Why read a business book? Many people read these books and forget them a few months later. Reading a book produces passive knowledge, which is only a start. Listening to music doesn't mean you can play it. Watching a Jiu-Jitsu move demonstrated certainly doesn't mean a student can do it in a match. Besides, most of these books remind you of passive knowledge you had anyway, or at least feel like common sense.
Managers need active knowledge: the capacity to act. That takes more work than just reading passively. So why read a business book? I've found that books trigger ideas. They inspire. They are filled with new frameworks and distinctions, that if only for a moment help you see the world from a new angle. They are filled with stories of a great businesses that did something you hadn't thought possible. So, I read with a pen in hand or Evernote open. If I'm thinking about strategy, or culture, or operations and read a book on the topic, a list of actions flows out. This works as a catalyst for team discussions too.
To go deeper, I've found it pays to chase the author and hear more live - some of them, like Jim Collins, are such good presenters that it is like the concert version of the album. To get even more out of an important topic, I've been able to engage with some of these thinkers directly, like Fernando Flores, Pat Lencioni, Verne Harnish, Liz Wiseman, and some others). I am grateful to authors who took the time to condense their passions and ideas into a book. They are moving the art of business forward.
Mouse over for notes on 33 of my favorite, most impactful business books:
Managers need active knowledge: the capacity to act. That takes more work than just reading passively. So why read a business book? I've found that books trigger ideas. They inspire. They are filled with new frameworks and distinctions, that if only for a moment help you see the world from a new angle. They are filled with stories of a great businesses that did something you hadn't thought possible. So, I read with a pen in hand or Evernote open. If I'm thinking about strategy, or culture, or operations and read a book on the topic, a list of actions flows out. This works as a catalyst for team discussions too.
To go deeper, I've found it pays to chase the author and hear more live - some of them, like Jim Collins, are such good presenters that it is like the concert version of the album. To get even more out of an important topic, I've been able to engage with some of these thinkers directly, like Fernando Flores, Pat Lencioni, Verne Harnish, Liz Wiseman, and some others). I am grateful to authors who took the time to condense their passions and ideas into a book. They are moving the art of business forward.
Mouse over for notes on 33 of my favorite, most impactful business books: