Jane Hamilton, an American novelist beautifully said, “It is books that are the key to the wide world; if you can’t do anything else, read all that you can.”
I have taken that philosophy for a number of years and know it to be true. Some of the greatest successes I have had in life, were due to the knowledge I gained by reading a book. There is a book for just about every conceivable problem. In the business/leadership genre this is ever so true. Many companies struggle in these hard times, yet many of the secrets to solve these problem are locked within the confines of wonderful books.
I feel a little bit ashamed though, that I don’t really tell many people about the books that have impacted me. As I was staring at a pile of books recently and thinking about this; I realized that I should to start a book column on the site. Instead of just randomly posting a book I enjoyed, I needed to make it more regular. So I have decided to start the Leadership Book Corner every Friday at ToddNielsen.com to share and talk about some of the fantastic new books that are hitting the market, and some old classics that I love.
Here is my pledge to you:
I promise to NOT share books just because some publicist or author sent me a book. I will only review books that I enjoyed reading, that I learned from, and that I feel provide value to my readers.
I will keep the reviews short and sweet, so you can get on with your day.
I will try and always share a few quotes from the book so you can get a taste of the content and writing style of the author.
I will be honest if there is something about the book that bothers me. Keep in mind though that I will not share books that I don’t like, so a small flaw usually won’t make me not like a book.
***Prizes – If I get cooperation from the Authors of the books I review, I will give away a book each week to the person with the most profound comment on the topic of the article.
The Leadership Book Corner, starts Friday October 26th, 2012 (Tomorrow). I hope you will join me. As always sign-up for email updates to stay up to date on all the articles and books I share.
Let me leave you with another great quote on reading:
A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
and for those that need a laugh:
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”
~ Will Rogers
About Todd Nielsen
Reading is such a fortunate privilege that most don’t take advantage of. How could you not want to mne the wealth of information contained within great books. Reading and understanding great books is such an awesome short cut to achieving your goals abd dreams. Its almost like reaping the ripe fruits of a tree you didnt plant. I take full advantage. With that said, send my way some great books that you have read. @ebdatrainer
Hi Todd,
Because I have a great imagination, I grew up avoiding doing my reading – passed exams because I could, not because I read what I should have studied more deeply. That up-bringing is regrettable because today I can count the cost of coming very late to cultivating a taste for reading.
I count that as a failure in my own self-leadership but so long as failure is something we can learn from and something we rise out from, that I have begun reading books now is really a case of better late than never-at-all.
Whereas I see you lately espouse the importance of personal brand, I think that Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha have a much more fundamental perspective – in that they talk of us viewing our careers as a start-up, in their book “The Start-Up of You”.
For me, that start-up includes starting up reading – for what is the point of cultivating an external marketed brand, if one is hollow inside. Reading is one of the values that fills a personal brand up and turns the branded image into an authentic being.
For sure I can use my imagination to present the best of me and such an image can make for a successful investment, but reading is not the making of a brand, it has more to do with the making of a person. Ultimately, the gift we give when we learn this is to the coming generations – this nurturing of the love of reading.
So if we focus on books about leadership, first we must make leadership a personal verb – an action which we undertake, then the reading of leadership books has that much more value, the cultivation of brand image has much more resonance – because then it is about a life being lived – rather than a product deemed as “successful life”.
For me reading started when I engaged online reading, but I recognize that to really benefit, the mind is a gymnasium awaiting the long-form. Reading, as well as the experience of traveling are two of the great sources of cerebral nutrition – having imagination is a plus, but standing on the shoulders of the great, this should be a no-brainer.
I look forward to your review of leadership books – but what I am saying here, is that the very act of reading books is an act of leadership. It is an act of leadership because central to reading any book on leadership is the cultivation of character.
Regards
Manjit
Great comments Manjit. I like you developed a love of reading later in life. I have always been a good reader, but never loved it when I was a child either. I believe leadership is a far reaching topic. Books on leadership in my mind, might include: leadership, team building, trust, collaboration, innovation, social media in business, turnarounds, personal development in all its flavors, and much , much more. I agree that the acto fo reading books is part of leadership. I think all leaders must have a growth mentality.
Thanks for your comment!
Best,
Todd