THE BARON SON

An allegorical story by business consultants illustrates seven business principles: (1) conquer insecurity and adversity, (2) unleash creativity and excellence, (3) negotiate and sell effectively, (4) boost productivity, income, and cash flow, (5) capitalize on opportunities hidden in failure, (6) leverage relationships, and (7) achieve greatness with few resources. This content unfolds in the form of lessons offered long ago by a fictional baron to three visitors. The dialogues, tinged with tedious formal language, are made even more tedious by a curiously impatient reading from an unnamed reader. He sounds like he barely tolerates the wordiness and gratuitous embellishments in the story. The simplistic plot removes the lessons even more from the lightning speed and complex challenges of today's business world. T.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]