Never Fry Bacon in the Nude - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

Never Fry Bacon in the Nude (And Other Lessons from the Quick and the Dead) by Stone Payton

In Never Fry Bacon in the Nude, we find another offering that falls into the category of "a title that grabs you and content that holds you!" You've got to admit that this title generates a visual that's difficult to ignore. However, it doesn't stop there. The table of contents will undoubtedly encourage you to grab a sandwich and a glass of your favorite beverage as you navigate to a comfortable easy chair with a goal of staying put until you complete every one of the 171 pages before you.

As I read each chapter, I couldn't help but wonder how the author was going to eclipse his content in the following chapters. I find this especially challenging because Stone Payton chose a subject that can be somewhat delicate to many of today's business population. "High velocity leadership: it's all about SPEED" claims this accomplished author, speaker, and consultant. He goes on to say: "Speed is the most consistent and durable source of competitive advantage. Most sources of competitive advantage today-technology, talent, capital, intellectual property, even product superiority-have an incredibly short shelf-life. And when the grease gets hot (yesterday's advantage becomes today's norm), organizations can become extremely vulnerable. Specifically, we're at the mercy of three distinct populations keenly focused on their own survival and prosperity:

  • Acutely perceptive employees who ultimately determine the organization's level of discretionary effort
  • Increasingly sophisticated and unforgiving customers
  • Faster, more nimble competitors poised to create and fill the next void
  • Organizations that consistently meet more needs for more people in less time strengthen their culture, grow their customer base, and dominate their market.

Neglecting speed (failing to incorporate a systematic, deliberate process for increasing the ratio of results to time invested) is like frying bacon in the nude ... It might feel good at first, but without the right disciplines in place, we're dangerously over exposed and very likely to get burned (even permanently scarred) by one or more of these three critically important constituencies.

Another fascinating aspect of this book lies in the fact that I found very little new information within the content. What I did find was a vast assortment of valuable information aligned in such a way that it suddenly made sense and provided me with a clear cut action plan for succeeding with SPEED. The author himself spelled it out for me as early as page 11 when he pointed out the necessity to remember the "F Word." That word, of course, is fundamentals, which is what this book is all about. Top performers in every arena, from the basketball court to the boardroom consistently commit themselves to the fundamentals. They religiously apply just a handful of basic principles that give them that slight extra edge. So it should come as no surprise that fast, agile companies-and the people who lead them-exhibit a powerfully simple method of leadership thinking. Specifically, they express, model, and reward five distinct disciplines:

Structure

Personal Accountability

Empathy

Education

Direction

Learn the details and application of each of these disciplines in Part One where you'll also discover the common characteristics shared by all five. At this point, you have the foundation in hand, and you're ready for more fundamentals. Learn how to "harness the 7 LAWS OF SPEED," "refine the 5 SPEED Disciplines," and "avoid the 15 Common SPEED Traps that destroy momentum." Before you know it, your sandwich has been reduced to a few crumbs on your plate, your glass is empty, you're curled up in your chair, your notepad is filled, and your highlighter is empty.

Stone's personal mission is to help others develop the competence, confidence, and commitment to establish a practical plan for producing Better Results in Less Time ... in short, to "Succeed with SPEED."

Reprint Information

Your organization may reprint this article for your newsletter, online publication, or mailing list. We ask that you print the:

  • article in its entirety;
  • byline of the writer;
  • information about the writer, which is available at the end of each article; and
  • contact information, including our toll-free phone number in the U.S. (800-886-2MAX) and link to our website - www.AchieveMax.com.

We would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy of the articles you reprint.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has made presentations ranging from leadership to employee retention and time management to stress management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting http://www.AchieveMax.com.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Health Is Internal Beauty

Excerpted from the book "Your Right to Be Beautiful: How... Read More

Job Interview Answers

Last week I found an interesting book called ... Read More

A Coaching Book Review

Win-Win Partnerships ? Be on the Leading Edge with Synergistic... Read More

Empowering Teenagers - A Few Clues About Teens And A New Book

EMPOWERING TEENAGERSFrom a new book: "Adolescence is a difficult period,... Read More

The Hushed Willow - A review by Amanda Evans

The Hushed Willow by Lorna Joy Knox nee Ramsamugh is... Read More

Critical Condition: How Health Care In America Became Big Business-And Bad Medicine:

Title: Critical Condition: How Health Care In America Became Big... Read More

Cut to the Chase

The Review Diaries "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy... Read More

Fire in the Ice: Book Review

"An excellent novel that will wring tears of frustration and... Read More

Silent Lies - Book Review

"Silent Lies is an action romance saga, that takes the... Read More

Pandemonium - Book Review

"Within the first few pages, I was engrossed and deeply... Read More

Men of Extreme Action - Book Review

"Action, thriller and humor ? this book has it all!... Read More

Atlanta Pastor Releases Book Of Life

Local Atlanta Pastor known for his charity work such as... Read More

Inspiration for the Fired Soul

You're Fired! is a book that tackles the real story's... Read More

ARTURO EL REY - Book Review

This large (about 378 pages), fantasy-adventure novel should give best... Read More

The Bible Code II: The Countdown, by Michael Drosnin

Sir Isaac Newton knew about the Bible code 300 hundred... Read More

The Laid Daughter

There has been a lot of publicity lately centered on... Read More

Business Plans

Way back in business school we had to churn out... Read More

Book review on Finite Capacity Scheduling, Part II

Now add ten more car wash trucks, with the corresponding... Read More

Free Ebook Offer: The Story of America: Discovery - Article 3

Quite a lot happened in Europe between 1002AD, when the... Read More

Book Release: Ginas Poems - Adventures in Love

Book Release: Gina's Poems -- Adventures in Love Written... Read More

Geeks & Geezers - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

Geeks & Geezers: How Era, Values, and Defining Moments Shape... Read More

Moon Child - Book Review

Moon Child by Simone Maroney is a larger sized adventure,... Read More

Bury My Heart at Redtree

Title: Bury My Heart at Redtree Author: Patrick Chalfant Genre:... Read More

Media Star Power Book Review

Media Star Power: ABCs to Successful TV, Radio, Print &... Read More

Workshop-In-A-Book® for Dating Again, A Must-Read EBOOK

The Joy Of Dating Again is designed to be a... Read More

The Leadership Challenge - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

The Leadership Challenge: The Most Trusted Source on Becoming a... Read More

The 18 Immutable Laws of Corporate Reputation - A Book Summary

Everything an individual or company does or produces contributes to... Read More

Alison?s Journey: Book Review

"The dedication in this book is a work of poetry... Read More

James Martells Methods and Yahoo

In James Martell's Affiliate Handbook, he mentions that he focuses... Read More

Enron Debacle: Review Of Kurt Eichenwalds Conspiracy Of Fools A True Story

Title: Conspiracy Of Fools: A True Story Author: Kurt Eichenwald... Read More

FDA Approved Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy Can Improve The Quality of Your Life

As of August 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA)... Read More

Screenwriter and Novelist Marguerite Ashton Receives Rave Reviews for Mafia Novel

When asked what gave her the idea for the story,... Read More

The Bubblegum Babes Guide to Sixth Grade - Review

This is one book that I would have cherished as... Read More