The Attention-Deficit Workplace: Winning Strategies for Success in Today's Fast-Paced Business Environment

Based on the author's experience as a business leader, lecturer and e-commerce pioneer, here’s an important book that offers smart, timely advice on how to succeed in today's workplace.

Today’s executive is like a sprinter poised at the beginning of the race. He or she sends an e-mail, takes a speakerphone conference call, signs a contract to close a deal, practicing the balance of office yoga, all the while nursing a morning latte gone cold. These simultaneous demands placed on the executive are an inevitable part of managerial life that can lead to either stress or success.

So how does one effectively manage these competing demands in the attention-deficit workplace? The answer can be found in the highly informative and entertaining book, THE ATTENTION-DEFICIT WORKPLACE (THE LYONS PRESS, JUNE 2005), which offers over 50 experience-based parables and lessons. The topics covered are essential for working executives and managers, home-based business owners, job-seekers and even people who never have to work again.

Chapters include:
- How to persuade others to accept and implement your ideas.
- How to handle office romances.
- How to manage your personal "ATM" (Attention Time Machine).
- How to make multitasking more effective.
- How to handle office nuisances such as "spam people."
- How to get your resume noticed.
- How to manage the daily onslaught of e-mails.
- How to avoid stress and workplace conflict.
- How to make multitasking work more effectively for you.

The author, Mitch Thrower, takes readers on a breezy, insightful journey filled with lessons on how to successfully navigate the attention-deficit maze that is so familiar in today’s workplace. Growing up in Westport, Connecticut, he learned firsthand from his father who was a television pioneer and president of WPIX TV in New York City, and his mother who was one of Jacqueline Kennedy’s executive assistants in New York City, the importance of time and attention management. In the span of just one decade after finishing college, Thrower founded and later sold a student travel business, became an owner of Triathlete magazine, and was co-founder of The Active Network, Inc., (Active.com) which is the world’s largest sports software, marketing and commerce service provider. Active.com was named Inc.’s 99th fastest growing company in 2004 and now employs over 300 people. Thrower is also a fourteen-time Ironman Triathlon finisher. Thrower shares with readers his experiences, business know-how, mistakes made, and lessons learned in this valuable book.


Click here to order your copy.

Sample Chapters

Pay Attention to the Details of
Communication p.11


One of my friends had a girlfriend with a Hotmail e-mail account. He set up a new e-mail account and the name he selected was an exact duplicate of her name except with one letter missing. He then sent an e-mail to another person with whom he suspected she was having an affair. He simply sent one sentence on her behalf, “Hey Richard, my computer just crashed and I deleted all your e-mails from the past year, so can you send me them because I want to keep them?” Guess what happened? Sure enough, what came back in the e-mail was heartbreaking electronic documentation that confirmed his suspicions that she had been unfaithful.

With instant messaging and e-mail, the game of intentional mistaken identity looms large over both the work and personal landscape. I met a venture capitalist whose company did not have the exact web address that his company’s name would logically own, and he said that the other “Frank” at the company, who actually owned the web address was receiving tons of unsolicited business plans. The VC’s response: “Good. I could never read them all, anyway.”

Lesson: When someone contacts you for the first time, always confirm it is indeed the person he or she claims to be. And always be very careful of the reply button, because some e-mail programs make it easy to confuse “reply” with “reply all.”


The Office Romance p.117


In Early 2000, I traveled to Westminster, Colorado, with several members of Active’s senior management team. We were there for a tour of the company we recently acquired, LeagueLink.com, servicing Little Leagues and other team sports. Jon Belmonte, one of the LeagueLink.com’s quirky founders, assembled his staff of 40 in a conference room and introduced us to everyone.

After introductory comments, he then asked another: “How many people are related to someone else in this room?” The other half of the room raised their hands. This was a very, very tight-knit company, I thought.

