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I’ve spoken many times about my journey navigating through the business world. And how success requires tenacity and relentless ambition. But are there important traits that can be learnt from books? Or does ‘real-life’ experience always prevail?

Starting out

As I’ve got older, I realise how little I actually knew in my 20’s! And that viewpoint has only come from the experience I have developed over the years… My Grandmother used to say ‘you can’t put an old head on young shoulders’. I’ve always made sure to heed those words. Learn from experience and that of others.

It’s crucial to be open-minded. To soak up the views of people around you, the way they work and the decisions they make.

It’s crucial to be open-minded. To soak up the views of people around you, the way they work and the decisions they make. Particularly in your junior years. Embracing opportunities, even those that may seem risky at the time can put you in the best positions to do this.

Aged 25 I worked as an Assistant to Brendan Nelson, KPMG’s Global Chairman of Banking and Finance Industry. Although I may not have been conducting big deals or leading a huge team, this was one of the most important roles I undertook in my career. Getting to understand first-hand why a leader made the decisions they did (and not the soundbite interpretations made popular by social media and the press) was invaluable. Being around an individual of a certain calibre for any amount of time should not be underestimated. I don’t believe any number of business books or self-help guides can match this.

The key is having the right balance. Absorb the wisdom around you, learn from others’ mistakes (as well as your own) and most importantly; combine your experience with robust knowledge

Knowledge and experience

However, reading to enable a new skill, whether that’s learning to improve your negotiation capabilities, or to better yourself in a hobby (for me of course, flying!), books can be an imperative tool when combined with practical learning.

The key is having the right balance. Absorb the wisdom around you, learn from others’ mistakes (as well as your own) and, most importantly; combine your experience with robust knowledge (with books when required). 

Grab every opportunity that comes your way, and #MSH.

Some books I do find very useful below:

  • Getting to Yes, Roger Fisher
  • Fortunes Formula, William Poundstone
  • 12 Rules For Life, Jordan Peterson
  • ‘Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds’, Charles Mackay
  • The Art of War, Sun Tzu
  • The Republic, Plato
  • The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins
  • Jock of the Bushveld, Sir Percy FitzPatrick