Can't say I learned anything earth shatteringly new, but Game Change was still a good, fast, enjoyable read. Felt like reading a fiction book, but filled with characters I already know.
Being a bit of a political junkie, almost every event and scenario they described, I'd already read about - and saw in real time, playing out nightly on MSNBC. As they described Obama giving his speech, after capturing the nomination, while the same night McCain awkwardly spoke to a small, all white crowd in front of an unsightly green screen, I didn't have a hard time visualizing - as I'd seen all the video clips - on the news shows & the Daily Show. Same for countless other scenes and scenarios - McCain's rise, fall & rise again, Obama & Clinton's tit for tat, the 'celebrity' ads, the final clincher - the economy going into free-fall & McCain's call to suspend the campaign, the list goes on. Palin's total lack of knowledge or understanding of basic facts about world history and geography were already well documented, and again, nothing I hadn't known. Yet somehow reading the sordid details on it, still shocked.
All in all though, just a fun read to relive all the moments of the campaign through a more intimate, personal lens. If you weren't paying attention as it happened, a good opportunity to catch up in an enjoyable way.
I've spent years working at, and with, numerous companies - large corporations, small service agencies and start-ups. And almost every one of those companies had the same problem, one that Sinek so clearly outlined in this book, Start with WHY.
Companies are excellent at telling you WHAT they do. "We provide x, y and z to a, b and c." Sometimes they will even explain HOW they do it - a process they think actually differentiates them from their competitors. (Me being the constant cynic, never bought into the process differentiator, as almost every company in a particular field executes in very similar fashions.) But what Sinek says needs to be defined first, before any description of what or how, is the WHY. WHY they exist, what is their purpose or cause, why they get out of bed every morning to do what they do.
Over the years, in working with small companies to define/redefine their market position, business strategies and product/service offerings, I've seen this problem countless times. I could see the gap, knew there was a problem in the message and communication, but was never was able to articulate it. But I have now seen the light. And looking back to those companies, those situations, it is now clear what was missing. When Sinek writes about starting with why, however, he somehow implies that companies eventually get to it. But in my experience, most companies never even consider the why. If at one point some of those founders who I'm thinking of did know what their WHY was, sadly, almost none translated that into their day to day business or communicated that to their customers, partners or most important, their employees.
Using examples like Apple, Southwest, Walmart and Harley Davidson, he explains why these companies' consumers eat up everything they do and are loyal to the end. Even if those faithfuls can't articulate their loyalty to a pollster or to themselves (and he explains this too..), they remain true in their commitment because the company remains true to themselves. Whether it is Southwest's championing the common man, or Apple's ability to continually challenge the status quo, with every product and/or service they offer, their WHY stays consistent.
I am now in the midst of starting a new company with two "artists" (both hate the word) and this simple concept has become a guiding principle for our very new beginnings. Having spent my entire career balancing the vision of creatives with the realities of business, the simplicity of this concept has become, well, the perfect place for us to start - and is now helping us transform our approach and process into something that makes sense for all of us. Sinek says that knowing your WHY isn't the only way to be successful. And as I've seen companies that have hammered away fairly successfully for years without it, he's correct. But he also says that it is the only way to "maintain a lasting success and have a greater blend of innovation and flexibility." And this I believe is true - which is why we're starting with WHY.
Some people, I believe, aren't giving this book rave reviews because they want to diss Jame Frey, feeling "cheated" because of his supposed non-fiction fiction. I read "A Million Little Pieces," thoroughly enjoyed it, and didn't for a second - immediately after his dentist experience - believe it was true. So was never disappointed nor cared when he was "outed" in the ensuing media circus.
Whatever the critics say, or don't... "Bright Shiny Morning" was excellent. I read half of it throughout the week, and the last half (not a short one) in one sitting on Saturday afternoon. Throughout the book he randomly uses these run-on words/sentences which I found somewhat distracting at times. Although I did get into the rhythm of it, the only time I felt it was completely in sync was at the end of the book (literally the last few pages.) And at times, some of the short stories he told about periphery characters, although interesting, well written and completely in flow with the book, sometimes felt too long for me, as I wanted to get back to the main characters to find out what was happening in their world. But that I cared enough about these people and their lives enough to want to rush back to them, says it all. I loved all of the characters - even if i didn't love them. (Some were a bit despicable.) And I'm thrilled that he didn't try to weave together any of these characters in that too often used "Crash" kind of way.
Having lived in LA (although years ago) and visited many, many times since... I felt he has perfectly conveyed the tone of the city, if not some of the "stereotypical" characters"who live there. Although I don't really have any burning desire to live there again, it did make me want to pick up another book about LA... or at least go for a walk on Abbott Kinney.
Some very minor "criticism," but all in all a great (summer) read. Two thumbs up.
I've read a handful of Paul Auster books, the first being Leviathan,
which initially made me a fan. But this might actually be my favorite.
I bought this book a while ago and has been sitting on my pile of "to
read" books. For some reason it called to me, and I'm glad it did. My sister,
who reads voraciously and who i trust implicitly with her selections,
(her list on her blog is very reliable) told me she read it and was sad
when it finished. So sitting on a plane on my way back from Atlanta, I
got the chance to plow through (uninterrupted) and finish it. In the
back of my mind, I was waiting for the "sad" part. And when I read the
last page, feeling incredibly sad, I realized exactly what she meant.
She was just sad the book ended. I felt exactly the same. I loved the
characters & the intimacy of the neighborhood. And I loved how this
seemingly simple story illustrated so wonderfully how the twists in
life (both beautiful and tragic) somehow just works themselves out, and
how family ultimately connects us to ourselves.
Susan Solomon is a media, entertainment and news junkie who some days feels like writing about what she reads, hears and sees - this blog is those random thoughts.
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