It's time for New Year's resolutions, and the business section of any bookstore provides a wealth of inspiration.
As the line between work and personal life blurs, so does the boundary between the business and self-help book categories.
The recent best-seller, "Influencer: The Power To Change Anything," has something to offer anyone who wants to be more effective, whether at losing weight, improving a company's product, or promoting a cause.
Its five authors, four of whom also wrote the highly regarded "Crucial Conversations," maintain that the most effective way to solve a problem is to identify and change the behaviors that would make a difference.
Easier said than done, a skeptical reader might say, but the book suggests various ways to motivate oneself and others.
For example, experience - whether first-hand or vicarious - can go a long way toward changing people's minds, as executives at a large US manufacturer discovered.
Hammered by its Japanese rivals, the company knew productivity had to increase. Workers, however, didn't believe their bosses' warnings.
The company decided to send 10 hourly employees to Japan to watch the competition in action. Impressed and concerned, they were able to convert their co-workers with a detailed and colorful account of their experience.
Meanwhile, two books due next week are also blueprints for change.
"Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways To Go From Everyday to Extraordinary" suggests readers use a generally dreaded time of the week to embark on new ways to live their lives.
It's not an entirely new concept for author David Cottrell, who has also written the popular "Monday Morning Leadership" and an expanded version called "Monday Morning Mentoring."
His latest book covers 12 life choices, beginning with the refusal to be a victim and ending with the decision to help and mentor others. He recommends setting up a small group to discuss each topic for about 20 minutes on 12 successive Monday mornings.
Meanwhile, "Strategy and the Fat Smoker" takes a self-help approach in advising managers on how to keep their businesses and organizations on track.
Author David Maister, a management consultant and former Harvard Business School professor, assumes that just as his readers know they should pursue a healthy lifestyle rather than succumb to instant gratification, they're well aware of what they should be doing in terms of strategy, client relationships, and management.
But, he writes, "Just because something is obvious doesn't make it easy. Real strategy lies not in figuring out what to do, but in devising ways to ensure that, compared to others, we actually do more of what everybody knows they should do."
But what about people who just won't do what they should?
"Toxic People," a recent release, features a series of action lists for people who deal with workplace bullies, backstabbers, and other deadly personality types.
Finger-pointing and complaining are not the answer, says author Marsha Petrie Sue, a motivational speaker who also wrote "The CEO of You."
"You can only turn to yourself to manage conflict, anger, and poor interpersonal relations," she writes. "Having the skills and applying them is your responsibility."
The book's subtitle itself has the makings of a New Year's resolution: "Decontaminate Difficult People at Work Without Using Weapons or Duct Tape."
