What We’re Reading from the Nov. 1, 2011, Issue of CIO Magazine

CIO —

Discover Your CEO Brand 

Bates says CEOs such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett succeed because they know who they are and what they stand for. She also thinks recognition of a company leader might drive more business than brand familiarity does. She offers advice on building those personal qualities and using them to become a stronger leader. McGraw Hill, $25

@IBMiCiO

twitter Reynolds-Lair, CIO of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, is an active tweeter who keeps followers up to date on the events she attends and who shares research and articles. She’ll even offer a play-by-play of events, much like she did during a recent CIO retreat when she tweeted, “Very ‘cloudy’ cloud panel discussion because there are way too many definitions of cloud and most of them are vague.” Her feed is a great resource for CIOs who don’t have as much time to attend events live and it is a valuable compilation of news from a variety of technology sources. twitter.com/IBMiCiO

The Zappos Experience

book Company culture at Zappos encourages employees to be themselves and embrace the weird, the creative and the innovative. These employee freedoms mirror the ways Zappos strives to build positive customer relationships, such as by offering free shipping and returns. Michelli, author of The Starbucks Experience, shares five takeaways from Zappos’ methods that leaders can use to bring their organizations to the peak of employee and customer engagement. The book also includes 17 QR codes—a type of square bar code meant to be scanned using a smartphone camera—that link to videos and online stories. McGraw Hill, $25

The Progress Principle 

book By drawing on 12,000 diary entries by 200 employees, the authors gather that the best way to motivate employees isn’t to give them free lunches and pats on the back, but rather to help them develop a satisfying inner work life. Achieving that great inner life starts with consistent support from managers, but it is anchored by raising the meaning of the work employees are doing. Harvard Business Review Press, $25

Managing the Millennials

book As baby boomers are cruising their way through the ranks of upper management, the millennials are pouring into entry-level positions. The gap between the two generations has posed challenges for managers, but it’s also an opportunity to create new strengths in the workplace. This guide teaches veterans how to align the values, skill sets and behaviors of the two generations to create greater productivity and success instead of gridlock and disagreement. Wiley, $24.95

Follow Editorial Assistant Lauren Brousell on Twitter: @lbrousell.