The full title of this book by Brain Tracy is
Crunch Point: The Secret to Succeeding When It Matters Most
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a 5 Stars rating. This means it is Excellent.
Here is my book review.
An excellent book to help business owners and managers through difficult times
I’m a fan of the author. He’s a great synthesiser of ideas and advice across a wide range of subjects. He and his team clearly research very carefully before they put together his books and audio recordings.
Because I’ve heard him speak so often, I find I hear his voice in my head as I read. There is something about his phraseology that is uniquely Brian Tracy.
This is short, concise and packed with practical ideas to help you through the crunch point you face. This is important because, in times if difficulty, time is often critical. You must take effective actions before the money runs out.
It’s also a very positive book. The author is a fan of positive thinking. It can seem very American but in tough times, it is essential. If you don’t have a mind open to new ideas and a “can do, will do” approach, you won’t turnaround your business.
Turnarounds are U shaped. When you’re sliding down, the sooner you take the actions to stabilise the situation, the sooner the recovery stage actions can start and might need to be less drastic. Too many business owners leave it until it is too late as the cash situation doesn’t give enough time for analysis, thinking and action.
I highlight as I read and later take notes. There is a great deal of yellow in my book which shows there is very little padding or fluff here.
The book includes one of my favourite coaching ideas I learned from the author called zero based thinking. It’s a technique for looking back at past decisions to help you decide what you need to do now. In fact, it touches on many of my favourite techniques including focusing on your constraint, 80/20 thinking, creative thinking, identifying your real goals etc.
It covers a very wide range of topics concerned with looking after you and your business. You may not like several of them or feel “here we go again” when you’re told to eat better and take more exercise because it will help you to have s clearer mind. There’s also a chapter on spirituality, or to use Napoleon Hill’s phrase, connecting with the Infinite Intelligence.
Tracy is right to emphasise the importance of getting more sales although I’d prefer it if
1) the emphasis was on more margin rather than sales revenue. These are not necessarily connected.
2) Consideration of direct response marketing rather than just face to face selling. Here the author’s bias as a sales trainer comes through.
Overall I think this is an excellent book packed with practical tips. The wide range of topics covered means that it’s different from the vast majority of books on turning around a business. I recommend it very strongly.
You can buy the book from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
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