Invisible Handwriting: A podcaster's blog

Show Notes for Episode 87, Abe Lowenthal "Global California"

It is fair to say that Abe Lowenthal's Global California is not my typical TIH book, if one exists. It is much more a book on politics and ideas about how a state should respond to globalization than it is on management or economics. However, the choices states make can have a great deal of influence on how their economies develop, and California is such an interesting topic because there are issues it doesn't have direct political control over, even though it is an economic giant.

Remember, what starts in California ends up in the rest of the country, and I'm afraid that, if it's true, the upcoming decade will be a trying one for state governments.

Episode 87 runs 24:00 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 86, David Marsh "The Euro"

This is the first time on the Hand that I have done a book published by a former client. When I saw the Spring Yale 2009 catalog and learned they were putting out a book on the Euro, my heart sank a little, since I vowed never to do a book by a publisher when I was producing their show. With the end of the Yale Press Podcast in Feb., I am free to do Yale books again, and have done two of them on The Biography Podcast.

David Marsh is a wonderful writer and really helped put the rise of the European Monetary Union in its broader historical context. We just touched briefly on the last chapter, in which he speculates about the future of both the Euro and the Union, and it is fascinating reading. I highly suggest you check it out.

Episode 86 runs 29:12 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 83, Lisa Lahey "Immunity to Change"

The genesis of this show began in a failed change management project, as I tried to use it as a way to get my name out as a coach, having completed training at a fairly well known coaching program. I have to say that I was a mediocre coach, but the podcasting bit worked out quite well. Had I only known about the system that the authors Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey were working on, the whole history of the show might have been different.

In another life, I would sit down and write all the ways the Heidegger and Phenomenology show up in different business books (Of course, in this life, I would have to read German and have an advanced capacity for reading these books, neither of which I currently possess). Read this book and decide if you think that change is possible.

Episode 83 runs 27:44 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 84, Rita McGrath "Discovery Driven Growth"

All right, I'll admit it. I am so behind on updating Invisiblehandwriting that I fear it will take me most of the morning to get all of the previous shows on the blog, which means, if you're subscribing to the feed, expect a tremendous amount of material in the next few days. At least you have the ability to ignore it, which, sadly, I don't.

Discovery Driven Growth is one of those books that I never feel I can do justice to on the show, because it is full of very helpful exercises for companies looking at growth possibilities, so full that I can never get to all of them. Also, they are challenging, which means they don't easily lead themselves to sound bites. You have to go through them to get the benefit.

I will be beginning to approach advertisers in the 2nd quarter, and I am also looking at trying some of your suggestions with directions to take the show. They are all grand ideas, particularly the panel idea, which I had been kicking around for a while on my own. I may ask for panel suggestions in upcoming shows.

Anyway, Episode 84 runs 23:47 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 82, Ken and Will Hopper "The Puritan Gift"

Show Notes for Episode 81, Anil Gupta "Getting China and India Right"

So, one of the things the credit crunch has done has allowed me to always have a line of questioning ready for the most recent books: how has the message of your book changed given the circumstances. This is apparent in this interview, since I realized that, although I had heard quite a bit about the situation China is facing, I really hadn't remembered hearing anything about India and how it is coping.

Trying to get ahead on my readings for TIH, as the spring publishing season is upon us, which means extra reading for my clients. I hope to have the next two shows recorded in the next 10 days, and I would like to begin work on a panel show that I have been chewing on for the last two months. Always monkeying around with new stuff for the Hand.

Episode 81 runs 31:12 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 80, Liaquat Ahamed "Lords of Finance"

First off, thanks to all of you who participated in the audience survey.

Long time listeners of the show know that I am a sucker for economic history, and when Lords of Finance came my way, I pretty much knew I would do a show on it. I just wish it weren't so timely. I knew of three of the four men profiled in his book (in fact, I've even read some of Emile Moreau's correspondence from his time at the Banque de France, which was compiled in a book The Golden Franc) and the fact that we are still living with the some of the damage left over from World War I (though my guess is that Ahamed and James Grant might not agree on how much) is one reason I'm actually glad that Chairman Bernanke is a student of history.

Episode 80 runs 29:35 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 79, Mark de Rond "The Last Amateurs"

I know I've been at this game a while when I am not only bringing guests back on the show, but in this case, I'm bringing a guest back who was working on this project the last time I spoke with him! I remember seeing that Mark's book had gotten a really nice write up in the FT, but I only made a mental note to contact him, and often, my mental notes seem to be written in disappearing ink. Fortunately, Mark got back in touch with me, I got a copy of the book, and we were off.

One of the ironies is that I am the Oxford rep here in Portland, and currently organizing the second Boat Race breakfast (this year, the race starts at 0745 PDT. Ouch) and during last year's race, I distinctly remember the commentators talking about the Cambridge cox, Rebecca Dowbiggin, and how she was the cox on the Cambridge VIII in 2007 and looking for her second win. Didn't happen, and I will once again be rooting for the Oxford VIII with my fry up and a cuppa in the basement of Kells Pub in Portland. The race is on ESPNU, if you want to see what all the fuss is about, but can't make it here to Portland to watch with a bunch of sleepy Oxbridge alums.

Episode 79 runs 36:26 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 78, Mark Herman "Wargaming for Leaders"

This was a very interesting review of some of the wargames that Mark Herman and his associates at Booz Allen Hamilton have run over the years, though it was really focused on the outcomes rather than the process, which is why I tried to make sure and ask him to describe what goes on on the BAH side when they are brought in to do a wargame, because, if you read the book, you end up wondering how the control group ends up making the decisions is does during the three turns of the game. And trust me, it is hard to read the chapter on the influenza epidemic and not come out really concerned.

The survey can be found at Invisiblehandsurvey.com and it is a chance not only to help me out as I talk to companies, but also to give me a sense of who you, the listeners, are and so far, the answers have been really interesting, especially where you seem to get your news. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes and fill out the survey. I thank you in advance.

The Wargaming for Leaders interview runs 23:13 and can be heard by clicking here.

Show Notes for Episode 77, Tamara Erickson "Plugged In"

Welcome to 2009. There are some changes coming up for TIH this year, and the first one starts today, as the show goes back to being a semimonthly production. At the urgings of a friend, I went on and set up a real editorial calendar, at least through June, so I have a pretty good idea (I hope) of what the show topics will be.

Now, as for Plugged In, I have recently started to realize that, at age 41, I am no longer in the "young" working cohort, and doing twitterhood has really opened my eyes to how Generation Y interacts on line, in ways that I never would have thought about. I've had some talks with some of my Gen X compatriots about the differences as well.

BTW, I will be terribly interested to see how this downturn affects the Y's. If it turns out like the downturn that the X'ers went through, the seeds of the next bubble could well be sown in their response.

Episode 77 runs 21:06 and can be heard by clicking here.