these are the books that really matter, in my mind, to make you a thoughtful and competent person in business. The order is random within a section; all the books mentioned here have value.<\/p>\n
A Simpler Way<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Margaret Wheatley<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have struggled with the \u201cwork of organizing\u201d whether it be children\u2019s soccer or large business organizations, Wheatley\u2019s premise of \u201clet it all work itself out\u201d is compelling. It\u2019s a divergent view that seems utopian. That said, apply this thinking to your urge to compulsively over-manage and you\u2019ll end up as a saner soul.<\/p>\n Blink<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Malcolm Gladwell<\/strong><\/p>\n This book focuses on the human trait of snap or gut level judgment. Gladwell identifies that the most important attribute of good decision-makers isn\u2019t how fast or slow or how much information is available \u2013 it is the skill of the decision-maker to identify what to include or not in the decision-making process, and the move against that information. Marvelously intriguing book with strong implications for marketing and leadership.<\/p>\n First Break All the Rules<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman<\/strong><\/p>\n The premise is that managing people and yourself using your existing strengths not improving weaknesses is both better for you and for your work. The data to support this counter-intuitive claim is compelling. An important book, not just for the manager or the HR professional (although it is essential for them), instead think about this as a key insight into managing your own life.<\/p>\n Freakonomics<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner<\/strong><\/p>\n Part of being good at business is being able to shift your mental model \u2013 and the faster the better. This book is entirely about that: forcing your mind to view \u201ceconomic fact\u201d differently.\u00a0 That\u2019s why you must read it and keep it around for further rereading to make sure you’re staying fast, open to change, diversion, loss, fear, and the gaping hole of the unknown.<\/p>\n Good to Great<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Jim Collins<\/strong><\/p>\n Collins believes that he can research history and apply the findings to today. I believe findings gleaned from business models in which a letter took 7 days to get to someone bordering on the ridiculous. However, I do believe that humans are pretty much the same as they were 40 years ago; it is the societal and business environment that has changed. There are some great findings here \u2013 but be careful. History would not indicate that the companies identified are as great s they should have been post-publication.<\/p>\n In Search of Excellence<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Tom Peters and Bob Watterman Jr.<\/strong><\/p>\n The first pop culture business book is now a great read because you can see what companies where chronicled, and why, and then look up on the Web and see what became of them\u2026and learn from that as well.<\/p>\n Into Thin Air<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Jon Krakauer<\/strong><\/p>\n When I worked at The Coca-Cola Company, I went to a meeting and this book was sitting on my chair. It was a summertime meeting, which I remember because for several years afterward I reread this book each summer. This is a horrifying book, all about bad assumptions, poor leadership, and even poorer followership.\u00a0 Its also about attaining dreams\u2026or not.\u00a0 Find a copy, read it, and read it again. The layers of learning for any business discipline are many.<\/p>\n Outliers<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Malcolm Gladwell<\/strong><\/p>\n Malcom digs deeper than most, but even that comment needs explanation. When Yuval Noah Harari wrote Sapiens he was working within an area of expertise for him.\u00a0 When Jim Collins wrote Good to Great he was sharing research he’d been conducting for 10 years. When Gladwell writes a book he selects a topic and looks inward into that topic and provides a point of veiw from the side, not from the middle. Writers who do this range from those who do cursory overviews to those who dig very deep and are capable enough to understand topics for which they have not received specific training. Gladwell sits in that latter group; he’s good enough to understand enough and then write fluidly enough to introduce us to complex topics.\u00a0 Another writer who is brilliant at this is Michael Lewis, if this type of writing intrigues you.<\/p>\n In Outliers<\/u>, his premise is simple: Outliers aren\u2019t. What we perceive as outliers \u2013 which are what he calls those of supreme performance well above any expected level of norms \u2013 are simply lots and lots of iterations of performance. We don\u2019t see those iterations, we just see the resultant brilliance and attribute it to outside the norm behavior. The assertion that current research indicates 10,000 hours of practice are required to obtain \u201cbrilliance\u201d has come under significant fire after the publication of this book. Like anything written by anyone, challenge it. Is it “a whole bunch of non-obvious work went into looking this capable” or is it “the number of hours exactly leads to your capability in an area”.