Smarts: Are We Hardwired for Success? (Hardcover)

by Chuck Martin (Author), Peg Dawson (Author), Richard Guare (Author)
Key Phrases: cognitive bandwidth, weakest skills, executive skills, Task Initiation, Emotion Control, Disagree Agree Agree (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Twelve specific and very important cognitive functions begin developing in the brain at birth. These "skills" are built in to every individual and are fully developed -- and unchangeable -- by adulthood. Everyone has these same capabilities, but to varying degrees. And it is this unique and unalterable combination of one’s strengths and weaknesses that determines success or failure in any given role.

Smarts contains the groundbreaking Executive Skills Profile: a powerful self-assessment tool that will identify, once and for all, a person’s innate strengths and weaknesses. The results offer tangible proof of why we gravitate to certain tasks and struggle with others. With this newfound clarity, readers will learn to play to their stronger skills, and avoid wasting time on lesser ones they can never improve upon. Most important, they will discover their own unique potential for excellence.

Supported by proprietary primary research and grounded in widely accepted principles of clinical and neuro-psychology, Smarts is a truly eye-opening book that will change how we think about ourselves -- and others.

Book Description

"Twelve specific and very important cognitive functions begin developing in the brain at birth. These ""skills” are built in to every individual and are fully developed -- and unchangeable -- by adulthood. Everyone has these same capabilities, but to varying degrees. And it is this unique and unalterable combination of one’s strengths and weaknesses that determines success or failure in any given role.

Smarts contains the groundbreaking Executive Skills Profile: a powerful self-assessment tool that will identify, once and for all, a person’s innate strengths and weaknesses. The results offer tangible proof of why we gravitate to certain tasks and struggle with others. With this newfound clarity, readers will learn to play to their stronger skills, and avoid wasting time on lesser ones they can never improve upon. Most important, they will discover their own unique potential for excellence.

Supported by proprietary primary research and grounded in widely accepted principles of clinical and neuro-psychology, Smarts is a truly eye-opening book that will change how we think about ourselves -- and others."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; illustrated edition edition (January 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814409067
• ISBN-13: 978-0814409060
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #313,381 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent contrarian view of strengths-development, January 11, 2007

By	Alfred S. Blazek Jr. "Te Deum" (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a professional, I found the Executive Profile to be a fantastic tool for determining my personal strengths and style. The sections describing how your key strengths and weaknesses combine to create unique opportunities and challenges was fabulous; almost all the books I've read deal with one or the other, but not both and certainly not the synergy between one's strengths and weaknesses.

If you liked "Now, Discover Your Strengths", then "Smarts" is a great combo of focus on strengths combined with weakness mitigation.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recognizing and Maximizing One's Executive Skills, January 7, 2007

By	Peter F. Eder "communications consultant" (Darien, CT, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chuck Martin has taken the insights he has accumulated from the ongoing executive panel of his NFI Research efforts and has created an insightful, practical Executive Skills Guidebook.

Identifying twelve "built-in" specific brain (cognitive) functions which he labels as "Executive Skills", the book in a clear and concise fashion provides readers / users a very useful tool to assess their own strengths and weaknesses of each function.

The book goes on to provide guidance and a map on how to maximize one's strengths and minimize one's weaknesses, as well as how to consider positions that intensify and reward the strengths.

Throughout, the authors reinforce their findings and guidance with practical quotes from a wide array of executives, the commentary gathered from the 2000 senior executives and managers globally that have participated in NFI Research during the past eight years.

Using the book in an internal organization seminar format would provide considerable strenghtening of a management team.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chuck emphasizes aligning people's strengths with the tasks to drive results, January 17, 2007

By	David Blackwell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A football coach wouldn't move a great lineman to wide receiver and then wonder why he didn't perform well in the new role. Yet we to do this often in the business world. Smarts will help you better assess the abilities of yourself and others so employees will be "playing the positions" that make the most of their talents. By enhancing the chances for individual success you will drive the best results in your organization. You would be smart to read "Smarts".
-- David Blackwell, Vice President and CFO, Wal-Mart Global Procurement