Crunch Point: The Secret to Succeeding When It Matters Most

by Brian Tracy

Overview

In business and in life, things seldom go exactly as planned. You've probably figured out how to navigate around the little bumps but what about full-blown crises, the kind with the potential to derail a company or send your personal life spinning out of control?

This book presents a series of proven, practical techniques for overcoming any setback that may come your way — on the job, at home, or anywhere in your life. In an accessible format, sales success expert Brian Tracy gives you the motivation, techniques, and confidence to grab tough and urgent problems by the horns and solve them — quickly, decisively, and completely.

In Crunch Point, Tracy reveals 21 proven ways to:

• Take control of the situation
• Stay calm and rational — even in a crisis
• Communicate clearly, constantly, and authoritatively with those around you
• Identify and remove all obstacles to resolving the problem
• Deal with problems more effectively by handling them systematically instead of randomly or emotionally, as most people do
• Develop unshakeable courage and super-high self-confidence
• Generate cash flow when the crisis is financial in nature
• Never lose focus on your customers, no matter how dire the situation may seem
• Cut your losses, when necessary, and save time and money in the long run

Each chapter offers a selection of problem-solving strategies, complete with powerful action steps you can take regardless of the nature or size of the problem.

Dealing with a crisis may never be easy or pleasant, but with the universal problem-solving techniques presented in Crunch Point, you’ll have the confidence and skills to rise above whatever comes your way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814436769
Publisher:	AMACOM
Publication date:	09/22/2006
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.36(d)
Age Range:	15 Years

About the Author

BRIAN TRACY is the Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. One of the top business speakers and authorities in the world today, he has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 5,000,000 people in 5,000 talks and seminars throughout the United States and more than 60 countries worldwide. He has written 55 books and produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on management, motivation, and personal success.

Table of Contents

"Introduction

1

Chapter 1

Stay Calm

6

Chapter 2

Be Confident in Your Abilities

11

Chapter 3

Dare to Go Forward

14

Chapter 4

Get the Facts

18

Chapter 5

Take Control

22

Chapter 6

Cut Your Losses

27

Chapter 7

Manage the Crisis

31

Chapter 8

Communicate Constantly

35

Chapter 9

Identify Your Constraints

41

Chapter 10

Unleash Your Creativity

45

Chapter 11

Focus on Key Result Areas

50

Chapter 12

Concentrate on Priorities

55

Chapter 13

Counterattack!

59

Chapter 14

Generate Cash Flow

63

Chapter 15

Care for Your Customers

68

Chapter 16

Close More Sales

74

Chapter 17

Keep Things Simple

80

Chapter 18

Conserve Your Energy

88

Chapter 19

Make Your Connection

94

Chapter 20

Character Is King

99

Chapter 21

Pull It All Together

105

Index

111"

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"""Life and business have unavoidable and inevitable crises. These are what Brian Tracy is writing about in Crunch Point. Let him be your guide out of the maze. He's been there, done that, and has good advice.""

-- Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One-Minute Manager and The Secret: What Great Leaders Know -- And Do

""It's not how far you fall but how high you bounce! Crunch Point shows you how to bounce back quickly from any problem or reversal.""

-- Lee Iacocca, The Iacocca Foundation

""Amazing! Here in one small book are the lessons of leaders throughout the ages in dealing with sudden and unexpected setbacks. Brian Tracy shows you how to get control, take charge, and counterattack successfully, no matter what happens.""

-- Harvey Mackay, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive

""No one in business today -- be they manager, owner, entrepreneur, or professional -- can escape problems, challenges, or setbacks. Brian's book provides the 'shot-in-the-arm' of proactive reality we all so critically need in today's treacherous business environment.""

-- Jay Abraham, author of Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got

""One day a crisis will come -- this is inevitable. Crunch Point shows you how to deal with it! Great coaching for our biggest challenge! No one gives more practical and useful advice than my friend, Brian Tracy!"" -- Marshall Goldsmith, world-renowned executive coach and thought leader;

co-editor or author of 22 books, including Global Leadership: The Next

Generation and What Got You Here Won't Get You There.

""They say whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. That may be true, but it sure helps to have a plan of action that makes certain we get to that stronger place. This book is that plan, and there is no expert more skilled in the field of maximizing your results in the midst of professional and personal struggles than Brian Tracy.""

--Joe Polish, Founder, Piranha Marketing, Inc.

