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