But this is a great book. Penned by Jason Fried and David Heinemeir Hansson, the founders of 37signals, the book is similar in design to their company's software applications: simple and elegant.
Like most business books, Rework does contain some bloat--about 1/4 of the chapters are redundant, and the 88 pages of cartoons in between don't add much to the experience. But compared to the vast majority of business books, it is frankly written and to the point, with concepts so straightforward and honest that they made me a little uncomfortable at times. It has my favorite combination of traits for a business book: it's reasonably dense, thought-provoking, and enjoyable to read.
Many of the ideas outlined in Rework are indeed counterintuitive, or at least in opposition to the way most corporations operate (though everyone knows we need fewer meetings, guys). And most of the concepts are outlined with a startling economy of language, a precision and conciseness rarely seen in the business world, where people tend to write like they're paid by the yawn.
But equally important is the application of these ideas: Fried and Hansson's views are as relevant to employees as they are to entrepreneurs or business owners, and just as meaningful in the personal sphere as they are in the professional one. Here are some of my favorites:
"If no one's upset by what you're saying, you're probably not pushing hard enough. (And you're probably boring, too.)"
"Workaholics don't actually accomplish more than nonworkaholics. They may claim to be perfectionists, but that just means they're wasting time fixating on inconsequential details instead of moving on to the next task."
"The way you build momentum is by getting something done and then moving on to the next thing... To keep your momentum and motivation up, get in the habit of accomplishing small victories along the way. Even a tiny improvement can give you a good jolt of momentum."
"When you're writing, don't think about all the people who may read your words. Think of one person... Writing for a mob leads to generalities and awkwardness."
"Don't be afraid to show your flaws. Imperfections are real and people respond to real... Pare down to the essence, but don't remove the poetry."
"Pour yourself into your product and everything around your product too: how you sell it, how you support it, how you explain it, and how you deliver it. Competitors can never copy the you in your product."
This isn't a book filled with complicated, groundbreaking philosophies that will blow your mind. Many are commonsensical and all are presented simply (often deceptively so). But that's what makes it such a powerful read, and such an inspiring one. I'll always take clarity and focus over unnecessary dilution.
Verdict: [A-]
Once again, your proclivity to demean and elevate in the same piece astounds me. I'm not sure whether I should partake in reading this book, or just hit the cliff notes.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though the book was a good match for you, but for those without much business experience, would this be a good idea for an intro into business? Or should we (I) need to know a lot more about business before we (I) delve into this?
Nice job on referencing the past work with the link at the bottom. Very nice touch.
I wouldn't recommend it as a business primer necessarily, but I do think it would be worthwhile for those inexperienced (or uninterested) in the 9-to-5 world of business since so much of it can apply equally to personal life. It's also a quick read, at 279 short pages (88 of which are drawings).
ReplyDeleteThe smattering of excerpts I quoted in my review are pretty representative of the book's content as a whole. If you dig them, you'll dig it.