CommLog

Reviews of Books Read in 2005

The folks at CRA are heavy readers, and we're often asked what we're reading and what we've liked. I read 19 books in 2005, with a few others that I started but did not finish, and below are thumbnail reviews of those that qualify as business books. Note that I tend not to finish books I don’t enjoy, so most of these reviews are favorable.

Blink: A compelling book that reviews the research related to “rapid cognition,” or how we make decisions in an instant. The bottom line: sometimes our snap decisions are spot on, and sometimes they’re not. It all depends on the context and your expertise. Some find Blink dry; I thought it was more dry than The Tipping Point, but still excellent.

Squirrel Inc.: A wonderful book on narratives and how they work in organizations, structured as a narrative itself. I think Squirrel Inc. is required reading for any communication professional, and for most leaders.

Blog: Radio pundit, Con-Law professor, and blogger Hugh Hewitt’s treatise on weblogs. Disclosure: I met Hugh at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, and between that meeting, the RNC in New York, and a panel we shared for Campaigns & Elections, we became familiar acquaintances. At times it’s hard for some folks (including me) to divorce Hugh from his conservative and evangelical opinions, but I think he gets blogs spot on in Blog, and it’s worth reading … especially as a follow-up to The Cluetrain Manifesto, noted below.

The Likeability Factor: Tim Sanders' follow-up to Love is the Killer App, which I think is required reading for, well, about everyone. Unfortunately, The Likeability Factor isn’t. You can scan this book in a single sitting, and I passed over large sections. Review it in the bookstore and leave it at that.

Getting Things Done: Looking back over 2005, which was without a doubt my most productive and balanced year to date, I attribute nearly all of my effectiveness to the ideas I took from Getting Things Done. Here David Allen has written a very important book to those trying to manage life in our modern, information-driven world, and I was so enamored I ended up striking up a personal and professional relationship with David that’s been equally fulfilling. Get this book, read it, and apply it’s principles. You’ll be glad you did.

Management of the Absurd: Another must read. Richard Farson lays out a set of contradictions in modern organizations and management that are spot-on. I have a review here; read this book, especially if you’re in a leadership role.

Never Eat Alone: Keith Ferrazzi wrote this book primarily around personal stories, many of which I ended up skipping because they became redundant, and in some cases, sounded self-aggrandizing. That said, the book is likely of use to those thinking for the first time about how to build and manage relationships (I think “manage” is the appropriate word for Ferrazzi’s approach to relationship; I would prefer “cultivate”), and I took away a few ideas that I’m glad to have.

House of Lies: Wonderful reading for anyone who has worked in or with large consulting firms. Martin Kihn--who wrote the book while working in a large strategy firm--nails the large-firm culture with a compelling mix of wit, sarcasm, truth, and poignancy.

The Cluetrain Manifesto: The manifesto for the effect of the Internet on organizations and society. Essential reading for anybody working in, leading, or trying to understand modern organizations, else you, too, miss the cluetrain. (You may also catch the cluetrain online.)

How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life: The first of several books I read on Reagan this year. HRRCML presents the 10 lessons Peter Robinson drew from working in the Reagan White House as a young speechwriter. If you’re not a fan of Reagan’s, you’ll find the book fawning. If you are, you’ve probably already read it. If you can be objective, you’ll read it as a set of sound principles for living one’s life.

Freakonomics: I was late to read this blockbuster. Enjoyed it, but didn’t find it as earth-shattering as have some. If you’ve not viewed the world with an empirical eye in the past, and if you didn’t take any econ in college, you’ll love it.

When Character Was King: Peggy Noonan’s account of her life with Ronald Reagan. Fawning to some; spot on for others. Passages are beautifully written, and it’s all very much in the Noonan style (for those who enjoy her Wall Street Journal op-eds). This is more of a history (and in some ways, a goodbye) than an account of lessons learned. I enjoyed it.

The Greatest Communicator: My final Regan book of the year, written by his chief strategist, Dick Wirthlin. A fascinating account of Reagan’s approach to politics, communication, and leadership, and not as fawning as some other Reagan recollections. I think every communication professional out there should read it, as should all senior leaders.

So there’s the list. I’ve started 2006 with Descartes’ Notebook, which I should finish shortly. One final book that we gave a lot of folks in 2005 but which I'd already seen was Rebecca Blood's Weblog Handbook, that we recommend to anyone interested in learning about or publishing blogs.

Technorati Tags: Book Reviews, Rebecca Blood

Strategy Bites Back

Jeff Grimshaw recently finished reading Strategy Bites Back, and was kind enough to compile for the rest of our firm a summary of the passages from the book he found most compelling. It includes this paragraph, which I think is spot on:

Part of the reason people fail when they try to walk the talk is that their intention was doomed from the start. Failure was inevitable because they have things backward. Walking is the means to find things worth talking about. People discover what they think by looking at what they say, how they feel, and where they walk. The talk makes sense of walking, which means those best able to walk the talk are the ones who actually talk the walking they find themselves doing most often, with most intensity, and with most satisfaction.