As a self-professed workaholic, I see the basic logic in workplace romance, but I’ve also seen its downside. Cupid’s arrow can strike an emotional bull’s-eye or cause a gaping wound. Workplace romances aren’t a distraction so long as they bring with them harmony and remain positive. When they turn tumultuous, a lovers’ quarrel can affect the morale of entire divisions of companies. This is why people often frown upon workplace romances.

Then there’s sex. You can’t prohibit sex from consenting partners who are colleagues, (will we ever see a new hit television series called “Desperate Wives in Business Development”?) Think about it. Being in close proximity with the opposite sex eight hours a day is probably more time than one will spend with one’s spouse. There’s even a term for female assistants to male bosses; they’re called “work wives.” This relationship can be entirely platonic, emotionally intimate, affectionate, and is just like a real marriage without the sex, kids, and mortgage.

At Active, I have had the privilege of watching romances bloom between colleagues. In fact, I often joke that we have had more workplace marriages at Active.com than found at eHarmony.com. (The original founder of match.com started his online matchmaking service because he couldn’t get a date.)

Scott Curry was one of the founders of a company we acquired; he was a genius and a critical ingredient to the early success of Active, and began to date a sales manager. They soon became viewed as one, not just to each other but to the entire office. It was as if their identities had merged. When others asked about either one of them, it was always, “Have you seen Scott and Kathy?”

Large firms have organization charts and this too often shapes the social hierarchy of a company, and that can unfortunately impact the romantic possibilities within the workplace. In romance, you at least hope that you can operate on an equal basis. But at work, someone is almost always above or below the other person and this can add layers of complexity that a relationship simply does not need. Plus, it can create resentment among the office ranks if say, the $200,000 salaried senior executive is taking long, leisurely lunches with the $40,000 HR assistant.

If you start dating someone in your company, the office rumor mill could chew the relationship up and spit it out before it even gets off the ground. Or it can inhibit or accelerate career advancement for either party. It all depends on how others view your private life, now no longer private. It’s difficult to hide a relationship in the workplace anyway. (Should there be a new kind of legal document between consenting partners called the RNDA- the romantic non-disclosure agreement?)

Romance is about building trust, affection, and harmony between two caring people. If romance creates stress, conflict, and distractions in the workplace, then you need to weigh the benefits of love against its cost in impaired productivity. If you are the boss or a senior executive, this trade-off shouldn’t be minimized. You don’t want to engender hostility and resentment among employees.

I have seen it happen in another company. A co-founder of an advertising agency was dating someone in accounting. He was in his forties, married, and had two young girls. She was in her early thirties and unmarried. They tried to carry on their affair secretly. But after several months it leaked, and when it did, their romance wreaked havoc in the office, leading everyone to take sides. The women were especially bitter. The men were more indifferent. Eventually, she left the firm because the situation became intolerable for everyone, while he stayed on. And now that their romance was fully out in the open, he left his wife and moved into a small apartment. His wife filed for divorce. Several months later, the affair ended. But people at the agency, especially the women, still treated him like poison and didn't want to be around him. The entire affair was more than a time-consuming distraction. It turned co-workers against each other.

Also, what can look like an office romance brewing in the eyes of the hunter and be sexual harassment in the eyes of the prey. Michael Crichton explored this theme in his book, Disclosure, which was later made into a movie. Power can be a mighty potent aphrodisiac in a coed work environment.

Lesson: The workplace may be an optimal place to start a relationship in our attention-deficit corporate environment, but you should be committed to transitioning the romance within several months if it turns really serious. And by transitioning, I mean changing either roles or jobs, or setting very clear work and life boundaries.

A further challenge to workplace romance is the fact that many people end up using work as a cover for an affair. Integrity is one of the essential ingredients to business success, so if you're married and having an affair, you don't want to start the rumor mill spinning or have colleagues start questioning your judgment; you'll no longer be trusted.

If you start a small business with your husband or wife, then remember the increased stress from work can easily carry over into your romantic relationship. You need a break from work, and if your significant other is always with you at work, then you need to set up safe zones, or places and times at home where you cannot mention work.

