How Mike Figliuolo gets the most from the business books he reads.

Getting value out of nonfiction requires you to find one or two insights from your reading and apply them immediately. Make these practices part of your daily behavior. Choose something small. Commit to applying it. Reread that section of the book after a few months and see if you’re doing it right and getting the results the book predicted. If not, ask yourself why. Are you not committing to the practice? Is your situation different and therefore the book’s guidance doesn’t apply?

For books that capture entire methods or models, try applying the method or model to a single project. See if you can work your way through the entire model and get the benefits being touted. Not everything will work for you but those few gems you find here and there will definitely improve your leadership if you commit to applying them.

That’s how Mike Figliuolo does it. Now it’s your turn. How do you get the most from the books you read?

Check out Read Like a Leader to learn more about Intentional Reading and the bios of the Intentinonal Reading Panel. Reading is an important part of self-development. The 347 tips in my ebook can help you Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time.