Mike Urbonas lives in the Boston area with his wife of 23 years, Carmen, and two awesome teenage daughters. This means no other boy in the house, except the dog. Mike enjoys the outdoors, good books, good coffee and still an occasional game of chess now and then.
I am also a dyed in the wool New England Patriots fan and now very much enjoy wasting time playing fantasy football. I am vaguely aware that Boston also has a basketball, baseball, and hockey team. Unlike any other sport, Mike can (and does) watch any two NFL teams play a game anytime.
What Mike Has Been Reading…
The person who does not read good books has no advantage over the person who cannot read. – Mark Twain
Here are some of my favorite books, both business and non-business topics, that I have found to be essential, even transforming reads:
Management & Leadership:
The Leader as a Mensch: Become the Kind of Leader Others Want to Follow, Bruna Martinuzi
How to Be a Fierce Competitor, Jeffrey Fox
How to Become CEO, Jeffrey Fox
CEO Logic, C. Ray Johnson
Good to Great, Jim Collins
Marketing:
Content Rules, Anne Handley and C.C. Chapman
The New Rules of Marketing and PR, David Meerman Scott
Effective Marketing Programs, Training class and materials by Pragmatic Marketing
Differentiate or Die, Jack Trout
Personal Branding & Job Search:
Ask the Headhunter, Nick Corcodilos
Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, Dan Schawbel
On Living Well:
Seasons of Grace: The Life-Giving Practice of Gratitude, Alan Jones & John O’Neil
Happiness, Matthieu Ricard
The Mindful Hiker, Stephen Altschuler
Creating the Good Life, James O’Toole
Fictional works:
I don’t read enough fiction. I’ve read and greatly enjoyed obvious classics like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, reading the latter to my younger daughter a few times over the years; scores of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes works; novels I was lucky to “have” to read in high school or college like Of Mice and Men, Siddhartha and Steppenwolf …
I should read more fiction; everyone should: I see a strong connection between reading fiction/true stories in prose, empathizing with characters/real people, broadening your imagination and frames of reference. All of this in turn cultivates innovative thinking and a capacity to seize opportunities amid change instead of reactionary behavior.
If you have read works of fiction or true prose that you feel fit into what I’m describing here, please contact me and let me know your thoughts.
What Mike is Listening to…
Having listened to everything from alternative rock to surf rock to classical to reggae, I’m back to “classic rock,” listening to U2, The Police, Rolling Stones, Doors, Led Zeppelin… And the next time you “win” – close a deal, win a competition, land a new dream job or client, play this.
Every football season I remind myself how much I like the music from NFL Films. Did I mention I am a dyed in the wool football fan? The Power and the Glory features the classic NFL films music by composed by Sam Spence and Tom H
edden, which you need not even be an NFL fan to appreciate, along with the unforgettable narration voice of John Facenda. For the all-you-can-eat buffet of NFL Films music, look for the Autumn Thunder boxed set, containing ten CDs of the music of Spence, Hedden and David Robudoux. Here’s a link to a good NFL Films music appreciation site I found. Enjoy.
