just read: Outliers

I read a lot. In fact I am currently a member of not one, but two book clubs...and I still have books I am reading independently.

There is one book I read this year that I have thought about again and again - Outliers by Malcom Gladwell.

This book has pertinent lessons in assertive communication - which is really important to leadership and relationship.

The author proposes that to be an expert at anything we must spend 10,000 hours practicing - which is really important when learning a new skill or encouraging those who think they cannot be successful. I used this concept with my students - "get up try again, keep practicing, you CAN succeed!"

The major concept, I will let the author describe in his own words:


"When outliers become outliers it is not just because of their own efforts. It's because of the contributions of lots of different people and lots of different circumstances— and that means that we, as a society, have more control about who succeeds—and how many of us succeed—than we think. That's an amazingly hopeful and uplifting idea." (taken from an interview found at www.gladwell.com).

I think another Gladwell book will make the reading list in the near future.

What do you think of this concept: no one succeeds on their own and we can contribute to the success of others?

just Sheri, grateful to all of my contributors