(OK… fine… smart-ISH!)
I don’t claim to be the smartest person in the world. But I do take great pride in my curiosity and ongoing pursuit of more information. I like to learn. I like new perspectives. And concepts that could help my clients and me in business. So I read a lot.
It’s no secret that there are lots of sources of information and business advice/expertise. There are thousands of blogs on business and/or finance. There are thousands of books about business. There are journals and magazines and websites that offer content on business in general – and probably many that focus on your specific industry.
So, in an effort to help you become smarter-ish like me, I’m sharing my five favorite sources of business content. I have learned a lot from each of them and think they might spark something for you as well. Here they are:
1. Patrick Lencioni
He’s my favorite author in the category of business books. Most of his books are fables that go through the story of an imaginary business with a real problem. It’s a great alternative to the books out there that read like textbooks. I highly recommend ANY of his books. Patrick also has a blog that offers some great insights, mostly about organizational health. Take a minute and check it out.
2. LinkedIn Learning
While there are many different places to find video tutorials (Coursera, Udacity, edX, Udemy, and a few others), my favorite is LinkedIn Learning. After LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com, they built this great site that addresses ALL the skills needed by successful business people. Most sites are geared only toward technical skills. But LinkedIn Learning also delivers great content regarding the “softer” skills such as communication and management. Check it out.
3. MIT Sloan Management Review
Everyone’s heard of that great resource Harvard Business Review. But I would direct you to MIT Sloan Management Review, which describes itself as content that addresses “advances in management practice, particularly those shaped by technology, that are transforming how people lead and innovate.” It is a great resource, and produces content in many ways equal to Harvard’s content.
4. Feedly.com
With the scads of websites offering business content out there, how can you possibly cut through the clutter and get to just the information that will help you? Feedly. It aggregates content from around the internet, and presents it for you in a simple, easy-to-read structure. So you can browse the good stuff, without having to go to every website. The best part is that Feedly will give you suggestions for websites based on your searching and browsing. This is a great place to start if you aren’t an old pro at finding valuable business content online.
5. Small Business Trends
While their whole website is very good, I would direct you to their business book reviews section. As I’ve mentioned, there are an innumerable number of business books published every year. This website is a good place to go and skim through the best books to find one that interests and applies to you.
So now you know my secret– the real reason why Jonathan Knows Business! I utilize multiple online resources to keep me up-to-date on business perspectives, advice, and trends. These are just my top five. If you have some favorite resources for furthering your business education, I would love to hear about them. Shoot me an email or stop by my office… and we can get smarter-ish together.
