September 11, 2014,
Inc.
Attention, book lovers – and CEOs – and artists – and entrepreneurs…. Here are five books I absolutely think you should read, and why. Yes, some of them have been out a while, but if you haven’t read them, give yourself an early birthday gift and order all five. (Then share them with someone you mentor. Remember, trusted advisors don’t just give advice and make powerful connections, they share the good stuff out there that inspires change and action.)
1. Leaders Eat Last, by Simon Sinek
If you’ve ever dreamed of more meaning and fulfillment in your work, or if you’ve ever wondered how to inspire others to rally around your cause, this book is absolutely necessary for you. After taking the world by storm with his captivating message about purpose in his book, “Start With Why,” Simon Sinek has turned his attention to the other critical question: How. What does it take for leaders to transform paranoia and cynicism into safety and trust? Is a common enemy necessary for true collaboration and cooperation? Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories from a wide range of examples, from the military to manufacturing, from government to investment banking.
2. Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a Difference, by Matt Emerzian and Kelly Bozza
How often have you had a project or a plan and a year later, it’s still there, on the shelf, untouched? Finding the motivation to create the most meaningful things, and avoid the to-do list is not easy. If you need a little help seeing the promise and inspiration of a Monday morning, this book will help you get outside your normal routine and glimpse the world around you in a new light. Authors Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza remake Monday from “the end of the weekend” into something poignant, meaningful and inspiring by taking 52 Mondays and matching them with 52 creative and practical activities that make a difference — one for each Monday of the year. It’s the perfect way to have a positive impact, get others involved, and be a positive influence in your life and the lives of others.
3. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself, by Michael Singer
This is truly one of the most profound books I’ve read in a long time (and I’ve read many) on personal growth and transformation. Anyone interested in becoming your best self must invest in this book! By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization. After all, a life well lived is a life we recognize, moment by moment.
4. Small Changes, Big Results: A Wellness Plan for a Healthy Balanced Life, by Ellie Krieger
I’ve tried to recommend five books that touch every aspect of our lives, and let’s face it, probably 80-90% of us could use a wellness plan – without that, the roadblocks to doing great work can be profound. This book is a great investment for anyone trying to create healthy habits – it provides an easy-to-start, simple-to-maintain, scientifically sound, 12-week program of small steps -just three each week – such as starting a food journal, choosing healthy fats and proteins, and replacing refined grains with whole grains. Krieger also tells you what technology to use for tracking your fitness progress and finding others who share your interests so staying fit will be second nature.
5. Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, by Ed Catmull
Do you want to give full expression to the best that lies within you? To the rescue comes this incisive book by Ed Catmull (co-founder with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter of Pixar Animation Studios) – an illuminating discussion of creativity in business that will be a welcome addition to your library – and your life. This is not just a book for managers; it is a must-read manual for anyone who strives for originality.
It is also the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, postmortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made. It is an invaluable discussion of how to build a creative culture – but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and President Ed Catmull writes, “An expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.”
Got a good book to recommend? Facebook me and tell me why. https://Facebook.com/AllAccessGroup
Until next time,
Kelli Richards
CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
PS, The right mentor will also have the right CONNECTIONS to move any effort forward. Be sure to ask who they think they can bring to the table around advisor ship, possible collaboration and even funding.
Imitation may be the highest form of flattery, but it’s not a winning-business strategy.
Steve Jobs not only revolutionized the way we listen to music and use a telephone, he also changed our understanding of a computer and even recaptured our ability to fall in love with films through his work with Pixar.
Without a doubt, young entrepreneurs can learn endlessly from Jobs’ example, but they shouldn’t adhere too closely to his image. After all, he may have been a design genius but he did ruffle a few feathers.
He disregarded every “rule” and regarded his mentors and role models loosely. Even he would hardly advise someone to emulate him. I think it’s far more likely he would say: “The best way to be like me is to be more fully yourself.”
Still, you can learn an awful lot from the man. Here are a few very specific things that up-and-comers can learn from Jobs’ example:
1. Keep the customer experience in focus. Jobs was a master at getting into customers’ minds. He knew what we wanted — and how we wanted it — often long before we did.
2. Have an eye for beauty. It couldn’t just work well. Steve knew that it also had to feel good to touch, be delightful to use, and be exceptionally beautiful to look at.
3. Foster innovation. Do you remember a time without an iPhone? How about an iPod? Steve created products and product categories no one even had a frame of reference for and made them central to our lives.
4. Insist upon excellence. Jobs had little patience for people who didn’t think things through, and he pushed the people around him to be their best. He accepted no substitutes and inspired great loyalty.
Finally, if there is one powerful absolute to learn from Steve Jobs, it is to focus on your customers and put them before everything else. Think about rabid Apple users — the ones who stand in line outside of a store for hours awaiting the release of the next iPhone. They’ve done more to grow the brand than Apple itself ever has.
You will never replicate that by trying to be Steve Jobs. But, if you ask these questions to apply his laser-focused attention to your own customers, you can definitely inspire that kind of brand advocacy.
Are we surprising and delighting our customers while also delivering a consistent experience?
Are our products and services frictionless for our customers to use and enjoy?
Are we meeting their needs each and every time they interact with our company?
Are we iterating and innovating with a product pipeline that’s in line with (or ahead of) the market?
Are we blazing new trails?
How do you inspire brand advocacy? Let us know with a comment.
Original blog posted on YoungEntrepreneur.com. View it here: https://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/entrepreneurship/why-you-should-lean-from-steve-jobs-not-idolize-him/
I would appreciate your feedback in the comments section.
Until next time,
Kelli Richards, CEO of The All Access Group, LLC
I was joined on this week’s edition of “All Access Radio” by author, speaker, and coach Wendy Lipton-Dibner. Wendy has done amazing work as a leader in her field. She is the president of Professional Impact Inc., which produces seminars and courses such as the wildly successful “Move People to Action for Experts and Entrepreneurs.” As an internationally recognized authority in business and personal acceleration, she brought so much knowledge and insight to the table.
Wendy and I have floated around the same circles and worked with some of the same people for years, which made talking to her an absolute treat. Right off the bat, we quickly recognized that we are “kindred spirits,” from our tastes in music, passion for working and helping with people, and drive for success. I think she and I may be among a small handful of people who knew exactly what we wanted to do when we were young, 8 year old girls. Granted, neither of us knew how that would unravel, it was great to finally talk to someone who had that same experience growing up. Not to mention, as women we both worked towards shattering stereotypes and empowering women within our respective industries.
Wendy was way ahead of her game 10 years ago when she made her first promotional video, which she says was awful even though it lead to over a million dollars in sales, and she remains ahead of her game today. Keep an eye out for more great seminars and courses from Wendy in the near future, especially her new Elite Video Mastery online course and live seminar. You can find out more about that, including free training, at https://www. EliteVideoMasteryFreeTraining.com.
Kelli Richards, President and CEO
The All Access Group, LLC
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