This Reading Challenge for Adults Locks in Future Jobs – Learn How!

Introduction: This Reading Challenge for Adults Locks in Future Jobs  

“Do you have the right skills that will allow you to thrive in 2020 and beyond?” On a regular basis, the World Economic Forum conducts research to find the 10 key skills professionals need for future jobs. As you might expect, the skills list changes. I created the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults (Join the Strategic Reading Challenge Facebook Group), to help you to learn the 10 skills and lock in future jobs.  There are many reading challenges for adults, but how many of them are designed for participants to learn new skills?

UPDATE: First Published in December 2017

Most recently though, the think tank reported that you need the following 10 skills to thrive in 2020.  Below are the 10 key skills to learn during the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults. How many of these skills are you proficient in?

1. Complex Problem Solving 
2. Critical Thinking 
3. Creativity 
4. People Management 
5. Coordinating with Others 
6. Emotional Intelligence 
7. Judgement and Decision Making 
8. Service Orientation 
9. Negotiation 
10. Cognitive Flexibility 

Ten skills may sound like a lot of skills to learn in a contracted timeframe. And everything is hard at first. But if you spent some time gaining a cursory knowledge of each of the 10 skills, you will find that they naturally fall into two groups. Learning the skills in chunks will help you to learn them faster.

Have you read?

Effortless Learning by Tony Roe, Book Review

For example, there are several books that present creativity models that will help you to sharpen your problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and decision-making skills at the same time. Two books that come to mind are Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young, and The MacGyver Secret by Lee David Zlotoff. 

Above, I mentioned the 10 key skills you need to lock in future jobs. But based on my professional experience, there are other skills that you must add to the mix, if you want to thrive in your career. We live and work in a dynamic environment where skills are always changing. What this means is that you must learn how to learn. Related to that, is, technology is always advancing, so you have to learn how to leverage it, so it benefits your career.  

I am asking you to participate in an adult reading challenge, where you will read 60 of the right books in a year. Let us say that the average book will take you between four to eight hours to read – that is a lot of time to invest in reading books. The good news is that I have been working on a concept called profit reading, where you will get a return on your investment of reading time. Does that sound good to you?  

When you are reading the books to learn key skills, I recommend that you take effective notes. Therefore, you have to master note taking skills. I also ask you to pick out the big ideas from your notes when reviewing them. And at the end of a month, after you have read five books and picked out the big ideas, it is time to have fun, combining ideas that seem unrelated, and tying them to a need. You also need excellent communication/presentation skills to get influencers to buy into your ideas. 

Another important skill to master is intercultural awareness and understanding. The workplace is becoming increasingly more global. Therefore, you need to know how to get along with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Do you see now how you need other skills to complement the original 10 skills? That is why it was important for me to weave these additional skills into this reading challenge for adults.

Monthly Requirements of the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults 

Month One – Africa & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in an African country. 
2. Read a book that teaches you how to problem solve. 
3. Read a book that teaches you how to think critically. 
4. Read a book that teaches you how to become more creative. 
5. Read a book that teaches you how to make better decisions. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing African Literature Reading List 

 Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People The Art of Thought The MacGyver Secret: Connect to Your Inner MacGyver and Solve Anything Decision Diagnosis: Seven Antidotes to Decision Procrastination July's People

 Month Two Antarctica & More 

1. Read a book set in Antarctica. 
2. Read a book that teaches you strategies to manage people. 
3. Read a book that helps you to become better at collaborating with others. 
4. Read a book on emotional intelligence. 
5. Read a book that teaches you strategies to excel at serving others. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Goodreads: Popular Antarctica Books 

 Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage People Management: Everything you need to know about managing and leading people at work Collaboration: How Leaders Avoid the Traps, Build Common Ground, and Reap Big Results Emotional Intelligence 2.0 Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service (Disney Institute Book, A)

Month Three – Asia & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in Asia. 
2. Read a book that teaches you negotiation techniques. 
3. Read a book that teaches you cognitive flexibility. 
4. Read a book that teaches you how to be a better presenter. 
5. Read a book to improve your written communication skills. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing Chinese Literature Reading List 

