Selling the Invisible (A Field Guide to Modern Marketing)
by Harry Beckwith
Beckwith answers the questions about how markets work and how prospects think. He provides hundreds of quick, practical, and easy-to-read strategies ranging from marketing misconceptions, to market research, pricing, branding, and much more. (Warner Books, 1997)
First, Break all the Rules (What the World’s Greatest Managers do Differently)
by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
The authors find that great managers share one common trait: they do not hesitate to break virtually every rule held sacred by conventional wisdom. The book evaluates a massive in-depth study of great managers across a wide variety of situations. The study found that the front-line manager is the key to attracting and retaining talented employees and that the best managers select an employee for talent rather than for skills or experience. The book includes 12 simple questions that work to distinguish the strongest department of a company from all the rest. (Simon & Schuster, 1999)
Good to Great
by Jim Collins
The first line of the book is “Good is the enemy of great.” From there, Collins shares key determinants of greatness and why some companies make the leap to greatness and others don’t. Some of Collins’ key concepts involve leadership, the curse of competence, discipline and technology. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice. (HarperCollins Publishers, 2001)
The E Myth Revisited (Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to do About It)
by Michael E. Gerber
The book discusses the life of a business and the myth of today’s entrepreneur and then defines what strategies are needed to succeed. Gerber shows how using franchising techniques, and working on your business, not in it, will help small business owners succeed. (HarperCollins, 1995, 2001)
Mastering the Rockefeller Habits (What You Must Do to Increase the Value of Your Growing Firm)
by Verne Harnish
Harnish writes a practical guide with easy-to-implement fundamentals that John D. Rockefeller used in his business and personal environments. The book is focused on how tos instead of theories including topics such as strategic plans, alignment, meetings, branding, core values, finances and getting the right employees to do the right things. (SelectBooks, 2002)
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (A Leadership Fable)
by Patrick Lencioni
This easy-to-read business story deals with the complex world of teams. It outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome the common hurdles – trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, results – and build a cohesive, effective team. (Jossey-Bass, 2002)
Death by Meeting (A Leadership Fable about Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business)
by Patrick Lencioni
Another easy-to-read business story centered on a cure for the most painful yet underestimated problem of modern business: bad meetings. The book provides a blueprint for leaders who want t eliminate waste and frustration among their teams, and create environments of engagement and passion. (Jossey-Bass, 2004)