How I spent the Long Winter

I’m betting most of today’s readers will agree, it’s been a long, snowy winter and we’re ready for spring’s resurgence both in the weather and our businesses. Are you ready?

Two months ago it hit me that I had to put the slower business economy and the snow storms to better us; so I finished some great business books last month. Today I’m going to share what I hope will become our newest addition to the newsletter, the Xceed Business Book Club – an opportunity for readers to share short snips on business related books with other readers. These can be books that you’ve enjoyed, or didn’t totally dig.

Since people are the core of what Xceed Business Solutions, LLC does and the core of what I enjoy reading about, three books that kept my attention this past winter were, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Marshall Goldsmith [MOJO is next on my short list]; Crash Course, The American Automobile Industry’s Road from Glory to Disaster, by one of my favorite Wall Street Journal writers, Paul Ingrassia and Drive, The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel H. Pink; Drive was by far my favorite read. Yes, my focus is on business and the people that make it run, so all three fed my hunger for the people side of the story and how they impact the business bottom line in so many ways.

Short summary: Marshall Goldsmith’s book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There is a great self-help for leaders who seem to have gotten themselves into a success rut. In this book, Dr. Goldsmith shares his experience and knowledge to tell those considered the most successful in today’s workplace, how changing will help them continue to grow as leaders. The book even got a positive nudge from one of my favorite CEOs, Alan Mulallay.

Next on the list was Crash Course, The American Automobile Industry’s Road from Glory to Disaster by Paul Ingrassia. Living in SE Michigan, having spent a great, but short, career at Ford Motor Company and married to a ‘my blood runs Ford Blue’ engineer husband, the auto industry does permeate my life. Paul’s book is a fantastic read on the ‘people’ involved in the American auto industry and how their decisions have impacted an industry that has truly shaped the country we live in. Well worth the time if you are a history buff, think you know everything about the Big Three, or, like me, just love the people-factor.

Daniel Pink, author of the New York Times bestseller, A Whole New Mind, takes us into the world of motivation for today’s workforce in Drive, The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. His latest book tackles the relevance of motivation theories that worked for the industrial, manufacturing workforce but just don’t cut it for today’s creative, service-oriented employees. A definite read if you manage workers who relish feeling more in control of their lives, including the Generation Z members coming into the future workplace.

Our next newsletter will include updates from you, our Xceed Business Book Club readers. Your responses will be highlighted in April, so be sure to share your favorite business books, magazine articles, and sites for business information or other items you think readers will benefit from. Please email me so that we might expand our collective circle of knowledge.