\u00a0 I presumed as I read it it was the former and therefore don’t find the positing offensive…only you know as you read it if the same is true for you.<\/p>\n The Goal<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Eliyahu Goldratt<\/strong><\/p>\n Goldratt has written several books, this was the first and arguably most impactful. It\u2019s the keys and insights of operations management told through stories. We all need a perspective and insight into this area; more is better, so consider this book as a starting point and move forward from there.<\/p>\n The Ornament of the World<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Maria Rosa Menocal<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the story of Spain during the rule of Islam. Set aside your stories and \u201cWestern\u201d philosophy that it was the ruthless Moors or Barbs who messed up the country, and read how Islamic rule was in fact tolerant of Jews and Christians who co-inhabited the country. I am not saying this interpretation is \u201cright\u201d but I do believe that in today\u2019s working world you will work with people of all of these faiths, and it is instructive to review historical potential misconceptions and see how they color our world today.<\/p>\n The Tipping Point<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Malcolm Gladwell<\/strong><\/p>\n This book focuses on the idea that trends, activities, social change all progress, but well below the surface, until the next \u201cstep\u201d causes the \u201ctipping point\u201d \u2013 when the trend or idea or bug moves rapidly from that point forward. Lot\u2019s of implications of this finding \u2013 how to get to the Tipping Point, recognizing there is one. This book explains why David Halberstein’s The Fifties made so much intiutive sense about how the 60’s came about in USA, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand (with impact beyond those countries): He chronicles what was happening before the tipping point.<\/p>\n Small Giants<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Bo Burlingham<\/strong><\/p>\n Any book that singles out my favorite deli of Zingerman\u2019s as an example of business learning wins my heart. This book is about fourteen businesses that Burlingham holds up as examples of business leadership. These stories are both an engaging read and an important learning experience.<\/p>\n Delivering Happiness<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Tony Hsieh<\/strong><\/p>\n Zappos.com is an amazing company. Tony is a large part of the reason why, and this book is a candid and intriguing look at what makes Zappos.com special. If you are an entrepreneur this book is a treasure, told compellingly from one who has succeeded in doing just what you will need to do.<\/p>\n A caveat<\/u>: Tony shares over and over in this book how activities and events at Zappos are convened with alcohol, sometimes in copious quantities.\u00a0 My impression after reading the book is that Tony has an alcohol dependency issue, and has inculcated that trait into the Zappos culture. My endorsement of this book does not extend to the use of alcohol as a celebrant and thinking aid<\/em>. I firmly believe those who abstain can be good team members too. It\u2019s a sad element of an otherwise compelling book.<\/p>\n The Knack<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham<\/strong><\/p>\n Entrepreneurs should all read this book. No, it isn\u2019t about high tech. All the more reason to read it. It\u2019s a penetrating very real look at what it takes to be successful in a start-up mode of any type of business venture. The emphasis on sales (and marketing, although it\u2019s the sales discipline which receives focus) is refreshing and real.<\/p>\n Bird by bird<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Anne Lamott<\/strong><\/p>\n Julia Cameron\u2019s Right to Write<\/u> is my go to book for process help when I\u2019m stuck. Lamott\u2019s bird by bird<\/u> is more about a wide range of potential techniques to validate and support your \u201cwriter inside\u201d.\u00a0 Its less about process and more about headset, which is exactly what I need to go back and reference sometimes.<\/p>\n Writing Down the Bones<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Natalie Goldberg<\/strong><\/p>\n My copy is riddled with pink underlines of key passages.\u00a0 If Lamott validates my mind and Cameron gives me an exercise to do, Goldberg\u2019s 2 page observations speak to my soul. Rereading and revisiting brings new insights into my writing and thinking as well as sparking new moments of creativity in other areas.<\/p>\n The Right to Write<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Julia Cameron<\/strong><\/p>\n This is an easily digestible book on techniques and exercises to increase your comfort with the art of writing. She\u2019s also a very insightful writer herself, and the mini-chapters that take you to the exercises are often small treasures in and of themselves. I like it because its \u201cdoing\u201d focused without being a bunch of complex hard to complete assignments.<\/p>\n The Artist\u2019s Way, Walking in This World, The Vein of Gold<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Julia Cameron<\/strong><\/p>\n All 3 are on my bookshelf. They\u2019re more complex in than her more writing focused book above. As such, I find them less useful for thought starters or \u201cre-engagers\u201d.