On the bright side, when considering the challenge of dating, where do you want to meet the person of your dreams? On the Stairmaster at the gym, in the cereal isle at the supermarket, at a night club or perhaps at the stoplight late at night, when looking out the window to the car next to yours, you silently ask yourself, “Could this be the one?” Workplace romances will always have a place in our world; we just have to handle them maturely and with honesty.



The Delivery Room p.66


You can attend business school, receive an MBA, and then read thick textbooks on advanced management techniques. But you will seldom encounter this critical element of the Attention-Deficit Workplace, you must be adept at telling people what you are going to do and then actually do what you say. It’s doubly important that you track and communicate what you are doing. Why? Given the high incidence of blame-placing and credit taking present within corporate culture, you must make sure the organization gives you credit when that credit is due.

Managers have just enough time to check what they are expecting from you. Beyond that, they don't really want to interact. This is also why, when you enter into any situation with a manger, do not simply outline a problem without suggesting two or three solutions. People don't want to hear about problems without solutions.

The real secret to managing expectations? You set other people’s expectations. So set them correctly, without breathing room. At the end of the meetings when colleagues are expected to take action steps, ask them to repeat their “deliverables,” or what is expected of them and when.

I’ll never forget one of the most effective phone calls I ever received. It was from Scott Lange, a superb manager and sales executive in New York City. He was working with the New York Marathon on a detailed proposal from Active. At one point in the conversation, he said, “Mitch, just to be sure, have I provided you with everything I said I would? And, more important, everything you were expecting from me?” His words made me realize why he was so successful- he carefully tracked everything he committed to doing.

I also know that when I call or e-mail Active's IT manager, Chad Smith, he will return my call or address the issue within a few hours, if not in a few minutes.

Then there are the flakes. They never deliver on their promises. I was in the process of getting a non-profit company off the ground called Project Active, which was designed to help disadvantaged kids in war-torn countries through sports. I hired a part-time assistant for the project who interviewed extremely well, but then she disappeared. It was actually entertaining. She would tell everyone that she would be at the office, and then never show up. We used to make bets whether she would make it. In two weeks, she came into the office four days. No one heard from her when she left. She still has a binder with some important photos.

Lesson: Manage other people’s expectations very carefully. If you can’t deliver on all your promises, immediately contact the person who has an expectation of you and level with them. Set expectations below what you expect to deliver. In your Attention-Deficit Workplace, tell people what you are going to do, then do it, track it, and then tell people what you did. It really is that simple. In the expectations delivery room, it’s your baby.


The Driving Force p.35


My sister Stacy loved bunnies. She raised them while growing up. Dad would spend weekends building her hutches that looked more like the Four Seasons than rabbit cages for the little white and brown fluffy animals she so adored. Due to Mom’s influence, she also loved gymnastics, reading, horses, and life. She also loved listening to Rick Springfield. As teenagers, we took swimming lessons together at Longshore Club Park in Westport, Connecticut. She was beautiful with a wise-beyond-her-years moral code, and she always knew what was right and what was wrong.

These childhood memories hovered just below the surface when, during a business school panel presentation to close to 100 people at The University Of San Diego, someone in the audience asked me what motivates me to do so much- train for triathlons, teach at the university, become a serial entrepreneur. I paused to reply. Then, for the first time in my life, I uttered out loud these words, with a voice that was strong and clear: “When I was 14 years old, my sister died in my arms. She was 16.”

The room went silent. My heart trembled. I waited a bit, then continued. “My sister Stacey had bone cancer that spread to her lungs. I was trying to resuscitate her, to help her breathe, but my CPR efforts weren’t working. When your sister and best friend dies in your arms, something in your own life short circuits. Or rather, you suddenly become aware of new realities.

“For some, tragedy leaves them stuck in a pattern of prolonged sadness. For me, Stacey’s death locked me on a different track. Through the sadness of loss and an acknowledgment of my own mortality, I found motivation and passion to live each day to its fullest.

“When life disappears in front of you, it’s very big, and it’s very real. I had to grow up pretty fast after that. The loss of my sister set me on a course to make the most of this very short trip here on earth.”

