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Mark Van Rijmenam, author of the new book Think Bigger, is a strategist who advises organizations on how to effectively manage their big data. He describes what big data is, why organizations should use it, and how they can benefit from it. Rijmenam suggests companies should deal with it now before it is too latemdash;those that fail to manage big data today will cease to exist 10 to 15 years from now. He offers four tips companies should follow in order to handle their consumersrsquo; privacy information responsibly. And while storing, managing, and analyzing big data can mean a risk for consumer privacy, it does help companies offer their customers better products and services. MARK VAN RIJMENAM is founder of the leading big data knowledge platform, Big Data Startups. He is a public speaker and a sought-after strategist who advises major organizations on how to develop their own customized big data strategies.

Paula Berman, author of Successful Business Process Management: What You Need to Know to Get Results, has worked with quality systems and companies of all sizes and industry ranges. Berman explains the difference between a process and a procedure, the key components needed in a procedure, and why it is so important for companies to document these processes. She also discusses the significance of a process system as well as how tomdash;and how not tomdash;effectively organize one. Finally, Berman gives us 4 key stages needed to keep the process improvements without lapsing back and losing any efficiency gain. PAULA K. BERMAN is a Six Sigma Black Belt who has worked with Quality Systems at companies of all sizes and in a range of industries. Her varied experience helped her develop a holistic approach to business process implementation, and practical solutions for getting results.

Peter R. Worrell, author of Enterprise Value: How the Best Owners-Managers Build Their Fortune, Capture Their Companyrsquo;s Gains, and Create Their Legacy, discusses the importance for entrepreneurial owner-managers to prepare for the eventual acquisition of his or her company. Worrell is the managing director at Bigelow LLC, which deals exclusively with the private market, and has personally worked with owner-manager clients for over thirty years. He discusses the private market today, how the golden age for mergers and acquisitions has yet to pass, and the most significant reason most acquisitions fail. Peter R. Worrell has enjoyed actively leading engagements achieving the professional and personal goals of Bigelow clients for over twenty-five years. He has a particular interest in the intersection of psychology and finance and its relevance to building enterprise value in the private transaction market. His efforts go to the practical application of the insights drawn from these disciplines to improve decision making in the owner-manager domain of risk. He is known as a thought leader on the art of building sustaining enterprise value for all stakeholders in private owner-managed organizations.

Chris Monteiro, head of MasterCard Worldwide Communications, shares with us communication strategies companies should use in order to help drive growth. Monteiro is in charge of supporting global communications integration, helping the company achieve its vision of a world beyond cash. MasterCard, whose revenues have now reached 60% internationally after going public in 2006, has embraced purposeful listening to inform their business decisions. Listen as Monteiro provides concrete examples of how listening to consumer needs through various online platforms actually helps to improve products. Tracking over 80,000 related social media comments for their Mobile Payments option a few years ago helped MasterCard learn about the productrsquo;s reputation. In turn, MasterCard refined the product, delivering a solution that met each of their customerrsquo;s needs. Chris Monteiro has spent 14 years at MasterCard Worldwide, leading worldwide communications at the company since 2006, responsible for employee communications; external influencer relationsmdash;ranging from traditional corporate media relations, industry analyst relations and social media channel management and digital influencer strategies; reputation and issues management; thought leadership programming; and public policy communications. In particular, he has been charged with supporting the global integration of the communications discipline at MasterCard in order to help the company achieve its vision of a World Beyond Cash.

Businesses, projects, and people donrsquo;t fail. Leaders fail. Mike Myatt, author of Hacking Leadership and a columnist for Forbesrsquo;s ldquo;Leadership,rdquo; discusses critical gaps leaders struggle with today, including development, influence, and reality gaps. Leaders never truly reach leadership maturity because they are all a work in progress. They must learn and understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to develop into more effective leaders. Leaders who tend to focus on process rather than people rarely see their company experience rising profits and often create a dynamic where employees decide to look elsewhere to unleash their passions, engage their creativity, and develop their skills. Mike Myatt is a leadership advisor to Fortune 500 CEOs and Boards, author of "Hacking Leadership" (Wiley) and "Leadership Matters" (2007), the CEO at N2growth, a Senior Fellow at the Gordian Institute, recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the top leadership thinkers globally, and widely regarded as America's Top CEO Coach. He is also a syndicated columnist and contributing editor on topics of leadership, innovation and problem solving. He has been married for nearly 30 years and is a proud father and grandfather.

