| This article will focus on the acquisition of | | | | and maintain success in the rapidly changing |
| knowledge through learning by reading. While | | | | global economy.c. "Blue Ocean Strategy" |
| there are certainly numerous other ways to | | | | authored by INSEAD professors W. Chan Kim and |
| learn (experience, classroom instruction, | | | | Renee Mauborgne. This book argues the premise |
| digital learning, etc.) I am a huge fan of | | | | (and successfully so in my opinion) that |
| the benefits of professional development | | | | tomorrow's leading companies will succeed not |
| gained from good old-fashion reading. Someone | | | | by battling competitors in overly competitive |
| once said "you are what you read" and while I | | | | markets for thin margins (bloody "red |
| think there is far more to the equation of | | | | oceans") but by creating "blue oceans" of |
| our individual make-up than our choice of | | | | uncontested market space ripe for |
| reading material there is also an element of | | | | growth.2. Periodicals, Trade Publications and |
| truth contained in the aforementioned | | | | Industry Journals: Again, not being able to |
| quote.If I told you how much time I spend | | | | address the specific needs of each reader you |
| reading and researching you probably wouldn't | | | | must make your own choices here as well. |
| believe me, but suffice it to say I am a | | | | However being aware of industry trends, |
| voracious reader. I subscribe to online | | | | competitive positioning, who the thought |
| clipping services, use RSS feeds to scour | | | | leaders are, etc. are all critical to your |
| news groups, forums and the Blogosphere, | | | | success. Pick the top couple of publications |
| usually have at least two books going at any | | | | in your industry, sector, vertical or |
| one time as well as reading a variety of | | | | micro-vertical and pour-over the content |
| industry publications and periodicals. That | | | | looking for opportunities to exploit. Most |
| being said, I'm always amazed at the number | | | | print publications now also have Internet |
| of executives who don't keep up with their | | | | versions or digital newsletters that can be |
| professional reading.Here is a telling | | | | subscribed to as well. I typically always |
| observation...According to surveys conducted | | | | have a print copy of a periodical in my brief |
| by our leadership development practice a very | | | | case, one on my night stand, and several in |
| large common denominator shared by executives | | | | my office. My favorite general business |
| who feel that they are not achieving the | | | | publications are The Economist, Chief |
| level of success they feel themselves capable | | | | Executive, Fast Company, Business 2.0 and |
| of is that many of them are "too busy to keep | | | | Wired.3. Digital Media: Blogs, Forums, News |
| up with their reading", Hmmm...Reading should | | | | Groups, News Portals, Clipping Services and |
| not be something that is done when you're | | | | other aggregators: Select an appropriate |
| bored or have nothing better to do, rather it | | | | cross section of all of the aforementioned |
| needs to be incorporated into your daily | | | | options. What I particularly like about this |
| regimen. I have personally worked with | | | | genre is that it is often "real time" |
| literally hundreds of C-suite executives and | | | | information as opposed to other mediums that |
| without question the most successful | | | | have a built in latency factor. Another |
| professionals are those that constantly seek | | | | benefit is that much of the content produced |
| out learning opportunities and are voracious | | | | in this medium is not from the typical |
| readers. They realize the importance of | | | | industry pundits, but rather true "in the |
| learning and make reading a priority.Think of | | | | trenches" thought leaders that see things |
| the business leaders that have had the | | | | coming long before journalists report it in |
| biggest positive impact in your life and I'm | | | | the news or the so-called gurus publish it in |
| sure you'll find that these individuals were | | | | their latest book. This medium has been my |
| in constant search of new and better | | | | preferred reading choice for a number of |
| information that they in turn used to | | | | years now because it is extremely productive |
| inspire, motivate and lead those around | | | | and time effective. I subscribe to a number |
| them.The question is not should you be | | | | of blogs, news groups, forums and clipping |
| reading, but rather what should you be | | | | services because I'm able to be "pushed" |
| reading? With the plethora of reading | | | | content that I've asked for in a medium that |
| material on the market today it not a simple | | | | I enjoy. If you are not a heavy consumer of |
| thing to make sure that you're covering all | | | | online information you are truly missing the |
| the bases in a time efficient fashion. | | | | boat...4. Personal Reading: Read whatever you |
| Therefore the following tips were designed to | | | | enjoy...personal development, spiritual |
| help you streamline your reading | | | | reading, fiction, etc. However keep in mind |
| efforts:1. Books: You should always be | | | | that it does little good to feed your brain |
| engaged in the reading of at least one book | | | | if you're not feeding your soul first. I'm |
| on professional development. Since I can't | | | | not going to preach and I realize that our |
| speak to the individual needs of our readers | | | | readers have different religious preferences |
| in this forum I am simply going to recommend | | | | so you decide what reading material should |
| what I believe are the 3 best general | | | | fall into this category. I'm also not going |
| business books authored over the past 5 | | | | to tell you how much time you should allocate |
| years. These books can have an immediate | | | | to this category, but I would suggest you |
| impact on the way in which you think about, | | | | ponder what is truly important in life and |
| and conduct business. If you haven't read | | | | make your investments where they will pay the |
| them start here:a. "The Attention Economy" | | | | biggest dividends. I will leave you with one |
| authored by Accenture consultants Thomas | | | | of my favorite quotes, Billy Graham said: "If |
| Davenport and John Beck. This book delves | | | | I could go back and change one thing in my |
| into the critical importance of understanding | | | | life I would read more of the Bible and less |
| both sides of the attention equation: | | | | about the Bible."Mike Myatt is the Chief |
| "getting and holding the attention of | | | | Strategy Officer at N2growth. N2growth is a |
| information-flooded employees, consumers, and | | | | leading venture growth consultancy providing |
| stockholders, and on parceling out their own | | | | a unique array of professional services to |
| attention in the face of overwhelming | | | | high growth companies on a venture based |
| options. The resolution: learn to manage this | | | | business model. The rare combination of |
| critical yet finite resource, of fail.b. "The | | | | branding and corporate identity services, |
| World Is Flat" authored by three time | | | | capital formation assistance, market research |
| Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times | | | | and business intelligence, sales and product |
| journalist Thomas L. Friedman. This book | | | | engineering, leadership development and |
| begins with a historical view of the world | | | | talent management, as well as marketing, |
| which leads to riveting and perceptive | | | | advertising and public relations services |
| conclusions based upon both the macro and | | | | make N2growth the industry leader in |
| micro economic effects of globalization and | | | | strategic growth consulting. |
| what it will take for a business to achieve | | | | |