In This Edition:
1.
A Chilly Greeting
2.
Reading for Breadth
3.
Become an Idea-Generator
A Chilly Greeting
When I moved to North Carolina in 1992, I knew there was "winter"
here but figured it had to be milder and shorter than in Washington D.C. or
in Connecticut. Finally, this year, we're having a winter so mild that it
hardly seems like winter at all. Odds are, however, March will be
ferocious!
Reading for Breadth
I advise my audiences to read the publications of their clients as
well as their own industry's publications. What better way to understand
the needs, fears, concerns and hot button issues of the people whom your
organizations serves? I also advocate reading publications that are
entirely out of your field and out of the field of the customers you serve.
Frequently, you can pick up ideas in publications that are otherwise
totally unrelated to what
you do! This form of cross-fertilization can help you to stand out in your
organization.
I'll flip through 10 to 20 magazines, that I would not otherwise be
inclined to pick. At high speed, I quickly detach the articles and pages
that look like they will be of some interest, and then I recycle the
magazines. Later, at my leisure, I'll go through the articles and again
determine whether or not they're worth my time and attention.
Often, I'll find myself highlighting specific passages, copying the
article and sending it to an associate, or simply filing it for future use.
These articles represent a wellspring of ideas for me and they keep me at
the forefront of my respective career pursuits. As an idea generator, in no
particular order, here's list of publications worth considering:
Smithsonian
Garbage
Mother Jones
The Economist
Writer's Quarterly
Common Cause
American Spectator
National Review
The Nation
The Week
Conde Naste Traveler
Business Travel
Variety
Advertising Age
Marie Claire
The New Republic
The Responsive Community
Esquire
Ladies Home Journal
Kiplinger's Magazine
U.S. News and World Report
Wired
Business 2.0
Nations Business
Modern Maturity
Selling Power
PC World
Technology Review
Southern Living
Better Homes & Gardens
Robb Report
Architectural Digest
Men's Health
American Demographics
Forbes
Millionaire
Apartment Living
Worth
Money
Boardroom Personal
Fortune
Red Herring
The Futurist
Atlantic Monthly
Real Simple
Town & Country
Vital Speeches
Psychology Today
Harper's Magazine
Consumer Reports
Become an Idea-Generator
The more ideas you generate, the better your chances are of hitting
upon something new and useful to your firm, your career, or your family.
Extrapolate and cross-fertilize your new knowledge and insights, let them
simmer, and then look to combine them in unusual ways to stimulate new
ideas!
