The mission to bring values and lifelong learning to busy schedules

If you’re one of those people with a love for books but a lack of time to read them, then you’re the perfect audience for AudioTech – a fantastic organization that contains condensed books on audio (CDs or MP3s) for top business leaders. AudioTech allows executives to keep up with all of the latest business theories, ideas and concepts from the most important business books that are written each year.

Every month, AudioTech’s book summary editors take two current business titles and condense them down to the essentials as 45-minute book summaries. I’ve been a loyal fan and subscriber for years. And I credit AudioTech’s library for helping me fine-tune skills and stay true to my goal of lifelong learning from some of the brightest business leaders and best-selling authors while making the most of my daily schedule.

So, imagine my excitement when AudioTech made my Values, Inc. book one of its selected titles! The idea of sharing how to live and lead with values with AudioTech’s subscribers was an immediate honor.

Parents often talk about the importance of listening. Sometimes that means listening to books!

As a kid, I grew up learning from motivational speakers and listening to some of the most popular books on tape. My father Don Dwyer would have all of his children listen to these tapes. And then he would quiz us to see if we retained the lessons. I couldn’t have known it at the time, but those lessons have stayed with me forever. And so has my interest in listening to speakers and authors.

These days, I may want to read a book, but I also need to drive to a meeting. Why not do both with an audio book at my fingertips? Sometimes it’s just that easy. Don called that being a student of auto university. And my classroom has often been in my car. I’m living proof that those lectures on the big, open road can be powerful stuff.

Another great place to live and learn is on the treadmill at the gym or outside on a morning run. I love to keep my brain and my body in shape, and audio books during a workout come in very handy. It’s kind of exciting to know that someone out there could be doing that same thing while listening to Values, Inc.

Condensing Values, Inc. to the essentials for listeners

I was impressed with how AudioTech condensed the contents of the book into a strong audio message that still retained the overarching business lessons for listeners. And while it may not have all the anecdotes and real-life examples that showcase values in action from the printed version, the audio highlights for Values, Inc. stay true to my mission.

I want for readers – and now listeners – to discover that living and leading with a Code of Values is entirely possible. I want for organizations to define their values and put them into daily practice. And that’s the hurdle, as the AudioTech promotion mentions:

It’s been said that 95 percent of companies that have a code of values don’t even use them. While these things look good on paper, they mean nothing to the day-to-day functions of these businesses and the people they employ. And that’s a tragedy that needs to stop. Our summary of Values, Inc. will enable more companies, more leaders, more people, and the world at-large to achieve success that is well within reach by using values and bringing value to the lives of all they touch. Values shouldn’t just be framed and hung on a wall. Put those values into action, bring those values to life, take a stand, and make a difference. The rewards are too great to ignore.

Answering the call for how companies can define their values

Living and leading with a strong Code of Values at Dwyer Group has been the example by which I sought and found similar inspiring stories described in Values, Inc. And my goal was to answer the question that I’m often asked: ‘How can we create that kind of environment for our own organization?’

The most important part of the book is walking readers (ahem, and listeners) through the process of writing down their values. Then, the actionable items of putting values into practice (and not passively hanging them on a wall) will create a lasting difference.

It’s that attention to not just defining values, but also living those values, that make the difference for creating an incredible culture for companies, their leaders, and their entire team to grow and succeed.

Happy reading. And for AudioTech subscribers, happy listening! To order the print version of the book: click here. To subscribe for the audio version: click here.