Fascinating Authors

FASCINATING AUTHORS: Tell us a little bit about your book.

Author: NOBLE ENTERPRISE: The Commonsense Guide to Uplifting People and Profits (2008 Cosimo Books) presents an alternative “business model” to the traditional one, by recognizing and utilizing the power of Human Spirit as a driving force of business success. It starts with the inspiring story of the dramatic transformation of a “near-death” company and then provides insights on the underlying forces available to power great companies, and provides guidelines for creating and leading Noble Enterprises.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What inspired you to create a work of non-fiction?

Author: I started my career in the economic/financial area, then became involved in strategic planning, then in operations improvement, including consulting to major corporations. I became increasingly disillusioned with the “business as usual” model of what a company is, how it works – and especially how to lead it, which was not only toxic to people, but also ineffective. I began conceptualizing a book about a fully energized enterprise, one that draws forth the full range of human energy, not just mental and kinetic energy, but also the energy of heart. As that emerged, I felt the urge to get it all into a book.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: What did you do to prepare – such as research – to write your book?

Author: This book is primarily experienced-based. The more I reflected on the traditional business model as I ran into it in the various companies I worked for or consulted to, the more ideas came to me for how business could work far more effectively, which led to the development of a “business model” that I saw evolving to lead companies more readily to success. In the process, the title and underlying theme became clear: Noble Enterprise – that nobility can be a powerful force for fueling companies to success.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: How did you decide which information to present in your book?

Author: At first, the book was primarily conceptual, but several supportive publishers suggested that examples would make for a better book. I was fortunate to meet a CEO who had just transformed a 2,700-person company with a people-centered business strategy and leadership approach similar to what I was envisioning. That became the inspiring case example I mentioned earlier. I wrote that story as a narrative, not merely an analytical piece, so that it could serve as an inspiration to leaders and employees alike, showing what business could be like.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: What do you hope people will gain from reading your book?

Author: To see “with new eyes” the true sources of business success, which are what I call the “inner” sources. They are the full range of human energies that people can bring to work. The typical management model focuses on the “outer” sources – i.e., what companies DO to succeed. The “inner” sources are the deeper energies at work to fuel those outer actions and make them successful. Thus in the case study, the reader sees not only what the people of that company did, but they also see the kinds of inner transformations they made to succeed.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: How long did it take you to write the book – (was it longer or less time than you expected)?

Author:  The book was “in process” for over ten years, and it changed and grew substantially during those years. Looking back, I find it fascinating that the delay in getting it out meant that it was published just one month before the financial meltdown of September 2008! I think it is a much more appropriate book for these times we’re in – and in fact, now I do seminars and presentations on how the Noble Enterprise approach can revitalize companies in these difficult economic times.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: Did you seek the support of a writer’s group or class?

Author: I participated in John Eggen’s (Mission Marketing Mentors) book-writing program. As a participant, I contributed a chapter to a book he published called Create the BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGH You Want: Secrets and Strategies from the World’s Greatest Mentors (2004 Mission Publishing). That chapter essentially states the premise for my subsequent book on Noble Enterprise.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: What surprised you the most about this process?

Author: The challenge of organizing my thoughts was the biggest surprise. I had written numerous articles about the subject, and had done plenty of consulting where organizing one’s thoughts is a must, but I found organizing a whole book daunting. Fortunately, I had the joy of working with a great editor who helped tremendously on that score. I also found, when I hit places where I knew that more was needed but I wasn’t sure what, that all I needed to do was to sit quietly, ask for guidance, and the answers would come from deep within me. It was like the book was teaching me what to write at times.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: What tips would you offer to anyone writing nonfiction for the first time?

Author: I stayed away from trying to build on anyone else’s work or to contrast my book with other books. So, I would suggest that a first-time writer concentrate on her own truth and convey that. Draw from your experience – and the knowledge from your Heart versus merely the information of your Mind. Also, get a good editor, and surround yourself with fans who cheer you on. I also found that I had to isolate myself from the day-to-day turmoil of the business world in order to get the flow going well.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: What can we look forward to in your next book?

Author: It might have another great story of a company that did it right that can serve as an inspiration to others. It might focus even more on leadership – expanding on the chapter on “noble leadership”. It might become more of a handbook, a kind of “field guide”. Or it might focus on our economic system and how that is changing, and needs to change for the benefit of all, expanding on the chapter on “Human Economics”. It depends where I am drawn. Stay tuned!

FASCINATING AUTHORS: Is there anything we haven’t covered that you would like to include?

Author: The CEO whose turnaround is chronicled in the book (and who is now retired from being a CEO) and I now collaborate in providing seminars and presentations to business schools executive programs and industry and company conferences on how to revitalize companies using the Noble Enterprise approach. It’s great fun! And we keep getting invited back!

FASCINATING AUTHORS: Why is such a book needed?

Author: The old management methods and business strategies that are so ingrained, almost hardwired, are running on only a few cylinders. People need to see how and why they are limiting – and no longer the best way to manage. Several deep trends are pointing toward Noble Enterprise as the business model for our times. These are economic trends (and an expanded understanding of Human Capital), human development (and the increasing importance of Purpose and Meaning in the motivation of people at all levels of the organization), and scientific (with an expanding appreciation for the underlying energy of all matter and life, and the deep interconnection of everything). These are all addressed in the book, and provide a kind of foundation for the Noble Enterprise business model and leadership approach.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: What’s in this book for CEOs and other executives?

Author: First and foremost, the book provides a new concept of the business corporation, its purpose, its resources and what makes it successful. Secondly, the case example can be an inspiration to an executive and his people, providing a common perspective and vocabulary. And third, it provides a new vision of the role of the CEO.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: Are you available to work with companies and their leadership to help them apply the principles of Noble Enterprise in their own companies?

Author: By all means. I’ve spent much of my career providing consulting and coaching support to executives and their management teams.  My focus now is providing seminars on Noble Enterprise, and working with individual executives and intact teams to address their own business objectives and projects utilizing Noble Enterprise principles.

FASCINATING AUTHORS: Thank you for taking the time to be part of this interview!

To learn more about the Author and his book please visit – http://www.noblebusinesssolutions.com/NobleEnterpriseBook.html