Reman U
- Author: Noah Rikun, aka Captain Reman
- Subject Matter: Set up a library
- Issue: Mentors at your fingertips
Charlie “Tremendous” Jones often said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”
Books change everything. They contain the answers to questions you’ve been asking yourself for years. They contain new ideas, old truths, and growth opportunities – all for less than the cost of a crappy movie at your local theater.
What was the last book you read? When did you finish it?
I bet it was a long time ago. Too long.
And, if you’re reading this now, you’re probably more likely to have read something more recently than your employees or your coworkers (some of whom haven’t read a book in 20 years). There’s an adage that says, “The average sales rep doesn’t read a book a year. That is why he is an average salesman.”
Don’t be average. And don’t let your employees, coworkers, or customers be average either.
I give books to friends and customers all the time. I usually write a little inscription about why I think the recipient will like the book, how they will profit from it, or what it might do for their life. I do the same for employees. But just a few weeks ago, I realized I had overlooked a simple and inexpensive opportunity to inspire, influence, and improve everyone who works here or visits here: a library!
So, with a couple of clicks of a mouse (and a little light assembly), we now have a library. It’s not a big one. It’s just a shelf. But it contains big ideas. We have begun to assemble the smartest minds, the best advice, the most inspiring examples from all over the world, from all time. We now have the best mentors available at our fingertips.
Our library is in our cafeteria. People take a book, leave a book, read a book, and talk about it with each other. Beats playing Words with Friends.
Shoutout to Andee (aka The Rhythm of Reman), for the idea and execution.
You can put your library in your office, in your lobby, in your shop, or anywhere you want, really. If you really want to have some fun with this, give a short book report each week at your meetings and talk about how you might apply what you’ve learned.
That’s where the real power of reading is – in thinking about and doing something with what you read. The Irish Statesman Edmund Burke said it best (way back in the 1700s): “To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.”
What if somebody steals a book? Then it means the book was valuable to the reader. It means the book meant enough to them that they wanted to keep it and use it. And they’ll always remember who they stole it from because we put our stamp in it!
In reality, I hope people do steal my books. It costs me $10 and I get happy, inspired, smarter employees and customers. Best $10 I could spend!
Want a list of 10 books that you should buy to start your library? Here they are:
10 Books to Get Your Lobby Library Started
- Les Schwab Pride in Performance: Keep It Going
- Rework
- Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude
- Fascinate: How to Make Your Brand Impossible to Resist
- Brain Rules
- Do the Work
- How to Sell Your Way Through Life
- Think and Grow Rich
- The War of Art
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
And, a bonus book…
- The Little Engine That Could
