March 26th, 2009
Your Turn: What are your must-read business books?
I’ve read a lot of business books over the years, but only a few make the cut as books I’d recommend to a colleague, friend, or family member. Here are some of my favorites:
- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
There’s a saying that if you want something done, give it to a busy person. I’d amend that to say if you want something done, give it to a busy person who applies the principles introduced in Allen’s book, GTD. See my previous post.
- Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William L. Uri
Manipulation 101 (manipulation is not a bad word unless it is combined with unethical behavior like lying or cheating). I often return to the sage advice of Fisher and Uri when conducting negotiations of any kind.
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu
He’s brutal, but Sun Tzu’s nuggets of wisdom still ring true. He covers politics, leadership, and strategy to name a few.
- Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Leadership by Ken Blanchard
Anyone starting out as a manager should read this book or take a course based on its principles. It outlines how to adapt your leadership style based on an assessment of your employee’s skill level to best enable top performance.
- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Sometimes you just have to go with your intuition to make decisions or plan the best path to success. Gladwell does a great job of explaining what’s behind snap judgments.
Your turn: What are your must-read business books?
