Why should I read Rework?
This book entered my reading list by chance and here’s what I have learned from this start-up’s bible.
Why should I read Rework?
This book entered my reading list by chance and here’s what I have learned from this start-up’s bible.
SET UP
The question in my mind for a good 2 days while I was letting this book sit there on my coffee table was: Why should I read it?
I’m not starting my own business or managing a team, I’m between jobs leaving a company that I love which couldn’t love me in return for a job in the stressful world of a digital agency. And so, I felt that there were more accurate books that would be more helpful in that moment.
However, one day (while I quickly ran out of other things to do – that were sooo major) I started reading the first paragraph in the book. And two weeks later, I had devoured the whole thing.
SEE ALSO: Why having a content strategy matters?
THE HOOK
Rework is all about asking the right questions. Although, you might think that does not apply to you, it does. If you are part of an industry, of a company, if you are a CEO, a freelancer or an intern you should read this book.
Rework makes you think about your behavior in the workplace and questions your attitude towards different problems. The solutions might not be what you are looking for but what’s key is the crucial questions it raises.
MUNDANE CONCLUSIONS
Business plans are trash, long meetings are the plague, the phrase “long-term strategy” means nothing and the ideal work week has between 10 and 40 hours in it. Yep. You read that right.
The authors live by the premises in the book, it’s their guide and has help them found a small company that every year makes millions of dollars which is 37 signals.
Here’s my take away from their philosophy:
- Develop something that you would want to use on your daily life.
- Start with something that could solve your personal problems or your work problems.
- Focus on doing one thing right.
- Failure it’s not a premise for success, learning from mistake is overrated.
- Problems usually have simple solutions.
- Don’t sweat more than you have to. You usually know what the consequences are, deal with them. Be open, humble and transparent.
- Meetings are toxic.
- If a meeting is mandatory then something concrete must come out of it.
- The time to launch is now not later.
- An ideal setting is never going to happen. Find out soon rather than later if your idea works.
- Before hiring for a specific area, do the job yourself.
- Then you know what works and what to expect from your employee.
SEE ALSO: Why having a content strategy matters? Rework preaches what worked for the authors: a revolutionary work philosophy that focuses on personal satisfaction, productivity and the pursuit of an ideal.
It’s up to you to take away the conclusions that might really work for you.
