My buddy (and fellow Milwaukeean) Todd Sattersten wrote the most helpful little manifesto I’ve ever read, called How to Read a Business Book. With the number of books I read a year, I am printing this out and keeping it in my bag so I remember how to do this right (because I have been doing it all wrong).
His tips on how to read a business book are quite simple:
• Spend more time choosing books to avoid reading the wrong books.
• Search for the promise the author makes.
• The end can be a great place to start.
• Read as much for others as yourself.
• More books read means more understanding gained.
• You only need one good idea.
Download How to Read a Business Book right now.
Want a book recommendation to get you started using this? Start with the book Todd co-wrote, the 100 Best Business Books of All-Time.
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Phil Gerbyshak is the founder of the Make It Great! Institute, founded in 2006 to teach businesses and their organizations how to best use online technology to increase their bottom line, improve customer engagement, and increase employee loyalty. Additionally, Phil has written over 2500 articles and 3 books, his most recent book being #TwitterWorks, focusing on how small businesses and independent restaurants can use Twitter to effectively connect with their customers and potential customers. Phil has been interviewed to share his expertise the Wall Street Journal, the Daily Globe and Mail, USA Today, CBS SmartPlanet and many other publications online and offline.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Phil, thanks for bringing this article to our attention. I can always count on you to show me where some of the best of the web resides, thank you for that.
Joe
This is great Phil, thanks. I already sent a link to the pdf to my boss!
This reminds me of the time I met Sandra Day O’Connor in her chambers at the supreme court. (I taught at a school named after her at the time.) She shook my hand and said two things.
First, she said, “You teach at a school with my name on it. Don’t embarrass me.” Ouch.
Then she said, “Learn to speed read. Read a book a day.” I have not done that yet, but I do read a lot. I’m guessing her advice for reading a business book would be this: read it quickly.
I always look at the table of contents (if I’m in a book store) – it’s the outline of what’s in the book. If that doesn’t interest me, I don’t buy it.
Good tips. Glad you shared.
Here’s the one I miss:
Search for the promise the author makes.
Yep, the one you’d think you’d focus on. Sometimes I get lost in the ‘story’.
Cheers,
Todd – tojosan – Jordan
Ah yes, me too. I LOVE a story!
Thanks for sharing this Phil, I had learned some similar strategies from Steve Leveen that I posted on here http://stephenpsmith.com/blog/2010/01/capture-your-thoughts-while-reading/