Remote (book review)

Remote: Office Not Required

Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

37 Signals, 2013

After writing Getting Real and Rework (see my blogpost), Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson wrote Remote. This book is all about working (ta-da) remote. A topic they know all about as they founded Basecamp (formerly known as 37 Signals) while living and working in respectively the US and Danmark. Nowadays their employees work at different locations all around the globe.

First of all, the authors explain why one should work remotely. At the office people get distracted by their managers and meetings. The M&M's as they call it. Also commuting takes lots of valuable time. However there's a lof of resistance. Many people, especially managers, oppose to telecommuting as they fear to lose control.

In the following chapters Fried and Heinemeier Hansson explain how to organise the work, the cooperation and the social aspects. They emphasize the importance of human interaction. Therefore they synchronise at least some working hours. People should interact directly even if they use technology like (video) chat. Another important aspect is the provision of services to customers, software support in their case. At last, the book contains some useful resources and tools.

Remote is well written. It's not a novel but it contains tons of useful information about the modern workplace. It's interesting both for companies and employees. It's clearly structured and provides practical advice. Both for dealing with resistance and how to effectively organise the work. 

Do you work remote?

The sleepwalkers (book review)

The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914
Christopher Clark
HarperCollins, 2014

A century ago Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austia and his wife during a visit of Sarajevo. A few weeks later war broke out. Earlier I wrote about the year 1913 and the First World War. Today, I'll review The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark.

In this book, Clark outlines the prelude of the Great War. He describes the situation in the European states, their mutual relations and their interests both in- and outside Europe.

First of all Serbia which was an agrarian country. In this kingdom, the government was interwoven with some nationalistic organisations. The level of education was relatively low.

Its neighbour, the dual monarchy Austria-Hungary had another structure. It had one Emperor (Franz Joseph) but two parliaments. The Austrians runned a flourishing civilized country. They were tolerant towards minorities. They created and maintained a good infrastructure and developed acquired parts of the empire like Bosnia-Herzegovina. Rural Hungary's parliament however neglected their minorities.

Germany was headed by Emperor Wilhelm II ("Willy") who was also King of Prussia. An unpredictable aristocrat who lost influence during the war. Prussia had a strong military tradition and Germany was developing steadily.

Russia was led by Tsar Nicholas II ("Nicky"). This agrarian country was recovering of the lost war against Japan. The government was seeking access to the warm water of the Mediterranen Sea. Note the family relations of the Heads of State of the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia.

Great Britain was in anti-German mood. It experiended troubles in Ulster. The author describes the balances of power in not only the British but also in the French and other governments. The French were struggling with the UK for influence in Egypt and with Germany about Marocco.

Each of the European Powers and Turkey had their interests in the Balcan peninsula. A mix of etnic, economic and religious issues. In each of the countries there were discussions between the civil and military authorities as well as about the military budgets. Nevertheless an arms race developed. Furthermore there were tensions between the press and the governments. The continent was divided in two alliances: Austia-Hungary, Germany and Italy versus Russia, France and the UK.

After the assissination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, a crisis originated. Austria-Hungary would punish the Serbians. Tensions increased as all of the states had their interests and allies. Due to a mix of masculinity and bungling of governments and diplomats, war broke out. We all know the results.

Clark describes the main characters, their in- and external relations and the affairs happened. Thereby he raises understanding of the affairs during the summer of 1914. I found The Sleepwalkers quite interesting to read. However, it is a huge book and there are many details in it. No easy stuff but very interesting.

Keep on reading!

Why work doesn't happen at work (video)

Software entrepreneur Jason Fried spoke at a TED about his views on work. He's the author of several books, like Rework (which I covered earlier) and Remote (which I reviewed). Just like the latest mentioned, his TED Talk is about the necessity of offices. Grab some M&M's ;-) and enjoy!

Open Library

Today we'll talk about the Open Library. In fact. I will write and you may read it. ;-)

This library is an initiative of the Internet Archive. Its aim is to create a (web) page for every book which is quite ambitious. By creating such a huge database readers and book lovers are able to retrieve information about many published works.

But that's not all. It's also possible to read books as long as they are digitized. Registered users are allowed to read classics online or even download them. These are books published till 1922. They are avalaible in several formats like TXT, PDF and EPUB. At the moment of writing, over 1.000.000 titles are available for free.

Modern books are published as of 1923 and can be borrowed. Borrowed? Yes, registered users can check a book out for up to fourteen days. During that period, the lender is able to read it on- or offline. For the latter Adobe Digital Editions software is necessary. These are available for Windows and Mac; unfortunately there's still no Linux version. Users may loan up to five books a time all for free!

Are you already a member of the Open Library?

Keep on reading!

Technology's long tail (video)

In an earlier blogpost, I mentioned The Long Tail by Chris Anderson. In short, the author shows us what happens when supply becomes eternal. Just as happened with electronic goods like music, movies and books. Instead of one market for millions, there are millions of niche markets.

Anderson also declared his idea's at a TED Conference; see below.

Enjoy!

Where good idea's come from (video)

During holiday, I read Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson. Reading this book, I became more and more intrigued by the work of many inventors.

The author spoke at TED about the history of innovation. A talk I like to share with you.

So, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

Critical chain (book review)

Critical Chain
Eliyahu M. Goldratt
The North River Press, 1997

My first book review was about The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt. This book is all about the Theory ot Constraints (TOC). Today, I'll review Critical Chain in which Goldratt applies his TOC to project management.

The book is no dull business book. The author chose to explain his idea's in a novel. It's about an associated professor teaching on a business school. Along with a class of MBA students, he - like Socrates did in the early days - seeks for answers to problems occuring during projects.

They all experienced projects running late and/or finishing at additional costs. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Together, they examine causes. They find out, it's about the way of planning, the student syndrome, Parkinson's law, window dressing and multitasking.

In stead of planning a buffer at each activity, Goldratt suggests using slack only at the end of the project. As this buffer is less than the sum of all slack in traditional schedules, the planned run time is reduced by about 25% - all other things being equal. Furhermore, he proposes some buffers before tasks on the critical path. Hereby, the risc of delays decreases.

Like The Goal, this book is easy to read. The story is fascinating so you want to read the outcome. Well done! Except the plot is attractive, the lessons are useful. Many companies accomplish projects these days and - we have to admitt it - not all of them are successful. So here we get some valuable advice.

Reading Critical Chain during the early 2000's, I was excited about Goldratt's idea's. Since then, I spoke many people about this topic. Despite their interest, none of them practised the TOC in project management. Why is that? Is the TOC not applicable to projects? Is it a well kept secret nobody knows? Do you apply these principles?

Good luck in your projects!

Start with why (book review)

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Simon Sinek
Portfolio / Penguin, 2009

Some time ago, I presented you a TED Talk of the Golden Circle by Simon Sinek. Today, I'll review his book called Start with Why

Why review particulary this book about leadership as there are many of them? What makes this one different? Well, this publication won't teach you how to become a leader within a month or so. You won't either learn any tips or tricks. But what will it tell you instead?

This book is all about passion and intrinsic motivation. Sinek begins to  tell about planes. Samuel Pierpont Langley started the development of a plane in the early 1900's. He gathered a considerable budget and some highly educated people around him.

However, he was "beaten" by Orville and Wilbur Wright who created their aircraft in a bicycleshop along with some other people. Not a single one had an advanced degree or even a college education.

Why did they succeed? Because it was their passion to fly. The Wright brothers were able to inspire those around them and truly lead their team to develop the technology. In short, they started with WHY.

Subsequently the author explains his Golden Cicle which consists of three parts: WHAT, HOW and WHY.

