What's On My Reading List; Measure What Matters.

Variety improves the things that we do too often, but it rules the things that we don't do often enough. -Daniel Gilbert

My reading list is much like my running play list.  I like to mix it up.  A little American history,  running stories, motivation,business, self help, and some good science fiction.  As the quote above indicates, by reading a variety it improves the experience by keeping it fresh.

Here's a review on a more recent read.


Measure What Matters: OKRs: The Simple Idea that Drives 10x Growth by John Doerr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The case studies in this book are a fun read, especially in the audio book version which has each person related to the specific case study read their portion. The variety in voices kept the book entertaining.

Where the book lacked

What's on My Reading List; Born to Run

Running is a great sport to give a whirl because you literally do not need a thing to get started.  Zero start up cost.  You don't like it; no worries, you're not out a thing.

If you do like it and stick with it, unlike other sports that require a ton of expensive equipment, you can maintain a very low budget.  One way I keep costs low is by not worrying if my running

What's on my reading list: Shoe Dog

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of my all time favorites! I listened to it on Audible during my commutes. Sometimes I would sit in my car in my driveway and just keep listening. I found the history, geography and world culture lessons given through the lens of someone sharing their life story absolutely fascinating.
In January 2008, I saw the movie The Bucket List and crazy as it sounds, as a non-runner put "run a marathon" on my list. I've been running in a different brand ever since, but now that I have read this story I am going to the running store to pick up some Nike's immediately.
Thank you Phil Knight for your contributions and thank you for sharing your story.

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What's on My Reading List: 1776

1776 by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Belief was a strong characteristic that enabled George Washington to stay with his task even when discouraged and feeling hopeless. His belief in 'why' they were defending the United States gave him remarkable courage and determination to stick out the war. At a time when he may have been the wealthiest person in the US it would have been understandable if at any time he would have backed down.

The book is great and written in a way that keeps your attention page after page. McCullough may be my favorite author.

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What's On My Reading List: Leadership and the One Minute Manager

Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership by Kenneth H. Blanchard
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The principle of changing your leadership style to match the needs of your employees is very good; however, the writing style of this book is very distracting to the lessons the book offers. Referring to the main character as the One Minute Manager rather than giving them a name is also very annoying. I would not recommend adding this to your reading list.

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What's on My Reading List: Multipliers

Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading the difference between Multipliers and Diminishers. I think we have all worked for both and we all can be both. What a great leadership question to reflect on: am I being a Multiplier or a Diminisher right now?

Here is one of my favorite quotes:
“It isn’t how much you know that matters. What matters is how much access you have to what other people know. It isn’t just how intelligent your team members are; it is how much of that intelligence you can draw out and put to use.”

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What's on My Reading List; Grit: Passion, Perseverance, and the Science of Success

Grit: Passion, Perseverance, and the Science of Success by Angela Duckworth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book started out great. Her explanation of grit and the examples provided were very interesting. I feel that people will be encouraged to read that perseverance can win over talent or skill. Perseverance puts the ball in my court instead of in my heredity or environment. How badly do I want to be great? How hard am I willing to work for it? Imagine if everyone could get that and get the voice in their head lined up with that thought. Wow!

The book then turned very ordinary and repetitive and even sounded

What's on My Reading List; The Book of Forgiving

The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Truly beautiful book. The instruction for forgiveness is really illustrated well with fabulously shared stories.

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This quote was a really eye opening to me and changed how I look at things.  Before understanding this I always felt that forgiveness meant letting someone off of the hook.  I like this thought much better . . .

“Forgiveness does not relieve someone of responsibility for what they have done. Forgiveness does not erase accountability. It is not about turning a blind eye or even turning the other cheek. It is not about letting someone off the hook or saying it is okay to do something monstrous. Forgiveness is simply about understanding that every one of us is both inherently good and inherently flawed. Within every hopeless situation and every seemingly hopeless person lies the possibility of transformation.” 

My Whole30 Challenge

The top reason I have stayed with the same employer for over 20 years (dating myself) is that it is so great to work for a company with tremendous opportunity that encourages you to grow as a person.  Several years ago they made it even more fun to do so with the 68 Day Challenge.  Check it out here on Facebook:  The 68 Day Challenge.

The challenge I am taking on this year - the Whole30 Program.  30 days of cleaner eating for better health.  No grains, beans, dairy, added sugar, and alcohol for 30 days.  What is  attractive about this program?

Stop Looking For Balance

Often, people ask me "how do you balance it all"? Work, running, parenting, wife, volunteer . . .

Balance?
The truth is, I don't.
The bigger truth is, I would never want to.
I am sure it is the same truth for you.

Balance means everything is equal.
Most of us don't want equal emphasis on career and family as other things.  These are the big two. An example from the book reviewed below, which illustrates it awesomely, is comparing fitness to your career.  You don't need to exercise 40 plus hours a week to maintain your desired level of fitness.  Good news right?  Maybe just an hour 3 or 4 times per week.  Your boss definitely wants more from you in your job.  So are fitness and career balanced?  Of course not.

If not balance, then what?  Great question.
Purpose.
You have to know what you want and how important it is to you.
Will it be worth missing a few soccer games?
Is it worth being passed over for a promotion?
When you know what matters most and why, then you know how to cut up the pie.  You know which activities require more time
and
if you stay focused and true to your purpose,
you won't be searching
for balance.


Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success by Rory Vaden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I love most about this book is that it reinforces what we all know and that is that hard work, persistence, and sweat equity is and always will be the key to success. There is no magic pill. There is no 4 hour body. There is only self discipline. I love this quote from the book

“Success is never owned; it is only rented – and the rent is due every day.”

The reason I love this is because you can replace the word "success" with whatever goal you are striving for.

"Fitness is never owned; it is only rented - and the rent is due every day".
"Financial freedom is never owned; it is only rented - and the rent is due every day".
"Great relationships are never owned; they are only rented - and the rent is due every day".
"__________ is never owned; it is only rented - and the rent is due every day".

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What's On My Reading List: Mindset

Most people never run far enough on the first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got, and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you. William James

I really tried to like this book because of the recommendation it received.  I asked myself over and over, is it just that I get it and don't need to be sold on the concept that is bothering me?  No, it is just a poorly written book.  The author overplays her theory in every sports or business success or failure in the history of the world.

I give it 1 star and 5 Zzzzzzzz's

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

What's on my Reading List; Gone Girl

Books move to the top of my reading list by how often I come across the title.  Gone Girl came highly recommended by ladies discussing their favorite recent book club discussions.  I then found it odd when a sportscaster mentioned he was reading it during his newscast.  Bam!  It now moved to the top of my list.

I couldn't put it down.  I couldn't wait to hate Nick Dunne more and more.  Yes, even though I now know, I still hate him.  The reader's group guide at the back of the book asks "do you like Nick or Amy"?  My question is, how could you like either one?


Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The story is only OK, but the twists and turns will keep you glued to the book.

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Now that I've completed the book, I can't wait to see the movie to find out if hating Ben Affleck is possible.

What's On My Reading List; Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn

I have always been a John Maxwell fan and have read and reread many of his books. As a leader and lifelong learner, I always find great applicable lessons from his books.  One of my favorites is a very short read, Make Today Count.

I am frequently asked for recommendation and often reply "anything from John Maxwell or Patrick Lencioni".  On the flip side, I am offered so many title selections that my: "to read" list stretches from Detroit to Kalamazoo (inside joke with my daughter).

Oh, whatever shall I read next?  Books leap to the top of my "to read" list when

What's on My Reading List; Executive Presence

The concept of "executive presence" is a fantastic one. When providing feedback to others the term can be used as a reference to remove any personal context and ease the conversation.  Leaders can work towards creating a vision of executive presence for their organization to provide guidance for those growing within the organization.

This book provided many examples of do's and don'ts and I will use the term to coach employees who are missing the mark and holding themselves back; however I cannot recommend reading it.

Executive Presence: What Nobody Ever Tells You about Getting Ahead by Sylvia Ann Hewlett
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Perhaps this would make a good article, but it is very drawn out and boring as a book.

There isn't new information here - look your best, be your best, and speak your best.

This book agitated me for these 4 reasons:
1) Using Angelina Jolie as a positive example for anything
2) Endorsing plastic surgery
3) Recommending heavy make-up
4) Overuse of the word gravitas and the phrase "show your teeth"

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What's On My Reading List; The Mastery of Love

The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship --Toltec Wisdom Book by Miguel Ruiz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I recommend purchasing this book for every young adult you know, not just the young ladies. It's short and to the point.

"Happiness can only come from inside of you and is the result of your love. When you are aware that no one else can make you happy, and that happiness is the result of your love, this becomes the greatest mastery of the Toltecs: the Mastery of Love"

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What's On My Reading List

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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I loved listening to this book on audible.  What I enjoyed most was being exposed to many great TED talks that I haven't seen yet.  I can't wait to carve out a viewing session to check them all out.  Who has the popcorn?

The best advice in the book?  Favor pictures over text, secret number 9, is my pick.  So many times I have been overwhelmed by the amount of text on a PowerPoint presentation.  You totally tune out the presenter to try and feverishly read all of the text before they flip to the next slide.  Jeffrey Gitomer said it best at a seminar I attended of his; "SLIDES ARE FREE" use as many as you like.

The Difference Between Won't and Can't; Raising Kids Today

“The scholars who research happiness suggest that more money stops making people happier at a family income of around seventy-five thousand dollars a year. After that, what economists call “diminishing marginal returns” sets in. If your family makes seventy-five thousand and your neighbor makes a hundred thousand, that extra twenty-five thousand a year means that your neighbor can drive a nicer car and go out to eat slightly more often. But it doesn’t make your neighbor happier than you, or better equipped to do the thousands of small and large things that make for being a good parent.”  ~    Malcolm Gladwell, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

 

 

I find that as a leader I am more often wanting growth and development for people more than they want it themself. 

The 4 Hour Body

My friend's enthusiasm over this book, The 4 Hour Body, interested me enough to download it the same day.  He was geeked, and rightfully so.  He attributed techniques in the book to losing double digit pounds in 14 days.  For a tall and naturally thin person this is quite a feat.  As a health conscious person, always looking for ways to improve, I was intrigued.

I downloaded the book on Audible and listened to it in it's entirety in less than a day.  I was not hooked by all of the great tips that I couldn't wait to put into practice.  I was hooked by the bizarreness of it.  Much like you can't take your eyes off of a creepy movie, I listened to nearly 4 hours of weirdness.

Practices I will put into place from 4HB: