Start an Office Book Club

Start an Office Book Club

Here’s how to start a book club in your office.

• Choose an easy-to-read business book and discuss assigned chapters at each meeting. Book recommendations below.
• Keep participant group size between 6-8. If a second book club is needed, create a good mix of experience and job positions. Don’t forget remote workers! They can dial in or use Skype.  If there are two meetings scheduled, participants can attend the other meeting if their assigned meeting time has a conflict.
• Meetings should last about an hour. Meeting over a lunch hour works well. Some groups meet weekly, some bi-weekly. Choose whatever frequency enables more people to attend.
• Each participant leads a meeting on a rotating basis. Designate a leader to lead the first meeting. Have people sign up for specific dates to be the leader.
• As a group, decide how many chapters should be read for the next meeting.
• Discussion questions. Keep them simple. What did you take away from this week’s chapter(s)? What have you applied from ideas in the book? What was the result?

Book recommendations:

For managers

1. It’s Your Ship by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff. This is a great book to start with.
2. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
3. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
4. The Culture Secret by Dr. David Vik
5. The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard, Ph.D and Spencer Johnson, MD

For all associates

1. Fish! by Stephen Lundin and Harry Paul
2. HeroZ by William Byham, Ph.D. and Jeff Cox
3. Ubuntu! by Stephen Lundin and Bob Nelson
4. Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
5. Selling from the Inside and Great Service Sells by Emily Huling