Our epic team gets together to discuss business books because we believe what Harry Truman said:
”Not all Readers are Leaders But all Leaders are Readers”
So together we exercise our leadership muscles with this optional team event.
Over the summer we read a newbie.
Better, Simpler Strategy: A Value-Based Guide to Exceptional Performance – by Felix Oberholzer-Gee
It’s our third strategy selection and it’s one of the most practical and insightful books we’ve had the opportunity to learn from.
We’ve already leveraged the lessons with clients and in our business.
The concept that this book goes through can be summarized by Willingness to Pay and Willingness to Sell.
Willingness to Pay is the impact that a decision or project has on the top line and the revenue of your organization. A strategy will move the needle on sales or WTP.
Willingness to Sell is the impact that a choice or initiative has on the costs including employee, labour and vendors. A strategy will impact your costs or WTS.
It is that simple and the book gives tangible exercises and ideas to help with strategy through this lens.
Other strategy books we’ve featured in our book club include:
Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works – by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business – by Gino Wickman
Some of the other books we’ve studied on simplicity include:
Why Simple Wins: Escape the Complexity Trap and Get to Work That Matters – by Lisa Bodell
We’ve also tackled other topics besides strategy and simplicity.
Communication:
Why Are We Yelling?: The Art of Productive Disagreement – by Buster Benson
Networking:
Never Eat Alone And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time –by Keith Ferrazzi
Other:
Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, The: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life – by Mark Manson
Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t – by Jim Collins
We hope that your “new year” includes some reading goals.
As we start up a new
- school year
- phase of COVID
- hockey and sports season
- budget season
- interim audit
- fall season
- and other signs of the true “new” year,
take a minute to align those goals with a great book. The best part of reading today? It doesn’t have to be hardcover front to back. All of the books we’ve read have snooks, podcasts, Blinkists, Audibles, Harvard Business Reviews, online write-ups or other absorbable summaries.
Life is busy so you might not have 4 hours of focus. But we believe if you want to be a leader you’ll prioritize and find the medium and time to exercise those leadership muscles!
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