The society for Information Management’s Regional Leadership Forum (RLF) attracts IT leaders from across the country who say that in order to get ahead, one of the most important things technology professionals need to do is learn How to Read a Book.
By recommending that IT professionals learn How to Read a Book, RLF members are not insinuating that young IT professionals do not know how to read. How to Read a Book is actually the number one recommended book on the RLF 2007 Booklist.
The RLF works to develop the next generation of leaders looking to advance. Participants in the program become leaders who not only provide strategic and tactical direction, but also create an atmosphere of trust, motivation and inspiration for their colleagues. RLF cultivates the leadership skills of these individuals through an intense curriculum designed to introduce and explore innovative ideas and concepts, giving them an edge in attaining leadership positions.
The 2007 Book List makes up part of the curriculum established by the RLF, and the 30 books selected on this list were chosen because they were considered as essential to enhancing the leadership development experience of RLF participants.
How to Read a Book teaches readers how to review a book analytically. Rather than just scan through the pages, the reader learns techniques on how to fully understand a book and its meaning, which is an essential skill for IT professionals.
Rounding our the top five on the RLF Booklist are:
- Resonant Leadership: Removing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope and Compassion, by Richard E. Boyatzis and Annie McKee
- Heart of Change, by John P. Kotter and Dan S. Cohen
- Managing Transitions, by William Bridges
- First Break All the Rules, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
“These books are not another person’s lessons for successful leadership; they are books that focus on methodology of discovering an authentic leadership approach,” said RLF Program Director Bob Rouse.