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I highly recommend it for most people, but in particular managers, leaders, marketers, programmers, designers … anyone wanting to create or foster the “in the zone” experiences that are commonly associated with sports for their business, products, and overall work (and even leisure time).

It’s a book, based on decades of academic research, about enjoyment and happiness.

As the author says: “The best moments in our lives … are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times — although such experiences can also be enjoyable, if we have worked hard to attain them. The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”

I read a lot because I want to apply and implement practical wisdom in my life and business.

I approached this book for two main reasons …

• To finetune my thoughts as a leader of how we create a work environment at iThemes that allows our team to have ‘optimal experiences’ through their work; and,
• To improve how we build tools and training for our customer community that free them to have optimal experiences with our work

Per Flow, here are the elements of enjoyment:

• A challenging activity that requires skills
• The merging of action and awareness
• Clear goals and feedback
• Concentration on the task at hand
• The paradox of control
• The loss of self-consciousness
• The transformation of time

Examples were given of star athletes, chess players and surgeons — those fully engaged in their task.

You’ve probably had numerous experiences like these elements of enjoyment or flow, where you were so engulfed in what you’re doing that you lost track of time. You felt in control, totally focused, and knew what you were doing was making some sort of impact. And even though it might have exhausted you physically or mentally, you thoroughly enjoyed whatever you were doing. You were in the moment.

As I’ve read deeper and deeper into Flow, I’ve been thinking how we filter these concepts through our work …

My leadership theory has always been that if someone loves what they do, meaning they are passionate and would do it if money didn’t matter and is working for a greater goal, together, as a team, then we will see the ultimate, highest-level, peak performance out of those team members.

I believe if you put good, quality people in an environment that gives them freedom of creativity and are empowered to do things and make decisions and chase ideas (autonomy), allow them to learn and grow (through teaching each other and providing opportunities like buying books or attending events), reward them fairly and publicly (the easiest thing I do is get excited about their projects and give them public credit for it), and continue to reinforce a greater purpose of working toward a common goal (this hasn’t always been easy) … then there’s no limit to what that team can do.

I know that’s the environment I’ve personally always wanted and craved. To chase my ideas. To be rewarded for my passion. To work toward a bigger, higher goal than simply for just myself.

So I set out to create one with and through my business.

OK, so here are some highlight recommendations on reading Flow ….

• The whole chapter 7 on Work as Flow …. this is why I bought the book – to apply it to our business.
• The Waste of Free Time (chapter 7) in particular … this hit home. I’ve always loved using my free time to read and explore and learn and grow, but sadly for most people that’s wasted. There’s a great quote by C.K. Brightbill that says, “The future will belong not only to the educated man, but to the man who is educated to use his leisure wisely.” How true.
• Chapter 10 on The Making of Meaning … the author and I have drastically different worldviews, but ultimately if you don’t have purpose and meaning and are just seeking “the moment” all the time then you’re going to be left an empty void. Flow can be abused.

Related posts:

1. On Unique Experiences
2. On Building a Great Team
3. Don’t Prorate Your Employer

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As reported by AP, the proposed package would guarantee all Americans access to a retirement plan through the workplace, increase tax credits to reward retirement savings, and increase regulation of 401(k) plans.

The proposal small-business owners will be most interested in is the “automatic IRA.” The proposed program would require employers who don’t offer a retirement plan to enroll employees in a direct-deposit individual retirement account. (Employees would have the choice to opt out.) Companies that have 10 or fewer employees or have been in business less than two years would be exempt.

Some 78 million workers do not currently have access to a retirement plan through the workplace. According to The Retirement Security Project, automatic enrollment has been shown to strongly increase participation in retirement plans, especially among low- and middle-income workers.

Supporters of the automatic IRA idea point out that it would be fairly simple for most small businesses to implement, and would help small companies compete with bigger ones that offer retirement benefits.

AARP, which supports the plan, notes that automatic IRAs are simplified accounts owned by individuals–not employer-sponsored retirement plans—so they are much less complex. There are no plan-qualification rules or IRS approvals; you don’t have to comply with ERISA; no employer contributions are required; and the employer has no responsibility to choose, hold or manage investments. Employers simply serve as a conduit helping employees put their own money into their own IRAs. Employers who don’t offer direct deposit would send contributions to the IRS along with tax withholdings.

A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business showed that nearly 50 percent of small businesses with 10 to 19 employees use an outside payroll firm. Of those that do payroll in-house, more than 80 percent use software. For companies that use payroll providers or software, automatic IRAs would easily integrate into the systems they already use. To offset administrative costs, employers would get a tax credit of $25 for each employee who chooses to save in an automatic IRA (up to $250) for two years.

