Books published by publisher AMACOM

An introvert salesperson? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Not at all. Sales is a skill just like any other, which anyone can learn and master--including the introvert who is more comfortable alone than in the sales field. As with finding any type of success, it’s all about learning how to leverage one’s own natural strengths.Extroverts are rarely short on words, and their conversations and sales pitches never feel sales-y to them. The world of sales just comes natural to the extrovert. But introverts aren’t comfortable with traditional tactics like aggressively pushing a product or talking over a customer's objections. What makes The Introvert’s Edge so powerful and practical is that it explains how the introvert can feel equally comfortable and sincere in the sales world as well--without changing who they are!Within these pages, the introvert can learn how to find natural confidence, prepare for every situation, sidestep objections that would otherwise expose their uncomfortableness, ask for the sale (without asking), profit from a process that doesn’t rely on personality, and simply enjoy sales!The introverted salesperson is no longer an oxymoron--it’s a recipe for success!

"This is a resource you'll turn to again and again for advice on the best communication techniques! The tips are invaluable and it's a quick, fun read, with humor and personal anecdotes sprinkled throughout." --Stephanie Laguna, Executive Director, Strategic Market Planning, Kaiser Permanente"After reading the first few pages, I could not put it down. A treasure trove of useful techniques with amusing real life anecdotes that keep the reader engaged until the last page. A must-read for the corporate world--and the real world!" --Jean Pierre Lacombe, Chief Global Markets, Head of IFC Research, The World Bank"I loved the book and will recommend it to colleagues. Whether you're a grizzled CEO or a new associate, you'll benefit from Paul's practical ideas and strategies." --Bill Adams, Chief Investment Officer, Global Fixed Income, MFS Financial Management "Great insight and advice to hone your communication skills for every situation. Invaluable." --Steven Marshall, President, U.S. Tower Division, American Tower "Do yourself a favor. Give everyone you know a copy of this very practical (and funny) book. I know I will." --Erin Deemer, Vice President, People Development, Biogen"Filled with powerful insights and humor, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to sell their ideas or themselves. I started using Paul's tools immediately, and urge you to do the same." --Jon Peters, CEO, AthenaOnline"Superb blend of practical tips, humor and storytelling. Paul provides real insights and memorable tactics. All presenters (and writers) should read this book." --Marissa Poole, Head of Global Scientific Communication, Sanofi Genzyme"I loved this book! Humorous and insightful--it's a great read and the advice is spot on. A must-read for leaders or anyone who wishes to inspire, motivate, or persuade." --Kelly Courtney, Advocacy Strategy Advisor, United Nations"For those fortunate enough to know Paul personally, his voice and years of experience echo throughout this book. The result is a practitioner's dream." --Michael Glass, Vice President, Talent Management and Development, Thermo Fisher Scientific "Paul Hellman's book is packed with great advice for leaders, and it's fun to read, too." --Marshall Goldsmith, executive coach and bestselling author of Triggers"If you want to become an exceptional communicator, this is your how-to guide. It should be mandatory reading!" --Mark Jesty, Chairperson, IMS/Toronto"You'll find the strategies you need--and we all need this book more than we realize!" --Alison Quirk, Executive Vice President, State Street (retired)"An easy, high-impact read that provides every executive with the tips and tools to effectively communicate. With this book you'll maximize your impression on every audience." --Dusty Tenney, President, Brooks Life Sciences"Paul's witty approach and insightful tips give you the communication strategies to get heard in a world of constant distraction. This is a must-read." --Maureen Clang, Vice President, Leadership Development, Travelers"You've Got 8 Seconds is a vital addition to your tool belt that I heartily recommend." --Bill McGowan, author, Pitch Perfect"You need to manage your professional brand. Use the tactics in this book. They work." --Charles Miller, Senior Vice President, Leadership Development, Citi"Paul provides a fast, easy-to-use approach. His method helps you make your point quickly--and with greater impact." -- Sandy Rezendes, Chief Learning Officer, Citizens Financial Group"Both practical and funny, it's a great read for anyone who wants to have more impact at work. Hellman has mastered the art of communication, and he lets you in on the secrets." --Tim Saeger, Senior Vice President, Engineering, iRobot

