Feniks & Company First 15

Each team member spends the first 15 minutes of each day reading. A book in hand at the start of each day, with a cup of coffee, tea or other morning beverage, calibrates the day. The books are assigned by Melody, e-books are not allowed, and a report is expected when a book is finished. The idea is to introduce each team member to growth perspectives on life and business. By reading a little every day, we support personal and team development at the office.

We have an active company library. The books vary in subject matter, but they typically relate to workplace communication, productivity, self-help, social science, and psychology. Communication techniques and personal development are the main categories. Personal and professional growth are important, and our reading program provides a common perspective and vocabulary to talk about things related in the books.

The first book every team member reads is How to Say Anything to Anyone by Shari Harley. It’s a classic business advice book that focuses on how to give feedback. And because everyone in the office reads this book first, it sets a standard for communication in the office. “Harley’s core idea is that candid communication is essential to working relationships and it is better to give candid feedback than to dance around issues that occur in the workplace,” said a team member from an early iteration. After this introduction to the company reading culture, books are recommended, assigned, or chosen according to individual needs or desires in personal or professional development.

Some books are keyed to enhancing personal life. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achorour presents research about how being happy and practicing habits that make you happy can have unexpected benefits in your life. This was Julia's favorite book for a time. She said, “Having actual serious research to back up the author’s claims that happiness makes life better, and easier, and makes us more likely to succeed at anything we do, helped make it something that I felt I could follow through with and implement into my life.” A former team member agreed, “Applying the contents of each book is a useful experience. Borrowing Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage during my studies for the CPA exam helped keep me positive and focused as I worked toward my goal.”

Melody Feniks says the book that’s impacted her most was Reboot by Jerry Colonna. Concepts such as radical self-inquiry and explorations through journaling are offered as a path to making decisions that support meaning-centered actions. Although she first read the book years ago, she still does some of the journaling exercises today. The book uses journaling to explore the impact of historical habits and to develop an awareness and opening for knowledge that leads to change.

One of Josh’s favorites is The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn. This book recounts the story of Fred, a mail carrier who is passionate about his job and the people he serves. It challenges readers to learn from Fred and contemplate how they can bring meaning to their work and enjoy the impact they have through their job. This is one of the shorter books in our library which presents simple yet transformative ways to think about our workload and communication strategies. These easy reads Melody sometimes calls “Doctor Seuss for Business” books. Among these are Fish! by Stephen Lundin, and The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, two easy reads that provide perspectives of how our work reflects the energy we bring to it. One team member a while back said Fish! is “a wonderful book, both in terms of the writing style and the message it delivered. Having seen how much a change in work environment can affect a person’s performance and motivation, the Fish! philosophy resonates with me.”

Surrounded by Idiots, by Thomas Erikson, is another favorite, collectively referred to as "the color book." Despite its provocative title, the book is actually really great for understanding different personalities. It sorts people into colors depending on their habits, something like a model for personality types. Mariah Ver Hoef, a former staff CPA, said, “This book helps with self-awareness. I was able to identify some of my strengths and personal growth areas based on which primary color I associate with, as well as stress factors, triggers and friction that occurs when I communicate with the other colors. It also helped me appreciate the need and value in all the colors, especially the one I identify with least, and take things less personally.”

How would 15 minutes of daily reading change your workday?

Books our staff love:

• How to Say Anything to Anyone by Shari Harley

• The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

• The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn

• Core Confidence by Fiona Pearman and Kate Boorer

• The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon

• Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson

• Fish! by Stephen Lundin

• Women Don’t Ask by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever

• Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

• How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton

• dare to lead by Brene’ Brown

• Dying for a Paycheck by Jeffrey Pfeffer