oh so peacefully...for about two seconds. The stunned Martians zap the poor little birdie (into pieces), along with dozens of not-so-smart military and civilian personnel at the scene. It was total (hilarious) chaos.
If that's their idea of "coming in peace", I'd hate to see how they'd act in they "came in violence". Holy galactic calamity, Batman!
But wait! It was all just a "cultural misunderstanding". Clearly, that bird was a sign of "aggression" on the part of the earthlings; at least that's what our fearless leader---our President---determined, after a meeting with his so-called "brain trust". After all, they did say they "came in peace", didn't they? Surely, they're not lying about something like that. That just wouldn't be fair.
The next meeting with the Martians is even more disatrous, as they zap 90% of Congress out of office (not a bad idea, really) right there on national television. By this time, the President realizes this could be trouble.
In the end, most of the earth's population is wiped out, but the survivors do manage to use a little American ingenuity to defeat those demons, in a hilarious conclusion to the flick. The heroes, a young man who works in a rural donut shop and his lovably demented granny, receive medals for their efforts, amid all the rubble that was once the White House. The planet will continue, on a much smaller and simpler format; and that's what makes it a happy ending. We're starting over, from scratch. Maybe, the second time around, we'll have a clue.
I suppose it's human nature to want to believe what we hear from strangers; or from our politicians, for that matter. We want to believe them, if they're telling us what we want to hear. It's much more convenient than doubting them; resistance can be so inconvenient; so unpopular. It's always easier to jump on the bandwagon. Certainly, what "everybody" is doing must be right; so the rationale goes.
Wrong. People make mistakes all the time; including who we vote into office. It's great strategy for a politician to claim to be "transparent". It's another thing for them to really live up to that claim. We must keep an eye on those in Washington, DC.
Trusting our politicians is about as sensible as trusting those little devious aliens from the movie.
"We come in peace". Yeah. Right.
Larry Underwood is a corporate cynic, a government watch dog, and the author of Life Under the Corporate Microscope.
Visit his Author's Webpage for more information on the book that shook corporate America. It's also very hilarious. http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Yes, those were the days. "Homeland Security" as far as our former President was concerned, consisted of keeping Hilary out of the Oval Office, to allow him enough time to enjoy a good cigar. I wonder if any of the Secret Service guys were enlisted as Bill's "wingmen"? I wouldn't doubt it. After all, Clinton was one of our most engaging head-honchos; a charming silver tongued devil who knew how to get what he wanted out of people. Let's not forget; he did a pretty good job of running the affairs of state (no pun intended).
He was a darned good leader; forget the guy's character flaws. Clinton certainly had a great admiration for our late, great President, John F Kennedy; including his free-wheeling lifestyle. Enough said.
Getting back to the motion picture industry; what makes "Mars Attacks!" the hilarious iconoclastic phenomenon that it became, was the brilliant parody it portrayed of American life; in all its banal, gullible, superficial and self-serving splendor. The premise is quite simple: The Martians decide to pay a visit to Planet Earth, and after a few conference calls back and forth (but no lunch), agree to meet the United States' military representatives out in the Nevada desert (Parumph), not far from the entertainment capital of the universe---Las Vegas. I suppose Parumph was chosen, just in case our visitors might be feeling a bit frisky after the long trip from Mars; but I don't think earth girls were what these aliens had in mind when they landed.
After an elaborately planned dose of pomp and circumstance greets our new friends from outer space, the Martian leader steps forward to address the world. His words bring immediate joy and relief to the masses attending this historic gathering: "We come in peace!"
At that point, some clown in the crowd, rejoices "They come in peace!" and proceeds to let a white dove of peace fly around, oh so peacefully...for about two seconds. The stunned Martians zap the poor little birdie (into pieces), along with dozens of not-so-smart military and civilian personnel at the scene. It was total (hilarious) chaos.
If that's their idea of "coming in peace", I'd hate to see how they'd act in they "came in violence". Holy galactic calamity, Batman!
