Books published by HarperCollins Focus

The Trainer's Tool Kit has long been a valued guide for trainers and managers in need of a quick refresher. Now completely updated with hundreds of ready-to-use techniques, the book is still the perfect resource for new trainers, managers who are suddenly asked to train, and training professionals in need of a quick refresher.

Even now, in the 21st century, women continue to be paid less than men, are still notably absent from the executive suites, and among entrepreneurs, receive only a tiny fraction of venture capital. The struggle for equality is not yet over -- and it's up to women to take positive action for change.

In an age of overwhelming internet competition and rampant takeovers, this comprehensive guide offers critical insights into how marketers can attract and engage customers online.

The Boss and The Assistant. It's a basic business relationship, and the structure is easy: The Boss gives orders, and The Assistant obeys. But there's an alternative that's better for both assistant and boss, and it's called 'partnership.'

Pressures, problems, and conflicts are a fact of life. But the manager who can face problems head-on and deal with them calmly is way ahead of the game. How to Stay Cool, Calm and Collected When the Pressure's On offers a systematic approach to dealing with a world that often seems a chaotic confluence of tough decisions, difficult situations, and combative people.

Equipment leasing is one of the most complex aspects of business finance in existence.This comprehensive volume provides the legal, financial, and business background essential for evaluating, negotiating, and documenting successful equipment lease transactions.

Want to sell your home at a premium price--now? Discover the secrets and staging techniques the pros don't want you to know that that will turn your home into a highly sought-after showpiece.

For working parents, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and anyone feeling overwhelmed and overworked, this powerful system for getting things done shows you how to become more organized and lead a much less stressful--and much more fulfilling--life.

Is your team's everyday work feeling a little lackluster? The doldrum grind can crush critical thinking skills--and therefore creative output. These thirty-five hands-on activities offer a fast solution to the creativity crisis and result in tangible payoffs.

In an economy where people prioritize meaningful work over top-paying jobs, how do you cast and carry out an inspiring vision? Learn how to lead with a renewed focus and improved sense of direction that motivates others to go the extra mile.

Working in teams brings benefits to both team members and organizations for which they work. If you are a team leader, you know that getting commitment isn't always easy. SUCCESSFUL TEAM BUILDING shows you how to motivate team members, and so reap the benefits. You'll learn how to build team commitment, deal with team conflict, use creativity in problem solving and decision making, and evaluate and reward team players. The result? Your team will respond favorably to your efforts. And your boss will notice too.

Trainers have to be creative if they want their participants to feel excited, challenged, and involved. The Creative Training Idea Book is packed with activities to increase energy and active participation in the classroom, and reveals how to think creatively about training in any situation.

Motorola. Sun Microsystems. Charles Schwab. Toyota. These global business leaders have bred excellence through innovative executive and management development organizations that go well beyond traditional job training. Known as corporate universities, these entities are essentially strategic partners of their sponsoring companies. Often working in conjunction with traditional educational institutions, they boast cream-of-the-crop faculty from the academic and business communities.Once the province of only the largest corporations, corporate universities are fast becoming the standard at smaller companies as well. This comprehensive handbook is a valuable resource for companies of all sizes who are considering (or already developing) enhanced professional learning programs. Featuring contributions from experts at ten different corporate universities, academic institutions, and consulting firms, the book addresses the three major components of corporate university success: organization, content, and processes. From structural and financial models to the role of technology, from curriculum development to evaluation approaches and measuring ROI, here is a wealth of information on this major development in professional education.

The most iconic brands stay on top because they know how to evolve to appeal to their market. Discover the Knowledge-Based Product Development system that has fueled the sustained growth of American motorcycle company Harley-Davidson--and how you can achieve the same long-lasting success.

For employers, managers, HR directors, and anyone concerned with keeping your business competitive in today's market, this must-read book explains how to attract and nurture your company's number one asset: top talent.

As a manager, you dread having to deal with employee performance problems. This sanity-saving guide is your answer to making it as painless as possible.

If done right, the money and influence that can be made in podcasting is simply too much to pass up. Discover the secrets many have ignored!

Are your child's speech and language skills on track? From babbling to fluently expressing thoughts, the developmental journey is filled with milestones. You might recognize some, such as when your child says her first words, but others are harder to spot. Does your child respond to her name by 12 months? Should you worry if your toddler isn't speaking? What if your preschooler struggles with the r and l sounds? Can your four-year-old rhyme words? Does your kindergartener show key signs of reading readiness? Time to Talk unlocks the mysteries of speech and language acquisition, and helps parents carefully monitor progress. Both troubleshooter and skills booster, this definitive guide provides timelines of what to expect from infancy to elementary school; quick answers to common questions; red flags to watch for; simple activities to boost communications skills; guidelines for handling common problems, such as articulation issues, late talking, stuttering, and dyslexia; tips for getting the best results from therapy; clear explanations of medical advances; advice for fostering bilingualism; and reassuring stories of parents and children who have faced and overcome challenges. And whether kids are working through obstacles or hitting targets, Time to Talk will put them on a firm path to literacy success. Michelle MacRoy-Higgins, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, has worked as a speech-language pathologist for more than 15 years, focusing on the treatment of infants, toddlers, and young children. An associate professor in the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department at Hunter College, Michelle has a M.S. in communication disorders and a Ph.D. in speech-language-hearing sciences. She is the mother of two girls. Carlyn Kolker is a freelance writer, former reporter for Bloomberg News and Reuters, and the mother of two boys.

What causes a leader to fail? Gain insight into the collapse of six high-profile CEOs--including valuable lessons that can keep you from making the same mistakes.

New York Times bestselling author Todd Duncan uses a new pragmatic formula to teach readers how to navigate work and life--in a perfectly imbalanced way.

For anyone who's ever had a great idea, this inspiring story of innovation shows how to become an industry game-changer.

From author Christina June comes a new young adult novel, Everywhere You Want to Be. Tilly Castillo thought she lost her chance to be a contemporary dancer, but when a summer job in New York City appears, nothing can stop her from saying yes---not her mother, not the other cutthroat dancers, and not even her fears of the big city.

In this jazz-age mystery, The Lost Girl of Astor Street, 18-year-old Piper Sail searches the dark underbelly of 1920s Chicago to solve the disappearance of her best friend.

Toward a Secret Sky by New York Times bestselling author Heather Maclean is a fast-paced thriller that mixes reality with possibility, blending an epic romance with a breathless flight through the highlands of Scotland, the secret city under London, and history itself.

Do you know the real value of your people? This groundbreaking book offers executives and HR professionals a reliable way to quantify employee contributions toward overall corporate profit.

For managers, supervisors, and other professionals who suddenly find themselves being asked to play the role of an expert training facilitator, this information-packed guide will give you the tools and skills needed to transform your team.