It is hard to leave a bookshop without buying anything. I pick this book by Charles Handy. This book contains a series of articles published in Director magazine, the journal of Britain's Institute of Directors.
I like the essay on "Be Good, Stay Small and Get Rich". This is a 3 page article on family businesses is the backbone of the economy of Italy and how stay continued to stay small and relevant and produced goods and services that are invisible and stay get rich. He gave the example of German company Mittelstand make an unseen but vital component for the lift in the fork-lift truck or burners for gas cooker.
Another essay on portfolio of work rather than a job in an organization. This observation is similar to The Free Agent Nation by Dan Pink. One become a microbusiness instead of having a job in a large organisation. And work and income come from a series of projects sometimes overlapping and sometimes spread apart.
When I read these ideas, I realise I am getting ahead of my times in my current organisation. While I have not reach the Free Agent status, I am working from home and in the mind of a traditional Singaporean HR, this beyond her comprehension or acceptance. This may have cause discomfort and tension for her.
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