Follow the Other Hand: No Hocus-Pocus

I have been reading Follow the Other Hand by Andy Cohen.

When a review copy of the book arrived, I approached it with some trepidation. Business books that have a gimmick – talking animals, missing cheese, and the like – can spark justifiable skepticism. When I saw that Follow the Other Hand was a fable about business owner who obtained guidance from a magician, I wondered how much of it would be fluff.
I mean, a magician?

The book is a pleasant surprise. It’s extremely well-written and amusing, and while I’m not certain that I agree with all of its concepts, the book’s best part is its ability to trigger creativity. The tips on innovation and marketing cite “real world” examples from companies such as Build-a-Bear, General Motors, and ProofReadNOW.com. The material on persuasion is extremely good as are the tips on brainstorming.

So many business books hit my desk that I have a simple standard: The author must give me at least one good idea. Follow the Other Hand gave me several in a light and amusing way. There were several times when I thought, “I wish I’d read this before that project.” Don’t let the hocus-pocus keep you from checking it out.