In the throws of everything going on in my life, I always try to carve out time for reading. Of the books I read during 2015—which was a mix of business and pleasure—a few really stuck out to me as ones I learned from and can really use in business and in my personal life. I thought I would share that list of books with you along with some of the main ideas from the following titles.
Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Yers in the Workplace
I am fascinated with the behaviors and norms of each of the generations; and more importantly, I love knowing how each generation can work best with each other. Sure, putting people in a generational “bucket” so-to-speak uses broad strokes with how people behave, but this book provides insight to what makes each generation tick and how we can work together at work and in life. I found this book after a casual search on Amazon.com and found the Kindle version under $4 and it had decent reviews—which seemed like a low risk to me! This book has three parts. The first part defines all of the generations. It is good information but is a little tough to get through. Push through this part because the next two parts are great. The authors interview people across the generations and what they say about their own generation and the other generations is fascinating.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
It seems as if I say “yes” to just about everything and I needed help determining what I can actually say “no” to. What this book helped me with was how to tease out what is truly essential in my personal life and at work and slowly get rid of everything else non-essential. Do I need to go to that meeting I was invited to? Do I really need to go to another party where I don’t know anyone, when I’d rather stay home and rest my mind or do something I would prefer? Most times the answer is “no” but we do it anyways because we feel obligated or that we are going to miss out on something spectacular. Focusing on what is essential in our lives can help us be more productive, keep us happy and ultimately, sane.
The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
First off, this is super short—under 150 pages! Second, this isn’t another boring manual, that most business books end up being. The authors wrote this as a fable and provide some really great life lessons. My biggest takeaway in my own words: Don’t be a terrible person. Be generous, authentic, and genuinely nice to others.
See what else I’ve read this year on Goodreads.