\u00a0 However, everyone should \u201chave to go through\u201d a course of mindfulness and directed creativity as these books outline at some point no matter what your craft or profession. I personally find more out of Walking<\/u> and Gold<\/u> than the initial book The Artist\u2019s Way<\/u>, but all 3 have merits. Find a good used copy of any and try it out.<\/p>\n The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Carmine Gallo<\/strong><\/p>\n A lot has been written about Jobs\u2019 presentation skills, and this book duplicates articles you can find online with one exception. Gallo creates detailed charts of how Jobs actually presents \u2013 pauses, visuals, vocals, demos, timing, presented in a very clear and easy to understand style. These detailed \u201ctear downs\u201d of key speeches are some of the best resources I\u2019ve found to understand the nuances of Jobs\u2019 delivery.<\/p>\n In addition, Gallo creates a readable reference in terms of breaking apart the elements of what to do. His three \u201cActs\u201d of Create the Story, Deliver the Experience, and Refine and Rehearse which are further broken into 18 \u201cscenes\u201d make the information easily digestible. This book is worth the read.<\/p>\n Resonate, Slideology<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Nancy Duarte<\/strong><\/p>\n Resonate focuses on storytelling. Good presentations are good stories, and this book does an excellent job and providing insight and direction on how to create \u201cpresentation stories\u201d. Since this art is relatively new \u2013 incorporating visuals and a standup presenter \u2013 this level of detail on how is both appropriate and important. Equally as impactful for podcasting or other video means!<\/p>\n Slideology was the first book, and focuses more on the visuals used to create compelling and communicative slides for presentation usage.\u00a0 Very readable, excellent examples, and sage advice.<\/p>\n Presentation Zen<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Garr Reynolds<\/strong><\/p>\n This book contains simple, straightforward ideas on how to increase the impact of your presentation slides. The major content groupings of Preparation, design, delivery, and shows the stepwise journey of Reynolds\u2019 direction. What makes his approach unique is the combination of his gift as a communicator with his multicultural approach. As an American living in Japan, he blends the simplicity of \u201ceastern\u201d design with the urgency and directness of an American businessperson in a compelling and effective blend.<\/p>\n Presentation Zen Design<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Garr Reynolds<\/strong><\/p>\n This companion book to the one directly above delves more deeply into particular elements of good slide design and delivery. The elements of the book I found most useful are those with Type, color, image usage, and data delivery. It is a colorful book with many visual examples to explain the concepts.<\/p>\n The Visual Display of Quantitative Information<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Envisioning Information<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Visual Explanations<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Edward Tufte<\/strong><\/p>\n The first named book was on many lists as one of the best books of the 20th<\/sup> century. I was blown away by the books as well as the one day course I took led by Tufte based on his techniques and ideas. All should be \u201cmust reads\u201d if you present data to anyone. If you are short of cash and have a desire to learn, www.edwardtufte.com\/tufte\/posters<\/a> has essay \u201cThe Cognitive Style of PowerPoint\u201d. For $7 plus shipping you\u2019ll get a full view of Tufte\u2019s power and insight. Even better, copies of the 1st<\/sup> \u00a0edition of Visual Display<\/u> are ridiculously low online and can serve as your opening step into Tufte\u2019s world. Artists should explore his essay \u201cSeeing Around\u201d based on his art.<\/p>\n Leadership Jazz<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Leadership is an Art<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Max DePree<\/strong><\/p>\n DePree has it going on. Don\u2019t miss these books just because they are not on a lot of business reading lists. DePree ran Herman Miller with distinction and style \u2013 his family housed the creative geniuses of the Eames \u2013 and did so from a principled, ethical, and very human space. It isn\u2019t theory, its reality, and a special read.<\/p>\n Nickel and Dimed<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Barbara Ehrenreich<\/strong><\/p>\n Eight percent of all Americans work in Food Service. Read this book to see what an undercover reporter for Vanity Fair found it was like to do two stints in Food Service, and then finish up with a job at Wal-Mart. This is the reality of what a lot of people live every single day \u2013 its honesty is compelling. Do not lead until you\u2019ve read this.<\/p>\n Flow<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi<\/strong><\/p>\n Flow is a concept that we all know. It\u2019s the moment when things are effortless, when time passes without notice, when things seem at once sped up and slowed down. There is happiness and contentment and fulfillment \u2013 all at once. That is Flow. The first couple of chapters are what this book really is all about, you can safely skip most of the rest and be ok. The concept is important and worth the read. This came to my shelf in the mid 1990\u2019s and is more important now.