INSTANT BUSINESS BESTSELLERIn leadership as in life, only practice makes perfect. Habits are powerful. They can lock us into negative behaviors (like snacking and smoking) or train us to act automatically in ways that benefit us (such as putting on a seat belt). Routines quietly undergird large portions of what we do and how we function. Habit formation can speed success in the workplace as well--even in complex areas like leadership. The Leader Habit spotlights 22 essential leadership abilities, breaking them down into a series of small, learnable behaviors. The accompanying 5-minute exercises help you practice each of these new skills until they stick. Drawn from a study of hundreds of leaders across the globe, the book's simple formula focuses on developing one skill at a time: sell the vision, delegate well, innovate often, empower others, overcome resistance, build strategic relationships, focus on customers, listen actively, negotiate effectively, and more. Many of us aspire to great leadership . . . consuming books and training. But unless you intentionally reinforce the right behaviors, results are fleeting. This eye-opening and original book builds the "muscle memory" to turn leadership skills into lasting habits.

People forget facts, but they never forget a good story. Unfortunately it’s never that simple, though. Because for most, there’s nothing easy about crafting a memorable story, let alone linking it to professional goals. But material for stories and anecdotes that can be used for your professional success surround you! Let the Story Do the Work shows you how to mine your experience for simple narratives that will achieve your goals. You can learn to:• Capture attention• Engage your audience• Change minds• Inspire action• Pitch persuasively• And more!When you find the perfect hook, structure your story according to its strengths, and deliver it at the right time in the right way, you’ll see firsthand how easy it is to turn everyday communications into opportunities to connect, gain buy-in, and build lasting relationships.

Drawing on his experience as a psychiatrist, business consultant, and coach, author Mark Goulston combines his background with the latest scientific research to help readers turn the “impossible” and “unreachable” people in their lives into allies, devoted customers, loyal colleagues, and lifetime friends. Just Listen does this by providing simple but powerful techniques readers can use to really get through to people. You’ll learn how to: make a powerful and positive first impression; listen effectively; make even a total stranger (potential client) feel understood; talk an angry or aggressive person away from an instinctual, unproductive reaction and toward a more rational mindset; and achieve buy-in--the linchpin of all persuasion, negotiation, and sales. Whether they're coworkers, friends, strangers, or enemies, the first make-or-break step in persuading anyone to do anything is getting them to hear you out. With this groundbreaking book, readers will be able to master the fine but critical art of effective communication.

One wrong move can undercut your message. Believe it or not, our bodies speak louder than our words. Postures, gestures, and expressions convey reams of information—and often not what you’d expect. A smile, for example, is usually considered welcoming. But crook one corner of your mouth higher and you project superiority, subconsciously chasing other people away. Without Saying a Word explains how even the subtlest motions have meaning. Distilling decades of research, the book deciphers these unspoken signals: from facial expressions and fleeting micro expressions to positive and negative body language. Discover which postures and gestures indicate confidence and build rapport—and which reveal disinterest, arrogance, or even aggression. Learn to end off-putting habits, accentuate good ones, and become an authentic and effective communicator. Exhibiting body language that is open, honest, and self-assured increases your social influence and enhances your skill as a negotiator . . . while the ability to read the emotions and intentions of others is equally indispensable. Whether you’re making a presentation, pitching a project, or closing a deal, the right body language can be your best ally.

What hidden skill links successful people in all walks of life--across cultures, industries, generations . . . all of time? The answer is surprisingly simple: they know how to ask the right questions at the right time. Questions help us break down barriers, discover secrets, solve puzzles, and imagine new ways of doing things. The right question can provide for us not only the answer we need right then but also the ones we’ll need tomorrow. Emmy award–winning journalist and media expert Frank Sesno wants to teach you how to question others in a methodical, intentional way so that you can find the same success that others have found by mastering this simple skill. From the author’s illuminating interviews that he has included in the book, you will learn:• How the Gates Foundation used strategic questions to plan its battle against malaria• How turnaround expert Steve Miller uses diagnostic questions to get to the heart of a company's problems• How creative questions animated a couple of techie dreamers to brainstorm Uber • How journalist Anderson Cooper uses confrontational questions to hold people accountableThroughout Ask More, you’ll explore all different types of inquiries--from questions that cement relationships, to those that will help you plan for the future. By the end, you’ll know what to ask and when, what you should listen for, and what you can expect as the outcome.

