What business books to read

So my wife Jenifer makes fun of how many books I have and is constantly bothering me about how I am going to get through them all. And to be honest I wonder sometimes. There are weeks I manage to get through several smaller books and they are easy reads. Still other weeks that I fail to get through even one.

One thing I can guarantee is I will continue to be a student.

Here is a ever evolving list of my favorites. (Yea, I know should be shorter but if the want the short version just ping me)

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/35YC9M9OIMQ88?ref_=wl_share

Defensive

Driving - Great Idea
Playing Sports and defending your goal - Yep
At work when working with others? Bad idea.

I have to be honest, most likely my first response is defensive when someone comes at me with something that is contrary to my opinions. Worse yet, I struggle with listening. Instead my natural reaction is to start planning my defense. A strategy I am trying is to listen to everything first, identify the areas I can agree with.

Still a struggle for sure.

What is next?

I suppose this is a byproduct of a diagnostic mind. Think of repairing a small appliance. You take it apart and find the problem. Repair that problem then have to put it back together. Most of the time when putting things back together you have to know the order in which it came apart. You cannot put the case back together with out putting all the parts inside back together right?

For me this translates to business almost daily. I know what the end product looks like and I am constantly asking myself what comes next to be successful. What things logically come next and what is needed to be successful. Nothing is more annoying then getting almost to the end of the project to only find you have extra parts and you have to go back to put them together when it would have been so much easier to just do in when they were needed in the first place.

All that is well and good however you know from my earlier posts that I am not good at celebrating the small successes. Depending on how large the project, take some times (Maybe a quick snack break) to celebrate your completion of half the tasks or something similar.

People don't hate change?

I believe they don't like the uncertainty that change brings. So how do you help others through change. To me it is two areas.

1. Involve others in the change. Give the why and be firm in the change. One thing that is difficult is if you are shifty in your responses. This enhances the uncertainty and will lead to people afraid of the change to stay with the status quo. Make it clear, staying where you are is not going to be accepted.

2. You paint a picture of the future that others can see in their mind. Realize that you may not know the path you are going to take but you should know the outcomes you are looking for. Be as specific as you can on the end result! Be transparent on the fact you don't know the path. Have others help you with the path. Know when to compromise and when to stick to the results you painted up front.

Be firm yet patient in your painting the picture and I believe with being clear and firm most will get on board with the future painting.