As we wrap up the summer of reading here at Momentous Institute, we hope you’ve been inspired to read a new book or two.

(Not yet? Here are a few suggestions.)

Six Books Recommended by our Therapists, Teachers and Momentous Staff

A Peek at Dr. Jessica Gomez's Bookshelf

One Classic and One New Book from Dr. Laura Vogel

But once you’ve read a book or article, you may find yourself wishing everyone at your workplace knew about it. Whether it’s the latest research in your field or a new way of thinking about your work, there are times when it is helpful to pass along what you’ve learned to others… especially if you can do it in a way that means they don’t have to spend the time to read it themselves!

Consider these tips for sharing what you’ve read in your workplace.

Ask for time at a scheduled meeting.

If you’ve got staff meetings already scheduled, reach out to whoever is in charge of the agenda and see if you can get a window of time. You might even consider making it a recurring feature of meetings to have a portion of the meeting open for people to share what they’re reading. People can sign up for time or it can be left open for contributions.

During your meeting time, consider preparing what you want to say so that it is concise and useful. Think about what portion of the reading will be most helpful for those who won’t take the time to read it themselves, and know that those who are really interested in the topic can read the material for more. You might list the top three points from the book or article, and your biggest takeaway. Bonus points if you can talk about a change you’ve made or plan to make in your work as a result of the reading.

Share a written report.

Meeting times hard to come by or already scheduled? Write your responses and share them by email or post them in a public place, like a communal bulletin board or in the workroom. We’ve designed an easy-to-use template to make it simple to share the big takeaways here. 

Start a book club.

Look, we know adding a book club to your already busy workload may seem daunting. However, if you start a book club, you also get to set the terms. You can meet weekly, monthly or even quarterly depending on your schedule. You can all read the same book and discuss, or you can take turns, assigning one person the responsibility of reading and sharing. Or you can all read separate books and everyone shares out from their own book. There are no rules except what you decide, so don’t be daunted by the idea of a book club – you can make it work for you!

Lifelong learning is an essential part of every profession. So whatever you do, consider a way to encourage your teammates and colleagues to continue learning and sharing their new knowledge with others. It will only make your whole team stronger as a result.