Summer is upon us! That means it’s time to power down the desktop and fire up the Kindle or iPad or (gasp!) just open a good ole fashioned paperback. It’s time to indulge our minds in reading something longer than 140 characters. Whether your summer travel plans take you to the beach, a peaceful cabin, or the London Olympics, a good book will help you to escape even further from the office.
Here’s what the CEC Research team is reading this summer. What would you add to our list?
Who’s Your City? by Richard Florida
Florida is the urban theorist/economist behind the idea of the “creative class”, the engineers, entrepreneurs, and artists who are driving our economy. In his book Who’s Your City?, Florida argues that the choice of where to live is the most important decisions we make. This idea challenges the conventional wisdom of globalization that technology and communication makes where you live irrelevant. If where you live determines your ability to lead a happy life, are you living in the right place for you?
Even if you’re not planning on moving anytime soon, Florida’s book reminds us that place matters, place is unique. Therefore, as you craft communications for employees, customers, and stakeholders the world over be sure you understand the nuances of context and culture in your messages by reviewing this quick guide to Building a Global Mindset.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
As the Washington Post eloquently puts it, Egan’s novel is about “growing up and growing old in a culture corroded by technology and marketing.” How are our lives shaped by technology? How can we be aware when we are operating “under the influence” of subliminal messages and manufactured desires? This book is sure to make us even think twice about Communications own role in building a society controlled by Tweets, pings, circles, and notifications.
Check out our resources on mobile communications to make sure you are not creating a corrosive experience, but rather a helpful experience for your employees.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
For the more academic-reader out there, Cialdini’s book reveals the six principles that practically force us to buckle to the pressures of others. His book promises two things: one, that you’ll never say yes when you mean no; and two, that you’ll be extremely persuasive. As communicators who like to say “yes” to even the most unreasonable of business partner requests and who need to influence stakeholders to act in a way favorable toward the company this isn’t a bad book to help you come back to your day job with more firepower than ever before.
What Color is Your Parachute? By Richard Bolles
If you’ve ever had the urge to change jobs before, you’ve probably already this book, considered by many to be the bible for job-hunters and career changers. Summer’s a great time to imagine your future and to ponder big risks. Once you’ve had that ah-hah moment, this book will help you to hone the survival skill that is finding, succeeding, and knowing when it’s time to move on from a job.
Regardless of your next career move, be sure that you stand out from the pack by speaking about your abilities in terms of competencies, not simply activities. CEC can help you to assess and build the 18 critical competencies required of the modern communicator.
Additional books we’ve liked and shared on the CEC blog:
- The Rise of the Creative Class by Richard Florida in Embrace Your Creativity, Comms!
- Drive by Daniel Pink in The Surprising Truth About Communications’ Role in Motivation
- Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman in 5 Reasons Not to Trust Your Intuition
CEC Related Resources
- Building a Global Mindset: Overview of Cultural Values
- Behavior Change: Stakeholder Psychology
- Mobile Communication for Employees
- CEC Competency Framework
CEC Related Blogs
on June 14, 2012
Respond
I just finished reading “Maestro: A Surprising Story About Leading by Listening” by Roger Nierenberg. It was recommended because I’m about to go on a 6 month adventure volunteering away from my company and identified listening as something I knew I needed to work. Rather than go into my assignment telling, I know I’ll have to listen a lot. In a fast paced corporate setting, action is often valued over pausing and listening. It was insightful, easy to read and short enough I finished it in 3 train journeys while commuting…perfect for summer :o)
on June 28, 2012
Respond
Hi Jason,
Sorry for the late response–I hadn’t seen your comment until today!
LOVE your suggestion and your observation that the fast-paced corporate setting doesn’t prioritize listening, thinking, or debating over action. For me, it’s in the listening, pondering, and debating that we discover meaning in our work much more so than just seeing the results of our actions.
Enjoy your volunteering adventure–can’t wait to hear all about it.