Business Books

Just finished skim reading the new business book, REWORK, by Authors Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson (that's harder to write than to pronounce!).

Despite the big mix of reviews on Amazon, I like it, and I like the simplicity of the writing - giving small business owners and entrepreneurs (sorry, I'm meant to start saying 'start-ups' according to Jason and David) lots of alternative routes to becoming a success.

For simpletons like me who get lost on heavy going and long winded strategy and planning books and all that nonsense, and often just need something to get the creative juices flowing, this gem of a book is perfect for a bit of a gee-up, and in all fairness is a bit of a wake up call when it comes to things like what to do when conjuring up new ideas for the market.

It basically says listen to customers when they give you new ideas, nod with a look of gratitude, and then when the meeting is over, completely disregard what they had to say - why?

Distraction.

How many times have you been in a meeting, or at a site visit making the most wonderful of presentations when your opposite number picks apart your idea and offers a shiny new alternative or addition to your product or service? And then run off with that idea thinking of all the possibilities and this is the one cracker if an idea that is going to produce, only to become completely distracted from the main task at hand - generating sales with the products you know sell, and sell well.

Here's what you do.

Smile. Accept their idea. Then completely forget about it and get right back on with being great at what you do. I expect Steve Jobs would be nodding in agreement to this.

There is one exception to this rule however - if hundreds of unhappy customers are telling you, in a red faced king of a way, to change what you're doing, or else.....well. You get the idea.

The chapters are neatly packaged, easy to skim read and give a lot of food for thought. Big thumbs up.

If you are looking for a book that will provoke a bit of creative thinking in you, get it and use it. Then share it.



And what on earth has all of this have to do with infra red heating? Quite simply, nothing, not a sausage. I want to improve and that means learning, refining and innovating - I want to pass on anything interesting I read or research to anyone bored enough to read a blog about infra red heating!

Enjoy.

Read any good business books lately?