what does a book about the business of coffee have to with being genetically unemployable?  there seems to come a moment, at least one, in the process of accepting that you’ll never work for another employer again that brings about introspection.  Although i’m not finished reading this book i have found it to be inspiring from an individual viewpoint and as an entrepreneur, there are many business lessons we can learn from business books.

obviously i’m currently reading the new book out by howard schultz, ceo of starbucks: onward, at a third of the way through he is really digging in to the awareness for the need to re-invent themselves as a company but not until they have found their core values that can never be let go of. i found myself instantly connecting this need with the process of discovery for individuals, it truly is a re-invention of an individual because you have to let go of so many beliefs society puts on us.

this section of this has been huge for me, as i watch so many people make the decision to “re-invent” themselves to be an entrepreneur the values do not get evaluated first, if ever … i can honestly say that just change for the sake of change is temporary and not a true re-invention.

howard schultz also talks about using outside sources to help open up views and concepts they could not see because the entire leadership team was too close to the issues, again i can see how this is so important even for individuals.  when we move in to the process of change each of us can only see what we have experienced or are feeling, i know there are exceptions and that is not a hard rule, but in general viewing ourselves in a vacuum is not extremely productive.  for me i have confided in friends and worked with an executive coach that did not know me at all … it was then that i began to get asked some really hard questions that i may never have faced going down the path alone.

are you reading this book?    what are your insights so far?