Phil Simon's Virtual Soapbox » Book Reviews

The Plugged-In Manager by Terri Griffith

philsimon — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:49:52 +0000

I’ll admit to being a bit jaundiced at the multitude of management books out there ostensibly providing the ten steps to do this or the eight mistakes to avoid when doing that. It tires me–and it often neglects the environment. Such tactical books don’t exactly raise the level of discourse. I find that my favorite management texts don’t attempt to answer a bunch of questions and provide a how-to guide for every situation. Rather, they ask as many questions as they answer–if not more.

Against this backdrop, I heartily recommend Terri Griffith’s The Plugged-In Manager: Get in Tune with Your People, Technology, and Organization to Thrive (affiliate link). Rather than suggesting that you do “these five things” irrespective of situation, Dr. Griffith forces the reader to first examine the situation. I can think of no better advice these days than to stop and think before acting (although thinking too long is also fraught with peril).

Case studies illustrate Griffith’s points throughout the book. The one on SouthWest Airlines is particularly instructive, as it illustrates the importance of marrying the right technology to the right process with the right people. As I’ve seen way too often in my career, focusing on technology at the expense of other key elements is a recipe for diaster.

Even as a soloprenuer, I will benefit from the advice dispensed in the book. Double that for organizations. Get this book for employees trying to make sense out of an increasingly ambiguous world.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

philsimon — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:19:43 +0000

Isaacson’s no-holds-barred approach (affiliate link) is bound to turn some people off, as many Amazon.com reviews indicate. Don’t count me as one of them. Jobs was an inherently polarizing figure, both inside and outside of Apple. How does one write a book about him that pleases everyone? It’s not possible.

Pay the naysayers no heed. This is an excellent account of one of the most complex, infuriating, brilliant, and important business leaders of his time. This doesn’t completely surprise me, as Isaacson had unprecedented access to Jobs and his inner sanctum. The result: A fascinating book of Jobs the man and his body of work. The latter is beyond impressive. The book helped me understand many of the details behind the iPad, iPod, iPhone, and other great innovations that had escaped me.

On Platforms

I read this book with a new perspective on the power of the platforms and was relieved to know that many of my suppositions on Apple and Jobs in my own new book were correct. Particularly intriguing is the Gates-Jobs debate over how to best build a platform: Should it a system be open or closed? There’s no one right answer and clearly you can do it both ways.

Do yourself a favor and read this book. It’s one of the best biographies I’ve ever read.

Little Bets by Peter Sims

philsimon — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:31:01 +0000

I recently read Peter Sims’ book, Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries.

I enjoyed this book because it emphasizes the importance of failure and the impossibility of getting it right on the first try. It’s hardly my favorite book on innovation, but it’s a good, quick read.

Watch my video review below:

Wrong by David Freedman

philsimon — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:40:33 +0000

David Freedman’s Wrong: Why experts* keep failing us–and how to know when not to trust them is an important and timely book. As someone who reads quite a few non-fiction books from those deemed to be experts, I often wonder if I should believe everything that I read. Freedman shows how these experts are often wrong in this very important book that questions whether we should in fact trust them.

Unmarketing by Scott Stratten

philsimon — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:16:18 +0000

I really enjoyed Unmarketing because of Scott’s style–as much as the content. Many contemporary marketing and social media books are, quite frankly, anodyne.

This isn’t one of them.

The Entrepreneur Equation by Carol Roth

philsimon — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:53:57 +0000

The Entrepreneur Equation is an important book that current and would-be entrepreneurs ought to read. Just because you can start your own business does not mean that you should. As Roth so adroitly points out, working for yourself is not easy–and isn’t for everyone.

The Facebook Effect by David Kirkpatrick

philsimon — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:29:45 +0000

The Facebook Effect is a great read about a truly remarkable company. It is impeccably researched and much more informative than the movie.

The Facebook Effect: Video Book Review from Phil Simon on Vimeo.

In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E. May

philsimon — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:28:56 +0000

In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E. May is a rare species of book: it leaves me wanting more. Good thing that has written others. It’s an amazing read with applications to so many areas of life. May proves that, in fact, less may be more. Strongly recommended.

Check out my video review of his book.

Book Review: In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E. May from Phil Simon on Vimeo.

Smarter, Faster, Cheaper by David Garland

philsimon — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:59:23 +0000

I read quite a bit and had the pleasure of checking out Garland’s first book, Smarter, Faster, Cheaper. If you’re new to social media or are unsure about how to navigate this brave new world, this is the book for you. I know a great deal about social media, so the content wasn’t entirely new to me. Still, Garland’s passion and accessible style coupled with real world examples make this a valuable book for those looking to do more with their online presences.

Video Book Review from Phil Simon on Vimeo.

The Drunkard’s Walk by Leonard Mlodinow

philsimon — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:33:13 +0000

The Mac makes it easy to create videos so, instead of a written one, I recorded a short review of The Drunkard’s Walk by Leonard Mlodinow. It’s a great read an explains a great deal about why we can’t explain a great deal.