Human beings are wired to notice novelty. It's a really helpful trait to develop - it helped our ancestors become aware of changes in their environment and the people around them. That's useful when you notice things that might indicate threats, like the quiet that meant a tiger was stalking us by the watering hole. Mindfulness or Novelty? These days, though, with few threats to our daily lives (beyond the existential), our devotion to novelty finds itself without something to attach to. So we constantly buy new clothes, go to new restaurants, and even look for new partners. It also pushes us to look for our happiness in the "next" big … [Read more...]
The Six Secrets of Change – Michael Fullan
This article was originally published a few years ago at the RockStar Success Library. I have to admit, I was a little surprised by The Six Secrets of Change. I’m usually pretty leery of any book that has the word “secret” in the title or has a number in the title (that smacks of “prescriptions” for success i.e., short cuts that don’t work). Michael Fullan undercut my fears, though, in his introduction, when he suggests his secrets as ideas that people already know, but don’t engage with fully. In doing so, he presents an interesting theoretical study of how to effect organizational change. What makes The Six Secrets of Change so … [Read more...]
What’s Your Story – Craig Wortmann
Every once in a while you meet someone and you think "Why haven't we met earlier!?" Craig and I were actually introduced by a mutual friend and we share a similar outlook on how to be successful in business. And he knows his stuff - he's a professor at the University of Chicago (while not quite at the level of my alma mater Northwestern, it's still a pretty good school...). In fact, I knew that I would like his book right away because he used the term Luddite in the opening chapter of What's Your Story?. I thought I was the only person geeky enough to put that in a business book. Big Thought Stories are a powerful leadership tool that … [Read more...]
The Halo Effect – Phil Rosenzweig
This article was originally published a few years ago at the RockStar Success Library. Many of the tools it contains are still part of my regular approach to uncovering the real challenges that organizations and professionals face. I'm not sure why, but I've definitely found myself reading a lot of "iconoclastic"books lately. I'm not even doing it on purpose - I read The Halo Effect because it was on the clearance shelf of my local Borders. I'm so glad that it was. I think it appealed to my focus on how to create clarity in how we view life and the things that happen in it. Since I work with people as a coach to help them develop … [Read more...]
The Engaged Leader – Charlene Li
At DellWorld 2015 I had a chance to participate in a panel discussion that was moderated by Charlene Li where we dove into the whys and hows of social selling. Afterwards, I got my hands on a signed copy of The Engaged Leader through a book swap with her (I think I got the better end of the deal). I finished it on the plane ride home and it's provided some fantastic illustrations and insights into social media in the C-suite. Big Thought I think Charlene says it as well as I could: "Engaged leadership means not chasing the latest apps and gadgets. Being an engaged leader in the digital era means knowing what your goals are and what tools … [Read more...]
The 4-Hour Work Week – Timothy Ferriss
This article was originally published on May 9th, 2008. This was before Tim was the household 4-_____ name that he is today. It was the first time I encountered a lot of these ideas. They've been hugely influential - as I agree with some of them more and more...and disagree with others more and more. In my mind, that's the hallmark of a good book! I’ve read the 4–Hour Work Week twice now, in detail. The first time I read it I was so blown away that I had to put it down, digest it, and then come back for a second go. I think I was checking to see if I would still think it was great – which I did. Timothy is basically starting with … [Read more...]
How to Read a Book – Mortimer Adler
This article was originally published on September 24th, 2007. As we continue to consume more and more online (usually written) content, I think it's important for us to consider how we read. Whether it's a book or a blog article, we need to be active readers. How to Read a Book focuses on two of my favorite topics, communication and epistemology (the study of knowledge – I just think it’s a cool word). The primary author, Mortimer Adler, was the primary force between the development of the Great Books curriculum still used at high schools and colleges in which the focus is on reading and grappling with the canonical texts of Western … [Read more...]
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