Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Chi Running by Danny Dreyer
The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler
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by Megan 6 Comments
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Chi Running by Danny Dreyer
The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler
by Megan 8 Comments
Since I’m thinking more about the kind of business I want to have, and the importance of creating value (and not just making money), I pulled Business and the Buddha from my stack of “to be read” books.
I didn’t really find most of the ideas in the book earth shattering (though perhaps they would be if I was the CEO of GM or some other company like that). Instead, they reinforced what I’ve already been thinking about. Author Lloyd Field stresses that the primary goal of any business should be to “Cause No Harm,” whether it be to the environment, employees, or customers. Field then goes through Buddhist principals to help clarify how a business can “Cause No Harm” and “Create a Better Society.”
One of the most important ideas I took from the book was my need to create a value statement. Its clear to me that in my business, my goal isn’t just to create profit, but I really need to clarify my values and communicate those to my customers as well.
by Megan 2 Comments
by Megan 2 Comments
by Megan 2 Comments
For a long time, I always thought that if there was one company that I would absolutely love to work for, it would be Pixar. (Lately I’ve been obsessed with watching the behind the scenes footage on all my Pixar DVDs.) But after reading The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley, I’ve changed my mind. The company I’d most love to work for is IDEO.
Truth is, my goal is actually to run my own company, but fortunately for me, The Art of Innovation gives you insights how you can incorporate the IDEO methodology into your own business.
It’s also wonderfully insightful for anyone who designs objects that are used by people. One of the best chapters was the one on direct observation, which really resonated last week at the gift fair as I watched people interact with my products. Sometimes as designers, we become so familiar with our own products that we forget to consider how newcomers will respond to them. Utilizing IDEO’s observation strategies, its easier to consider the needs of our potential customers.
The chapter on hot teams made me dream of the day when I can afford to hire fabulous employees and surround myself with good people. Which reminds me of one of the concepts in Good to Great – first who, then what – meaning that the people you have in a company are more important than the products you’re making. (Actually, a lot of the ideas in The Art of Innovation paralleled the concepts in Good to Great – which only solidifies IDEO’s ability to understand what it takes to create a great company.)
And after reading the chapter on creating a workplace that facilitates innovation, I can’t wait to go home and reorganize my workspace. Plus, I’ve now got grand plans to steal space in my parents barn to set up a big space to play and test out new ideas.
The book is easy to read and full of inspiring ideas and useful action items. I’d highly recommend it.
by Megan 3 Comments
I just finished reading Outliers: The Story of Success – the newest book by Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell. It was one of about a dozen books I got for Christmas, and I chose to start with it because I knew it would be an easier, enjoyable read. Just as with the Tipping Point, Gladwell looks at the world around us and comes up with new reasons for why things happen the way they do.
Its no secret that I wish I was a writer. (Partly because then I could devote more time a day to reading.) I have a few favorite books about writing that I like to re-read from time to time, and anything by William Zinsser tops the list. If you want a classic guide on clear and precise writing, I highly recommend Zinsser’s On Writing Well. (I own two copies.) Currently I’m reading Writing to Learn.