In a world where everyone is completely inundated by phone calls, drop-ins, pop-up ads, and junk mail, how can you and your product begin to make its impression known in the business world? How do you break through to impossible-to-reach executive buyers who are intent on blocking out the noise that confronts them every day? By learning how to combine time-tested sales processes with cutting-edge social media strategies.Combo Prospecting details today’s new breed of chief executive buyers, the channels they use, the value narratives that they find appealing, and the mix of methods that will grab their attention. With actionable insights in every chapter, you will learn how to:• Locate leverage points that matter• Secure decision-maker meetings• Build a knockout online brand that distinguishes you from the pack• Build a constantly growing list of profitable referrals• And much, much more!Old-school prospecting tactics are growing increasingly irrelevant in today’s tech-savvy online business world. But new-school techniques alone have proven to not be able to provide the answers. The key to your success is to learn how to unleash a killer combination of old and new sales strategies.

The ability to speak with confidence and deliver winning presentations can accelerate your career, earn people's great respect, and enable you to achieve your greatest-even most impossible-seeming goals. But what many people don't realize is that anyone can learn to be a great speaker, just as easily as they can learn to drive a car or ride a bike! As one of the world's premier speakers and personal success experts, Brian Tracy is the ideal instructor. In Speak to Win, Tracy reveals time-tested tricks of the trade that readers can use to present powerfully and speak persuasively, whether in an informal meeting or in front of a large audience. Readers will learn how to: * become confident, positive, and relaxed in front of any audience * grab people's attention from the start * use body language, props, and vocal techniques to keep listeners engaged * transition smoothly from one point to the next * use humor, stories, quotes, and questions skillfully * deal with skepticism when presenting new ideas * wrap up strongly and persuasively Brimming with unbeatable strategies for winning people over every time, Tracy lets readers in on his most powerful presentation secrets in this indispensable, life-changing guide.

Congratulations! You’re the mother of a teenage daughter! Welcome to the world of door slams, boy craziness, glass-shattering screams, and eye rolls bigger than the earth’s rotation around the sun. The truth is, as you should remember yourself, being a teenage girl is one long emotional roller coaster. And if mom responds in kind, she’s just adding fuel to the fire and eroding the relationship. More than at any other time in their life, teen girls need their mom to be a stable anchor.In Dial Down the Drama, family therapist and mom Colleen O’Grady shares what she learned firsthand during her own daughter’s teenage years about how best to calmly de-escalate even the most stressful scenes and parent intentionally even when your teen is pushing you away. She wants every other mom to learn how to:• Regain perspective• Break the cycle of conflict• Tune into her daughter without drowning in the drama• Foster spontaneous conversations• Replace worrying and overreacting with effective communication and action• And much more!As Colleen has said, you don’t dial down the drama in order to survive the teenage years; you do so because you actually can enjoy them! This empowering guide gives you the tools you need to do just that.

Author Chris Lytle knows from firsthand experience that not all salespeople plan on a career in sales. Like him, sales may have chosen you--and you’ve suddenly found yourself in a profession you’re not fully prepared for. In The Accidental Salesperson, the now-acclaimed leader in sales training offers advice and inspiration new salespeople might have missed when they skipped the career-planning stage--and provides the tools you need to fast-track your sales success. Filled with money-generating strategies, humorous yet instructive anecdotes, thought-provoking axioms, and powerful tools, this essential book includes guidance on selling to people who don't have time to meet, differentiating between information seekers and genuine prospects, using social media and other online tools, and building relationships competitors can't steal.Lively, entertaining, and mercifully free of the dull theories, manipulative methods, and high-pressure tactics of most sales books--the fully updated second edition of The Accidental Salesperson guides readers through every aspect of selling to customers in today’s marketplace.

Today’s board rooms, think tanks, and staff lounges are more diverse than ever before. But these cultural differences can either lead to gridlock among stubborn, single-minded thinkers or they can catalyze innovation and growth among an expansive team of creative, distinctive individuals.Diverse teams are far more creative than homogenous teams--but only when they are managed effectively. Driven by Difference identifies the management practices necessary to minimize conflict while maximizing the informational diversity found in varied values and experiences. Drawing on the cultural intelligence, or CQ, of diversity success stories from Google, Alibaba, Novartis, and other groundbreaking companies, this must-have resource teaches managers of diverse groups how to:• Create an optimal environment• Consider the various audiences when selecting and selling an idea• Design and test for different users• Fuse differing perspectives• Align goals and expectations• And moreNew perspectives and talents have joined your company’s ranks in recent years. Are you seeing the increased innovation and success that should be resulting from such diversity?