But wait! It was all just a "cultural misunderstanding". Clearly, that bird was a sign of "aggression" on the part of the earthlings; at least that's what our fearless leader---our President---determined, after a meeting with his so-called "brain trust". After all, they did say they "came in peace", didn't they? Surely, they're not lying about something like that. That just wouldn't be fair.
The next meeting with the Martians is even more disatrous, as they zap 90% of Congress out of office (not a bad idea, really) right there on national television. By this time, the President realizes this could be trouble.
In the end, most of the earth's population is wiped out, but the survivors do manage to use a little American ingenuity to defeat those demons, in a hilarious conclusion to the flick. The heroes, a young man who works in a rural donut shop and his lovably demented granny, receive medals for their efforts, amid all the rubble that was once the White House. The planet will continue, on a much smaller and simpler format; and that's what makes it a happy ending. We're starting over, from scratch. Maybe, the second time around, we'll have a clue.
I suppose it's human nature to want to believe what we hear from strangers; or from our politicians, for that matter. We want to believe them, if they're telling us what we want to hear. It's much more convenient than doubting them; resistance can be so inconvenient; so unpopular. It's always easier to jump on the bandwagon. Certainly, what "everybody" is doing must be right; so the rationale goes.
Wrong. People make mistakes all the time; including who we vote into office. It's great strategy for a politician to claim to be "transparent". It's another thing for them to really live up to that claim. We must keep an eye on those in Washington, DC.
Trusting our politicians is about as sensible as trusting those little devious aliens from the movie.
"We come in peace". Yeah. Right.
Larry Underwood is a corporate cynic, a government watch dog, and the author of Life Under the Corporate Microscope.
Visit his Author's Webpage for more information on the book that shook corporate America. It's also very hilarious. http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Book That's Shaking Corporate America
Corporate America doesn't like being exposed for what they are---a humorless, bureaucratic, backstabbing, micro-managing mess. Not only that, they're doing a lousy job of producing goods and services that are really "good enough" to make them a decent profit.
So they lose money. When they lose money, they blame the economy, as they lay off thousands of loyal employees...now "ex"-employees. And so it goes.
Employee morale? Forget about it. They hate their jobs.
Productivity? Well, with everyone running around hating their jobs, let's just say, productivity is "diminished".
What happened?
After (26) years of hands on research, as an active member of Corporate America (a top executive with Enterprise Rent-a-Car), I saw what can happen to an otherwise fine company when they get too big for their own good.
They lose its sense of humor. They discourage its employees from having any fun at all. Instead, they instill a culture of fear throughout its organizations, which leads to the aforementioned micro-managing and backstabbing. In other words, Corporate America has become a bastion of pompous stupidity, where any dissenting points of view are usually met with a swift boot out the door. Who's going to have the courage to disagree with the CEO?
In this environment, is it any wonder so many businesses have failed? Nobody wants to tell the head-honchos of Corporate America their strategies are flawed; their greed and hubris is misguided. So the culture of fear becomes an abysmal pit of failure.
What a mess.
Don't worry. I know how to fix it. In my book, Life Under the Corporate Microscope, I narrate a story which will entertain and enlighten you. It's a quick read which you won't want to put down. It's guaranteed to provide you with more LOLs than any other business book. But that's not saying much, eh?
No, it's guaranteed to make you LOL about as much as any book on the market. Well, I can't really guarantee that, but I do feel good about that statement. I'm 99.44% sure you'll love it. How's that?
If you don't like your job---whether or not you happen to work for Enterprise---you'll get a kick out of my irreverent perspective. If you do like your job; congratulations. You're either the boss or you don't work for a big corporation. You'll still love my book.
To order directly through Amazon: http://bit.ly/b2pBY
To check out my Author's Webpage: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
So they lose money. When they lose money, they blame the economy, as they lay off thousands of loyal employees...now "ex"-employees. And so it goes.
Employee morale? Forget about it. They hate their jobs.
Productivity? Well, with everyone running around hating their jobs, let's just say, productivity is "diminished".
What happened?
After (26) years of hands on research, as an active member of Corporate America (a top executive with Enterprise Rent-a-Car), I saw what can happen to an otherwise fine company when they get too big for their own good.
