Summer Reading
Early in my career as I headed off to a human capital conference, my boss said, “If you learn one thing at the conference, consider it time and money well spent.” Seemed like a low bar. Really, just one? His comment made an impression though. From that conference on, I actively listened for learnings, sought inspiration, and considered how takeaways might be applied.
I apply the same mindset when I invest time in business and development books. In this post I share learnings that have stuck with me throughout my career, helping to drive desired outcomes, develop myself and others in leadership, and better organize my life. Here are a few of my recommendations:
Team of Teams is dense with leadership inspiration and lessons. The major takeaway though is that for teams to be effective, they need a shared understanding of the mission and the environment. At a prior company, we distributed the book by General Stanley McChrystal, et al, to employees and invited them to attend an event with one of the authors. For a company comprised of disbursed teams responsible for decision-making in the field, the experience brought to life how embracing our own company’s mission and being guided by defined cultural tenants, we would become more effective and the company more sustainable. This was a beyond powerful lesson.
I consistently manage my To Do and my calendar on Friday afternoons as put forth by Laura Vanderkam in 168 Hours, You Have More Time Than You Think. For me, this time or Friday evenings on the train home from NYC, naturally lends itself to being reflective – what has been accomplished, what needs more attention, and what should I get started on next week? This practice helps me step into the weekend with a sense of peace knowing I’ll be starting the new week with a clear path for me and my team.
Use bits of time for bits of joy or said another way, make the most of found time; this also comes from 168 Hours. When, for example, I find a meeting ends early or when one is altogether canceled, a quick consult of two lists, one for things I can do in 10 minutes and another for those that take about 30 minutes, helps me move rather effortlessly to getting more done -- cancelling a subscription, reading a saved article or listening to a podcast, visiting with a colleague to say congratulations on their promotion, searching for a new recipe for Sunday dinner, or planning a hike in a new locale… Joyful efficiency for sure.
I consider myself immensely fortunate for early in my career I was part of a group selected to work with a corporate trainer to read and discuss The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This experience brought to life the most impactful personal development book I’ve ever read. (I’m not alone as millions of copies have been sold and it has spent decades on bestseller lists.) While the habits are integrated, here’s just one that I have relied upon and coached others to consider when faced with a big task or embroiled in a difficult situation: seek first to understand, then to be understood. Author Steven Covey beautifully expresses how first listening without judgment to understand others' perspectives, before expressing your own viewpoints, builds trust and effective communication. I’ve found it a great way to “be” and it also helps bring down the temperature in times of heat. Mic drop, Steven Covey.
If interested in reading these gems:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Steven Covey
168 Hours, You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam
Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal, Tantum Collins, David Silverman and Chris Fussell