We hope your summer thus far has been both productive and comparatively relaxing. Relative quiet on campus means more opportunities to complete projects and prepare for September. Finally, you have the time to squeeze in a few helpful books on your reading list—and our Consultants have some suggestions to add to your “to be read” stack.
The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Customer Revolution
by Brian Solis
As the generations shift into new expectations and habits, so does the marketplace move to accommodate this new client—just as our schools are forced to do to remain relevant and solvent. The new era of instant feedback and communication makes customer service and “delivery of product promise” fundamental to private school success, from a business standpoint. Our Consultants recommend that you take your time with this book to absorb its lessons, research, and stories fully—and then integrate them into how your school operates.
The Language of School Design
by Prakash Nair and Randall Fielding
Anyone anticipating construction or renovation in their campus’s future must read The Language of School Design before a single permit is applied for and any ground is broken. The text offers more than “best practice” theory of classroom design, space analysis, and the ever-nebulous flow. It’s a practical how-to that offers practical advice in actually achieving harmonious school design.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
by Steven Covey
We don’t exaggerate when we say that practically every single ISM Consultant believes that this book is one of the core texts for all school administrators on which to base their professional practice. The concepts apply first to private and personal victories, then expand to your interpersonal relationships, with the ultimate “habit” combining your accomplishments into a single, manageable whole.
It’s a book to which you can return again and again, year after year, and find new insights into how you approach your work and the people around you—and now we need to find our office copy!
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Private School News Vol. 13 No. 6 2014 Summer Reading List for Private School Administrators
The Source for Private School News Vol. 11 No. 3 2012 Recommended Reading List
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 31 No. 14 Repair, Replace, Renew: Why a Facilities Audit Helps
I&P Vol. 41 No. 7 Facility Design and Strategic Planning
