MSI Press Blog

  The MSI Press managing editor recently wrote a review of our affiliated book, Certainty : Certainty: How Great Bosses Can Change Minds and Drive Innovation deserves reading—more than once. Here, Mike Mears, a highly experienced leader and leader-trainer with a unique and fascinating background, presents a clever, very well written, highly readable, and engaging mix of an imagined story of a prehistoric man along with anecdotes about real people from real life to deconstruct firmly held myths about how leadership works and what leaders should do—myths   resulting in practices that achieve the opposite of what they purport. The expansive diapason against which Mike sets his myth-busting suggestions (that really do work) ranges from years BC until years past today. Mike paints his picture with cartoons—simple, to the point, and eliciting a smile or ah-hah; tables and charts—clear and helpful; and appendices—useful for application to any leader’s work environment. What one disc...

Released today! Approximately 75 percent of children who play organized sports quit by age 13. While there is no definitive answer about why, many researchers suggest that it is because of pressure from parents. One referee always likes to say that he equates kid's soccer to a musical recital. Parents don't yell instructions to their seven-year old when they are singing or playing the piano. They are not jumping up from their seats when the proper chord is struck, yelling, "Great job, Jimmy!" or "Big kick on the next chord!" Yet, they feel it is OK to do so on the soccer field. Why? This book will make every soccer parent and coach say, "I know that person." Unfortunately, sometimes they'll be talking about themselves. It's an entertaining and informative read as Peter not only tells the stories of insane, yet normal, soccer parents but delves into why and how our behavior needs to change. Rob Harrington Professional Soccer Coac...

  Excerpt from Soccer Is Fun without Parents (Jonas): THE EGO PARENT The ego parent is sometimes hard to spot at first. One key is that they are often seen with large insulated mugs of coffee that have some ridiculous inscription, like: “It is a great day for soccer.”  They also have bumper stickers about soccer on their cars, so you know they are involved with the “beautiful game.” They will constantly bring up the premiership without really knowing what league it is or who plays in it, but they love saying the word premiership. The Brits put the emphasis on the first syllable of Premier, and Americans on the second. You know them within minutes of the conversation because their son or daughter, Sam or Julie, are the absolute best player on the team. There is no “we” in the Ego Parent.  In youth soccer there is a national ranking system where clubs, teams, and players get ranked.  Too many parents take these rankings seriously, and the president of FC told a story...

   Breaking Barriers: Women Who Shaped the Literary Landscape As we celebrate Women's History Month, it's crucial to shine a light on the remarkable women who have transformed the publishing industry, breaking down barriers and reshaping the world of literature. From pioneering editors to groundbreaking authors and visionary publishers, women have been instrumental in bringing diverse voices and critical perspectives to bookshelves around the world. Pioneering Editors and Publishers The publishing industry owes much of its richness to women who took bold steps to amplify marginalized voices. Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, was also a pioneering publisher who fought censorship and published groundbreaking works on women's health and reproductive rights. In the early 20th century, women like Blanche Knopf co-founded Alfred A. Knopf Publishing, bringing innovative and daring literature to readers when many publishing houses were exclusively male-dominated. ...

Today's book back story is about the award-winning book, Soccer Is Fun without Parents by Peter Jonas. From the publisher: When Peter approached me, I thought he had written a book about kids' sports. He had. He had also written a book about parenting -- and leadership. Peter was just retiring from a career as a professor of sports education. Little did I know that he would not live much longer. The book was well written; editing proceeded quickly. Peter was a joy to work with. Very quickly the book was released. Then, it won an award...and another...and another. And then, suddenly, Peter died. A loss for so many. I am sure that Peter's legacy is large among those who worked and lived with him. For us at MSI Press, legacy means that Peter's book still finds fans. It does. And his message remains meaningful. Book Description: Approximately 75 percent of children who play organized sports quit by age 13. While there is no definitive answer about why, many researchers sug...