Seek principles and frameworks in books
A smart blogger wrote:
"It is my practice, when reading a business book, to ask, “what would be left of this book if I took all the anecdotes out?” The answer is an assessment of the conceptual framework and model of the book. For this book, the answer is “nothing.”
He was reviewing the business book Blue Ocean, but his strategy can in fact be applied to evaluating ANY source of information.
I've been using his strategy unconsciously in the past few years, as I've speed read hundreds of non-fiction books. Indeed, I've been ferociously looking for robust and practical frameworks in books (as opposed to anecdotes, stories, examples, facts, statistics, etc.).
Frameworks tend to reveal important principles. And principles, as Aristotle wrote, are much more important than tools or techniques or tactics, since with the mastery of principles, you can create your own tools, techniques or tactics. But without mastering principles, you are forever at the mercy of people selling tools, techniques and tactics.
Some of the authors who do provide strong, robust and practical frameworks are:
"It is my practice, when reading a business book, to ask, “what would be left of this book if I took all the anecdotes out?” The answer is an assessment of the conceptual framework and model of the book. For this book, the answer is “nothing.”
He was reviewing the business book Blue Ocean, but his strategy can in fact be applied to evaluating ANY source of information.
I've been using his strategy unconsciously in the past few years, as I've speed read hundreds of non-fiction books. Indeed, I've been ferociously looking for robust and practical frameworks in books (as opposed to anecdotes, stories, examples, facts, statistics, etc.).
Frameworks tend to reveal important principles. And principles, as Aristotle wrote, are much more important than tools or techniques or tactics, since with the mastery of principles, you can create your own tools, techniques or tactics. But without mastering principles, you are forever at the mercy of people selling tools, techniques and tactics.
Some of the authors who do provide strong, robust and practical frameworks are:
- Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline)
- Edwards Deming
- Edward de Bono
- Shoshana Zuboff
- Brian Tracy
- Anthony Robbins (especially in Awaken the Giant Within)
- Tom Peters (he provides insights into mega-trends in today's economy)
- Thomas Friedman (The World is Flat)
- James Martin (the Cybercorp Revolution)
posted by Super Peter at 5:35 AM
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