What they’re reading now

Richard Grossman
Executive vice president and senior managing director, Halstead Property

What book did you recently finish?

I recently finished “The Three Laws of Performance” by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan.

What spurred you to read that book?

I am thinking about the future for myself both personally and professionally. The book deals with how to plan for your future by understanding the present and how you got there.    

Has anything in it stuck with you?

What struck me the most is the concept the book calls “occurrence,” that is we act based on how things occur or appear to us … [which is] very much influenced by our surroundings and our history. If we can change that, it will help us solve problems or look at the present or future differently. An example the book used was a family business that had lost the father/founder of the firm.  The three children could not seem to propel the business forward and were caught in many of the same roles they had when their father was at the head of the business. They were looking at things the same way as if their father was there, and he was not. It wasn’t until they were able to redefine their relationships in a way that left the past structure behind that they were able to move forward. I’d recommend this book to those who want to challenge themselves and take control to change their future for the better.

Steven Hidary
Chief operating officer, Hidrock Properties

What are you reading now?

I am re-reading â€œAn Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn” by Francis Morrone and James Iska. Having grown up in Brooklyn, it’s both comforting and instructive to see the various styles of architecture come to life on the book’s pages. Each time I pick it up, I’m enlightened by the discovery of another fine architectural gem and historical knowledge about the borough of Brooklyn.

What spurred you to read that book?

As a property owner and developer, I’m always looking for insight into what sets one building apart from the next, one block from the other and what differentiates each neighborhood. Recently, I’ve been curious about the origins of the various architectural styles that exist throughout Brooklyn: brownstones, larger multi-family buildings as well as the smaller public spaces that dot the borough. The narrative is highly accessible — it doesn’t read like a textbook — and you don’t have to be an architect or engineer to understand it.

Would you recommend it to others?

I think it might be the only book in existence that points out there is not just one statue of the ancient  Persian prophet Zoroaster in New York City; there are, in fact, two! One of them resides in the Brooklyn Museum (the other at the cornice of the New York Appellate Court Building in Madison Square Park). There’s something in this book for anyone interested in learning more about urban planning, architecture and design, historical and cultural influences and, above all else, Brooklyn.

Bertrand de Soultrait
President, Bertwood Realty

What are you reading now?

I’m reading “Finding the Uncommon Deal” by Adam Leitman Bailey.

What spurred you to read that book?

Adam’s well known here in the New York real estate world and … gave his book to me as a gift. I started it while flying to Europe to meet clients.

Has anything in it stuck with you?

I was very curious to see the difference between a broker’s and an attorney’s state of mind in finding and negotiating a deal. After reading it, I now understand why Adam is so good at what he does and why the book is one of Amazon’s top real estate sellers. The book is mostly focused on the residential home buying market, providing pragmatic advice that draws upon Adam’s extensive experience.

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Finding The Uncommon Deal mentioned in The Real Deal.