Library Thing Japanese Literature Reading List 

Library Thing Indian Literature Reading List 

 The Monkey and the Monk: An Abridgment of The Journey to the West How to Sweet-Talk a Shark: Strategies and Stories from a Master Negotiator Impulse Interrupted: Four Simple Steps to Improve Cognitive Flexibility Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds Several Short Sentences About Writing

Month Four – Australia/Oceania & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in Australia/Oceania. 
2. Read a book about happiness. 
3. Read a book about how to learn. 
4. Read a book about psychology. This will help you to better understand people. 
5. Read a book that blends disciplines. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing Australian literature 

Library Thing New Zealand Literature 

 The Thorn Birds How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens The Happiness Advantage by Achor, Shawn. (Crown Business,2010) [Hardcover] Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It

Month Five – Europe & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in a European country. 
2. Read a book to help you master social media. 
3. Read a book written over a century ago, then read a retelling of the book. This counts at two books for the month. 
4. Read a collection of comics. 
5. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing French Literature 

Library Thing English literature 

Library Thing Spanish literature 

 Great Expectations (Penguin Classics) The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users A Study in Scarlet A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes Novel) Buzzkill #1

Month Six – North America & More 

1. Read two books written by authors born in North America and the Caribbean. This counts as two books for the month. 
2. Read a book about ideas. 
3. Read a book about your favorite hobby to become better at it. 
4. Read a children’s book that you didn’t read as a child. 
5. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing American literature 

Library Thing Canadian Literature 

Library Thing Caribbean Literature 

 The Catcher in the Rye The Duppy The Business Idea Factory: A World-Class System for Creating Successful Business Ideas 50 Keys To Better Photography! (On Target Photo Training Book 23) The Giving Tree

Month Seven – South America & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in South America. 
2. Read a collection of essays. 
3. Read a book that was adapted to film. Watch the film, then compare and contrast it with the book. 
4. Read a book that has less than 100 pages.
5. Read a graphic novel that’s a retelling of a classic book. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing South American Literature 

Library Thing Latin American Literature 

 One Hundred Years of Solitude (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) Emerson: Essays and Lectures: Nature The Martian We Should All Be Feminists A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel

Month Eight – Read Women 

1. Read an autobiography/biography of a woman written by a woman. 
2. Read a science fiction written by a woman. 
3. Read a murder mystery written by a woman. 
4. Read a classic written by a woman. 
5. Read a book that deals with a serious topic that’s written by a woman. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

25 Women to Read Before You Die 

102 of the Greatest Books by Female Authors 

23 Recent Books By Women You Should Read ASAP 

 Bossypants Kindred The World's Favourite: And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, the Murder of Roger Ackroyd Middlemarch (Penguin Classics) We Should All Be Feminists

Month Nine – Read Men 

1. Read an autobiography/biography of a man written by a man. 
2. Read a science fiction book written by a man. 
3. Read a murder mystery written by a man. 
4. Read a classic written by a man. 
5. Read a book that deals with a serious topic that’s written by a man. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Popular Male Authors Books 

Good Books by Male Authors You Need to be Reading 

 Finding My Virginity: The New Autobiography The Rooster Bar The Metamorphosis Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel

Month Ten – Read North America, the Caribbean & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in the United States. 
2. Read a book written by an author born in the Caribbean. 
3. Read a book written by an author born in Canada. 
4. Read a book about your industry/niche to develop skills as well as to understand how the industry works. 
5. Read a book about someone’s journey – inner or outer. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing American literature 

Library Thing Canadian Literature 

Library Thing Caribbean Literature 

 Slaughterhouse-Five: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels) A House for Mr. Biswas L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture Into the Wild

Month Eleven – Read India, China, Japan & More 

1. Read a book written by an author born in India. 
2. Read a book written by an author born in China. 
3. Read a book about Japanese philosophy. 
4. Read a book of poetry. 
5. Read a book about science. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing Chinese Literature Reading List 

Library Thing Japanese Literature Reading List 

Library Thing Indian Literature Reading List 

 The God of Small Things: A Novel China Rich Girlfriend The Way of the Samurai: Slip-case Edition Leaves of Grass: The Original 1855 Edition (Dover Thrift Editions) How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method (Princeton Science Library)

Month Twelve – Read Europe, Africa & More 

1. Read a book written by an author from Europe. 
2. Read a book written by an author from Africa. 
3. Read a book about a religion. 
4. Read a book about philosophy. 
5. Read a book purely for entertainment. 
6. Each week, read a technology article from a well-respected journal/magazine. 