Freakonomics

I was once taught that great leaders are optimistic, and they find the good in everyone and everything. Under unusual circumstances, I found the time to read over the past few days, and wanted to share the good I discovered ... It's a book called Freakonomics by economist Steven Levitt and NY Times reporter Stephen Dubner. It's an entertaining collection of questions that turn conventional wisdom on its head. In addition to giving you great material for cocktail parties, the authors ask unusual questions, such as "Why do drug dealers still live with their mothers? What's more dangerous--a gun or a swimming pool? What do teachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? The authors describe a novel way of looking at things, making connections, asking questions, and measuring why people behave the way they do--all qualities of a great leader. It may not change the way you think everyday, but it will certainly make you consider connections you've never imagined.

Richard Farson

My Partner Randall recently passed out Management of the Absurd by Richard Farson to the consultants in the firm. Farson is a former CEO, professor, and psychologist who studied with the famous Carl Rogers for many years. His thesis: Life is absurd, human affairs usually work not rationally but paradoxically, and we can never quite master our relationships with others. As a result, leaders should appreciate paradox and focus on how to best play their part in it. On the whole, his is shaping up to be an argument for authenticity. I�m just getting into the book, but one selling point is how Farson has structured the chapters as tenets of paradox. Examples of his chapter titles: * The Opposite Of A Profound Truth Is Also True * Once You Find A Management Technique That Works, Give It Up * Planning Is An Ineffective Way To Bring About Change * Big Changes Are Easier To Make Than Small Ones * Morale Is Unrelated To Productivity * Organizations That Need Help Most Will Benefit From It Least And on they go. The foreword, by Michael Crichton, forecasts that Farson�s thinking will prompt you to feel �stimulated, intrigued, amused, and exasperated.� Given how some of the paradoxes run up against conventional wisdom, for many who have been reading much of the pop leadership literature out there today, that�s likely true. That being said, a cursory review of the chapter titles also summarizes, sometimes nearly verbatim, much of the counsel we give clients, especially in our executive coaching practice. Examples (again, chapter titles from the book): * Effective managers are not in control * Technology creates the opposite of its intended purpose * We think we invent technology, but technology also invents us * The more we communicate, the less we communicate * In communication, form is more important than content * Listening is more difficult than talking * Every act is a political act * Every great strength is a great weakness * Leaders cannot be trained, but they can be educated And my personal favorite, * There are no leaders, there is only leadership I'd say we agree with all of these, and that�s part of the reason Randall found the book so compelling. I�m finding it compelling as well, and I�m certain I�ll have read it before returning home this Friday. We�ve listed the book in the Books In Our Bags section in the right-hand column, along with the other books the folks in our firm are reading at the moment. We don�t list the dogs, so consider anything over there a recommendation.

Think Like a 5th-Grade Billionaire

Fast Company's No Consultant Left Behind explains that "as a public service, the Consultant Debunking Unit (CDU) has applied standard reading-level assessment formulas* used by educators to some of the most popular management texts." Good to Great: 8th-grade reading level. Who Moved My Cheese?: 7th-grade. Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: 5th-grade. This post: 10th-grade reading level.

Malcolm Gladwell's Blink

Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point popularized economist Thomas Schelling's work on social networks — with snappy terms like connectors, mavens, and salesmen. His latest work, Blink, tackles the snap decisions we make every day. Fast Company's The Accidental Guru shares an example:

The impetus for Blink started with Gladwell's hair (as did his brief splash in the gossip pages when he got "a little too close to some candles" and it ignited during a recent literary event, according to the New York Post's Page Six). For most of his adult life, he had worn it closely cropped, but several years ago decided to let it grow out into a woolly Afro. "The first thing that started happening was I started getting speeding tickets. . . . I wasn't driving any faster than I was before, I was just getting pulled over way more." Then there was the day Gladwell was walking around New York and cops surrounded him, mistaking him for a rape suspect. "I'm exactly the same person I was before," recalls Gladwell, who's half black (his mother, a therapist, is Jamaican). "But I just altered the way someone makes up very superficial, rapid judgments about me." Rather than merely grouse -- legitimately enough -- about prejudice, Gladwell, who has the tendency to look in on his own life as a case study, was inspired to try to understand what happens beneath the surface of rapidly made decisions. "The idea that something that is extraordinarily harmful in society could be exactly the same in its form as something that's incredibly useful is really interesting to me."

