Up, Down, or Sideways: How to Succeed When Times Are Good, Bad, or In Between

Title:  Up, Down, or Sideways:  How to Succeed When Times Are Good, Bad, or In Between

Author:  Mark Sanborn

Publisher:  Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Rating:  Good

Reason for Reading:  I have heard Mr. Sanborn speak many times, and enjoyed his newsletter and blog post about leadership at http://www.marksanborn.com/.  I was greatly attracted to the premise of what success principles work under such different economic conditions.

Format:  E-Book, read on my Nook Simple Touch

Summary:  In Up, Down, or Sideways, Mark Sanborn describes success principles that work in all economic conditions, addressing what leaders should see, how they should think, and what they should do.  The author wrote the book while recovering from surgery following a cancer diagnosis, laying out what he describes as “good shoulds”, the actions that produce successful results independently from the circumstances in which they are performed.

Under the section titled See, Sanborn encourages leaders to focus on the things one can control, and looking beyond the abundance of information available to everyone to the actions that make the downs easier and ups bigger.  In Think, Mark challenges the reader to examine the metrics they use to measure success, to appreciate the benefits of a positive disposition, and to adopt an approach of persistent learning.  In Do, Sanborn espouses the benefits of maintaining a healthy supply of the things you do that are most valuable and the valuable persons you associate with.  Finally, the author describes the constant need to innovate and engage what you do with creativity, and for successful persons to maintain a spirit of gratitude and embrace discipline.

Review:  A book that describes in comfortable language the simple principles behind personal success is perhaps my favorite kind of book.  I would put Up, Down, or Sideways squarely in that category.  Much of what you’ll read in it will have you nodding your heading in agreement about how these basic tenets of personal power have worked for you or against you in the past, based on the choices you make.  For the balance, the author is providing for you a greater understanding of how these principles work, by citing relevant research and providing descriptive examples of them in action.

For anyone wanting an enjoyable read about the meaningful subject of what they can do to improve their business, relationships, and life, Up, Down, or Sideways should be on your reading list.

Joseph

Other resources: http://www.marksanborn.com/