It’s time once again for the First Friday Book Synopsis. As previously mentioned in this blog, Karl Krayer and Randy Mayeux promise to “take you through two books, cover-to-cover, in just one hour.” If you are in the Dallas area, this is great opportunity to get acquainted with new business books and new business people.
This month’s synopsis on May 4 features two recent and compelling titles that I’m very excited to hear about.
If you’re in the Dallas area, I encourage you to check it out. You can register here.
Posted in Book review, Networking
If you want to succeed in your job interview (and who doesn’t?), it’s good to understand the perspective of the interviewer. What is he or she expecting from the candidate? What kinds of actions can kill the interview?
The folks at Boost Your Career With LinkedIn offer some excellent advice on preparing for an interview, based on common complaints from recruiters. Knowinging — and avoiding — these pitfalls will help you make a positive impression.
Posted in Careers, Interviewing, Job search
LinkedIn now has its own blog. It promises to be “a sounding board for all things LinkedIn.”
See it here.
Posted in Networking
More leaders could use a dose of self-awareness, like Reeko (the skunk) in Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild:
“I always thought they didn’t want me around because I was a skunk, well…you know it turns out they didn’t want me around because I was a jerk.”
Self-awareness is the first step in discovering your purpose. What were you created to do?
(Thanks to Michael at the Leading Blog.)
Posted in Leadership, Quotes
In her book Keeping the Faith (reviewed previously in this blog), Ana Mollindo Mims begins with what amounts to a personal manifesto. She says, in part
“I believe in destiny.”
“I believe each of us has a path that points us toward that destiny.”
“I believe that I am here for a purpose, not because of some random occurrence or decision by my parents.”
“I believe events in my life happen for a reason, not by accident.”
And my favorite:
“I believe that we have free will, and when we cede that free will to God’s purpose and plan, in life and in business, we will find ourselves on a journey that will fulfill and elate us, by no one’s standards but His own.”
True fulfillment in life comes by discovering and yielding your passion to the One who gave you that passion. What were you created to do?
My reading list has historically been second-hand, meaning that I tend to build my list based on recommendations from others. Rarely do I snoop around the shelves and tables of the bookstore looking for the hidden gems that others may have overlooked. I’ve always had a never-ending supply of recommended reading (college professors are good for that), combined with a short supply of time and patience for shopping, so the second-hand method works well for me.
It’s unusual, then, that I would impulsively pick up a book to read, but this particular book recently caught my attention: Keeping the Faith, by Ana Mollinedo Mims. The book is Ana’s very narrative and personal story about how she incorporates her faith into her personal career, and the impact that has had on finding meaning and success in her professional life.
In the book, she describes the seven principles of her faith-based philosophy:
What I liked about this book
First, I appreciate the spiritual perspective of this book. I have always believed that our faith should be reflected in our work, and that our work is a natural extension of who God created us to be. We find meaning in work and life by discovering what we were created to do. This book supports that philosophy.
Second, the book is a very comfortable read, and very inspiring. Her personal stories as well as the stories she tells of others lends believability to her ideas. In other words, you don’t get the idea that this is pie-in-the sky wishful thinking, but a pratical philosophy that anyone can embrace.
What I didn’t like about the book
In a word — the title. The theme of the book seems to be about finding success by incorporating faith into your work and career. I think the words “Work” or “Career” or even “Purpose” should figure prominently in the title. Granted, the subtitle is “How Applying Spiritual Purpose to Your Work Can Lead to Extraordinary Success,“ but that’s not prominent enough to capture most readers.
Conclusion
The book was not what I expected when I picked it up, but I was pleasantly surprised. One of the reasons I wrote this review is that I think many people will disregard the book because of the title, and miss out on an enjoyable and inspiring read. If you are wondering how to integrate your faith and career, you will enjoy this book.
And it may help you answer the question, What were you created to do?
Posted in Book review, Careers, Passion, Purpose, Work
