At Seventh Scout, we pride ourselves on being a curious and collaborative agency. In passing conversations, we discovered that some of the team members were avid extracurricular readers. This sparked the idea of starting a “book club,” where our small team votes on a book to read, and the assignments are divided into digestible sections—usually about 100 pages every two weeks. We meet over lunch for unguided discussions about the book, sharing what we agreed with and didn’t, and most importantly, how it impacts our work, both internally and with our clients. For us, it is less about the prose and more about the prompts—the excuse to get out of the “executing” and into the “collaborating.”
Here are seven reasons why your marketing team should start a business book club:
Brings the Team Together: A book club gets everyone talking, sharing their thoughts, and having meaningful discussions. It’s a great way to build team spirit and unity.
Keeps Learning Fresh: By choosing different topics, everyone gets exposed to new ideas that can be useful at work. It keeps the team’s minds sharp and innovative.
Boosts Critical Thinking: Chatting about various viewpoints helps everyone sharpen their critical thinking skills, which are super important for solving problems and devising creative solutions in marketing.
Creates a Sense of Ownership: When the team picks the book, it gives everyone a sense of ownership and investment in the process. This keeps everyone engaged and excited about the book club.
Encourages Open Communication: Regular meetups give everyone a chance to share their thoughts openly. It’s a great way to foster a transparent and trusting work environment.
Breaks Up the Routine: The book club offers a nice break from the usual work grind, letting everyone relax and recharge. Even if reading isn’t required, just being part of the conversation can boost productivity and job satisfaction.
Builds a Positive Company Culture: Having a book club shows the company cares about personal and professional growth. It highlights that the organization values its employees’ development and well-being, which is great for attracting and keeping top talent.
At Seventh Scout, our book club has become a welcomed addition that not only broadens our knowledge but also strengthens our team bond. But before you roll your eyes, it’s important to set yourself and your team up for success.
Here are some keys to a successful book club:
Team Picks the Book: Let everyone have a say in what you read. It helps everyone feel involved and brings in a variety of interesting topics.
Light Reading & Regular Meetings: Keep the reading short and sweet (~100 pages) and stick to a regular schedule (every other week). This way, everyone looks forward to it without feeling overwhelmed.
Participation over Perfection: It’s okay if someone doesn’t finish the reading. The real value comes from joining the discussion and sharing thoughts. Focus more on the conversation and less on the reading homework.
Keep It Conversational: Let the chat flow naturally over lunch. Avoid rigid prompts; keep things relaxed and engaging for everyone.
Seventh Scout Book Club Favorites
Scramble is a fictional business thriller that focuses on agile strategy. Unlike most business books, this book uses a fictional narrative to teach the reader about agile strategy, rather than a nonfictional or instructional guide.
Find Your Why is a guide to identifying and implementing personal, team, and brand ‘why’ statements. This book dives into the purpose behind an action, taking an exploration into the motivations of people and brands.
The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur by Christine Kane
The full title of the book, “An Unconventional Success Plan for the Highly Creative, Secretly Sensitive, and Wildly Ambitious” really says it all. This book explores how career success goes beyond ‘strategy-obsessed, data-driven, and relentlessly aggressive.’
Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
This classic business book dives into theories about why some ideas thrive, why others die, and how to improve your idea’s chances. Made to Stick focuses on ideas of messaging and transforming the process of communication.
CliftonStrengths Finder by Gallup
This personality test focuses on individual strengths and identities in the workplace. Once you discover your identity the book explores how to recognize strength in others and then how to connect, collaborate, and execute with team members.
