How and Why to Start a Business Book Club
BY KEVIN EIKENBERRY
Book clubs have been quite a rage over
the last few years. Fueled in part by Oprah and others, the concept of
reading a book then gathering with others who have read the same book
has become “cool” again.
The reasons people have found
them valuable include:
-
a great way to have meaningful
conversation
-
a way to support your own
reading habit (I need to have the book read before the
meeting!)
-
a way to form a community – to
have a great reason to gather with other people to bond
-
a way to learn something in a
fun way
It is for all of those same
reasons and more that I suggest and encourage business book
clubs. Maybe you would like to start one within your
organization or maybe you would prefer to build one among
colleagues from outside of work. Either way this article will
outline the keys to help you build a successful single event
or long-term club.
-
Market the idea. Once
you are excited about this concept, use your influence and
knowledge of your target group to market the concept to
them. Even if your goal is to build a long-term “club.”
Don’t market it that way – that requires too big of a
commitment for many people. You are trying to encourage
people to try something new that will requires their time
both to read and participate. Rather than inviting them to
make a long-term commitment, encourage them to read one
book, then once they see the fun and the value, you will
have them hooked.
-
Gain commitment. Once
you have sold people on the idea make sure you gain a
commitment to participate. People are really committing to
two things: reading the book, and coming to the “meeting.”
After all, if no one comes to the meeting, (or comes without
having read much of the book) you won’t have much of a
conversation!
-
Start small. Identify
the number of people you will feel good about having
involved. Experience shows that if you have 4-5 highly
committed people you will have a successful experience. More
is fine too, but you don’t have to have everyone in the
organization or every person at a certain level
participating for it to be successful.
-
Start easy. Not everyone
is an avid reader. So pick a book that will be an easy sell
in terms of topic and length. Picking the new 450-page book
you are interested in might not be the best place to start.
Remember that the value of the book club experience is more
than just the book you read, but the conversations and ideas
they stimulate.
-
Make it fun. This is a
part of your marketing effort. Have food. Decorate the room,
reminder invitations, etc. in a theme suggested by the book.
Make the event itself something that will both encourage
people to attend and create a buzz so other people want to
attend the next one.
-
Have a facilitator.
Someone needs to be responsible for facilitating the
conversation. Beyond the normal facilitator roles of keeping
others participating that person needs to have a few
questions prepared that are designed to stimulate
conversation.
-
Facilitate lightly. The
facilitator should facilitate but not lead. Remember that
you are after input, participation and having people
involved in the conversation. Don’t let it become a lecture.
-
Keep the group involved.
Beyond the group’s involvement in the conversation itself,
get everyone’s input into future meeting times, setups,
facilitators, and perhaps most of all, books. When people
feel involved, they will be more invested in the success of
the next event, and beyond.
I have helped organizations
think through how to start these groups and have facilitated
these discussions. While we have talked about the benefits
that can be gained by individuals who participate in these
groups, the organizational benefits can be huge as well. For
the investment in a book for each person, organizations can
create powerful conversation, deep professional development
and better relationships.
Kevin Eikenberry is a
leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of
The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company.
Visit his site to receive a free special report on leadership
that includes resources, ideas, and advice.
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