Doug Conant has a certain methodology for collaborating and communicating with his employees. As the former CEO of Campbell Soup Company, Doug set the tone for how he wanted to build his relationships there. For Conant, it is imperative to build his relationships before he needs to, so as to be more productive in the long run. And not just with his direct reports; he made time in his day to send notes to employees around the world that he would never see day to day. Build that trust early, and then anything is possible. All it takes is two simple strategies to be an effective leader: being tough-minded on standards and performances while still remaining tenderhearted with people. Douglas R. Conant is a New York Times bestselling author and keynote speaker with over 35 years of leadership experience at world-class global companies. In 2011, he founded ConantLeadership, a growing community of people dedicated to improving the quality of leadership in the 21st century. From 2001 to 2011, Conant served as CEO and President of the Campbell Soup Company. He was the 11th leader of this iconic companyrsquo;s 141-year history ndash; faced with reversing a precipitous decline in market value. Conant dramatically transformed the global leadership team, reconfigured the portfolio, cut costs, and made integral strategic investments. These visionary changes resulted in cumulative shareholder returns in the top tier of the global food industry. He is the co-author with Mette Norgaard of the New York Times bestseller Touchpoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments.

Scott Adams is the creator of the ubiquitous workplace comic strip Dilbert, a character so iconic that it's become an actual metric for judging workplace happiness: too many Dilbert comics on the wall and employees probably relate to the character too much but if there are no comics it's likely indicative of upper management with no sense of humor. Adam's humor comes from real experience. He's no stranger to the corporate lifestyle and isn't uncritical, calling leadership in general "a form of specialized evil." Scott Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation. His Dilbert series came to national prominence through the downsizing period in 1990s America and was then distributed worldwide. A former worker in various roles at big businesses, he became a full-time cartoonist in 1995. Adams writes in a satirical, often sarcastic way about the social and mental landscape of white-collar workers in modern corporations and other large enterprises. His new book is called How to Fail at Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life.

Introverts can have trouble getting recognition for their accomplishments. They do great work but they do their best work quietly and alone. Skills like writing and research are crucial but not always attention-grabbing. Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of the new book Quiet Influence: The Introvert's Guide to Making a Difference, has practical tips on how introverts can play to their strengths and still get the attention they deserve. Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, Ph.D., Certified Speaking Professional, is an Atlanta-based author, speaker, and executive coach who has been hailed as a ldquo;champion for introverts.rdquo; Her bestselling books, The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength and Quiet Influence: The Introvertrsquo;s Guide to Making a Difference, have achieved widespread appeal and have been translated into multiple languages including Chinese and Spanish.

The internet has made it easier than ever to have a side business: a craft shop on Etsy, freelance design work, social media consultant, etc. But with all the horror stories about jobs lost because of a social media presence, some people are scared to start a side gig, afraid of angering their main employer. Kimberly Palmer, author of the AMACOM book The Economy of You, says that you don't have to be afraid. In fact, a lot of employers enthusiastically welcome side businesses as an opportunity for their employers to learn, grow, and bring more skills back to the workplace. Kimberly Palmer is the senior money editor for U.S. News World Report and writes the popular Alpha Consumer blog. Along with her staff job, she maintains independent side businesses. She is the creator of Palmerrsquo;s Planners, her own line of digital financial guides and money organizers for major life events and goals, such as having a baby, buying a house, and becoming debt-free, which she sells through her shop on Etsy.com. She is also a frequent speaker on financial planning, investing, and other money matters, and a published author. In her new book, The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life, Palmer delves into a movement among people much like hermdash;professionals and highly skilled workers of all ages who, for financial security and personal fulfillment, are successfully combining traditional employment with entrepreneurial side-gigs.

According to most studies, the number one fear, more than death, is public speaking. Most of this fear happens before a presentation is made. John Baldoni, author of the new book, The Leaders Guide to Speaking with Presence (Published by AMACOM), has some tips that will change your outlook on making a presentation, putting you in control, and making it easier to walk out on that stage. JOHN BALDONI, president of Baldoni Consulting LLC, is an internationally recognized executive coach, speaker, and author of a dozen leadership books. In 2013, Global Gurus International ranked John No. 14 on its list of the worldrsquo;s top 30 leadership experts. John has written over 400 columns for the online sites of Harvard Business Review, Forbes and FastCompany.

When it's time to ask your boss for a promotion or a raise, the conventional wisdom is to role play the conversation with a friend standing in for your boss to give you a chance to script what you want to say. Donny Ebenstein has some unconventional wisdom: switch places, put yourself in your boss' shoes. This approach to communication, understanding the point of view of the person you're talking to, is the cornerstone of Donny's new book I Hear You, published by AMACOM, where communication isn't just about hearing but also about understanding. Donny Ebenstein is an international expert in negotiation, communication, and conflict resolution. Beginning in 1996, Donny worked in the Middle East. During that time he co-founded the Jerusalem Mediation Institute, one of the first mediation centers in Israel. Donnyrsquo;s work in the Middle East included training for the Israel Defense Forces on how to collaborate more effectively on joint patrols with their Palestinian counterparts, and joint workshops for Israeli and Palestinian Border Crossing Staff on skills for resolving conflict. In 2000, Donny formed Ebenstein Consulting Incorporated to serve clients in negotiation, communication and conflict resolution. In addition to being the founder of Ebenstein Consulting, Donny was a co-founder and managing member of Consensus Brokers LLC, a consulting firm that existed from 2005 - 2013. He has worked with professionals of all levels of seniority, from recent college graduates to partners, directors, and the top levels of management. Donny is a graduate of Harvard Law School and holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan.