Glancing around the room, I saw faces looking back at me with understanding. And then, the oddest memory suddenly flashed before me: My sister and I were hiding beneath her bed during a thunderstorm when we were very young. As the sky boomed and shook with fury, she comforted me with these words: “Mitch, it’s okay. Don’t be afraid. The storm will pass. All storms do.”

Lesson: Wake up. You might have either a dream job or a nightmarish job. Either way, acknowledge where you are and who you are working with. If you’re not content, rethink your priorities and ambitions. If you’re wasting your time or your attention, then start investing it wisely. Your last day here could be tomorrow or it could be 50 years from now, but it will come. My sister Stacey gave me on of the greatest gifts of all: the gift of perspective.


Click here to order your copy.

Video Seminar

In this one hour seminar, Mitch Thrower presents enlightening points from his book, The Attention Deficit Workplace, as well as his personal experiences as a "Serial Entrepreneur."

Coming soon in March 2006!

The Attention Deficit Workplace by Mitch Thrower - Book Reviews

Reviews from Amazon.com

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Fast and focused!, December 8, 2005
Reviewer: Angus Wilson - [5 of 5 Stars]

I had the pleasure of seeing Mitch lecture at the Stanford Business School. This book was a great follow-up to his inspirational discussion of athletics and entrepreneurship - now I know how he did it all. I am armed and ready for the work place with the nuggets of wisdom and time management tips that Mitch has sprinkled throughout - a great, fast read!

Fast-Paced Book for Fast-Paced World, December 8, 2005
Reviewer: Wesley Hein - [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

I'd love to have the time to read more business books. Heck read more books in general. Mitch's book is great because it packs a tremendous amount of useful information into an easy, enjoyable and quick read. The lessons that I apply to my daily work life are too numerous to list hear but suffice to say a worthy read.

Spread the word about ADD!, November 30, 2005
Reviewer: Rep Roy Baldwin (Lancaster, PA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

"This book offers honest yet humorous stories that are all too familiar in my workplace. I even assigned my staff to read it, and it has helped us all a great deal, from managing the constant stress of mega-multi-tasking to dealing with the constant onslaught of emails. I highly recommend this book to you and your staff!"
Written by State Rep. Roy Baldwin

A Refreshing Approach, November 30, 2005
Reviewer: Mark Willoughby (San Diego, CA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

Not only have I had the privilege of reading Mitch's book, but also that of seeing him speak on multiple occasions. His bold, progressive approach to life is refreshing, and he understands how to project his motivation and focus onto the reader. This book provides insight into simplifying & improving many facets of personal and professional life. It is a very easy read, and Mitch has a sense of humor that relates his concepts to all types of people.

Travis Smith, November 29, 2005
Reviewer: Travis Smith – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

Mitch is truly an amazing business and athletic superstar. I enjoyed every aspect of his book and recommend it to anyone that plans on doing well in this game they call life. I might even read this book again after reading it cover to cover in 2 days. Thanks Mitch, hope to see in a lecture format in the future.

Chris Carlesimo, November 29, 2005
Reviewer: Chris Carlesimo – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

I first learned of Mitch when he came and spoke to our class. He was an amazing speaker and motivator. His book was just as great as he was in person. It is extremely relevant for today's business world and helps you grasp certain concepts you will encounter in your workplace. I would definately recommend reading it.

Very interesting!, November 29, 2005
Reviewer: Brittany Huartson "I am an entrepreneur" (San Diego,CA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

It was definitely a good read. I really makes you think about the work atmosphere and how things operate. If you want to be successful in the business world I would definitely recommend this book.

Intriguing and Useful November 29, 2005
Reviewer: Derek Lancaster (San Diego, CA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

The thing I loved most about The Attention Deficit Workplace is its applicability to real-life situations. If your a student or a business person, you will use and benefit from the many lessons and principles from this book.

A Must Read, November 28, 2005
Reviewer: Brenden Nakata – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

This book is definitely a must read to help one excel in our ever changing society. The book describes ways to deal with time management, which will help one to excel, whereas others might flounder and not be as productive.

November 27, 2005
Reviewer: Moulika Heng (San Diego) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

This book is written in a way that entertains and instructs without putting you to sleep. It includes funny but true situations that most people can relate to. It's definitely not your conventional, monotonous business guide...it's one that brings up issues in the workplace that are mostly overlooked.

Wonderful Tool for Success, November 26, 2005
Reviewer: Erin Shaw "Erin" (San Diego, CA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

This book is a wonderful tool for success. Mitch walks the reader through a huge variety of different work place problems or errors and helps you to understand how to solve them in order to be more efficient and successful in the workplace. The thing I loved about this book was the way it was written. Each problem/issue is its own chapter and each chapter is only about a page long. This makes it easy to read, and it keeps your attention. It also makes it easy to put down and come back to. I would recommend this book to anyone- even if they are already a successful business person.

The Attention Deficit Workplace: Winning Strategies for Success in Today's Fast-Paced Business Environment, November 26, 2005
Reviewer: Jeffrey B. Viers "My Loan Coach" (St Louis, MO USA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

Mitch Thrower has put together nuggets of truth and insight to help you bring wisdom to all areas of your business & personal life. This book presents and discusses issues, gives a short story to clarify and define then offers a lesson to learn.

If you are caught up in business you need to read this for clear and concise strategies from a champion.

Brilliant, November 21, 2005
Reviewer: Andreas Thogersen – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

The book is an excellent guide in how to manage your time.
It is well written, easy read, and contains funny stories we all can relate to.

Devotional Format, November 21, 2005
Reviewer: Thomas C. Cathey - [Rating: 4 of 5 Stars]

One of the things that really communicate Thrower's understanding about how attention deficient we really are is the format he chose to write his book in. Studies show that people are more likely to read an article if it is formatted into narrow columns and small paragraphs. The same can be said for books that are broken in to very small chapters. It makes sense to say that we are more inclined to open a book up and read it if we can finish a section in five minute increments. We love the closure of finishing a chapter and that is what this format allows.

Excellent Book for a Student, November 21, 2005
Reviewer: Christian DeBlis (San Diego, CA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

I found this book to be very worth-while. The author's style was concise but also entertaining.

It's the kind of book that you can read in a weekend, but would be useful to refer back to. I've already lent it to my brother and my girlfriend, and they both enjoyed it. I've met Mitch a few times, and his enthusiasm for life and success are unparalleled.

The Attention Deficit Workplace: Winning Strategies for Success in Today's Fast-Paced Business Environment, November 19, 2005
Reviewer: Dan "Dan" (California) – [Rating: 4 of 5 Stars]

This is a very interesting, well thought out book. There are many short stories that keep your interest and the advice given in each story is very useful. You can read it one story at a time and don't have to feel compelled to read it all right away. A good buy.

The Attention Deficit Workplace -- a collection of gems, November 16, 2005
Reviewer: Scott W. Kunkel "Scott Kunkel, Ph.D." (San Diego, CA USA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

The Attention Deficit Workplace by Mitch Thrower is not just a gem -- it is a collection of gems. Written as a series of one or two page vignettes with a moral for each, this book is equally worthwhile read straight through in a few hours or read one or two vignettes per day over months. It can be a truly life-changing book of the calabre of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. A must read for those just starting in the business world to those in mid-career fighting to get everything into a 24 hour day.

A "Mustread", November 11, 2005
Reviewer: Kai Baumgartner "kaihawaii" (Kailua-Kona, HI USA) – [Rating: 4 of 5 Stars]

A book with on-point statements and parables that every business man in fast-paced business environment knows well or should have read and consider.

A Very Strong Read, November 11, 2005
Reviewer: Michael J. Reilly "Ironman Voice" (San Diego) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

The Attention Deficit Workplace nails it. It is a short, concise but powerful insight to common pitfalls in today's corporate work environment. It's a must read for any new young employee embarking on their career path in this environment. It will help you avoid common mistakes that lead to unproductive behavior. Mitch Thrower writes this book as if he is talking to you face to face and gives you quick solutions to practice daily. It's constantly on my desk to use as a workbook.

