One of the consequences of global competition is the constant stream of people becoming able to do what only we could do just a few years ago.  At an individual level we can both wait and try to compete on price i.e. lower salaries or benefits, or we can try to improve our value, what we offer to others and the companies we work for. And if you think this is not valid for you, you are mistaken. Even if you were correct, my stance would be true certainly for your children. So it is best to prepare them now for a very different world than the one you work in.

This Podcast will offer guidance on how to achieve an improvement in your value in the most effective manner possible; reading.  It will discuss what type of books to read and in which language.  When to read, finding the time, and how to read.

Has Mark gone mad?  I don’t think so, but I could understand some of you thinking that as he’s dedicating a Podcast to try to explain to people how to increase their value and doing it via reading.  Since most of this Podcast talks about the ‘when’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ to read you would be forgiven for thinking, that I’ve actually gone mad, that you don’t need help in doing that.  Well we’ll see as the Podcast goes on.

I have a few points to make, we have three today.  The first one is sort of two combined into one, why and what to read, the second when to read, and the third, probably the most surprising for most of you, how to read, which mainly talks about the difference between reading and particularly reading for enjoyment, and studying.  Please try not to turn off the Podcast now that you’ve heard the word ‘study’, it won’t be that terrible I promise you, and the benefits are tremendously great.

Why and What to Read?

* Improving Our Value

* Effective Small Talk

* Building Relationships

* Suitable Topics

* Important to be known to Offer Value

* Difference between, social and knowledge value

* Increase Knowledge Base OK but How?

* Television, Radio, Reading?

* Reading what: Articles, Newspapers, Magazines or Books

When to Read

* “I never have any spare time”

* Television

* Travelling

* Waiting

* Before Sleeping

* Always Carry a Book

How to Read.

* Study Do Not Read

* Taking Notes

* Underlining Important Passages

* Final Summary

* The Point of the Author

* Did he Manage to Transmit this?

* Examples or Quotes

* Did you agree

* In English or In Your Mother Tongue

* Balancing Act Between Time and Efficiency