Business Direction

Freelance writer Mark Henricks says it's possible to own a thriving business and have a fulfilling life, and he explains how in Not Just a Living: The Complete Guide to Creating a Business That Gives You a Life. Henricks suggests readers become "lifestyle entrepreneurs," which entails living where one wants (instead of moving one's family), working with people one likes (instead of with backstabbing colleagues) and doing work one wants to do. He carefully describes how to determine whether one has the potential to become a lifestyle entrepreneur and the practical realities and key concerns of becoming a lifestyle entrepreneur. (Perseus, $25 240p ISBN 0-7382-0665-2; Sept.)

So many offices have a boss who seems to find pleasure in humiliating workers or a manipulating employee who sabotages coworkers behind their backs. These kinds of people come in many disguises (there's the business psychopath, the perfectionist, etc.) and can make working difficult and frustrating. Psychology writer David L. Wiener has penned Power Freaks: Dealing with Them in the Workplace or Anyplace, an analysis of why people act this way, how to recognize them and how to develop a strategy for getting along with them. He also includes a quiz to help readers assess their own instinctual drive for power. (Prometheus, $19 paper 288p ISBN 1-59102-013-1; Sept.)

Frances Hesselbein was once a volunteer troop leader, made her way up to CEO of the Girl Scouts of America and is now the chairman of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management. She obviously knows the intricacies of leadership, and in Hesselbein on Leadership, she shares specific leadership principles and her thoughts on innovation, change, diversity and being a female leader. The slim volume dishes out valuable tidbits of advice, such as "regularly acknowledge the contributions of those within and outside the organization" and "create organizations in which people know that it's their job... to care about the results." (Jossey-Bass, $17.95 144p ISBN 0-7879-6392-5; Sept.)

Crisis Management International often gets the first phone call from companies that have experienced disaster, and has helped 150 firms recover after September 11. CMI's founder and CEO, Bruce T. Blythe, has written Blindsided: A Manager's Guide to Catastrophic Incidents in the Workplace, a guide to securing a business' structure and rebuilding employees' spirits in times of trouble. The thorough and timely book is divided in two parts: response and preparedness. Since last year's terrorist attacks, "the possibilities for crisis in the workplace are more ominous and far more real," Blythe says. His book will be a boon to leaders, offering field-tested approaches, development plans and reference tips. (Portfolio, $24.95 224p ISBN 1-59184-000-7; On sale Aug. 26)

Today's organizations can boost their success by building workplace cultures that draw on the strengths of a diverse workforce, say consultants Frederick A. Miller and Judith H. Katz. In their new book, The Inclusion Breakthrough: Unleashing the Real Power of Diversity, the authors say "diversity in a box" (smothering diversity) has prevented many organizations from achieving true success. "Capitalizing on diversity requires more than simply hiring a diverse workforce," they say. "Radical changes are needed also in both the structure and culture of most organizations." With diagrams, tables and specific tips, Miller and Katz put in plain words how to make these changes. (Berrett-Koehler, $24.95 paper 240p ISBN 1-57675-139-2; July)