They lose its sense of humor. They discourage its employees from having any fun at all. Instead, they instill a culture of fear throughout its organizations, which leads to the aforementioned micro-managing and backstabbing. In other words, Corporate America has become a bastion of pompous stupidity, where any dissenting points of view are usually met with a swift boot out the door. Who's going to have the courage to disagree with the CEO?
In this environment, is it any wonder so many businesses have failed? Nobody wants to tell the head-honchos of Corporate America their strategies are flawed; their greed and hubris is misguided. So the culture of fear becomes an abysmal pit of failure.
What a mess.
Don't worry. I know how to fix it. In my book, Life Under the Corporate Microscope, I narrate a story which will entertain and enlighten you. It's a quick read which you won't want to put down. It's guaranteed to provide you with more LOLs than any other business book. But that's not saying much, eh?
No, it's guaranteed to make you LOL about as much as any book on the market. Well, I can't really guarantee that, but I do feel good about that statement. I'm 99.44% sure you'll love it. How's that?
If you don't like your job---whether or not you happen to work for Enterprise---you'll get a kick out of my irreverent perspective. If you do like your job; congratulations. You're either the boss or you don't work for a big corporation. You'll still love my book.
To order directly through Amazon: http://bit.ly/b2pBY
To check out my Author's Webpage: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Friday, October 23, 2009
Recommended Reading
For anyone who has ever gone through the process of writing a book, most will agree, writing it was the easy part. Editing it is usually a grind, taking up to three times longer than the fun part---writing it.
Even after you finally get the thing in print, you then realize the real job has arrived---Marketing it. As a first time (self-published) author, I never realized I'd have to spend time actually trying to sell my book. I thought it would mysteriously sell itself. Lol.
For anyone who has ever written a book and had it available for sale on Amazon, they probably realize to pay very little attention to that crazy Amazon ranking system. It's all based on projections and extrapolations that really mean nothing in the grand scheme of things; especially in the early stages of the post-publication process. I recall a week or two after my press release came out about my book, it appeared I was destined to make the New York Times Best-Seller list. It peaked out at something like 8750, which had it in the top 100 in my category (Business General).
Then reality hit. After the initial wave of buyers, things started slowing down a bit. Then things started slowing down more than a bit. And so on and so forth. I was concerned, to say the least.
Then I stumbled across a book written by the President of Outskirts Press, our hero, Brent Sampson---"How to Sell Your Book on Amazon". Brent revealed some pretty good marketing secrets, one of which has become a full-time endeavor for me---doing reviews on Amazon. The logic behind this strategy is simple: The more reviews I do, the more exposure I get for (a) being an authority on my niche and (b) having my book attached to my Amazon reviewer name. People read my stellar reviews then check out my book.
Finally, I can see the strategy's paying off a bit. I just polished off my 300th review and now my book's starting to sell at a torrid pace again. Lol.
Luckily, the books I chose to review were, for the most part, very good efforts; some were great. As a service to you, the blog reader, I thought I'd pass along my most recent favorites (posted on Twitter). The subject matter ranges from business tips to self-help advice, with a little thought provoking material thrown in for good measure.
Here are a dozen books I really enjoyed, and I bet you will, too:
The Power of Full Engagement (Jim Loehr) http://bit.ly/IDHJg
The Power of Less (Leo Babauta) http://bit.ly/125Bxk
On Writing Well (William Zinsser) http://bit.ly/4vv71N
Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently (Gregory Berns) http://bit.ly/OV1bz
Primal Management (Paul Herr) http://bit.ly/CR1v9
Economics in One Lesson (Henry Hazlitt) http://bit.ly/167hgT
Self-Promotion for Introverts (Nancy Ankowitz) http://bit.ly/j2fRh
Have a Little Faith (Mitch Albom) http://bit.ly/FpHnE
Endless Referrals http://bit.ly/2Q0yrW & The Go-Giver (Bob Burg) http://bit.ly/FSXnX
That Which is Seen & That Which is Not Seen http://bit.ly/1d1fy & The Law (Frederic Bastiat) http://bit.ly/1u3gRV
Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't plug my masterpiece. I hate being remiss.
