I wrote recently about all the free resources available to professionals looking to grow their knowledge base. Indeed, while gaining credentials (certifications or degrees) is a relatively straightforward process with a definite end date, becoming a trusted resource for co-workers and clients requires you to learn constantly and always seek to grow your capabilities.
The downside to free, web based material that it is difficult to put all of this information into one, cohesive whole on a particular topic. Furthermore, when you do find something particularly interesting, the nature of the article format means that there are limits to how deep a piece can go: you’re hooked from the first sentence, and just as it starts getting good, the article ends!
For these reasons, I sometimes find it necessary to look beyond “free” and buy full-length books.
Sound time-consuming and difficult?
It’s not.
The shift to digital e-books has made reading these books easier than ever. I have an Amazon account (yes, there are other vendors, but I use and have had positive experiences with this one), and the Kindle app loaded on all my devices, so buying a book is a one-click affair, and then it is sent to to all of them (though there is a limitation on the number of devices you can load a book on before you have to purchase another digital copy).
If I’m traveling – as I was last week – I can pull a book up on my tablet in the airplane, or if I’m waiting to get my hair cut, I can pull it up on my phone, with the app sending me right to where I left off on the last device.
The books I read in this manner aren’t technical so I’m not having to squint at equations or complicated charts, meaning the back-and-forth between devices and screen sizes depending on what I’m doing works beautifully.
Now…
All that said, here is what I’ve been reading. Keep in mind that as I’m moving over to a consulting role, these books are focused on developing myself as a client adviser, but I do think there is plenty to learn here for other professionals, either looking to grow their own business or become more valued members of their work teams.
ESPECIALLY if you are a technical expert, these resources will be great in helping you develop the other, complimentary “soft skills” so crucial to building a trusted relationship with your clients or managers.
“Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used”, Peter Block
It seems Mr. Block is an expert in change management, so this is not a “how to” on technical consulting in the strictest sense. However, business is never “just business”: it’s about connections with people and practicing empathy. That holds true whether you are an external or internal consultant/employee!
The most insightful sections of the book deal with recognizing and surfacing “resistance” early-on, and being authentic with clients and co-workers in order to consult flawlessly (so claims the author).
“Clients for Life: How Great Professionals Develop Breakthrough Relationships”, Andrew Sobel
Do you want to be that person everyone in the office goes to for advice? Even better, would you like be that person clients both current and prospective line up to talk to? This book is a great place to start.
Mr. Sobel has executive experience, and I really like how he quotes other high-level executives in this book and makes extensive use of personal anecdotes, they help drive his points home.
Some sections are a little too “fluffy” (like a section on having integrity, which should be a no-brainer), but you can skip those without losing too much of the book’s big picture. It’s a very easy read – I read it over the course of two relatively short airplane trips – and I’m confident you’ll come away having learned something.
“All for One: 10 Strategies for Building Trusted Client Partnerships”, Andrew Sobel
This is the follow-up to “Clients for Life”, and I’m still working through it. Another easy read, and well worth it, and I really like that the author quotes again from interviews with actual executives giving the dos and don’ts for becoming an effective adviser.
Again, the concepts and techniques outlined in these books sound obvious, but why is it then that I’ve seen so few people utilize them actively in their careers? I have made it a goal of mine to employ consciously the strategies outlined in these books, and I can already tell they are having a meaningful impact on my interactions with people.
“Speaking PowerPoint: The New Language of Business”, Bruce Gabrielle
PowerPoint is like a paintbrush: in the wrong hands it can result in the kind of thing your 2-year old puts on your wall when you’re not looking, but in the right hands you get the Mona Lisa.
I may never be a PowerPoint artist, but I do know that, to the extent that PowerPoint is used so much in business, I want to become even better at making clean, presentable slides.
I have not gotten far into this one, but what I have seen looks really promising.
The author…wait, that’s me!
Seriously, if you’re looking for an oil & gas industry-specific book on how to grow your career, consider picking up an e-copy for your Kindle, Kindle app, or Nook.
While the monetary investment in this handful of books is actually pretty nominal (about $100), I’ll nevertheless finish off with a great free resource: Twitter.
If you think that Twitter is all about posting tweets, and that you have to participate actively in conversations for this tool to be useful, you may want to give it another shot.
I do tweet, but I also follow about 60 accounts – mostly global news and oil & gas industry organizations – so just by scanning my Twitter feed a few times a day, I can see “the Big Picture” of exactly what is going on in the world.
This is an extremely easy way of keeping up with what is happening, so when someone asks “what’s the oil price and how/why has it moved in such a way”, or “what is Germany’s stance on austerity measures in the Eurozone and what effect is that having”, you’ll be the first one with answers, and pretty soon people will come asking for your insights directly!
Happy reading…
Interested in getting more of my insights? Follow me on Twitter @DavidAVaucher
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