You were born an entrepreneur. So starts this month’s book selection, “The Start-up of You” by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha. Hoffman, the cofounder and chairman of LinkedIn turned venture capitalist, knows a thing or two about starting companies and he’s careful to point out that not everyone is destined to follow his lead in that regard. His point is that we are all born to create, that creation is at the core of entrepreneurship, and even if we don’t wind up working for ourselves we should at least stop acting like labor. And as with last month’s selection, “Nudge” by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, the theme here is taking control and making positive changes in how you go about your day, week, and month. In fact, each chapter here ends with a challenge on what the reader can do in each of those assigned time periods, helping create a meaningful, career-oriented to-do list. And that’s where the real value lies in this book: it helps you take immediate action on the mission of the subtitle, “Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career.”
If you’re feeling uneasy about your networking style, or haven’t updated those skills in some time, this is certainly a book to add to your nightstand collection. The authors poke fun at old-time conversation staples, like faking sincerity and overly using someone’s first name in conversation. (“Reid and Ben, you guys are making a good point here, and I’m wondering, Reid and Ben, if you think I overdo this. Reid? Ben?”) It’s inauthentic people who are obsessed with authenticity, something the average person can see right through. The book helps the reader with practical ideas on how to expand his/her networks through second- and third-degree connections but in a genuine way. While the ideas here aren’t necessarily revolutionary – give first, be valuable, don’t keep score, etc. – they are packaged in a way to help the reader expand his/her influence through both traditional methods and social media. And there’s a section on so-called weak ties that may change your perspective on how broad your network actually is. Weak ties are those people you see infrequently, and with whom you spend low-intensity time, but can actually expand your exposure to new and interesting opportunities. Cliques are limiting and the best professional networks are cohesive and diverse.