Life Under the Corporate Microscope (Larry Underwood) http://bit.ly/b2pBY
There you have it. After you read these books, why don't you head over to Amazon and write your very own reviews? It's almost as much fun as reading the books; I guarantee it.
The author can be probed further by going here: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Even after you finally get the thing in print, you then realize the real job has arrived---Marketing it. As a first time (self-published) author, I never realized I'd have to spend time actually trying to sell my book. I thought it would mysteriously sell itself. Lol.
For anyone who has ever written a book and had it available for sale on Amazon, they probably realize to pay very little attention to that crazy Amazon ranking system. It's all based on projections and extrapolations that really mean nothing in the grand scheme of things; especially in the early stages of the post-publication process. I recall a week or two after my press release came out about my book, it appeared I was destined to make the New York Times Best-Seller list. It peaked out at something like 8750, which had it in the top 100 in my category (Business General).
Then reality hit. After the initial wave of buyers, things started slowing down a bit. Then things started slowing down more than a bit. And so on and so forth. I was concerned, to say the least.
Then I stumbled across a book written by the President of Outskirts Press, our hero, Brent Sampson---"How to Sell Your Book on Amazon". Brent revealed some pretty good marketing secrets, one of which has become a full-time endeavor for me---doing reviews on Amazon. The logic behind this strategy is simple: The more reviews I do, the more exposure I get for (a) being an authority on my niche and (b) having my book attached to my Amazon reviewer name. People read my stellar reviews then check out my book.
Finally, I can see the strategy's paying off a bit. I just polished off my 300th review and now my book's starting to sell at a torrid pace again. Lol.
Luckily, the books I chose to review were, for the most part, very good efforts; some were great. As a service to you, the blog reader, I thought I'd pass along my most recent favorites (posted on Twitter). The subject matter ranges from business tips to self-help advice, with a little thought provoking material thrown in for good measure.
Here are a dozen books I really enjoyed, and I bet you will, too:
The Power of Full Engagement (Jim Loehr) http://bit.ly/IDHJg
The Power of Less (Leo Babauta) http://bit.ly/125Bxk
On Writing Well (William Zinsser) http://bit.ly/4vv71N
Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently (Gregory Berns) http://bit.ly/OV1bz
Primal Management (Paul Herr) http://bit.ly/CR1v9
Economics in One Lesson (Henry Hazlitt) http://bit.ly/167hgT
Self-Promotion for Introverts (Nancy Ankowitz) http://bit.ly/j2fRh
Have a Little Faith (Mitch Albom) http://bit.ly/FpHnE
Endless Referrals http://bit.ly/2Q0yrW & The Go-Giver (Bob Burg) http://bit.ly/FSXnX
That Which is Seen & That Which is Not Seen http://bit.ly/1d1fy & The Law (Frederic Bastiat) http://bit.ly/1u3gRV
Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't plug my masterpiece. I hate being remiss.
Life Under the Corporate Microscope (Larry Underwood) http://bit.ly/b2pBY
There you have it. After you read these books, why don't you head over to Amazon and write your very own reviews? It's almost as much fun as reading the books; I guarantee it.
The author can be probed further by going here: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Corporate America's Love Affair With Washington, DC
It doesn't matter if a liberal Democrat or a conservative Republican is in the White House; nor does it matter which party is controlling Congress.
What matters for the vast majority of fat cat CEOs in Corporate America is being able to manipulate those politicians running this country; to follow their specific agendas, which may or may not be so good for "we, the people", or the overall economy.
Although most big corporations prefer to have a Republican administration running the country (only because manipulating them is easier), they'll act like good Democrats if necessary; they're very good chameleons.
What makes them good chameleons is money.
Money is used to control legislation, and it's all very legal. The conveniently legal way to pay off politicians is through lobbyists, who are paid by the CEOs to pay off the politicians.
Say hello to Corporate America and Washington DC's little friend: The Political Action Committee, aka "PAC" (man).
Personally, I think the politicians should receive no extra compensation for doing their jobs. Instead, they're taking money from the fat cats in exchange for favorable legislation to keep the fat cats fat.