Library Thing French Literature 

Library Thing English literature 

Library Thing Spanish literature 

Library Thing African Literature Reading List 

 Hunger Things Fall Apart Religion: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters An Introduction to Philosophy: Perennial Principles of the Classical Realist Tradition I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons

Profit Reading Monthly Action Steps: Combining the Ideas from the Five Books You Read 

I mentioned previously about getting a return on your reading time investment, and you have already started the process. However, it is at this stage that you will get traction, and what you do will determine your results. While reading, you have been taking note of the important information in the book that is related to skill development. If you found ideas that you can immediately use, apply the information right away so that you do not forget. 

Have you read?

Profit Reading: Getting a Return on Your Reading Time Investment

At the end of each month, you have read the five books you decided to read. If you followed the process that I advised, you will have a number of ideas from each of the books. Now comes the exciting part, which is to play around with the ideas from the books. Start connecting ideas in different combinations to see what insights you glean. To recap, 

1. Review your notes for each book that you read during the month to refresh your memory. 
2. Focus on the great ideas you extracted from each book. If possible, sleep on all the great ideas and let them incubate. 
3. Use the Monthly Reading Matrix to combine the great ideas to form hybrid ideas that are innovative. (Create a table where you can play around with the ideas) 
4. Develop ways you can apply the hybrid ideas. 
5. Try to tie the idea to an unmet or inadequately met need. 
6. Apply at least one idea. 
7. Write your thoughts in your journal. 

Share your insights with the people you’re taking the reading challenge with, as well as the Facebook Group. 

Final Thoughts: This Reading Challenge for Adults Locks in Future Jobs – Learn How!

Reading books can be very exciting if you understand how to do it. Imagine how your life could change if you acted on a few ideas that you found in the books you read during the next 12 months. You can accomplish so much in life if you have a meaningful purpose for doing the things you do. If you are a business professional, you have to learn the 10 skills needed for future jobs, so why not use the Strategic Reading Challenge for adults, to lock in the requirements for future jobs.

I am changing the way that I do things, so I am charging $147.77 for people to join the challenge. I only want people who are serious about their careers are who are willing to participate.

Please join my Facebook group, Strategic Reading Challenge to Learn Key Skills, where you will get the support you need while participating in the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults. Although you can join the challenge any time, why not act right now. It's a small investment of $147 and it includes many tools and resources to make your learning more efficient and effective. If we have enough people who are committed to their learning journey, we may be able to place them in groups.

Before Starting the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults: Note from Avil

If you are interested in speeding up the process to learn each of the 10 skills, I wrote a curated post for each of the 10 skills. Read through each of the posts and take notes, so you build a good foundation of knowledge. So that when you are reading books on each of the skills, the information will be familiar to you. This is a great way to prepare for the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults.

10 Key Skills to Succeed; Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults

1. If You Read One Article About Complex Problem Solving Skills Read This One
2. Why Critical Thinking Skills are the Secret Ingredients for Success
3. The Beginner’s Playbook to Creativity Skills
4. Why Our World Would End If People Management Skills Disappeared
5. Complete Beginner’s Guide to Collaboration Skills
6. Ultimate Guide to Emotional Intelligence Skills
7. Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Service Orientation
8. How Decision Making Skills Can Get You Your Heart’s Desire
9. The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Negotiation Skills
10. Bite-Sized Guide to Cognitive Flexibility Skills

Resources Avil Created for You to Get the Most Out of the Strategic Reading Challenge for Adults

If you decide to invest in the Strategic Reading Challenge, many of the resources below are included in the price.

 Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Creativity & Decision-Making Action Guide A Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young – Book Summary The MacGyver Secret by Lee David Zlotoff & Colleen Seifert – Book Summary How to Spot Great Ideas When You Read Books Effective Note Taking Tips for Professionals Checklist to Learn Key Skills and Develop Cultural Intelligence From Reluctant Reader to Superstar Reader Read More Books? Create a Quick Reading Plan Book Summary Template: Learn Which Questions to Ask to Delve More Deeply into Any Book 46 Must Have Books for a Home Library