By Lisa Purichia
Partner, Director of Entrepreneurial Services
Anyone who has or desires a leadership position within a business should have a strong motivation for self-improvement, both for the good of the organization and their own sense of personal ambition.
If you look at the traits of successful people, you will find several common themes: curiosity about things going on in the world and their immediate community; an attention to developments within their chosen industry/profession; a desire to improve themselves and their relationships. They’re also the type of personality that seeks out ways to further these goals, including reading self-improvement books and articles.
Think about your own reading habits: have your read – or recommended to someone else – a good book lately?
The “self-help” genre of nonfiction writing started as a venue for people to work on their interpersonal relationships, especially romance. But writers and readers quickly grasped the potential to assist businesspersons in how to envision, map out and reach their professional aspirations.
No matter what issues a person is dealing with – retirement, succession planning, investments, new ventures or products, communication, general leadership style – there are plenty of great books out there that can speak to them.
With the press of time, it can be a challenge to sit down and read a book, so look for little gaps in your schedule where you can consume self-improvement advice on your own schedule. Going to be spending a few hours on a plane? Have some downtime before that out-of-town business meeting? Going on vacation? Keep a good book handy for whenever you have time to spare, even if it’s a few minutes.
If you read a book you found personally helpful, it’s an excellent gesture to pass along a copy to a friend or colleague you think they could benefit from the information. Make sure to frame it as “this might help you” rather than “you have a problem,” and you will find most people are receptive to the gift of a book.
Between customer and client, peer to peer or boss to employee, recommending a book can be a form of knowledge-sharing that helps cement the relationship. It shows that you care enough about them to seek ways for them to become stronger and more successful in their current role, or even assist them in moving on to the next big thing in their life.
People can come to feel isolated by the myriad challenges of daily living. Often, we believe we’re the only one we know dealing with a particular problem. Offering someone a book that addresses that topic not only gives them possible answers to their questions, it can help enhance their relationship to the giver. You are actively demonstrating that you CARE!!!
So whether hardcover, paperback or electronic, pick up a good business book – and pass one along.
In that spirit, here are a few books I’d like to recommend:
- “The New Retirementality” by Mitch Anthony – For those contemplating retirement.
- “Thanks for the Feedback” by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen – On how to accept criticism/advice and put it to good use.
- “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell – Insights on leadership from a 40-year veteran.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Lisa Purichia at (317) 608-6693 or email [email protected].