We live this life.... this is me (us) in a mirror, September 29, 2005
Reviewer: John H. Sexton "John Sexton" (Newport Beach, CA United States) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

I've been a fan of Mitch's "Starting Lines" column in Triathlete Magazine for years. He has a way of capturing the essence of what it means to be in motion and to be alive that resonates with me every month. As I was taken to a Board Meeting this week, I watched our driver as she handled her cell phone, changed lanes in her SUV, and talked to me about another subject all at the same time. We joked about this life we lead. Not all of us (me included at this point in my life) are going to climb to the top of some Entrepreneurial Corporate ladder. But, most of us are juggling an incredible amount of data, relationships, tasks, and pressure. And, have forgotten how to say no or just slow down and be in the present. Mitch offers tip after tip about how to deal with all this in an interesting and readable way. If the title doesn't resonate with you, you're lucky and may not learn anything from this book. Otherwise, it's a great read.

Words of Wisdom for Everyone, July 20, 2005
Reviewer: Cherie Gruenfeld – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

This book is packed full of gems of wisdom, each supported by wonderful life stories. Every page is fun reading.

Mitch Thrower- a.k.a. SUPERMAN, July 14, 2005
Reviewer: Andrew J. Baldwin – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

Mitch Thrower does more in one day than most people do in a month. But what is most important is that he does it with a smile on his face, and influences so many people positively along the way. This man is the master of leading a balanced life in the midst of a high stress, fast-paced business environment. The world has changed tremendously over the past ten years with the advent of the "wireless age." Conventional wisdom no longer applies. We need a new chapter on how to survive in this globally connected world. Mitch Thrower has provided us with this in his book, The Attention Deficit Workplace, Mitch shares with us through some real life examples, how he has been able to achieve all of his successes. Definitely a must read!

Impressive Lessons Overlooked In Most Business Schools About TODAY's Workplace, July 11, 2005
Reviewer: J. P Panas "Health Guy" – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

The book is a lot of fun to read. The author explains interesting concepts very well with personal examples and solid lessons. Because of his clever and clear writing style, anyone should be able to understand and implement his valuable advice.

I decided to give his many of his lessons a try and they actually work!

I really enjoyed this book.

Excellent snapshots on how to improve your habits!, July 5, 2005

Reviewer: C. Riggs – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

Mitch Thrower has put together an excellent collection of time-saving and attention refocusing examples and lessons. As I read this book, I could easily see the logic and value in his lessons and examples.

I have found that I can read one chapter and then focus my attention on its subject for several days, working to hone and improve my efforts in that area alone. This book can really help you to get better control of your valuable time- and due to that, it will stay on the top of my desk as a reference tool.

Overall, there is much to learn in this book and I highly recommend it.

Reviews from Yahoo! Shopping

Attention-Deficit Workplace: RECOMMEND
November 25, 2005

Reviewer: grats_sd – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

Pros: Easy to read and understand. Author makes his point and ideas clear

Cons: You will wonder in what other life topics Mitch Thrower can give you advoce

If you feel that the steps you are taking to pursue your business career are failing, consider reading this book. This book covers topics that all of us today can relate to at all levels of employment. He keeps his content simple and to the point. Truly recommend to any person interested in improving their life style.

Reviews from Target.com

Intriguing and very useful, November 29, 2005

Reviewer: Derek Lancaster (San Diego, CA) – [Rating: 5 of 5 Stars]

The thing I loved most about The Attention Deficit Workplace is its applicability to real-life situations. If your a student or a business person, you will use and benefit from the many lessons and principles from this book.

Reviews from Barnes & Noble

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Jeff Viers, My Loan Coach, December 5, 2005 [5 of 5 Stars]
Managing Your Distractions

Mitch Thrower has presented here clear concise examples of your business environment, tells you a story to make you understand the context and provides his solution or lesson learned. Champions are always honing their edge, Mitch is sharp!

