NFIB

Information is Power
03/ 28/ 2002

Information is expanding in every field: electronic technology, physics, medicine, and industrial technology, to name a few. It's also expanding in the realm of general business information. Practically every month new business books appear that are well-written, thoroughly researched and potentially valuable to owners, managers and employees in small businesses. These books cover up-to-date business thought in a wide range of topics, including: management theory, sales techniques, economic information, inspiration/motivation, and financial investments, among many others.

It may not be in the budget for a small business to send employees to seminars, so new business literature can be an inexpensive way to infuse knowledge into your day-to-day operations. In today's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses discusses several innovative ways to enable your company's staff to become acquainted with many of the books most relevant to your industry.

All of the online booksellers have business bestseller lists. You can choose your titles from these lists, or simply visit a local book store and peruse the shelves for topics that you feel would be appropriate for you staff.

When a particular new title catches your attention, consider purchasing several copies and making them available. Encourage employees to circulate the book(s). The cost of these books in most instances will be a tax-deductible business expense. Check with your accountant about this before proceeding.

As your purchases increase, you should set up a library area so that employees can "check out" materials when they want. All you'll need at first is a book shelf, which can be placed in a common area. Make sure that you establish a sign-out procedure and a return date so books keep circulating.

If a special topic seems extremely valuable for a large number of your staff, consider giving an employee the assignment to read the material and make a presentation on it at a company-wide meeting. This will allow all employees to share the information, and to discuss its relevance to the company's operation. Before giving the assignment, make sure that the employee feels comfortable about reading the book and giving a report.

Many of the business books now being published are written by specialists in their fields, and many are based on lectures or seminars that the authors have presented. This makes the material, in effect, similar to attending a seminar. This can be extremely valuable for employees, and can cost-effectively help increase the productivity and profitability of an entire company.

---

If you're looking for ideas to get your business library started, check out the MyBUSINESS Bookshelf in the Tools and Tips section of NFIB.com

Small Business Sound Off
Does this story hit home?  Share your story with us