Every so often, I look at the stack of books on my desk that I’m frequently thumbing through and start to wonder how they’re all connected. They tend to be a snapshot of what I’m working through, thinking about, and seeking to improve, but subject matter can often seem disparate. Right now, these three are being referenced quite a bit.
STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0 – TOM RATH
This one has a perpetual spot either on my desk or somewhere within arms reach.
Whether you’re leading a team or contributing as part of one, knowing and applying your strengths is a competitive advantage. Moving from “fixing” weaknesses to amplifying strengths is a powerful mindset shift. I use my top 10 strengths as the foundation of my personal brand and positioning. And as you see below, I have them prominently featured on the wall just to the left of my monitor so they’re never far from my line of sight.
THE ADVANTAGE – PATRICK LENCIONI
I’ve used the approach and methods in this book on companies I’ve worked at and brands I’ve worked on – and I recently applied part of it to my personal brand as well.
The methods in this book for building cohesive leaderships team, creating clarity, over-communicating clarity, and reinforcing clarity are valuable internally to any organization. But what I’ve found is that clarity created internally translates very well to how a company goes to market. It’s not a marketing book, but if you’re looking for ways to uncover who you are as a company or a brand, it’s a valuable resource.
For my personal brand, I focused on the section of the book around creating clarity. The process forced me to think deeply about my purpose, my core values, and what I do professionally. The outcome and insight I have from StrengthsFinder was incredibly useful for this process.
STOP OVERTHINKING – NICK TRENTON
Overthinking is perhaps the bane of most folks who are or consider themselves “planners” by nature.
For me, it can be a side effect of my various strengths – two of which are Learner and Strategic. I’m not an analysis paralysis type of person, don’t have a Sherlock Holmes “Mind Palace” thing, but I love to learn and I love to consider alternatives.
The techniques in this book to declutter and focus the mind are incredibly helpful for those of us who tend to have a hard time finding the off switch. The most important reminder for me personally is that clarity comes from action. Get some things going, see how they work, then use that insight and information to continue making more informed decisions.
Always interesting how each book I may be referencing tends to appear to be unrelated to the others, yet taken as a whole, each plays a part in driving cohesive thinking…
Jerry Courtney’s Sandbox 