Rita, A reviewer, November 11, 2005 [5 of 5 Stars]
I REALLY liked this book!

This book not only has great stories and tips, and it really made me laugh! You can relate to each situation in the book vicariously, and at the same time is such a valuable read. I actually read it twice!

A Reviewer, November 11, 2005 [5 of 5 Stars]
Insightful and Inspiring

Not only did I enjoy this quick, humorous read, I have applied some of the strategies from the book in my “personal attention deficit workplace” and seen surprising results. It transforms the daily grind against the clock into a powerfully motivating reminder that you can manage your schedule to maximize productivity and profits. This book is a small investment for a life changing return.

Click here to order your copy.

Contact Us

Mitch Thrower
Author
P.O. Box 1201
La Jolla, CA 92038-1201
(858)551-1728
mitch@attentiondeficitworkplace.com
www.attentiondeficitworkplace.com


Publisher
Lyons Press / Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane
P.O. Box 480
Guilford, CT 06437
Vendor, Bulk, University and Corporate Sales, Contact: michelle.brown@globe-pequot.com
Press Contact: gwen.forrest@globepequot.com

Main Phone Number: (203)458-4500
Customer Service Phone: 1-888-249-7586
Customer Service Fax: 1-800-820-232

Other Literary Works

Click here to view Mitch's articles in Triathlete Magazine.







Coming Soon! Submit your Attention Deficit dating stories here.









Click here to order your copy.

Book Mitch for a Speaking Engagement

Mitch Thrower speaks across the country to corporations, universities, CEO’s and management teams. He has presented around the world. From The International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland to the University of San Diego and the University of California, San Diego LIFE institute of San Diego. He is also on the board and has presented at Forum 21.

You can book Mitch Thrower for a speaking engagement by sending an e-mail to Emily, or by calling 858.551.1728

EXTRA VALUE: When you book Mitch Thrower for any of the presentations below, or for a custom presentation, Mr. Thrower will spend time, at no extra cost, with a smaller session of VIP’s or executives to interact and engage in an interactive discussion. This allows for a second question and answer session in a more intimate setting.

The Attention Deficit Workplace
In this Presentation, Mitch Thrower provides the audience with an interactive presentation designed to dissect their attention deficit workplace symptoms. Following an entertaining look at the current workplace, Mitch outlines 20 essential strategies and tactics to become more successful in today’s workplace.
Sample topics:

• the office romance
• the toggler
• email efficiency
• how to interact successfully, quickly
• the attention management game of twister

Ten Essential Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur
Sample topics:

• beware of terminal creativity
• understand how passion and profit interact
• how to survive the “killer factors”

How to Buy and Turn Around a Magazine or Business in 12 Months
Sample topics:

• understanding the cap table & a leveraged buy out
• publishing valuation models
• the essential keys to turning a business around
• understanding and increasing revenue sources

The Entrepreneurial Life
Sample topics:

• enrolling and enlisting others
• writing the business plan
• the investor pitch – the vision of racegate.com/active.com
• the product
• ticketmaster – corner your competitors and partners
• the boom
• the bust
• roles and responsibilities – stepping out of the spotlight
• how to avoid “the founder’s dilemma

How to Launch or Expand Your Business in Europe
Sample topics:

• how to open up new markets
• how to cut through any red tape QUICKLY – even in France
• license 101
• understanding organic, partnership and acquisition growth strategies
• successful SHAREHOLDER NAVIGATION to liquidity events

Managing Yourself as a Global Brand
Sample topics:

• branding defined
• opportunities lost and found
• ceo and president of “your life, incorporated”
• guerrilla public relations

Managing Expectations and Commitments
Sample topics:

• expectations defined
• roles and responsibilities
• to do or not to do – that is your career question
• over promise and under deliver
• adjusting expectations
• avoding the sand traps of entrepreneurial expectations.

