Miriam M

John P says

Thanks for your kind note. I agree: few friends of mine enjoy reading as much as I do, so this site appealed to me. The best conversations I've had with perfect strangers have frequently been about books and authors. You picked two very interesting, but very different books, from my shelf.

Boyle's "Before You Think Another Thought" is an enjoyable and easy to read primer that deals with the science of neuroplasticity and the study of how the mind processes thought and information. It challenges the reader to understand that we are at the very front of what we think, and how, in turn, thoughts influence us on an everyday basis. The books is inspiringly simplistic but still fundamentally grounded in nueroengineering. I gave a copy to my 20 year old college student, who rarely reads anything other than that which he is required to read for school, and he loved it!

Serge's "The Fifth Discipline" is a lengthier read about the author's vision of how the modern working environment is changed into that of a learning center. He talks of a working environment that is fostered by five disciplines that he defines as:

(1) Personal mastery
(2) Shared vision
(3) Mental models
(4) Team learning
(5) Systems thinking

Learning organizations are rare in the workplace because they lack fundamental leadership and guidance. Serge challenges his readers to understand that the workplace should nurture and empower workers in a break from the conventional model of professional servitude into that of innovation and vision.

I've read dozens of books with crafty titles on how to fix the modern workplace but Serge's treatment on this subject has all the nuts and bolts an affective leader needs to harness the energy of his entire company. Highly recommended.

Thanks, Miriam

posted 2 years ago. ( send a note )