Three books, one promise

 

I am not employed by Doug Shaw, paid by him or bribed in any way with cash, fast cars or cake. 

I just think he’s a guy who talks a lot of sense on the impact the employer/employee relationship, customer service, and social media have on the success of a business. 

(Though Doug, if you’re reading this, a custom metallic red paint job would really go with my eyes.)

Today he’s reviewed a book entitled ‘You’re Not That Great.’ Well, yes, I was intrigued too. It turns out that the author Daniel Crosby has plenty to say on learning, development, effort, and being crazy. One thing Doug’s pulled out as a call to action is Daniel’s challenge:

Choose three books that you’ve always wanted to read (or that would deepen your understanding of some desired content area) and purchase them today. Right now.  Seriously…  go ahead. Now choose a date three months from now by which you will have read all the books. Determine a reward for reading them in time as well as a punishment for not having read them and make it known to someone you trust who will hold you to your goal.

Doug’s chosen his own books, and I’ve just selected mine.

Mediating Dangerously:  because anything that challenges the way I do something might just improve how I do it, right? I hope to refresh a few skills and perhaps approach conflicts in organisations in a different way. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. It’s worth a shot. Plus it’s been sitting on my bookcase for a while, taunting me.

The Advantage:  I recently read Lencioni’s Silos, Politics and Turf Wars and greatly enjoyed its message and structure. The ‘silos’ message really resonated with me with regards to one company I encountered recently and  I’m intrigued by what he’s got to say on organisational health.

When I Die: Again, I read An Unfinished Life last year and was overwhelmed by Gould’s sense of purpose, dedication and vision, and how that informed his working and personal relationships. It was a close call between this and Bevan’s In Place of Fear, but Gould edged it- he may be one of the more modern political figures but he is no less fascinating.

My reward for reading all three by 21st May? I’ll finally get my rear into gear and arrange to go and see my dear friend Lee in Liverpool.   

My punishment? I’ll up the gym sessions to four a week.

You’re my witness.