Picture: Wikipedia

• WHAT: Every single company and organization on the planet knows WHAT they do.
• HOW: Some companies and people even know HOW they do WHAT they do. HOW's are often given to explain how something is different or better, for instance an unique selling point.
• WHY: Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. Not making money—that’s a result. By WHY Sinek means what is your purpose, cause or belief? WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care?

Furthermore Sinek tells his readers how great leaders inspire their followers which can be employees, customers, voters, etc. He explains WHAT to do and HOW. Just kidding. ;-) He talks about communication, which by the way is all about listening; not speaking.

I like Start with Why because of it's message. No X steps to success or something like that. Sinek explains the difference between focussing on WHAT or even HOW and WHY and the consequences thereof.

In the first situation a regular product, service or message ("me too") is created. People need to be manipulated to buy it. So a marketing campaign is launched.

In the second a (slightly) different item is developed. Manipulation is still necessary. The focus will now be on the product's features. "Great gas mileage", "X GB disc space".

In the latter the status quo - or even the world - will be changed. People get intrinsically motivated. Which will last, do you think?

Keep on reading!

Bookshelf

Yesterday, I updated my bookshelf. On this page, you'll find some books I like along with links to their websites and/or my blogposts about them. I will update this page in the future.

Keep on reading!

The First World War (book review)

The First World War
John Keegan
Hutchinson Radius, 1998

As you may know, it's 100 years after the outbreak of World War I. Recently, I posted a book review of 1913. Today, we'll cover The First World War by John Keegan. This British military historian and lecturer, published many books about warfare during the last centuries. 

Sir Keegan starts his narrative months before the outbreak of the war. He describes the military establishment especially those in Prussia and Germany. They planned warfare by time tables. Remember scientific management was popular those days? The well known Von Schlieffen Plan was a result of this doctrine. By gaining a rather quick victory in the West, the war along the eastern front could also be won. 

The author also describes the political climate, alliances and diplomatic efforts being made after the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. A very complex process with a disastrous outcome. 

In the next chapters, the German invasion and march through Belgium and France is sketched including the Belgium defense, French counter offensives and the deployment of the British Expeditionary Force. As we now know, the western front stabilized. Keegan also describes the situation in Central Europe. 

Then he turns sight to the eastern front where the Von Hindenburg - Lindendorff duo combatted. He not only describes the battles itself but also the circumstances the soldiers faced. 

Near the end of the war, the Americans came in. The last chapters tell the story of breaking armies and the defeat of the Germans. 

I like the book (not the war!). Sir Keegan tells the occurences of this terrible war in a clear way. There's a good balance between the overall history and the details. He also sketches backgrounds and relations in this era.

For those interested: I published also a review of The Sleepwalkers.

PS: Next Sunday, the cycling classic Paris - Roubaix will be ridden. A course through Northern France or the former West Front. For those interested: I wrote about this event and it's history, on my cycling blog. 

Keep on reading!

1913 (book review)

1913: The Year Before the Storm

Florian Illies

S. Fischer, 2012

Altough I have read some books recently, I didn't post book reviews lately. But now I do! In 2014, it's 100 years after the outbreak of The Great War or World War I. As I lack in depth knowledge of this huge war, I decided to read some books about it. Well, the first isn't about the war itself, it's about the year before.

German journalist Florian Illies, gave his book 1913 the subtitle the year before the storm. He describes life and society in the big European cities like Vienna, Berlin, Munich and Paris. He does so systematically: each chapter is about one month. Many well known people are mentioned. Examples are Freud, Kafka and Picasso but also Hitler, Stalin and Tito. In every chapter, Illies mentions the hunt for the Mona Lisa which was stolen in 1911.

To be honest, I'm not that interested in the work or love life of artists. Nevertheless, I like this book. Illies manages to describe the way of thinking early in the 20th century. It was wide agreed, war was not an option those days. The monarchists were all family of each other. Moreover the economic merits were too high. How wrong were these people! The book is well written and easy to read.

