As busy business leaders, you face lots of challenges doing your jobs or running or your businesses. One of the most important challenges is the need for on-going professional education. We may recognize the importance of Life Long Learning, but who has the time and energy to do any of it?
One simple strategy to deal with this paradox is to embrace the concept of the ‘University of the Automobile’ – here’s how it works. Assume the average person commutes to work an hour a day over a 40-year work life. Do the math – that’s 10,000 hours spent in the car – even more if you use your car during the workday or for business travel.
That is more time than you would spend in class, studying and doing assignments to earn both a BS and MBA degree. Most current business books are available free from your public library in CD format or for downloading to your phone or iPod.
A regular feature of this website is the ‘BookShelf’ section, where I list business-related books and CDs I’ve found useful and interesting. What follows is a quick summary of some recent business-related listings, most all of which I listened to in the car.
‘Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders – the three essential principles you need to become an extraordinary leader’, Rajeev Peshawaria, Tantor Media, Inc., 2011.
‘The Entrepreneur Equation – evaluating the realities, risks & rewards of having your own business’, Carol Roth, Blackstone Audio, Inc., 2011.
The 100 Best Business Books of All Time – What They Say, Why They Matter and How They Can Help You’, Jack Covert & Todd Sattersten, 2009, The Penguin Group, New York, NY.
‘The Tipping Point – How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference’, Malcolm Gladwell, Time Warner Audiobooks, 2005.
‘David and Goliath – Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants’, Malcolm Gladwell, Hachette Audio, 2013
‘Blink’, Malcolm Gladwell, Time Warner Audiobooks, 2005.
‘Outliers, the Story of Success’, Malcolm Gladwell, Hachette Audio, 2008.
‘What the Dog Saw’, Malcolm Gladwell, Hachette Audio, 2008.
‘Great By Choice’, Jim Collins & Morten T. Hansen, HarperCollins, NY, 2011.
‘Built to Last – successful habits of visionary companies’, Jim Collins & Jerry Porras, 1994, Recorded Books, LLC, 2001.
‘How the Mighty Fall and Why Some Companies Never Give In’, Jim Collins Harper Collins Publishers, 2009
‘Good to Great – Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t’’, Jim Collins, read by author, Harper Collins, NY, 2001, Harper Audio 2009
The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World, Harvey Mackay, Brilliance Audio, 2011
‘Drive – the Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us’, by Daniel H. Pink, Penguin Group, New York, 2009
‘The Most Successful Small Business In The World’, Michael E. Gerber, 2010.
‘Five Keys to High Performance – Juggle Your Way to Success’, Michael J. Gelb, 2009
‘How the Best Leaders Lead’, Brian Tracy, 2010
‘The Unwritten Laws of Business’, W. J. King & James Skakoon, 2007
‘Now, Build a Great Business – 7 Ways to Maximize Your Profits in any Market’, Brian Tracy and Mark Thompson, 2011
‘Get Connected: the Social Networking Toolkit for Business’, Starr Hall & Chadd Rosenberg, Entrepreneur Press, 2009
So, commit yourself to Life Long Learning by harnessing the power of the ‘University of the Automobile’. And asking someone ‘Read any good books lately?’ is a great conversation starter at networking events.
Happy Listening and Learning.