Book review: “Love Is The Killer App”

[Originally published @thesunrising.com on July 19, 2007]
In an effort to (1) better retain what I read in non-fiction because my mind is like a friggin sieve, and (2) help save some of you from buying/plowing through books not worth their weight in cheetos, I’m going to write mini-book reviews on this blog; hope you like.
Two sentence summary: Invest in your network and you’ll reap intangible rewards. Read a lot and share the learnings from what you read with your world.

Recommended? Eh. Sorta. Nothing revolutionary in here, but that’s because this is how I’ve tried to approach my “network” from the beginning. Do what I can for people in my network without expectation of anything in return, and trust that when I need something the door will be open to ask. Right guys? You’ll hook me up when I need ya…right?? Also, the author clearly thinks I don’t read enough. Or maybe he reads too much. Waay too much.
Key takeaways:
  •  After I read a book, exit a conversation, see a good movie, enjoy a good slice of chocolate cake, etc., take a minute to summarize the “Big Thought”, and then think about how to apply it.
  •  Actively apply the learnings from the books I read shortly after reading them (yes, that’s where the idea for book reviews came from). Also, think about past experiences where they could have applied (explicit examples…yeah, the ones that make me go “doh!”).
  • Create a “personal university” of contacts/mentors that I can tap for input on an infrequent, as-needed basis. Bono, expect an email soon. You too Angelina.
  • Always have a joke or two handy. Or just look funny.
  • Prioritize my network (can’t wait to have a network to actually prioritize).
Questions I asked myself in reading this book:
  • Is there anything I’d rather be doing? Or anyplace I’d rather be? (As I type this, I’m IM’ng with my buddy Charles who’s chillin in Espana for two weeks. Sooo not fair to ask this question of myself right now…).
  • Am I truly going after what I want, all out? Am I pushing passed my limits to reach my goals? Am I really going to reach out to Bono?
Favorite lines:
  •  “If you think you disappoint people with apathy, try disappointing them after you’ve committed yourself with compassion.”
  • “After my day ends I work on improving my conversational skills. Like a football coach, I run the tapes of the day’s game in my mind. I think about missed opportunities. I think about mistakes….” [I try and do this before going to bed each night…my days are boring enough that I fall right asleep.]
  • “Having permission to get close to people is everything.” [I think he means in business.]
  • “By expressing compassion, you create an experience that people remember. When people remember you, it’s good for your business.” [See “look funny” comment above.]
  • “The act of listening is absolutely critical to the act of connecting….” [Listen for what people do/offer and what they want/need…sounds great in theory but I have trouble just remembering names; see “friggin sieve” intro above.]
  • “Alan Kay, father of the personal computer, says that perspective is worth fifty IQ points.” [If you’re in M&A at a big company with deep pockets, you should know that our startup has loads of perspective.]

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