Steven's Thoughts

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

I just finished reading "Cradle to Cradle", a  book that is one of the most important environment and business books of our time. McDonough and Braungart redefine how we should develop products and run companies at large. The book is a must read for anyone who is interested in ensuring that our planet stays a place where humans want to live.   

What I Loved

I just spent about 24 hours traveling from NYC to London, London to Munich, Munich to Brussels and then back to NYC. Traveling gives me the opportunity to read. Most of the books I have been reading lately were mostly business related. On this last, trip I read one of my girlfriend's favorite books "What I Loved" by Siri Hustvedt. Siri Hustvedt is Paul Auster's wife, one of my most favorite authors.

I was unable to put this book down. Maybe because it reminds me a lot of my life in NYC. The story has many layers.  It deals with: 

• The challenge two intertwined families face while growing older and dealing with their relationships.
• The changes in the arts scene during the 80's and 90's due to the influence of critics and their effects on the creative process.

One of my friends, who introduced me to Paul Auster, said that Auster might soon be known as Siri Hustvedt's husband. Being a huge fan of his books I was in disbelief. But after reading "What I Loved" I am convinced of her place in contemporary literature.

The Rules of Business

I am currently reading the Rules of Business by Fast Company's editors & writers. Usually when reading a business book you get one to two things out of it and the rest is fluff. This book is the opposite. There are so many important issues that it is hard for me to just read through the book. I have only been able to read one chapter, think about what I read, and then move on to the next.

The book is broken up into 22 sections that represent important business disciplines such as:

• Change
• Creativity and Innovation
• Decision Making
• Leadership

Each section is introduced by a brief description that highlights the main theme of the section. The introduction is followed by 400 quotes from various people including:

• Jeff Bezos
• Andy Grove
• Bill Gates
• Anne Mulcahy
• Tom Peters
• Michael Porter
• Adam Smith

The actual 55 rules are positioned throughout the book.

I found the rules to be less useful then the sections, but overall it has been an important thinking tool for me.

Here a few quotes I liked:

"Every leader needs to clearly explain the top three things the organization is working on. If you can't, you are not leading well."     -Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO GE

"Innovation, like many business functions, is a management process that requires specific tools,rules and discipline - it is not mysterious." -Tony Davila, Marc Epstein, and Robert Shelton