This year, as the seasons change and we enjoy fall, I’ve launched my FALL BACK TO READING SERIES. The series will feature two dozen leadership and marketing experts, who will share their inspiration in both fiction and nonfiction, and hopefully, provide the impetus to read more. To quote New York Times Bestselling author Kristin Harmel, “If you give a person a book, you give him the world.” For today’s post, I’d like to introduce Joseph Lalonde.
Joseph Lalonde is experienced in all aspects of IT, leadership, project/sales, and design with a history of working with small businesses and individuals. He is also an award-winning leadership blogger ranked in the top 40 leadership blogs in the world. His book Reel Leadership showcases the intersection of leadership and entertainment.
QUESTION: Which three business books have made the biggest impact on your career?
JOSEPH LALONDE: There have been so many books that made an impact on my career. It's hard to name just three as I feel like I would be leaving someone important out. But, as I have to choose three, I would say the following:
(1) How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie (This is all about relationship building and treating people well.)
(2) 48 Days To The Work You Love by Dan Miller (Without this book, I wouldn't be in my current career. He also gave me the confidence to strike out and pursue work I love.)
(3) Platform by Michael Hyatt (This book helped me understand how to blog and write better. It's a guide I still use today.)
QUESTION: Who is your favorite author, and why?
JOSEPH LALONDE: When I think of reading, I don't think of a specific author that I truly enjoy. It's about the journey of reading and finding new information or myself in a new place. It's a lot like music: If I like the style, I enjoy the read.
I do find myself going back to these authors though:
(1) Brian Dodd
(2) CS Lewis
(3) JRR Tolkien
(4) Jay Baer
QUESTION: What book did you read in high school or college that, to this day, you still remember vividly, and why?
JOSEPH LALONDE: I know I read a lot of books in high school. The problem is, I can't remember a lot of them. I know there were plenty of Star Wars books as I really enjoyed the expanded universe in the books. I do vividly remember reading the Bible on a regular basis during high school. I would walk around my campus and pray for the school, teachers, and students. Reading the Bible reminded me that my life wasn't my own. It was about loving and caring for others.
QUESTION: Do you intersperse fiction with your business reading? If yes, what was the last work of fiction that you read, and what caught your attention about it?
JOSEPH LALONDE: When I got back into reading, I stopped reading fiction because there were so many business and personal development books that said fiction was junk food for the mind (they said this about movies as well). I followed their advice but found life was a little less vibrant without the adventures fiction can take us on.
One of my recent fiction reads was a book called Confessions of a D-List Supervillain by Jim Bernheimer. This book was just a fun, silly read. I've also rediscovered my love for comic books. These are a visual and verbal storytelling medium that is very impactful.
Something I've discovered as I've delved back into fiction is that fiction helps us to understand the world around us better. We can connect with emotions and ideas that non-fiction can struggle to communicate. Don't stop reading fiction like I did!
SHARE THIS: Fiction helps us to understand the world around us better. ~@Joseph Lalonde #DebbieLaskeysBlog #Reading
QUESTION: If you created a nonprofit organization to promote reading to children and young adults, what would you name it, and why?
JOSEPH LALONDE: "Wander into Wonder."
I believe this name captures the magic of reading. Whether it's fiction or non-fiction, every time you pick up a book, you wander into wonder.
SHARE THIS: Every time you pick up a book, you wander into wonder. ~@JosephLalonde #DebbieLaskeysBlog #Reading
My gratitude to Joe for participating in this year’s fall back to reading series and for sharing his inspiring recommendations!
Image Credit: Yulia Gadalina via Unsplash.
Connect with Joe at these links:
Website: www.jmlalonde.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephlalonde
X (formerly Twitter): @josephlalonde
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmlalonde
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