… via civil, exemplary behaviors, adding peace of mind to financial and social success.

The Power of Dignity: The thoughtful Leader’s Model for Attracting and Keeping Stakeholders

Demonstrable value: “A must-read for managers who want to reap the many fiscal and psychic rewards of dignity in business.” John Larsen, President Emeritus, New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.; Director, NB (UK) Ltd.; and former president, World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (Lausanne).

Professional support: “To behave with dignity is nothing less than to allow others to be themselves.” Sol Chaneles.

“Employees, customers, and other stakeholders are far more than every business’s most important assets; they are the source of all other assets. Treat them with the dignity they deserve and prosper financially and socially” From the book. 

Excerpt: During my research and writing I was fortunate to discover managers in a variety of businesses who actually understand and practice the awesome power of dignifying and respecting the people who depend on the businesses for their livelihoods, and on whom the businesses depend on for their existence—the perfect win-win.  In addition, the profiled managers are totally convinced that dignity is the root cause of their firms’ profitability and sustainability. I think you’ll enjoy meeting them and profit from their insights. 

Summary: This book examines, first, the very significant differences between managing for dignity and for stockholder value, then a number of successful businesses that are managed profitably and sustainably to protect and enhance the dignity of employees, customers, and other stakeholders, albeit in different ways and styles. The managers of those firms invariably ignore short-term accounting figures; they know that their businesses are much more than numbers and behave accordingly.

The Power Of Ethics: The Thoughtful Leader’s Model for Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Demonstrable value: “This book proves that ethical behavior is the unstoppable power behind the happiness, prosperity, sustainability, and independence of individuals and firms. In fact, I will go further and say that it is the essential driver of every fulfilled life.”  Jim Browne, founding partner, Allegheny Financial Group. 

Professional support: “Ethics is nothing else than reverence for life.” Albert Schweitzer

“We’re optimistic that business can be conducted honestly and ethically: anecdotal and empirical evidence convinces us that an accelerating number of business and professional schools, and businesses themselves, require students and employees to complete courses in ethics and to subscribe to codes of ethics.  And, beyond education, employees seem to be adopting ethical behavior at an increasing rate.” Bill O’Rourke

Excerpt: Today, in 2014, ethics dominates our news in the form of anti-ethics. The headlines in newspapers and the lead stories on TV, radio, and Internet news are typically about such abhorrent behavior as lying, stealing, revenge, convictions for corruption, gratuitous murder, and misuse of public or other people’s funds for personal gain. Readers, viewers, and listeners can hardly be faulted for thinking that we live in a corrupt society, exactly what Socrates and others did not want or envision.  Perhaps the anti-ethical stance of the media is the most anti-ethical part of our society.

Summary

The Power of Ethics pays brief but pointed homage to theory and the great thinkers who have struggled for centuries to define ethics and its effects, then eschews those abstractions  by leaping into practical usefulness by defining ethics—and its lack—by palpable behaviors and situations that readers can embrace or avoid. The special section on building an ethical organization in a hostile environment is applicable in equal doses to operations in less-developed and industrialized countries and in ethically immature organizations.

The Beanstalk Jackpots: Jack Hit Three Jackpots by Climbing His Beanstalk. You Can Too.

Demonstrable value: “If only, if only, if only I had met Pete Geissler years ago–I would have saved literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of hours working with toxic clients and employees and writing murky proposals and reports that lowered my productivity and profitability. Now I know better. Thanks, Pete.” Susan Tusick, CEO, Tusick Architects Associates.

Professional support:” I do not think that winning is the most important thing. I think that winning is the only thing.” Bill Veeck, baseball executive

“If Jack can, you can.” Pete Geissler

Excerpt: I bet that you are not listed as an asset on your personal or organization’s balance sheet.

Pity.  Your intelligence is your earning power. Ergo, it is your source of assets such as your house, computers, desks, cars, stocks, bonds… the trappings of your life and your spending power. You are the mother lode from which all your other assets emanate.

Summary: For almost fifty years⎯since the early 1970s⎯ I wrote all sorts of marketing materials for all sorts of businesses and individuals, some of which I could call fairy tales. I thought that I was helping them deliver their many messages that would help them sell their products.

In truth, I was helping them to build better, more bountiful beanstalks, to help them hit their own personal jackpots, to create wealth + happiness + competitive supremacy™, which is far more important and lasting than a few sales.

Divorce can be Such Sweet Sorrow: An Anecdotal Survival kit

Demonstrative value: “Pete Geissler has cut through lawyer-babble and combined humor, insight, and downright usefulness into a book that everyone who is contemplating or going through a divorce should read. Highly readable, hugely instructive, highly entertaining.” Gary Forcey, a gleeful survivor of three divorces.

Professional support: “Marriage–the sole cause of divorce.” Lawrence Peter, author

“The reason for divorce is unbearable unhappiness: it’s that simple.” From the book

Excerpt: I was in a favorite watering hole that served as my “numbing nook” before I careened home unhappily to an equally unhappy wife, endangering the lives and limbs of countless people on the way, including the one that I cared less and less about: mine.  I was gazing into my second giant-sized martini when a total stranger walked up behind me, caught my attention, and said…Summary: Lawyers, I daresay all of ’em, are trained in law school to be gladiators. They are trained to look for ways to stir the pot, because a stirred pot means a fight, and a fight means income for them and expense for you.  Some lawyers disregard their training and actually avoid fights and toil for the benefit of their clients; you want to partner with one. If you remember and understand that one simple principle, you’ll save years of financial and emotional distress. Trust me.

THE RISE AND FALL OF GEORGE FERRIS: LOVE, DECEIT, AND THE WHEEL

Summary: George Ferris unveiled his gigantic wheel at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, skyrocketing him instantly to fame worldwide and, he hoped, to fortune. A series of lawsuits and poor decisions dashed those hopes.  Only four years after the unveiling, he died in a Pittsburgh hospital, penniless and abandoned by his lovely wife and his engineering partners, his ashes lost forever. His legacy lives on in the thousands of copycat wheels and the millions of thrill seekers who have ridden them.