Do business books work?
Would you go to a doctor that has not read a medical book or a scholarly article since med school? Then why would you do business with a business person who has not read a book since grad school? That is the point that master marketer and fellow blogger Seth Godin makes in his latest post entitled: Do business books work?
I am personally astounded at how many senior managers of corporations I have met think that:
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•lean manufacturing was something Weight Watchers produced or
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•6 Sigma was the new Lexus model
Here are some excellent quotes on the subject from one of my favorite business philosophers: Jim Rohn:
“Miss a meal if you have to, but don't miss a book.
Some people claim that it is okay to read trashy novels because sometimes you can find something valuable in them. You can also find a crust of bread in a garbage can, if you search long enough, but there is a better way.
Most homes valued at over $250,000 have a library. That should tell us something.
Everything you need for your better future and success has already been written. And guess what? It's all available. All you have to do is go to the library. And there's probably a library in every neighborhood.
Some people read so little they have rickets of the mind.
I now have one of the better libraries. I admit that I haven't read everything in my library, but I feel smarter just walking in it.
Don't just read the easy stuff. You may entertained by it, but you will never grow from it.
The book you don't read won't help.
Books are easy to find and easy to buy. A paperback these days only costs six or seven dollars. You can borrow that from your kids!
It isn't what the book costs; it's what it will cost if you don't read it.”
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
