Running with Purpose
From the beginnings in St. Paul, Minnesota to growing Brooks Sports, Inc., a running-specialized sports company, we journey through Jim Weber's story in his biography "Running with Purpose: How Brooks Outpaced Goliath Competitors to Lead the Pack." Throughout the book, Weber delves into lessons he learned to become a successful leader while moving through his career.
Before entering Brooks, we look into Weber’s time at other organizations such as Pillsbury, Coleman, and Sims Sports. Then we read about how he navigated Brooks during the financial crisis of 2007-08 to other industry changes to outpace competitors.
I chose this book because I started using Brooks at the end of 2021 and have since enjoyed their footwear. Knowing the product is only one side, but learning more about the company and its mission was my main motivation.
Writing Style
The book begins with Weber's childhood recollection, setting a nostalgic tone with stories about hockey and primary school. After a few chapters, the book transitions into a business-focused tone when Weber goes through his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and into the workforce. As he progresses through his career, some chapters conclude with a summary of leadership principles as Weber begins forming his leadership manifesto.
Throughout most of the book, the same tone persists until the latter half when we look at more personal stories of Weber as he battles a common disease. The inclusion of personal life balanced with business life showcased more vulnerability leading to increased retention.
Overall, the book's beginning and end were well-written, but the middle lacked depth and felt redundant in storytelling when explaining the outcomes.
Takeaways
A key takeaway is the importance of a trusted team for successful endeavors. Weber highlighted this when he discusses the role between a CEO and investors, stating, "CEOs must create a credible vision and a long-term plan, and keep the board and the investors behind them."
Trusted advisors provide guidance, considering blind spots. As I rebuild my life, this made me reflect on the people I surround myself with—trusted individuals who offer guidance toward my goals. One example of this is how I now mainly focus on watching trusted media from the likes of Jay Shetty, a life coach, Vinh Giang, a communication public speaker, and Rich Roll, a performance-endurance athlete.
Another takeaway is effective communication during shifts in the environment. Brooks' response to the industry-shaking book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall exemplifies this when they released a whitepaper about adapting to trends. As I continue to create more content, I take this into account with my newsletters to inform my community about changes that are both informative and supportive in their own lives.
Conclusion
“Running with Purpose” offers insights into a CEO's life and navigating changes amidst various circumstances, while highlighting other runners. If you’re looking into running or entrepreneurship, make sure to add this book to your list. All in all, I rate this book 3.5/5 stars.
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