A Counselor�s Reading List

I was asked by a colleague of a client today � a Public Affairs professional who�s ramping up his level of work and counsel � what books I might suggest to someone looking to elevate their advisor game. Here�s what I rattled off, some of which we�ve posted about in the past, and some of which is new. It�s just my take, but I think each book helps an advisor to leaders better understand communication, organizational dynamics, and the profession of offering counsel. Here�s the list:

Carville and Begala

We constantly send books to clients, and a book we�ve been giving recently is Buck Up, Suck Up, and Come Back When You Foul Up by James Carville and Paul Begala (yes, that Carville and that Begala). It�s slender, it�s paperback, it�s entertaining, and it�s a fast read (although you do have to look past some political posturing). And while it offers memorable reminders of many core communication tenets (e.g., be open with bad news, communicate in stories, etc.), more important is the book�s advice on managing political capital�a topic from which we feel leaders in general and communication professionals in particular can benefit. A favorite communication-related passage of mine:

The people you�re trying to reach have been raised in the sound-bite culture. They�re used to professional politicians, admakers and entertainers getting to the point in a matter of seconds. You need to do the same. You can�t expect people who only listen to their president for a few seconds to listen to you for an hour and a half.

Get the book here at Amazon.

Tim Sanders

�Love is the Killer App.� I know � the title sounds touchy-feely. But the fact is that you�ll probably enjoy the book. Sanders, Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo!, makes this argument: In the New Economy individuals will be rewarded primarily by the extent to which they add value to their professional counterparts, and the best way to do so is through offering intangible rather than tangible value. What counts as intangible value? Knowledge, contacts, and compassion. Sanders� is a three-part method:

Adrian Slywotzky

A bit of an unusual book recommendation for us: Adrian Slywotzky�s �The Art of Profitability,� which Publisher�s Weekly describes as a

compact tome � [that] offers 23 business lessons via the tale of a manager's quest to learn the "art of profitability" from David Zhao, a wise master. It's an attractive and refreshing concept that taps into the Zen of business.

I know � it sounds a bit touchy-feely. But here�s why you should read it: * For communication professionals, it�s a simple yet fog-lifting exploration of how businesses create profit � a central part of the general business acumen essential to your credibility with senior leadership and folks from operations. * For senior leadership, folks from operations, and communication professionals alike, Slywotzky (a Vice President at Mercer Management Consulting) adroitly handles a challenge many of us face daily: articulating the organization�s profit engine in a manner that line employees can easily grasp and apply to their daily experience. The book is short and breezy--you'll finish it in just a few sittings (if not one)--and perfect for reading on the plane or train. Visit it here at Amazon.

Peggy Noonan

Reagan speechwriter and Wall Street Journal editorialist Peggy Noonan has offered a slender summary of her advice on speech giving and speech writing in On Speaking Well. The subtitle is �How to give a speech with style, substance, and clarity,� and for the most part, the book provides sound if somewhat obvious advice. Some examples: * Keep any speech to 20 minutes or less. * Begin writing any speech with a single headline that summarizes the entire point, followed by a general outline. * The more difficult or complex the subject, the more simply you should craft the language. * Be on the lookout for words that, when spoken, may be difficult to discern (example: �saver� and �saber�). Noonan also offers guidance to those who write speeches for others, which includes similar useful-if-common-sense guidance. On the whole: No surprises here, but On Speaking Well confirms much of the advice we offer others. It�s worth reading if you�re looking to improve speech giving and writing, but likely not if you�re a seasoned practitioner. Be aware, however: Noonan takes every opportunity to argue her political perspective throughout via examples and anecdotes � if you�re a dyed in the wool Democrat you may find yourself cringing.

The American Presidents

In a recent trip through Washington D.C.'s Union Station we picked up this two-volume set: Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States, by Applewood Books.

The editors present the full text of each speech, and a brief synopsis of its historical context. Inexpensive, paperback, small enough to fit into your briefcase or bag for travel reading ... worth the time for speechwriters seeking examples and leaders seeking inspiration alike. Check them out here at Amazon: Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Gordon Bethune

We don't often find much of interest related to internal communication in mainstream business books, but that's not the case in Worst to First by Gordon Bethune, CEO of Continental Airlines. We use the turnaround of Continental as a case study of effective executive communication, strategic messaging, and the use of convincing decisions, and in Worst To First Bethune offers a rich first-person account of how internal communication was a significant catalyst for positive change at Continental. It's a read we recommend for leaders and internal communication strategists alike.

Read reviews and order the book from Amazon.com here ...

Robert Cialdini

Persuasion theory is an integral part of understanding interpersonal communication, yet it's a body of work inaccessible to most save Psychology and Communication scholars. Luckily, Robert Cialdini's classic text, Influence, is available to all. First published in 1984, it's in its fourth edition and is the seminal text for laymen and scholars alike. A must read not only for leaders, speechwriters, and internal communication strategists, but for anyone interested in persuasion and influence.

Read reviews and order the book from Amazon.com here ...

David Gergen

While we find most popular leadership texts lacking, David Gergen's recent book Eyewitness To Power is a read that would serve any practitioner or leader well. Not only does Gergen consistently provide stories and anecdotes that can inspire the speechwriter, his descriptions of how presidential administrations manage informational, grass-roots, and stakeholder campaigns are fascinating. What's more, reading the book is itself an increasingly rare opportunity to learn from government while still engaging in a largely apolitical act: after all, Gergen is likely the only senior advisor of his ilk to serve in both the Reagan and Clinton administrations.

Read reviews and order the book from Amazon.com here ...