Weekly Bookmarks
18th Edition — June 9, 2019
“Long-range planning does not deal with future decisions, but with the future of present decisions.” Peter Drucker
1. A Compassionate and Successful CEO
Charles made a fortune from nothing. But he needed something else, and he found it.
When one of his best employees shattered a leg and could not walk for months, he allowed him to stay in his home indefinitely expecting nothing in return. He became like a son. His top manager was a bit odd and rarely followed the norm in his business. Yet, the owner never questioned his practices or decisions. He always had his six o’clock.
His top asset was a huge money maker and well known throughout the country. He never pushed his asset too hard. He was smart and wise with his investment.
Who was the CEO? Charles Howard, the owner of Seabiscuit. Great read, fun read. I had to go back and re-read some of the accounts of the races–the author brought them to life.
2. Laura Hillenbrand is an Amazing Woman of Grit
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption is a powerful read. That’s when I first learned of Hillenbrand. I had no idea she was the author of Seabiscuit.
When I finish a book that I like, I’ll scrounge around for some interviews of the author. In doing so, I learned that the author has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and rarely leaves the house. That means interviewing subjects takes time and creativity. If you want to learn more –
+ An Author Escapes from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – NYT (2011)
+ The Unbreakable Laura Hillenbrand – NYT (2014)
3. My Summer Reading Includes a Children’s Book
Summer is here, almost. Have you decided what you’ll be reading? Here are a few ideas in this latest CFO Bookshelf post.
I have a kids book on my list–What Do You Do With an Idea which is also an NYT bestseller. I’ve already ordered the book and I don’t think I’ll be disappointed.
4. Specialists vs. Generalists
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” Lazarus Long in the book, Time Enough for Love.
I’m curious what David Epstein, the author of Range, would think of the comment above. Epstein does not denounce specialization. But he does bring to light misconceptions we might have about specialization. It’s the one book that will probably be on my mind for months to come.
5. Homework Assignment
We’re coming up on the halfway point of the calendar year, and that means several of my clients are working on updating their business plans from the beginning of the yea
Brainstorming is a typical process in some of these off-site meetings where management looks for reasons of what went right and what did not go according to plan.
Instead, consider the 6-3-5 method or process called BrainWriting. It’s a framework, and you may find it has application in other areas of your work.
Thank You Very Much
Thank you for reading. If you like the content above and the posts at CFO Bookshelf, may I ask a favor? Feel free to share this with other readers along with commenting on your favorite blog posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
Take care and have a great week. Always be learning.
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