Let's Talk Books - A Book Club That Helps Rihm Team Members Grow Personally & Professionally
Have you ever read a book and thought that describes my work situation or home life perfectly, or that is a lesson I can use?
In 2019, Rihm’s leadership team implemented a “required” manager book club, encompassing all managers, with our first book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Starting a book club at Rihm was a new idea and it was something we expected not everyone to fully embrace. Asking all managers to take time out of their busy schedules to read a leadership book was not something common in the heavy-duty truck world.
As one might imagine, there were managers who had probably not picked up and/or read a book since high school or college, but I felt it was important to provide a different approach to help managers in both their personal and professional lives. Reading for pleasure was not something I typically enjoyed doing myself, but once I started finding books that could help me grow personally and professionally, it was something I looked forward to when time allowed.
Our book club, now titled, “Let’s Talk Books”, began during a quarterly management summit. Books were provided to roughly 40 managers, and time was spent explaining why we were starting a book club and the high-level view of what they would learn reading that first book – The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. We had a feeling that some managers would not read the book over the next 3 months. LET’S TALK BOOKS A Book Club That Helps Rihm Team Members Grow Personally & Professionally 2 | Rihm Monthly
During our next quarterly managers’ summit, we asked the group who read the book what they thought. We didn’t scold anyone who admitted to not reading the book but did encourage them to take time in the future to read a chapter or two. To our surprise, many of the managers did read the book… they seemed engaged, excited, energized, and open to share their thoughts and ideas about what they learned in the book. While we still didn’t have buy-in from everyone that a book club was something they wanted to be part of, we knew if we continued, more people might get on board.
Over the course of the past 4 years, we have advanced from “mandatory” manager books clubs to optional clubs. Our participation rate varies depending on the time of year, what people have going on in their personal and professional lives and what books we select. We strive to select books that can impact people in various ways and provide insight and lessons that they can take home to their loved ones – that not only help them in a professional setting, but also provide impact in their personal lives.
From inception, we have introduced 11 different books:
1. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
2. Traction – Get a Grip on Your Business
3. Start with Why
4. How to Be a Great Boss
5. 5 Voices – How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead
6. Leading with Gratitude
7. What the Heck is EOS
8. How to Win Friends & Influence People
9. The Five Levels of Leadership
10. Pick Three: You Can Have it All (Just Not Every Day)
11. Rebalanced Thinking, Rebalanced Living
Book club discussions are led by volunteers and take place via zoom, typically over lunch with peers they may not normally see or communicate with on a regular basis. Putting people in groups with those they don’t normally collaborate with has allowed team members to get to know others at different branch locations and has allowed them to expand their personal relationships.
In 2023, we plan to expand the book club to others in the organization who are not in management positions but who have interest in becoming a leader in the future. We feel it’s important to provide the resources to make people successful not only in their professional life, but in their personal lives as well. We will be kicking off the new year with our 12th book, Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell.
What’s your next read going to be?