Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/337193
61 BizEd July/August 2014 might achieve greater efficiencies in their business models if they change any of the four W's: what their objectives are, when they must make decisions, who should make the decisions, and why. Girotra and Netessine examine business model innovations (BMIs) delivered by companies from Blockbuster to Zipcar and point out a surprising discovery: BMIs might not be as flashy as new product introductions, but they can give companies an even greater competitive advantage—at a much lower cost. STARTU P LEAD E R S H I P AUTHOR: Derek Lidow PUBLISHER: Jossey-Bass, US$27.95 "ENTREPRENEURS, not ideas, lead their enterprises to success," writes Lidow, who teaches entrepreneurial leadership at Princeton. The bad news is that most entrepreneurs don't have the leadership skills to take their enterprises through all the four stages of entrepreneur- ship. The good news is that Lidow believes anyone can develop the five tools that entrepreneurial leaders require: They must be self-aware, adept at understanding how the enterprise works, and able to build relationships, motivate others, and lead change. Leaders will fail unless they understand their strengths and weaknesses—and the motivations that drive them. "Your strongest motivations arise from the things that are the source of your hap- piness or that protect you from your primal fears," he writes. Part therapy session and part business class, the book takes a uniquely personal look at the entre- preneur's journey. SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR Aaron Hurst, founder of the pro bono consulting service Taproot, believes soci- ety is evolving from the Information Economy to The Purpose Economy, which is "centered on the need for individuals to find purpose in their work and lives." Since today's workers no longer expect to stay with one employer for decades, he believes that they're seeking purpose, not longevity, in their careers. "Pur- pose comes when we know we have done something that we believe matters—to others, to society, and to ourselves," he writes. "There is evidence in almost every industry and throughout our culture that this shift is already under way." (Elevate, US$25) EXECUTIVE PRESENCE is "a precondition for suc- cess whether you're a cellist, a salesperson, or a Wall Street banker," writes Sylvia Ann Hewlett, who leads the Center for Talent Innovation think tank. She cites studies and delivers anecdotes showing that leaders must project a certain image that includes "a heady combination of confidence, poise, and authenticity," or boards won't hire them and people won't follow them. Top executives must possess gravitas and emotional intelligence; they must be able to communicate; and they must look the part. Only then will they be judged on what they can deliver. (HarperCollins, US$26.99) Don't Miss