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Posts Tagged ‘Books’

Mini Review: Who’s Got Your Back by Keith Ferrazzi

08 Jul

When my friend Karl Schlegel told me that Keith Ferrazzi’s new book (Who’s Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships that Create Success- And Won’t Let You Fail) was out, I immediately picked up a copy from my local library.  His first book, Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, one Relationship at a Time was a favorite of mine and I devoured his ability to combine name dropping with a fresh approach to relational work.  Keith knows networking and has built his company around the concepts of relational work and respect for the individual.

Ferrazzi’s sequel to Never Eat Alone left me, well, wanting to eat alone.  As with so many best-selling authors who find success with a breakout hit, Ferrazzi’s latest sadly disappoints.

There are a few things that turned me off from the start, including:

  • The mention of “breakthrough program” in the title.  Do we really need more programs for self help?
  • Keith is a dynamic, gifted young man who lives the life of a rockstar.  I get this and even admire it but for the average guy, Keith can fall into the same category of Tim Ferris of 4 Hour Workweek fame.  I think that most of us are pretty ordinary, successful in our own right and practical people.  It’s not that Keith’s latest bit of advice (form deep relationships at all costs) isn’t dead-on.  It is.  The disconnect is that most people are not even remotely like Keith and can find his story and style a bit condescending.  Hard to dig the message when you can’t relate to the author.
  • Too much information.  Much of Who’s Got Your Back is autobiographical.  A little is ok, a lot gets old fast.  I ended up skimming much of the book as a result.

Would I recommend the book?  Only if you can’t find a copy of Never Eat Alone.  Who’s Got Your Back leaves the reader scratching his back rather than running to tell others about it.

 
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Posted in At Work, Books, Leadership, Productivity

 

Mini Review of The Soul of a Leader by Margaret Benefiel

20 May

If you’re new to The Daily Saint, then I refer you to my own sense of call.  I’m passionate about doing work better, smarter and with greater passion.  I do this by integrating my own faith with my daily schedule.  Simple as that.

Unfortunately, there are few others who have made this niche their own.  That is of course until you’ve stumbled onto the work of Margaret Benefiel.

Benefiel’s first book, Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership In Organizations, was an insightful look at the qualities that make organizations about more than just the bottom line.  In the follow up, The Soul of a Leader: Finding Your Path to Success and Fulfillment, (Crossroad Publishing, 2008) Benefiel captures a similar spirit but hones in on the role of the persons who move the organization forward.

The author’s point is crucial before one can even look at the mechanics, for lack of a better word, of soulful leadership.  “The past decade has witnessed scandal after scandal: in business, in nonprofits, in religious institutions.  This world of scandals desperately needs leaders with soul.”  To the degree that a leader can activate the spiritual component of his/her leadership, the results will be dramatically positive.

Benefiel articulates several key leanings for the soulful leader to be attentive to, including Following the Heart, Finding Partners, Daring to Dream, and Keeping Mission at the Fore.  I found her final chapter, “Finding Spiritual Guidance” to be particularly on target as she deals with the ancient benefit of spiritual direction.

I think that one of the most enduring themes of the book is the primacy of keeping work human in whatever organization one finds himself.  When we just see our labor as a means to an end, we can lose sight of those with whom we serve.   As Benefiel states, “Every human being feels overworked and underappreciated at times.  Likewise, everyone, in the press of busyness and stress, forgets to thank those whose work makes theirs possible.”

I recommend that you pick up a copy of Margaret Benefiel’s newest book and while you’re at it, check out the many helpful articles available on her website.  Here’s to soulful leadership in your life as well…

 
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Posted in At Work, Faith, Leadership, Ministry, Simplicity, Work/Life Balance

 

Mini Review of The Adventures of Johnny Bunko by Dan Pink

18 Feb

I first stumbled upon Dan Pink a summer ago at an educator’s conference in Louisville, KY.  His book, A Whole New Mind, was groundbreaking for me as it pointed to a new reality in the workplace.  His latest book, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need does not disappoint.

Bunko is described as “America’s first business book in the Japanese comic format known as manga – and the last career guide you’ll ever need.”  As my son is big into comic books these days, Bunko was right up my alley and proved a quick read.  It essentially follows a man who lives in cubicle nation and discovers six secrets to doing well at work and at life.

Aided by the sort-of-attractive Diana, who appears only when Johnny activates his magic chopsticks, Johnny goes from depressed to top dog in his workplace, The Boggs Corporation.  The story line is full of dips and turns and Johnny is joined by several pals along the way.  Think of it as a road trip via the office and its myriad deadlines.

So what are the six secrets that Diana reveals?

  1. There is no plan.
  2. Think strengths, not weaknesses.
  3. It’s not about you.
  4. Persistence trumps talent.
  5. Make excellent mistakes.
  6. Leave an imprint.

I’m not going to detail each of these because the book is just too darn good and you’ll want to read it for yourself!  I loved it not only because I dig the author’s points (and they are not just from the cuff- each is rooted in research and experience) but because I am a graphical creative type who appreciates a new form of writing, I mean, drawing.

FOR FOLLOW UP

Once you’ve picked up the book, be sure to listen to some of Dan Pink’s talks and keynotes.  He is funny, down to earth and elaborates on many of the points found in Johnny Bunko.  Enjoy!

 
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Posted in At Work, Books, Work/Life Balance

 

6 Books to Read in ’09

30 Dec

I keep an ongoing list in Google Docs of books that I will purchase and then read.  I get to forget about my list and then can “remember” when I’m at a book store or shopping online.

Here’s what’s on my current list:

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Pat Lencioni, The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family

Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success

Margaret Benefiel, The Soul of a Leader: Finding Your Path to Success and Fulfillment

Tim Sanders, Saving the World at Work

David Allen, Making it all Work

 
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Posted in Books

 

Malcolm Gladwell and Why Less is More

23 Dec

If you’ve picked up Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, Outliers, you’re probably enjoying it in the same way that people buy one brand of car over and over again.  My pastor has driven Audis for as long as I can remember.  It’s just something he swears by.  I’m a Gladwell fan and I dig his writing.

As for me, I’m finishing up Gladwell’s second book, Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.   I’ll post a mini-review of the book eventually but one point caught me eye regarding how much information is needed to make important decisions:

“We live in a world saturated with information.  We have virtually unlimited amounts of data at our fingertips at all times…But what I have sensed is an enormous frustration with the unexpected costs of knowing too much, of being inundated with information.  We have come to confuse information with understanding.”

After reading this, I lassoed several connecting threads.  First I thought back to Tim Ferris’ concept of the low information diet.  Ferris’ point is that it’s ok not to read 85 blog posts a day.  Life will go on.  It’s ok to not check your email every hour.

I then recalled that Leo Babauta’s new book is all about simplifying everything from information intake to posessions.  Leo’s mantra over the past year has been to do with less, streamline so that your mind is free to focus on the really important things.

So here’s the deal- whether you’re a stay-at-home mother of toddlers or a top-flight CEO, it’s not so much about knowing more as it is about knowing the right things at the right time.

 
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Posted in Books, Productivity, Simplicity, Work/Life Balance