Most companies that still do payroll by hand would be exempt from the proposal, although they could participate if they so desire.

Editor’s Note: this article was previously published at OPENForum.com under the title: “What Would Automatic IRAs Mean to Small Business?” It is reprinted here with permission.

From Small Business Trends

Automatic IRAs: What Would They Mean to Small Business?

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Why do you need to feel like something in order to do the work? They call it work because it’s difficult, not because it’s something you need to feel like.

Very few people wake up in the morning and feel like taking big risks or feel like digging deep for something that has eluded them. People don’t usually feel like pushing themselves harder than they’ve pushed before or having conversations that might be uncomfortable.

Of course, your feelings are irrelevant to whether or not the market expects great work. Do the work. Ignore the feelings part and the work will follow.

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I don’t feel like it is a post from: Home Wealth Project
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Many people are unable to put their finger on it, but this is a magnetic trait for many of us. We want our lawyer, dentist and waiter to demonstrate sprezzatura, but of course, not particularly try to. This is one of the secrets of Danny Meyer’s top-rated restaurants in New York. It doesn’t have to be flashy, it doesn’t even have to be the very best there ever was, but sprezzatura is enough to get us to return. As long as this light-footedness is scarce, it will remain valuable.

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A stranger in an airplane sparked a conversation with me the other day. Rather than the usual awkward seatmate dialogue, we ended up having a good conversation.

He told me about his time in Iraq and playing craps in Vegas. I told him about my visit to Laos, where he would be stationed next. Although our half-hour exchange may have felt like little more than a way to pass time, we were actually discovering connections, establishing common ground, and taking on roles.

I didn’t realize this until about a week later, when I read A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation, former New Yorker editor Daniel Menaker’s latest book. In his seven-chapter discourse on conversation, Menaker explains the evolution, mechanics, and benefits of human conversation. His entertaining new read offers a fresh perspective on how and why conversations play significant roles in our lives.

Inside the Book

Menaker has a tendency to elaborate and digress. He shows this habit right from the beginning, with 22 pages of opening remarks.

In his wordy, amusing style, he speculates on the origin and evolution of conversation. He makes points about the essence of conversation by referring to various social science studies. You leave those opening remarks with a clearer sense of why conversation is hard to study, what makes it unique, and where it probably came from. You also feel like Menaker has talked to you, a theme that continues throughout the book.

Next, Menaker explores the history of conversation, from Socrates to talk shows. He goes on to break down the components of a conversation, using a long transcribed conversation between himself and an acquaintance as a case study.

Through Menaker’s long, bantering example, you learn about the structure of conversation. For example, most conversations come in five parts: Survey, Discovery, Risks, Roles, and the ending of the talk. Menaker describes each. You also learn different approaches to take while engaging in one. This is one of the more instructive parts of the book, but it’s embedded in a whole bunch of, well, talk.

In the fifth chapter of the book, Menaker answers some frequently asked questions on conversation. How do address boredom? What about people who suddenly insult you? What about email manners? There are some useful tips here. Chapter 6 describes the three qualities any good conversationalists must possess: Curiosity, humor, and impudence. You learn not only what they are, but how to use them.

The final chapter of the book describes how conversation benefits people emotionally and physically (oxytocin has a role here). Menaker also reflects on conversation’s political and social roles, concluding with insights on how conversations can change our lives.

My Thoughts

Because I’m reviewing this book from a business angle, let me issue a qualifier. It’s not for everyone. As a New Yorker fan, writer, and admirer of the craft of writing, I probably land on the bull’s eye of this book’s target audience. When I read Menaker’s digressions, I was also taking note of his often boundary-pushing writing style. I enjoyed his use of big words. As for his references to New York’s literary elite, I thought: I should learn who these people are.

If I’d been looking for cut-and-dried advice on how to be good at conversation, and I didn’t happen to be a literary wonk, this book would have annoyed me. But if you can relate to me, do bring A Good Talk on your vacation or on the plane. The writing flows, engages, and inspires. It made me more interested in any conversation, and made me want to have more good ones.

In a sense, the book is written like a conversation: You have to sift through the chatter to see the glint of gems. This was especially apparent in Chapters 3 and 4, which covered a painfully long conversation as a case study. I would have preferred that Menaker chunked out the conversation into short bits, then defined his points after each excerpt.

Still, if you aren’t turned off by written rambling, Menaker does offer a truly fresh perspective on conversations. His book helped me appreciate conversations as a form, not just a necessity.

I’ll conclude by saying that if you want straightforward tips, this isn’t your tome. But if you like good writing, fresh perspectives, and the New Yorker for that matter, pick this book up.

Disclosure: We received a free copy of this book.

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