Book

Do you have the drive?
Do you have the talent?
Do you know that’s not enough to make it to the top?

This book reveals the factors that help take the best to the pinnacle of their professions and dashes the most common myths about success. If you want to reach the top of your game, The Twelve Factors of Business Success will show you how to develop the same set of skills and attitudes that drive today’s best business performers.

Based on over fifty combined years of experience as corporate executives, business owners, and corporate
trainers, authors Kevin Hogan, Dave Lakhani, and Mollie Marti offer an in-depth review of the twelve factors and provide self-assessments to reveal your strengths and weaknesses. They provide an insider’s look at success as they answer questions from their clients and provide practical tools to show you how to leverage your strengths to achieve and succeed at whatever you do. These success applications not only work for individuals but organizations as a whole—in any industry and any field. That’s because the factors that lead to real, lasting success are universal.

You won’t find trendy business buzzwords or flashin-the-pan business fads between the covers of this book. These business success factors are real, powerful, measurable, and lead to lasting success. But knowing what your strengths are isn’t enough; you have to know where you are, know where you’re
going, and take the actions to get you there. This book guides you through all three of these essential
steps toward success.

Stop thinking about success and start making it happen. Learn to develop the twelve factors that lead to unlimited success for individuals and organizations alike, including: the self-discipline you need to stick to it; the game plan that guides your way; the passion that separates high achievers from everyone else; and the resilience to get through the ups and downs of business and life.

Look inside for the other factors that will help you turn your professional life—and your business—into a raging, unstoppable success.

Reviews

Before I begin, please know that Dave Lakhani and Kevin Hogan, two of this book’s authors, are my friends. Does this make me biased? Perhaps. But there’s no doubt in my mind that I would write as strong a review for this book if complete strangers had written it. It’s that good. Here’s why…

Many of today’s books on business and success are almost indistinguishable from fairy tales. They come across as slaphappy, you-can-do-it pabulum that promise magical solutions to almost any imaginable problem.

Law of attraction. Manifestation secrets. Magic beans. Flying carpets.

In the end, something magical is promised that makes all the scary stuff go away and everyone lives happily ever after.

Not so in business. Especially not in today’s business climate. And nobody understands this better than Kevin Hogan, Dave Lakhani and Mollie Marti.

If you’re looking for touchy-feely, warm-and-fuzzy guaranteed ways to success, turn back now. The 12 Factors of Business Success is filled with the kind of reality-based strategies and tactics that give New Agers nightmares.

Now, if I haven’t scared you off yet, there’s a very good chance you are exactly the kind of person who will get the most out this book.

Is the material new and revolutionary? No. It’s better. It’s been battle-tested and proven effective in virtually every area of human endeavor. Ideas such as self-discipline, directed action, mastering criticism, self-control, resilience and more.

Have you heard these topics discussed before? You bet. But the way that Hogan, Lakhani and Marti treat them is anything but common - and that’s what makes this a must-read for anyone hoping to get the most out of life.

Here are three things that make their treatment of these topics different:

First, they recognize that risk is an inherent part of life, that there are simply no guarantees of anything. And unlike so many “success gurus”, they do not insult their readers’ intelligence by pretending to have found some “magic path” to riches. Thus the title of this review: sometimes the good guy gets eaten. Sad, but true.

Second, the ideas they share are based on real-world research and experience, not airy-fairy, pseudo-science or metaphysical mumbo-jumbo that is stinking up so many bookshelves these days. Again, if you want magic beans, run. But if you want real tools you can swing with both hands, this book is full of them.

And third, the authors are masters at delivering compassionate kicks in the rear to help get their material off the page and into your life. They have all “been there, done that” when it comes to adversity and challenge and have an almost uncanny way of getting under your skin and motivating you to take action.

And if you think I’m just blowing smoke, consider this:

Out of the thousands of books I own, there are about 12 that I have set aside for my kids. These are books I’m convinced will prove to be invaluable to them in their lives. Books that could make the difference between them realizing their dreams and regretting their lives. And now, The 12 Factors of Business Success is a part of this group.

I don’t plan to waste my kids’ time and I won’t waste yours. This book rocks. Read it, and you will too.

Blair Warren - Author of The One Sentence Persuasion Course

“The 12 Factors of Business Success” is a breath of fresh air amid a slew of self-help books that purport to have your best interests at heart. Instead, many of those books, while offering good information, often sugar coat what it actually takes to effect change in your life.

Here authors Hogan, Lakhani, and Marti take a more frank and honest approach. Above all, they stress that work, effort, and discipline are essential when it comes to making serious changes in your life vs. merely wishing and hoping for what you want.

Many of the 12 features seem obvious at first, such as passion, confidence, and self-control. What sets this book apart is a wonderful question and answer feature that debunks many common hurdles to success such as, “If you’re not succeeding, how do you know when to quit?” “I try to fake it ’til I make it but this only takes me so far. What can I do when I start doubting my ability to take the big steps that I really want to take?” and “Do affirmations work?”

I love their “tough love” attitude and practical tips! So much so that I have already noticed a shift in how I operate with regards to making quick decisions and taking focused action. I look forward to seeing the results over the next 6 months and hope to post a follow-up review.

Kim Nishida
Personal Coach

First of all, you can buy a LOT of books or programs on the Internet on “How to Be Successful” from people who have never been successful themselves. This book is written by three people who have had demonstrable success themselves and are excellent at communicating it to others.

It also includes the kinds the questions throughout that I at least was wondering about as I read it, and then answers them. A very cool technique!

I was excited about this book right from the start when I read the table of contents, because I thought, OF COURSE, those ARE the 12 factors of success.

But the truly useful part of each chapter is that it shows in a practical, not just inspirational way, how to ACHIEVE that concept.

If you follow these 12 factors , I don’t see how you could NOT be more successful a year from now than you are today! Another bulls-eye by Dr. Kevin Hogan and friends.

Sonya Lenzo - Business Insurance Specialist