NEW BOOK
“Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work,” by Paul Babiak and Robert Hare, ReganBooks, $26.95
The authors frame the book as a play to introduce us to Dave, a new hire who is a snake in a suit. You’ll meet others–the firm is a snake pit. Who are these people? Psychopaths lack remorse and empathy; they care only about themselves. They lack conscience. While they’re willing to take risks, they don’t accept responsibility. They are superficial and grandiose, so they love being the center of attention.
Why are they successful at fooling people? While they are deceitful, they are charismatic and convincing. That’s why they get hired. Psychopaths make great first impressions. They reinforce that impression by revealing edited versions of their personalities, just enough to begin creating a good reputation.
–Jim Pawlak, BizBooks
NEW BOOK
“Treasure Hunt: Inside the Mind of the New Consumer,” by Michael Silverstein, Portfolio, $26.95
When it comes to buying, treasure hunting is not bargain hunting. Treasure hunters understand quality, value and price. Many make conscious choices to trade down on some items in order to trade up on others. They know where their dollars are going and why.
Silverstein uses stories of real treasure hunters to underscore the importance of the female consumer in day-to-day and long-term economic decisions. While their pay may lag behind that of men in the same jobs, it’s catching up. More important, they control about 75 percent of discretionary spending in developed markets worldwide.
The book also includes stories of companies that are responding to treasure hunters. My favorite is “In a Pickle.” It’s about McDonald’s and mom’s “veto vote.” Research showed that if a mom took her kids to McDonald’s, she usually didn’t buy a meal for herself. That “No” from mom was costing McDonald’s serious money–$5 billion over a decade, by its estimates. With a revamped menu and restaurant interiors, McDonald’s hopes to win mom’s vote. The jury is still out because of competition that focuses on freshness and assembling meals from scratch.
–Jim Pawlak, BizBooks
