New Mexico author Steve McKee recently took time for an interview with the New Mexico Sun about his new book, "Turns: Where Business is Won and Lost."
McKee is the co-founder of McKee Wallwork, an Albuquerque marketing advisory firm. His company has been recognized twice by Advertising Age as Southwest Small Agency of the Year and one of the Best Places to Work in advertising.
For a decade, McKee was a columnist for Businessweek.com, and he currently contributes a monthly column for SmartBrief on Leadership.
His work has been cited or published in several prominent publications, including The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes.com, Investor's Business Daily, and The Los Angeles Times, among others. In addition, he has appeared on news outlets such as CNBC, ESPN2, CNNfn, Bloomberg, and network television affiliates throughout the United States.
McKee talked about how "Turns: Where Business is Won and Lost," explains approaches for dealing with change and uncertainty in the business world.
"They say the only thing constant is change, and that seems ever-more true. I wanted to help equip people to navigate change rather than being a victim of it," McKee told the New Mexico Sun.
According to McKee, "Turns" should be read by anyone who wants to make better decisions in the face of uncertainty.
"I think 'Turns' will appeal to anyone who is called to lead, whether it's a business, a team, a community, a family or simply their own life well-lived," McKee said. "What we all have in common are the responsibilities of making consequential decisions and the uncertainty that always accompanies change."
McKee said that his book goes over key principles to help readers make levelheaded decisions in business and in life.
"We tend to think of life as a series of straightaways occasionally interrupted by turns. In reality life is a series of turns occasionally interrupted by short, smooth stretches of road," McKee said. "I want people to recognize that turns are the norm in life, and they're not only not to be feared but can be embraced."
McKee explained his company studies disruption for a living, and that it sees the cycle of disruption turning ever faster.
"Which means we all have to become more adept at managing change. Turns will help people do just that," McKee said. "I've told multiple people I know that this book will be unlike anything they've ever read.
"I wanted to take a different approach, and examine something we all take for granted through both a telescope and a microscope," he added. "By examine [I mean] not only physically, but metaphorically, and looking at them through the lenses of history, science, religion, sports, and many more arenas, I gained a whole new appreciation for what all turns have in common, and how to manage them. I think readers will too."
McKee's award-winning business book, "When Growth Stalls: How it Happens, Why You're Stuck and What to Do About It," has been published in four languages.
He is also the author of "Power Branding: Leveraging the Success of the World's Best Brands," which was dubbed by New York Times bestselling author Jay Baer as "the definitive book on modern branding" and should be mandatory reading in every business school in America.