Metz, The Social Concept

The CMO Social Web Strategy Short Reading List

June 30, 2009

Frequently, I get asked what books executives should read who’s just getting going on the social web. We made a bookstore to guide executives who are trying to get started. But the CMO is a special kind of executive. It’s a guy or gal who is probably really strapped for time, who needs a super high-level overview.

So, we really have to pare down this list to the bare essentials for a CMO. You can grab copies of these books from the widget above. Here’s where I’d start.

1. Groundswell: I put this one first on the list because it’s short enough to read most of on a cross-country plane flight. It you need to give a high-level view to someone on social technologies in under 3 hours, this is the book to do it. It makes up in scope what it lacks in action steps.

2. There Is No Secret Sauce: This is our first book. It would be pretty lame if we put our own book first, huh? [That’s why it’s second.] This is the book that’s slim enough to read in a couple of hours, but it contains a ton of tactical guidance. A lot of CEOs/CMOs have been handed copies of Sauce, and many of these copies have led to big, deep conversations at companies.

3. The Fifth Disclipline: I can’t really speak enough about this one, both from a business perspective and a spiritual perspective. Chapter 2 “Does Your Organization Have A Learning Disability” and Chapter 10 “Shared Vision” are really critical reading when it comes to overseeing cross-departmental implementation of sweeping social web strategies, for brands.

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