For those interested in the war itself, I wrote a book review of The First Wold War and The Sleepwalkers.

Keep on reading!

My Shelfie at Lifehacking.nl

Last week, Lifehacking.nl published my shelfie (in Dutch). Thanks guys!

Keep on reading!

In praise of slowness (video)

Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slowness, told his story at TED. The talked about the speed of our society, the slow movement and raising kids.

He enjoys speed in some ways, like squash and ice hockey. But he also understands that it is import to slow down to prevent burn outs and other health issues.

So, if you want to slow down quickly ;-) listen to his story.

Enjoy!

The omnivore's dilemma (book review)

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
Michael Pollan

Penguin, 2007

It's time for another book review. Today we'll talk about The Omnivore's Dilemma written by Michael Pollan of whom I earlier reviewed Food Rules.

This book starts with - at least in the developed world - a well known question: "What should we have for dinner?" Pollan gives his readers a long and fairly involved answer to this simple question. He does so by following three food chains: the industrial, the organic and the hunter-gatherer.

Starting with the industrial food chain, Pollan explains this is all about corn. This crop is mass produced by American farmers. Their governement stimulates them to produce as much as possible cheap corn. It's used to produce cheap and sweet food. And for the cattle. In stead of feeding them grass, it gets corn and even offal. The goal is to grow them as fast as possible. Pollan visits a corn farmer and - as he calls it - a cattle metropolis. He adopts a bull and follows it through the chain. His discovery ends at a McDonald's where he has a meal with his wife and son.

Secondly, he researches the organic food chain. He does so by working. He joins Joel Salatin who owns an organic farm, Polyface. In stead of corn, this farm is all about grass. Salatin's land is divided in seperated grasslands. Cows and chickens are moved accross the pastures according to a sophisticated scheme. So they graze and manure the land. The farmer also butchers his chickens and sells them directly to his customers. He favours local production and markets.

Last but not least, Pollan is going to hunt and gather. Some friends take him on hunting and the author shoots a pig himself. They also gather fungi which requires - as we learn - a lot knowledge about nature. Pollan himself cooks a meal with all ingredients hunted, gathered and grown by himself.

Pollan tells a lot about acquiring food in the past and the present. He does so in a respectfull way to the people involved. Concurrently he holds us a mirror about how we produce and consume our food. The menu in the US and in many other rich countries is these days superannuated, sweet and/or fat. The people at Polyface shows us, there are other, more healthy and sustainable methods. He realizes the McDonalds and his own meal are both extremes: fast versus time-consuming. They also come at different real costs for the consumer and society. He writes

"Without such a thing as fast food there would be no need for slow food, and the stories we tell at such meals would lose much of their interest. Food would be…well, what it always was, neither slow nor fast, just food: this particular plant or that particular animal, grown here or there, prepared this way or that."

I like The Omnivore's Dilemma. It's well written, keeps my attraction and gets me thinking about my eating habits.

What will you have for dinner tonight?

Happy reading!

Project Gutenberg

Are you looking for free e-books? Visit Project Gutenberg and you'll find plenty of them. At the time of writing, 42,000. Around 50 e-books are added weekly.

Long before Google started scanning books, Michael Hart  created an electronic text of the US Declaration of Independence by typing it into a computer. He did so in 1971. The US Bill of Rights and the Bible followed. A project was born. It was named after Johannes Gutenberg who introduced printing to Europe.

Hart's aim was to make e-texts and e-books available on every sort of computer. Therefore he started in ASCII. Later other standards were added like PDF, HTML and EPUB. In the early years, texts were typed by volunteers. Nowadays, the books are scanned and pre-read.

The books are free - as in freedom - as US copywrights are expired. The project is still looking  for volunteers and donations.

I really like this huge collection of books altough most of them are elder titles. The side is plain and simple.

Happy reading!

The Peter principle (book review)

The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong
Laurence J. Peter & Raymond Hull

William Morrow & Company, 1969

Among the other books on my blog, there's one that really belongs here. I'm talking about The Peter Principle by Laurence Peter and Raymond Hull which I'll review today. Although it's written in 1969, I'm afraid it's still actual. ;-) Anyway, it's still funny.

The authors noticed many things go wrong everyday. A bridge collapses, a new baseball stadium isn't fit for playing baseball and so on. Prof. Peter asked himself how this could happen and started a new science: hierarchiology. His conclusion became known as the Peter Principle:

"Employees tend to rise to their level of incompetence."

In many companies and organisations, it's practice to offer well performing employees a promotion. However, their results at their current position doesn't guarantee success at a higher position. People get as many promotions till they reach a postion they aren't competent for. Supercompetent employees however, call up resistance and... get fired. How tragic is that!

Peter identified this mechanism not only in companies but also in schools, medical institutions and politics. He questions if we are governed by vicious people sitting on our skin or well-meaning imbiciels (...).

But how to prevent reaching our level of incompetence? Peter explains there are two options: resist promotion (not recommended) or fake incompetence. ;-)

Despite of its funny tone of voice, The Peter Principle has a deep undertone. Many failures in modern society are unnecessary. They are caused by people functioning at the wrong level. The book is an easy read with enteraining examples.

What about you?

Happy reading!

The long tail (manifesto)

The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
Chris Anderson

Hyperion, 2006

Editor in chief of Wired, Chris Anderson, shows us what happens when supply becomes eternal. Seems unimaginable? Think of electronic goods like music, movies and books. There's no longer one market for millions; there are millions of niche markets.

On sites like Amazon you may have noticed the message "Customers who bought this item also bought ...". Well, this is the long tail in action: by combining purchases, Amazon detects interests and draws attention to articles their customers might be interested in. In this way they create many niche markets.

Along The Long Tail , Anderson wrote a manifesto which is published on ChangeThis.

Happy reading!

Live life in permanent beta (video)

Recently, I wrote about The Start-up of You. In their book, Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha explain we all should have a mindset of permanent beta: we are all work in progress.

Here in the Netherlands, we have a wonderfull initiative also called Permanent Beta (as the site is in Dutch, you may translate it). Same name, similar ideas.

In 2012 Hoffman discussed his ideas at Stanford see below.


Enjoy!

Rework (manifesto)

Rework

Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

37 Signals, 2010

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson founded a company named 37 Signals (nowadays called Basecamp after their flagship product). It's different from other companies. On their site is an eight bullet statement which reflects their vision. In short: it's about simplicity and clarity. Personally, I like especially #5 Customers are our investors.

Together, they wrote Rework  about their ideas, their company and their vision on business. Along the book, there's a nice manifesto on ChangeThis.

Along this book, they wrote also Getting Real and Remote about which you read more here and here.

Happy reading!

GoodReads

You may have noticed, the little G logo on this blog. Well, that's the link to my profile on Goodreads. As the name suggests, this is a book community. As stated on their site:

"Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. Our mission is to help people find and share books they love."

Their numbers are impressive: at the time of writing they claim 18 million members, 570 million books and 24 million reviews.

After registering, you can track the books you're reading, have read, and want to read. It's possible to organize you books in shelves, e.g. the topics you're interested in. Based on your library, the site recommends books. Before starting a new book, you may check its reviews. Like many social media, it's possible to see which books your friends are reading and to join communities. A nice feature - according to me - is to connect your virtual collection to the open source e-book library management application Calibre.

I really love Goodreads with its impressive book database including many reviews. It's easy to search and to organize your books. As Chris Anderson wrote in The Long Tail, you'll get reccommendations tailored to your reading habits and preferences. I know, Amazon does so too. However, I found a few nice titles I hadn't heard of before.

How do you keep track of the books you've read? Do you like suggestions what to read?

Happy reading!