This is nothing new. It's been going on for ages. It'll keep going on for ages. Money has power and Washington DC's power brokers call the shots---to a certain extent. There's a beautiful balance of corruption there, however. The power brokers need the fat cats' money, so the nefarious relationship will always endure. And "we the people" are screwed.
Sure, "we" can vote the corrupt politicians out of office, but there's a two to four year lag time of corruption taking place. Besides, since the corruption---the payola---is across the board, there's really no difference between the power brokers. They're really all the same; and they can never, ever be trusted. Never, ever.
As millions of Americans are increasingly frustrated with the current adminstration's handling of every issue imaginable; remember this---Corporate America (along with the liberal media) is engaged in a (slobbering?) love affair with Barrack Hussein Obama---The Master of Economic Trauma.
How else do you explain all the bailouts? In a true free-market economy, bailouts would be a preposterous notion. However, this isn't a true free-market economy.
The Federal Government is controlling the economy, and doing a lousy job of it. We're becoming a socialistic bailout nation, with little regard for the financial implications. Why? Politicians don't care about the long-term effects of their poor economic policy. They care about one thing, and one thing only: MONEY.
And Corporate America will keep doling it out, to keep this vicious cycle of corruption going.
Ironically, MONEY does make the world go 'round. The people who have it, often don't deserve it. Welcome to Obama Nation.
Larry Underwood is the Author of Life Under the Corporate Microscope---A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective http://www/outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
What matters for the vast majority of fat cat CEOs in Corporate America is being able to manipulate those politicians running this country; to follow their specific agendas, which may or may not be so good for "we, the people", or the overall economy.
Although most big corporations prefer to have a Republican administration running the country (only because manipulating them is easier), they'll act like good Democrats if necessary; they're very good chameleons.
What makes them good chameleons is money.
Money is used to control legislation, and it's all very legal. The conveniently legal way to pay off politicians is through lobbyists, who are paid by the CEOs to pay off the politicians.
Say hello to Corporate America and Washington DC's little friend: The Political Action Committee, aka "PAC" (man).
Personally, I think the politicians should receive no extra compensation for doing their jobs. Instead, they're taking money from the fat cats in exchange for favorable legislation to keep the fat cats fat.
This is nothing new. It's been going on for ages. It'll keep going on for ages. Money has power and Washington DC's power brokers call the shots---to a certain extent. There's a beautiful balance of corruption there, however. The power brokers need the fat cats' money, so the nefarious relationship will always endure. And "we the people" are screwed.
Sure, "we" can vote the corrupt politicians out of office, but there's a two to four year lag time of corruption taking place. Besides, since the corruption---the payola---is across the board, there's really no difference between the power brokers. They're really all the same; and they can never, ever be trusted. Never, ever.
As millions of Americans are increasingly frustrated with the current adminstration's handling of every issue imaginable; remember this---Corporate America (along with the liberal media) is engaged in a (slobbering?) love affair with Barrack Hussein Obama---The Master of Economic Trauma.
How else do you explain all the bailouts? In a true free-market economy, bailouts would be a preposterous notion. However, this isn't a true free-market economy.
The Federal Government is controlling the economy, and doing a lousy job of it. We're becoming a socialistic bailout nation, with little regard for the financial implications. Why? Politicians don't care about the long-term effects of their poor economic policy. They care about one thing, and one thing only: MONEY.
And Corporate America will keep doling it out, to keep this vicious cycle of corruption going.
Ironically, MONEY does make the world go 'round. The people who have it, often don't deserve it. Welcome to Obama Nation.
Larry Underwood is the Author of Life Under the Corporate Microscope---A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective http://www/outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wading Through the Jungle of Amazon
I wrote a book, Life Under the Corporate Microscope, chronicling my 26 year career with the car rental giant, Enterprise. It's been selling at a pretty good pace on Amazon, although not what I envisioned when I first published it early this year.
I figured every living ex-employee and every living current employee (redundant, eh?) would want a copy (or 2...or 3) to call their very own. Then reality set it. Sure, it's getting read by a lot of people, but it's been surprisingly "shared" by a fairly large circle of cronies. Book sharing? I suppose in this economy, saving a few bucks is important...