""This book shows you how to take charge, gain control, and deal with any problem personal or professional that life throws at you!"" -- Jack Canfield, co-author of the ""Chicken Soup for the Soul(R)"" series and ""The Success Principles(TM)."""

Editorial Reviews

..". you can breeze through it in little more than the time it takes to fly from New York to Chicago..""

-"Frequent Flyer Magazine"

..".a quick and enjoyable read, chock full of practical suggestions."

-"The School Administrator Magazine"

..".The ideas presented are well and concisely addressed... The book is worth the price of the assurance you need."

-"Inland Empire Business Journal"

"First, the ideas presented are well and concisely addressed. Second, if you are one of the business owners or executives facing a crunch point, there is reassurance in learning that you are not the first to face a business crisis, and that there are ways out of the problems you face if you address them with dedication, imagination, and persistency. In the long run, the book is worth the price of the assurance you need."

-"Inland Empire Business Journal"

From the Publisher

Don't Be Surprised When Things Go Wrong
According to Brian Tracy, crisis is an inevitable part of life. In our lives, we can expect to face some form of crisis - personal, financial or health-related - every two to three months. And it's no different for businesses: Every two to three months a crisis will crop up that will have the potential to harm the well-being of your enterprise.

Is it possible to protect yourself and your business from the inevitable?
In Crunch Point: The 21 Secrets to Succeeding When It Matters Most, Tracy says that it is possible, but that the actions you take during these crucial moments are what determine whether your business will be overwhelmed and eventually overtaken by these problems, or whether your business will emerge from each crisis not only intact, but stronger and more resilient than ever.

How to Address - and Deal With - Crunch Points
Tracy likens survival in both the business world and personal matters to the "Challenge-Response Theory of History" that Arnold Toynbee outlined in his A Study of History. Toynbee maintained that every great civilization, from Rome to the Mongols, began its existence as a small tribe. What set these particular tribes on the path of greatness was their ability to effectively face challenges and hostility from the outside world and other tribes. Each challenge that the tribe dealt with successfully made them stronger, bigger and more resilient. A tribe that panicked in the face of crisis and, as a result, was unable to act effectively did not survive.

According to Tracy, it's the same today, particularly in business. A business' level of "response-ability" in moments of crisis is what determines its success, health and future growth.

Over the course of 21 chapters, Tracy presents 21 techniques for effectively addressing and dealing with "crunch points." These strategies incorporate a wide range of potentially valuable courses of action, such as staying calm when faced with an unexpected problem; asserting firm control and assuming the responsibility for the situation that should come with authority; cutting your losses quickly and definitively while focusing on key result areas; and tapping into your creativity to find effective solutions and to generate cash flow for your enterprise.

Tracy presents a no-nonsense approach in each of his techniques that does not allow room for the fear and anxiety that often prevent business leaders from dealing effectively with crisis situations.

For example, in his chapter "Cut Your Losses," Tracy advocates engaging in "zero-based thinking." He advises his readers to look at their businesses objectively and to ask themselves the following question: "Is there anything that I am doing [now] that, knowing what I now know, I wouldn't get into again if I were starting it up today?"

If the answer to that question is yes, then Tracy advises his readers to discontinue whatever it is, and fast - whether it is a product line or service that is not performing well, an employee who is not doing an effective job for the company or a client who is more of a drain on the business' resources and energy than they're worth.

Throughout the book, Tracy presents a clear case for meeting such problems head-on and for taking the necessary actions that will ensure the continued success and health of your enterprise.

Keeping Yourself Healthy to Keep Your Business Healthy
In addition to detailing effective business practices to implement in times of crisis, Tracy stresses the importance of maintaining your own health and sanity. A business is only as healthy and able to deal with crisis as its leader is able. He discusses techniques for maintaining well-being during crunch points, such as making sure to get enough sleep and exercise; eating a high-protein, healthy diet; and taking time to recharge. Recharging, he says, means taking a weekend off from business matters and the crisis you are facing. By doing so, you will return to the office and the issues with a fresh perspective and a greater capability for finding the necessary solutions to your problems.

Why We Like This Book
In Crunch Point, Tracy offers down-to-earth methods for dealing with crises that readers can implement in both their business practices and their personal lives. At the end of each chapter, Tracy distills his advice into two direct and sensible "Crunch Point Actions" that detail specific actions readers should use when dealing with a similar crisis. Copyright © 2007 Soundview Executive Book Summaries

Soundview Executive Book Summaries