The 3 Things Employees Really Want and 4 more must-reads for your business

Get in shape for the summer

With thoughts of summer breaks on the horizon and plenty to do before you start packing, here are some of May’s must-reads to get your business in shape.

There have been some excellent articles this May that I don’t want you to miss.

The 3 Things Employees Really Want: Career, Community, Cause

Lori Goler, Janelle Gale, Brynn Harrington, Adam Grant

Here’s a really interesting piece from Harvard Business Review highlighting the 3 things people want from their work, although most companies are built around only one. If you are interested in attracting and retaining talent to your company then this is a very interesting read.

If You Commit to Nothing, You’ll Be Distracted By Everything

James Clear

The title says it all. If you don’t know what you’re committed to everything can look like a good idea. Clarity is the first step.

35 Books To Build Your Character: The Definitive Reading List on Humility and Ego

Ryan Holiday
I love books about good character. This is a great list from author Ryan Holiday, whose book, Ego is the Enemy, I can highly recommend (and it’s not one of the 35 recommendations here either). It’s a very interesting list.

I’ve read seven of the 35 books suggested. You?

The True Measures of Success: How a personal crisis transformed what I ask clients

Dave Grant

Clients, and advisors, should be willing to focus on process rather than concrete results. Instead of asking: “what does your successful financial plan look like?” You could redirect to “What would you like to improve in your life? What would you like to experience? What needs to happen in your day that when you lay your head down to sleep, you do so with a smile?”

Grant says that asking these questions of clients has changed his relationship with clients, and his plans now look different. Good stuff.

This Morning Routine Will Save You 20+ Hours a Week

Benjamin P. Hardy

This piece is very interesting for anyone looking to get more output from seriously less time. If you’re like most people, your workday is a blend of low-velocity work mixed with continual distraction (e.g., social media and email).

Most people’s ‘working time’ is not done at peak performance levels. However, when you are results-oriented, rather than ‘being busy’, you’re 100 percent on when you’re working and 100 percent off when you’re not. Why do anything halfway? If you’re going to work, you’re going to work.