Scientific Advertising
Long day. Started at 2 AM on the time zone I am on now. Missed my workout since I had to be at the airport early.I love the time I have on planes. I choose to make it solitary time. Usually on the flights out, I read 30-40 trade and business journals(this lightens my load considerably). Trade journals read quickly since I read lots of them so there is a lot of repetition and so many articles I can skip. My time tip for today is take a speed reading course and my specific speed reading tip is 95% of any magazine or newspaper article can be gained by just reading the first and last paragraph. For flights later in my travels, I read books.
On the 5 hour flight from Mexico City to San Francisco, I read 3 great books. Two marketing classics by Claude Hopkins – “My life in Advertising” and “Scientific Advertising”. They were written in 1927 and 1923 respectively so many of the vignettes were very dated but quite entertaining and almost historic. One concept that makes him a kindred spirit is his belief that work can be as fun as any play. He was also a great believer in change and adaptability. He knew that historic success does not ensure future success. They both inspired me to rethink our marketing. I loved both books tremendously and highly recommend them(I am a marketer at heart).
The other book, Board Smart - Seven Keys for unlocking the door to Boardroom Excellence by Jim Brown of Strive! I read is yet to be published. I was proof reading it and offering suggestions. Although I had a few suggestions, the book is ready for publishing. Jim has studied many boards, done many many interviews and researched boards well. He is a good writer. It is a story about what makes a good board. Good governance is increasingly important. The days of the puppet board are becoming distant past. It used a fictional board example to illustrate best practices. The story was compelling enough to keep my interest. It was an easy and fast read. Board Smart is a highly recommended read that I believe will be a success.
Then landed in SF, did the airport rental car drill and drive to Fremont. Immediately immersed in board meetings and preparing presentations on my Mexico trip. The day went quickly.
Then out to dinner with the SYNNEX board and executive team. Now bed.
posted by Jim Estill @ 12:57 AM 
2 Comments:
I can't disagree more about the speed reading.
One of the big problems in the world is people who don't pay attention. People who say they know about something but actually have no idea.
It's a huge can of worms, and is tied in with attention span, and a few other "problems" of the modern world.
I'm not suggesting I have any answers - although I might be suggesting that people should slow down a bit. The world will be a much better place for it.
Jim,
Thanks again for your willingness to read through Board Smart and look for ways to improve it. One of my specific objectives was to write the book so it is a captivating story that can be read on a typical 3-4 hour flight. Along the way, my aim is to convey foundational principles and some deeper insights about boards. Hopefully the continuing stream of news of BAD governance as demonstrated by Conrad and his friend Radler will motivate more directors to sharpen their saws on this topic with the same deliberate growth commitment that you have!
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