<\/p>\n Investing<\/strong><\/p>\n The Intelligent Investor<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Benjamin Graham<\/strong><\/p>\n Revised Edition, Commentary by Jason Zweig<\/strong><\/p>\n Get the revised edition noted above. This is a gem, my copy has highlights and notes throughout. This is the bible that taught Buffett. I resisted reading it assuming that Graham would be difficult to read. Bad assumption, he\u2019s a delight and Zweig takes a book first issued in the 40\u2019s and last revised in 1976 fully into the current day. If you want an advanced primer on investing, this is it.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n One Up on Wall Street<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Peter Lynch<\/strong><\/p>\n Lynch and his stewardship of The Magellan Fund was the \u201cthing of legends\u201d in the 1980\u2019s with good reason. His book is a celebration that everyone can be an investor\u2026and how to do so. This is the book to read \u2013 skip his Beating the Street<\/u> as it\u2019s less helpful. Also note: I have followed Lynch not only because he was a legendary investor when I started investing on my own, but because he left his role “at the top” and focused his life on coaching others and philanthropy.\u00a0 Those two themes resonated with me strongly, and that bias leads I’m sure to the inclusion of this book in the list.\u00a0 He’s an interesting human, https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peter_Lynch<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n The Money Culture<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Michael Lewis<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wondered what really happened in the financial world during the 80\u2019s, this book is the only comprehensible description I\u2019ve read. It is a story as well as an education, and an engaging read.<\/p>\n The Big Short<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Michael Lewis<\/strong><\/p>\n Leave it to Lewis (I\u2019ve read every book of his and think he\u2019s amazing) to provide an understandable, readable, engaging, and ultimately horrifying look at the financial meltdown of the 2008. This is not an easy read. It is, however, an essential read.<\/p>\n Your Money or Your Life<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Joe Dominguez and Vicki Rubin<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the book on thinking about your money and financials. The authors advocate getting to the point where income from your investments covers your basic needs, providing you with the freedom to then live your life free from the need to do a job to cover these expenses. The premise of the book is difficult to attain now with low interest rates, but the principles are sound.<\/p>\n NOTE: for the many Millennials and Gen Z folks that may read this, I know you think FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) is “your” generation’s finding.\u00a0 As it turns out, other generations prior to yours also had this as an objective, just without the catchy acronym.\u00a0 Step back and insert a few of the books in this list into your reading. They are valuable, the provide much needed multi-decade perspectives, and will simply enhance your current readings from writers within your generations.\u00a0 The mix of perspectives strengthens your knowledge.<\/p>\n The Millionaire Next Door<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Thomas Stanley & William Danko<\/strong><\/p>\n It is almost like the next book after Your Money or Your Life, although this would recommend staying working in business for yourself. The most inspiring part of the data is that the truly rich people in your neighborhood are likely the ones who drive the old cars and don\u2019t live lavishly. The \u201cdon\u2019t spend all you earn\u201d advice cannot be overstated as a powerful career and life management imperative.<\/em><\/p>\n Fooled by Randomness<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n The Black Swan<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Nassim Nicholas Taleb<\/strong><\/p>\n Malcolm Gladwell wrote a brilliant article in The New Yorker April 22 & 29, 2002, which is free online. Read that article first. Then reflect upon how much money Taleb has now post-2008. Then determine if you want to dig deeper in Taleb\u2019s significant talent. Both of his books are dense, challenging reading. They are also essential, for their message of how our brains interpret and expect \u201csameness\u201d is critical for investing, leadership, and marketing, my 3 favorite topics.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" these are the books that really matter, in my mind, to make you a thoughtful and competent person in business. The order is random within a section; all the books mentioned here have value. A Simpler Way Margaret Wheatley If you have struggled with the \u201cwork of organizing\u201d whether it be children\u2019s soccer or large […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2527,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2527"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions\/24"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/annmariestone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Writing; but more. Self-expression and self-improvement too.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Presenting, Visualization of information<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n