Just when I was on the verge of abandoning my marketing efforts, I've noticed a sharp spike in sales. I suppose "word of mouth" is helping out, or maybe it's all those reviews I've done on Amazon over the past several months. I read a lot; and I review a lot.
According to the head of Outskirts Press, my self-publisher (the cost effective way to go)---a guy by the name of Brent Sampson---it you really want your book to be a best-seller on Amazon, you'd better get busy doing those reviews...lots of 'em. Currently, I'm closing in on the 300 review plateau...
When people log on to Amazon to check out the latest bestseller, they'll more than likely see a review from me, Uncle Larry. If they like what I've written in the review section, they might be even tempted to actually buy one of my masterpieces. It really is good; I just polished off another reading session last night, and I think I'm appreciating its brilliance more with time (why, I don't know).
Of course, another marketing ploy is becoming a credible authority in the world of the internet. I've been hooked on Twitter for six months now and I've got a base of "followers" over 4000 now. By engaging in real time conversation with these folks, I'm building credibility...and some of those fellow Twitter-ers...have been checking out this book. Very clever, indeed...
Now, I've got to accomplish two missions if I'm going to keep the sales momentum going...
NUMBER 1: I need the public to head over to Amazon buy my book; and very importantly post a 5 star review for my wonderful book. For your safety and convenience, here's the direct link to get you over there: http://bit.ly/b2pBY
NUMBER 2: I need the public to head over to Amazon and read my stellar reviews as well. At the conclusion of my enlightening and engaging review, when asked if my review was helpful...vote YES! I guarantee that review was helpful; take my word for it---more help from me to you.
Thanks for visiting. I'll return again when I have something relevent to post...
Now go buy a (another) copy of my book...Everybody needs at least 5 or 6...They make great stocking stuffers and whatnot...
Still not convinced? Go to my Author's Web-Page: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
I figured every living ex-employee and every living current employee (redundant, eh?) would want a copy (or 2...or 3) to call their very own. Then reality set it. Sure, it's getting read by a lot of people, but it's been surprisingly "shared" by a fairly large circle of cronies. Book sharing? I suppose in this economy, saving a few bucks is important...
Just when I was on the verge of abandoning my marketing efforts, I've noticed a sharp spike in sales. I suppose "word of mouth" is helping out, or maybe it's all those reviews I've done on Amazon over the past several months. I read a lot; and I review a lot.
According to the head of Outskirts Press, my self-publisher (the cost effective way to go)---a guy by the name of Brent Sampson---it you really want your book to be a best-seller on Amazon, you'd better get busy doing those reviews...lots of 'em. Currently, I'm closing in on the 300 review plateau...
When people log on to Amazon to check out the latest bestseller, they'll more than likely see a review from me, Uncle Larry. If they like what I've written in the review section, they might be even tempted to actually buy one of my masterpieces. It really is good; I just polished off another reading session last night, and I think I'm appreciating its brilliance more with time (why, I don't know).
Of course, another marketing ploy is becoming a credible authority in the world of the internet. I've been hooked on Twitter for six months now and I've got a base of "followers" over 4000 now. By engaging in real time conversation with these folks, I'm building credibility...and some of those fellow Twitter-ers...have been checking out this book. Very clever, indeed...
Now, I've got to accomplish two missions if I'm going to keep the sales momentum going...
NUMBER 1: I need the public to head over to Amazon buy my book; and very importantly post a 5 star review for my wonderful book. For your safety and convenience, here's the direct link to get you over there: http://bit.ly/b2pBY
NUMBER 2: I need the public to head over to Amazon and read my stellar reviews as well. At the conclusion of my enlightening and engaging review, when asked if my review was helpful...vote YES! I guarantee that review was helpful; take my word for it---more help from me to you.
Thanks for visiting. I'll return again when I have something relevent to post...
Now go buy a (another) copy of my book...Everybody needs at least 5 or 6...They make great stocking stuffers and whatnot...
Still not convinced? Go to my Author's Web-Page: http://www.outskirtspress.com/LarryUnderwood
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