Jonathan, you're only partially right: I think these people only read the jacket blurbs. I'm surprised that Executive Books Summaries and their competitors haven't done better.

Even in our direct marketing world, with quantifiable decision-making help, no one wants to risk action. Run a test that might not work? Forget about it. Roll-out based on valid test results? Well, maybe later.

You're right, Jonathan.

Taking action is so much harder than reading about it.

In taking action, you have to get serious about who you are as a business; who is your competition; how do you outdistance your competiton; who are your clients/customers; how do you serve those clients/customers; where do you want your business to go; how do you get there; what are the risks and what are the rewards of that direction, to name but a few challenges.

It's always so much easier to walk the Yellow Brick Road, dreaming of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Good comments, both. And remember, I'm not knocking business books -- I read 'em, too. But I don't think they have any real value until you act upon their ideas.

Anyone have a success story about applying what you've read into practice?

I think one of the problems is that a lot of business books are just general bla bla, and don't explain to a reader how to actually implement their ideas, or sometimes even authors don't know how to implement their ideas.
I've actually had a couple of books that did work for me for example Pyramid Principle. The key is to choose the book that has more inside than just general talking.

I don't really agree with this post. I learn something useful to apply from some business books I read. Then again I tend to choose well, and avoid trendy books (e.g., something about moving your cheese or whatever).

Neil

great article!great reminder!since I also one of those people who has addiction for business books. :)

This post has made me think about my addiction to business books. I just spent an hour reading this morning. Yikes! Reading in the morning now.

I'd better look into Business Books Anonymous (BBA) -- or perhaps found it myself. Me being into efficiency, may have only ONE step: stop reading so many business books.

Neil and Valerie:

I don't want to discourage people from reading biz books, but do want to encourage readers to act on what they read. My problem isn't with the books per se, but with the confusion that occurs when reading the latest biz books becomes an end in itself, a substitute for learning from real (and usually hard-won) experience.