Worry about being unavailable worry about being absent or fraudulent. You might be sceptical, so here’s some advice for writers from one of the later chapters: “Don’t worry about appearing sentimental. And for us, we found a lot which resonated when we think about how we can improve as managers. Her lessons about how to pursue the craft of writing are applicable to a whole range of pursuits. Its inclusion in the title is more a nudge to the reader that if you really pay attention, you might learn something more than just how to put words on a page (although it does that part incredibly well). You won’t find lofty fortune cookie advice here. The book’s great skill is that the ‘and Life’ portion is never explicit. Bird by Bird, originally published in 1994, is a synthesis of the lessons she offers to her writing classes. But we found so much more.įor those who don’t know her, Lamott is an American author, activist and writing teacher. So when we were recommended Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life we assumed we’d be focussing mainly on the former. Indeed we published a whole manager’s guide on it a couple of weeks ago. It’s no secret that at Kommon we think writing is important. So rather than summarising further, if you don’t have the time to read the whole piece, just skim the section titles and dig in deeper to the ones that interest you. Our article is already a hatchet job on a great book. ‍ Sorry (not sorry): one of the great strengths of the book is Lamott’s wonderful prose, and the opportunity to read about these themes in a language which is a world away from jargon-filled leadership pieces.In our case, we saw a whole host of insights, from how to approach the role, to feedback, communication and relationship-building, and so much more. Whilst it’s a synthesis of Lamott’s teachings on the craft of writing, lots of her lessons are applicable to any professional craft, including management. Why should you read this? The full title of Anne Lamott’s book is Bird by Bird: Some Instructions for Writing and Life.Our first issue reviewed The Making of the Prince of Persia by Jordan Mechner.

This is the second issue in our Management Book Club series where we highlight books that may not seem like conventional management texts, but still contain incredible insights.

Bird by bird writer lamott