Book Shelf of BDPA Authors

This will be a recurring post sharing information on BDPA members that have authored books. BDPA members come from a diverse background. As such, we should not be surprised to see our members writing fiction and non-fiction books on a wide variety of topics.

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1. Choose to Lead (Paperback) - by Deborah Chima (BDPA Chicago), Business Growth Publications, May 2006, 168 pages.
   
   Are you doing all you can to become a leader? This book that will show you the path to leadership and how to make a conscious choice to lead rather than falling into a leadership role by chance. This book is for women who want to learn to lead in powerful and effective ways. Choose to Lead addresses the main issues that challenge women such as constant pressure to achieve a manageable work/life balance. You learn how to determine "what matters most" in the ongoing quest for managing a career and personal life.
   
   Deborah Chambers Chima, president and CEO of Chambers Consulting Group (CCG) is passionate about helping leaders unleash their leadership potential. She is a longtime member of our BDPA Chicago chapter. Among the high profile clients signing on to her high-energy organizational consulting programs are Navistar International, Ortho- Biotech (J&J), Shell Oil, Alltel Wireless, Pro-Line International, Sears Holding Company, CSL Behring, Lowes and McDonald’s Corporation.
2. Due North (Hardback) - by Jylla Foster (BDPA Chicago), Crystal Stairs, November 2002, 180 pages.
   
   Jylla Moore Foster shares her leadership journey in Due North! through stories about her life experiences as a corporate executive, entrepreneur, community activist and mother. The roadmap she offers those who join her on this journey includes mile markers of Coachable Moments, masterfully intertwined with elements of her professional training as an executive coach. She provides a Coach Approach for you to develop greater self-awareness, achieve professional breakthroughs and reach personal goals.
   
   Jylla Foster is a former BDPA Chicago chapter member. She is founder, president and CEO of Crystal Stairs. She is also a nationally renowned business executive, whose corporate, entrepreneurial, and coaching experiences, as well as her expertise in marketing, sales, channels, operations and technology across multiple industries and various customer sizes, have propelled her to the forefront of her field.
3. Corporate Leadership Selection: Impact on American Business, Employees, and Society (Paperback) - by Dr. Reginald Gardner (BDPA Chicago), AuthorHouse, January 2009, 152 pages.
   
   We are watching unethical and immoral corporate leadership behavior in the current economic crisis in companies like AIG. This book strikes a nerve in those who have the moral courage to blow the whistle on their observed corporate wrongdoing; and open the hearts of those who will encounter questionable leadership activity in the future. This book is geared toward existing corporate leaders; newly selected corporate leaders; those who aspire to become corporate leaders; and students who study and research corporate leader selection. The U.S. remains the greatest country in the world. It is fueled by successful American corporations. However, like any other entity or process, there is always room for improvement.
   
   Dr. Gardner is a long-time BDPA leader. He served as president of our Chicago chapter, national vice-president, and director of BDPA Education & Technology Foundation. Gardner obtained his Ph.D. after a long career in corporate America. He currently serves as CIO for a family-owned business in the Chicago area.
4. Read Between the Lines: Principles of Communicating and Facilitating (Paperback) - by Andree Justin (BDPA Los Angeles), Unlock Publishing House, November 2010.
   
   It is not just the spoken words that complete the communication; it is your entire being that is presented to the receiver of your words, expression and emotions that complete the process. Successful meetings occur when you know how to plan an agenda, understand the communication process and possess skills to keep you on the path to achieving your goals. Use this book as a handy guide to give yourself a tune-up when preparing for meetings, small or large. Use it as a refresher course in years to come and you will find that facilitating successful meetings is one of your better skills, and a skill that allows you to be successful in many other endeavors.
   
   Andree Justin is past president of BDPA Los Angeles chapter and a certified project manager with extensive experience in software development projects in a variety of industries. It is wonderful that she has taken her experiences and placed them into a book for the rest of us!
5. New Science of Success: How to Outsource Proof Your Job and Prosper in a Web 2.0 Economy (Paperback) - by Frank Shines (BDPA Greater Tampa Bay), Skill of Success Publishing, April 2007, 155 pages.
   
   We stand at the brink of a new era of wealth creation in which India, China and other emerging countries are positioned to outpace the economic growth of the U.S. By mid-century China will become the largest economy in the world. For the USA, this brings with it the growing fear of American jobs being outsourced en masse to low-cost labor markets. This book outlines what you can do to survive -- and thrive -- in the new DIY Web 2.0 economy.
   
   Frank Shines is president of our Tampa Bay chapter. Currently, Frank serves as the Director of Business Development at Industriaplex, a next generation global sourcing and consulting firm, where he focuses on the intersection of business, technology and organizational change. He holds a BS in Management from the US Air Force Academy and MBA in Marketing Statistics from National University of Sacramento.

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Please let us know if there are other current or former BDPA members who have published a book. We would love to add them to this recurring blog post.

Do you have any books that you recommend for BDPA members? What are you reading now?