Shibumi Strategy, Matt May

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Matt May was kind enough to send me a pre-release copy of his new book, The Shibumi Strategy. I liked what I’ve read so far and I think you would too.

Matt May’s new book, The Shibumi Strategy: A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change, will be released on November 16. But, you can pre-order The Shibumi Strategy here.

About the Shibumi Strategy

Here’s the product description on Amazon:

A personal leadership fable on applying principles of Zen to work & life choices. The Shibumi Strategy is a little book about a big breakthrough. It tells the story of a hardworking family man who finds himself in crisis when his company closes. Through his struggle, and guidance from unlikely sources, he learns subtle lessons in the form of personal zen principles, coming to understand that it is often the involuntary challenge, the setbacks, that harbor the power to transform. When approached as an opportunity ” no easy task when simple survival is the first order of business”unforeseen trials can sometimes result in an altogether new lease on life.

Shows how personal leadership can lead to real (and not always easy) breakthroughs Includes key lessons on commitment, preparation, struggle, breakthrough, and transformation Is based on Shibumi, a Japanese word without literal definition that describes the height of personal excellence, elegant performance, and effortless effectiveness.

For those struggling with personal breakthroughs, The Shubimi Strategy offers a new way to face work and life challenges for balanced solutions.

Shibumi Strategy: Editorial Reviews

Matt May’s The Shibumi Strategy has received some very impressive reviews. Below are several from Amazon:

With this short, simple fable, Matthew May manages to illuminate an all-too-common career crisis with Zen insights and concepts that not only provoke thought but also give readers powerful strategies to tackle change, challenge, and opportunity. ” Gretchen Rubin, author, The Happiness Project

“Matt May has written a little book full of big ideas. Drawing from ancient Zen practice and applying those principles to modern life, he shows how you can turn the obstacles in your path into opportunities to transform your career, perhaps even your life.” ” Daniel H. Pink, author, Drive and A Whole New Mind

Matt’s done it again: shown us how to break out of constraints and get the job done. He’s also proven how Japanese practices and Zen principles that are difficult to translate can explain everything.
” Guy Kawasaki, co-founder, Alltop.com and author, Reality Check

“The holy grail for any leader is to reach a state of clarity and peak performance. Through the power of story, The Shibumi Strategy shows us how, and sheds an invaluable light on the role (and potential) of the everyday struggles we face.” ” Scott Belsky, founder & CEO, Behance and author, Making Ideas Happen

“What an exquisite story! Matt May deftly weaves ancient wisdom with modern realities, revealing how each of us can embrace the struggle inherent in any meaningful breakthrough”and use it to transform our own potential in work and life.” ” Sally Hogshead, author, Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation

This is a treasure of a book, and just the kind of uplifting medicine that’s needed right now. It’s about something that in the west we don’t even have a name for, and yet it holds the key to finding our way in challenging times. When you know how to look at the events of your life, everything is there to show you what you can’t see on your own, and offer you opportunities that you normally walk right by. No matter your life circumstances, this is the kind of book that can (and almost certainly will) change your life.
” Sarah Susanka, author, The Not So Big Life and The Not So Big House series

The Shibumi Strategy is a simple but affecting tale”a must-read for anyone looking to make sense of breakthrough change at work and in life. ” Ori Brafman, coauthor, Click: The Magic of Instant Connections

The Shibumi Strategy tells a touching story with a universally resonant message you’ll want to keep close to your heart and share with others.
” Maddy Dychtwald, author, Influence: HowWomen’s Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better

This exceptional book is a game-changer. Read it. Apply it (fast). And step into your next level.
” Robin Sharma, author, The Leader Who Had No Title and The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Other Books by Matthew May

In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas have Something Missing:

What made the Sopranos finale one of the most-talked-about events in television history?

Why is sudoku so addictive and the iPhone so darn irresistible?

What do Jackson Pollock and Lance Armstrong have in common with theoretical physicists and Buddhist monks?

Elegance.

In this thought-provoking exploration of why certain events, products, and people capture our attention and imaginations, Matthew E. May examines the elusive element behind so many innovative breakthroughs in fields ranging from physics and marketing to design and popular culture. Combining unusual simplicity and surprising power, elegance is characterized by four key elements”seduction, subtraction, symmetry, and sustainability. In a compelling, story-driven narrative that sheds light on the need for elegance in design, engineering, art, urban planning, sports, and work, May offers surprising evidence that what’s not there often trumps what is.

In the bestselling tradition of The Tipping Point, Made to Stick, and The Black Swan, In Pursuit of Elegance will change the way you think about the world.

The Elegant Solution: Toyota’s Formula for Mastering Innovation:

Toyota is now one of the top three car companies in the U.S. according to the New York Times–a fact that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago. May, a senior advisor with the University of Toyota, reveals how Toyota’s philosophy of team-based innovation and creative business practices has made this post-industrial manufacturing company a winner. A formula of three principles and 10 practices drives Toyota’s creativity, with a reported one million ideas from its employees being implemented each year. May was challenged to translate the Toyota Production System into a company-wide process to cultivate creative ideas at every level of the company and convert those ideas to solid value for customers buying a Toyota automobile. May outlines his journey with dozens of compelling real-life examples of creative thinking while weaving in the history and Japanese culture that has made Toyota the well-respected and profitable company it is today.