There's an easy way to pinpoint a Star Employee: it's the person you wish you could clone to do every job in the company. While that's wishful thinking, Stars tend to have an effect on the people around them and their enthusiasm becomes infectious. William Seidman, co-author with Richard Grbavac of The Star Factor, published by AMACOM, says that it's the Stars' outlook that is the deciding factor. They don't see themselves as cogs in the machine but a vital asset to the entire organization. As soon as their mindset improves, so do results. In this episode William shares tips on how to find out what drives the Star Employees and how to get their coworkers to becomes Stars as well. William Seidman is a recognized expert on the subject of executive decision making and performance improvement, and co-founder, CEO, and president of Cerebyte, a consultancy focused on increasing organizational performance.

Peter Drucker is a renowned thought leader in the business world. While his name is synonymous with management theory, sometimes it takes some work to turn that theory into practice. Enter William Cohen, former student and protegee of Peter Drucker himself. His new book The Practical Drucker, published by AMACOM, is a guide on how to take Drucker's idealistic statements and turn them into real management practice. WILLIAM A. COHEN, PH.D., President of the Institute of Leader Arts and The California Institute of Advanced Management, was Druckerrsquo;s first executive Ph.D. graduate. About him, Drucker wrote: ldquo;My colleagues on the faculty and I learned at least as much as we could teach him.rdquo; He has held executive positions in several companies and served as president of two universities. He is the author of many books, including Heroic Leadership, A Class with Drucker, Drucker on Leadership, and Drucker on Marketing.

Shoya Zichy, author of Personality Power, discusses the Color Q system, a personality identification system that can be used in your personal and professional life. The Color Q system is used to determine the needs, values, and special talent of each of the four temperament groups, and what strategies to use when dealing with each group. Are you a Gold? Goal oriented, grounded, and realistic. A Red? Action orientated, and focused on the now. A Blue? Theoretical, and knowledge driven. Or maybe you are a Green? Empathetic, and expressive. Enjoy work, life, and boost your career by knowing which group you fit into and what environment caters to your strengths. Learn more on building a diverse team to maximize creativeness, or find complementary group to speed up workflow and unify project vision. An internationally recognized author and speaker, Shoya Zichy specializes in energetic, humor-filled and practical seminars on team building, leadership, sales, womenrsquo;s initiatives, career development and developing a coaching culture. She is also an adjunct instructor at New York University.Her clients include Merrill Lynch, UBS, ABN, Northern Trust, Prudential, the U.S. Treasury, the Government of PA and Effat University in Saudi Arabia, among others. Her work has been featured in Fortune, Newsday, Barronrsquo;s, the Chicago Sun-Times, Washington Post, Memphis RSVP, US 1 and on CNN. She is the author of Career Match: Connecting Who You Are With What Yoursquo;ll Love To Do, recipient of the Mensa-supported Sharp Writ Book Award 2010 for ldquo;Best Research.rdquo; Her other books include Women and The Leadership Q, Color Q Profiles: For More Success in Work and Relationships, Color Q Coaching and Getting Along With Your Family. Her work has been translated into Arabic, Chinese, Italian and Korean. For additional training on this topic, consider these AMA seminars: *AMArsquo;s Myers-Briggs Type Indicatorreg; (MBTIreg;) Certification Program * Achieving Leadership Success Through People * High Performance Accountability: Guaranteeing Success for Yourself and Others To learn more, read these AMACOM Books: *Personality Power, by Shoya Zichy *People Styles at Work...And Beyond, by Robert Bolton Dorothy Grover Bolton *The Art of Connecting, by Claire Raines Lara Ewing

Chip Bell, author of Managing Knock Your Socks Off Service, discusses the changes in customer service and the tradition ideas of the customer. With the arrival of new technologies such as the Internet, customers are now more frugal then ever and expect their shopping experience to be top notch. Internal company relationships tend to affect how the company interacts with their customers, which has led to the trend of employers hiring employees who are knowledgeable in the products they sell because. CHIP R. BELL is the founder of The Chip Bell Group and author of many popular books including Wired and Dangerous. His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, USA Today, Fast Company, Business Week and other major media. - See more at: http://www.amacombooks.org/book.cfm?isbn=9780814432044#sthash.FNLmW68x.dpuf For additional training on this topic, consider these AMA seminars: *Fundamentals of Marketing: Your Action Plan for Success *Branding EQ: Creating Brand Loyalty *Leveraging Social Media to Engage Customers and Build Your Brand To learn more, read these AMACOM Books: *Managing Knock Your Socks Off Service, by Chip R. Bell Ron Zemke *Knock Your Socks Off Service Recovery, by Ron Zemke Chip R. Bell *Be a Direct Selling Superstar, by Mary Christensen