I recently met with a group of undergraduate students from the Peter Paul Business School at the University of New Hampshire and one student asked me for a list of my favorite business books. I’ve read a lot of business books in my life but never put together a list of my top ten. I thought it would be interesting to narrow down my list of favorites. In no particular order of priority, here are my top ten:
The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker - Drucker is considered one of the original thinkers of modern management. This concise book, written more than fifty years ago, is a good synopsis of his thinking. While some examples may appear dated, the habits he suggests for executives are still relevant today and often found in other self-help business literature.
The Modern Firm by John Roberts - This book about organizational design can read at times like an academic textbook but is filled with valuable insight. Roberts weaves economic thinking, particularly about incentives, with how to structure a firm for organizational success.
Resonant Leadership by Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee - There is a lot of leadership literature in the business realm. This book closely aligns with what I believe truly makes a difference in leading teams effectively. It also highlights the challenges of leadership burn-out and how to deal with it when it occurs.
The Articulate Executive by Granville TooGood - I have relied on this book throughout my career for every major speech that I have given. The author provides a simple and effective way to think about how to structure your presentations in terms of messaging and delivery. It works if you take the time to follow the structure.
Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath –This book does a great job forcing you to think about how to hone your message to "make it stick" with your audience. Given the importance of narrative in crafting a powerful message, the lessons suggested are practical steps to help you succeed. In conjunction with The Articulate Executive, this book can be your guide to creating winning presentations.
Drive by Daniel Pink - Pink totally gets it right in terms of what truly motivates employees. Another helpful primer for managers and leaders as they work though how to motivate employees to drive results. It should be required reading in every business management course.
The Hard Thing about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz - While the stories are based on Horowitz’s experience in the technology industry, the lessons are relevant across industries. There were so many examples he shared that I personally experienced as an executive and remember struggling to find the right approach at the time. Lots of practical good advice.
Good Strategy / Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt - This is a relatively undiscovered gem on strategy. I have read a lot of books on strategy and I find the ideas in this book to be extremely useful when thinking about business strategy. It’s a book I have referred to over the years during multiple strategic planning exercises.
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman – In life, as in business, it’s helpful to understand why people do what they do. In this book, Kahneman helps illuminate why human beings often act in irrational ways. There are so many interesting insights in this book, it requires some reflection to help grasp the implications in business decision making, sales, marketing, and people management. The book can be dense at times but worth the effort.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – You might wonder why I included a book about the sufferings endured in a concentration camp during WWII on my best business books list. The reason is related to the overall message of this book. Frankl shares his strong belief that human beings ultimately have a choice over their thoughts no matter the circumstances. Choosing your own attitude can dramatically impact how you experience the world. Additionally, Frankl believes the true meaning of life can be discovered out in the world if you align work with what’s important within. This book helps point the way to living life in a positive and meaningful manner.
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." –Viktor Frankl