The Ego Battlefield of the Entrepreneur
Sample Topics:

• the conflict of the creative and the financial
• the secret questions of the venture capitalist and angel investors
• managing egos – the desire to create, the desire to destroy
• how to survive blame placing and credit taking corporate cultures
• the compensation committee

Passion Autopsy & Workshop
Sample topics:

• passion defined and adjusted
• marry your work to your passion
• contagious excellence – sports and people
• identify what you are passionate about
• how to fill out your passion discrepancy scorecard

Financing Your Venture
Sample topics:

• angels and angles
• defining legal structures (international tax implications)
• liquidation preferences
• term sheets and definitive docs
• due diligence
• the difference between “smart & helpful”
• money and “dumb & high maintenance” money
• tips and techniques to get your business
• funded intelligently

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Photo Gallery

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir mens blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work. Remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.” -DHB


“Never forget your friends - the ones who will stay with you, no matter what you order from the menu.” -MT


“Leap boldly, not timidly to the other side of your challenges. Keep with you the confidence that you will land on firm ground.” - MT


“You are, at every moment, on the starting line of the rest of your life. Feel the cannon blow in every cell of your body– sending you on your way, into your day and into your future.” -MT


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Submit Your Story

We welcome your stories for future publication in the Attention Deficit Series, which include:

- Attention Deficit Workplace Advanced Strategies
- Attention Deficit Dating
- The Attention Deficit University
- The Attention Deficit Marriage
- The Attention Deficit Athlete

To submit your story or parable, simply click this link to e-mail them to me.

All the best,
MITCH THROWER


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About the Author

Mitch Thrower, “The Ironman of Entrepreneurship,” is author of the popular monthly "Starting Lines" column in "Triathlete Magazine." A serial Entrepreneur, Mitch is the co-founder of Inc. Magazine’s 99th fastest growing company on the Inc. 500 list, The Active Network, Inc, a software, marketing and registration powerhouse. He also co-founded and was the CEO of The Active Europe Network, Ltd. which operates Active’s business model in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. His initiative and efforts to rapidly consolidate participatory sports registration software companies worldwide, has without any doubt, created the "Ticketmaster" of participatory sports, with his entrepreneurial ideas and initiative forever changing the global landscape of sports.

Thrower was founder and CEO of The College Connection and The Rail Connection, and has consulted for American Express, AT&T, and Eurail.

Thrower is Chairman of The La Jolla Foundation, a foundation whose first initiative is Project Active, a non-profit program that provides money, mentoring, encouragement and education to areas of world tension, most recently providing soccer balls and jerseys to the children of Iraq, Haiti and Mexico. Thrower is a 13 time Ironman, and recent top ten finisher at the Keohoe Kona Half Ironman Triathlon.

Thrower holds a BA from Saint Lawrence University and an MBA from the University of San Diego, where he is the “Entrepreneur in Residence” teaching Entrepreneurship. He became a triathlete while cross-training to recover from four complicated knee surgeries. Thrower's father was the President of WPIX, (Channel 11 in the NYC tri-state area) Vice President of Sales for NBC, and is known for his creation of New York City's famous "Yule Log," a holiday presentation of a fireplace and music on television. Thrower's mother was one of Jacqueline Kennedy's executive assistants in New York.


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Praise

Commenting on the book, Dr. Tom Hill, author of Living at the Summit and co-author of Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul called The Attention-Deficit Workplace, “An eye-grabbing, page-turning book. A must-read that's certain to educate, and enlighten."

According to Jonathan Spalter, the Senior Vice-President of Vox Pop Media, and Former Senior Vice-President, Vivendi Universal, "The Attention-Deficit Workplace is nothing short of a revelation. Mitch Thrower, represents a new breed of business leader with tremendous vision, compassion, stamina, and laser-like focus. In this easy-to-read volume, he opens his huge heart and agile mind, along with his remarkable trade secrets, on how to build successful companies. He has written the pre-eminent playbook for thriving and winning in the turbo-charged world of 24/7 companies. The reader will have more 'Aha!' moments per page than any other business book of its kind."


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