Harry S. Truman had it right…
‘Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers!’
What price an idea? One good idea can set you up for life. And the lack of them sends careers and companies to their graves.
Here are some of my all-time favourite books. Many of them I’ve read several times over. And some I haven’t read at all — I’ve listened to them (usually several times over) as audiobooks. (I use Audible and their smartphone app.)
So take a deep breath, whip out your Kindle and feast your mind on these. Your career will thank you.
P.S. We’re always looking to grow our bookshelf and brain. Got a favourite? Tell us.
Persuasive, engaging communication
Made to Stick: Why some ideas survive and others die, Chip and Dan Heath
Resonate: Present visual stories that transform audiences, Nancy Duarte
HBR Guide to Better Business Writing (HBR Guide Series), Bryan A. Garner
General influence
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition, Robert Cialdini
Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, Noah J. Goldstein Ph.D., Steve J. Martin, Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D.
The small BIG: Small Changes that Spark Big Influence, Steve Martin, Noah Goldstein, Robert B. Cialdini
How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie
Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, Updated Edition, George J. Thompson, Jerry B. Jenkins
Behavioural economics
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein
Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, Dan Ariely
Negotiations
Getting to Yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in, Roger Fisher, William Ury
Never Split the Difference, by ex-FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss, gives crucial insights into what really drives human decisions.
While ‘Getting to Yes’ is great, it focuses more on rational arguments. Voss’ book shows how to get past your target’s (usually huge) emotional barriers first, so they can start processing your rational arguments.
Sales
SPIN Selling, Neil Rackham
Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar
Motivating people (& yourself)
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Chip and Dan Heath
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink
Tough conversations
Crucial Conversations — Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler
Psychology
Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman
50 Psychology Classics, Tom Butler-Bowdon (good writers are good psychologists)
People Styles at Work…And Beyond, Robert Bolton & Dorothy Grover Bolton. One of the best books on understanding personality types we’ve read. It helps you adapt your communication to suit your reader’s preference.
Business smarts
The Personal MBA — Master the Art of Business, Josh Kaufman (this book is full of smart influence and comms ideas)
Clear, correct writing
On Writing Well, by William Zinsser, deserves every one of its five-star reviews on Amazon. It’s one of our all-time favourite books on writing. It covers writing in general, and delves into the specifics of business writing, science and technology writing, travel writing, and much more.
The Elements of Style, by Strunk & White. Most writers and editors simply call this ‘Strunk & White’. It’s a classic. Read it; it’ll change how you communicate.
(P.S. Does the name ‘E.B. White’ ring a bell? He also wrote Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.)
Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss, has made big money from little marks – punctuation marks, to be precise. A New York Times bestseller, this book is an entertaining way to slash the time you spend wondering if you should use a slash, dash or interrobang?!
Other books
- Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School, by John Medina
- Legacy – What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About The Business of Life by James Kerr
- Ask for It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want, by Linda Babcock, Sara Laschever
- How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job, by Sally Helgesen, Marshall Goldsmith
- Mindset – Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential, by Dr Carol Dweck
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know, by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
- What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith
- Clear and Precise Writing Skills for Today’s Lawyers 4th Edition, by Narrelle Morris & Rosaline Tan – This book is recommended for law school writing, you may find it useful if you are developing an advanced class.
- Radical Uncertaintly: Decision-making for an unknowable future, by Mervyn King & John Kay
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things, by Ben Horowitz
- Grit, by Angela Duckworth
- The Fearless Organisation, by Amy C. Edmondson
- Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, by Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant