How to Hit a Curveball

Investment banker Scott R. Singer learned the hard way that the ability to confront and overcome the unexpected is the most important skill a businessperson can develop. No matter how smart or experienced you are, unanticipated changes can knock anyone off guard. So it's not enough to be a good fastball hitter-you have to get great at hitting curveballs.

After a series of career setbacks and transitions,

Singer started to develop a new approach to dealing with unforeseen problems. He also interviewed prominent curveball hitters such as Leslie Moonves of CBS, Alan Schwartz of Bear Stearns, and actor Michael J. Fox.

Singer's rules for surviving uncertainty include:

A· Step up to the plate: Act fast to mitigate the negative and turn crisis into opportunity.

A· Be the batter, not the ball: Don't change your view of the world. Be a realist, not a pessimist.

A· Keep your eye on the ball: Focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about what might happen.

This fun yet practical audio book can help anyone avoid striking out in both their business and their personal lives.

SCOTT R. SINGER is a managing director and head of media and entertainment for The Bank Street Group (a private investment bank) and an expert on strategic change. His clients have included major companies such as CBS, Comcast, Disney, Liberty Media, NBC Universal, News Corp., Time Warner, and Viacom. He lives in New York City.

MARK LEVINE has collaborated on several business books and has written for magazines such as Worth and Money.