We’re a firm believer in the often-said phrase ‘knowledge is power’. Which is why we make a point of keeping an eye on the best business books out there to keep us inspired. True, we also enjoy a good Poirot novel, but there’s only so much insight to be gained there. That said, if you are ever in a position where you're trying to get a murderer to confess, we do suggest Poirot's method of gathering everyone in a room and dramatically revealing them last.
But we digress.
To save you scouring the internet and reading endless reviews, we’ve instead compiled a list of some of the best business books for you.
1. ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ by Daniel Kahneman
This is a firm favourite. This book is all about our decision-making process, the connotations we unconsciously make and the reflex thinking we’re often guilty of. In business, we can all agree that practical, logical thinking is at the heart of all our decisions, and yet, this book calls into question that very thing we take for granted. Have a read, we guarantee you’ll come away with a new outlook.
2. ‘Tools of Titans’ by Tim Ferriss
This has quickly risen to become the go-to book amongst many business owners and entrepreneurs. Ferris has gathered a mammoth collection of interviews with people from all walks of business, asking them questions on their strategies, inspirations and habits which have led to their success. It is very easy to dip in and out of, and also offers tactile tips and life lessons that you can put into practice yourself.
3. ‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg
Duhigg pushes the idea here that habits are fundamental to us achieving our goals. The key, of course, is making sure the habits you adopt are good ones. If something is hard to achieve (as most worthwhile things are) then you can’t hope to get through the tough times without the solid foundation of good habits in place. If motivation and a lack of structure are things which plague your mind at night, we suggest you give this one a go.
4. ‘Friend and Foe’ by Adam Galinsky and Maurice Schweitzer
This is an excellent book that focuses less on the practical issues of habits, goals and strategies but instead on the much more tenuous ideas of how to form better relationships. The specific issues of knowing when to cooperate or compete are really informative and will certainly make you think twice next time you’re at one of those tricky junctures yourself. We highly recommend.
5. ‘The Hard Thing About Hard Things’ by Ben Horowitz
Whilst we can all get dewy eyed about setting up our own business, we can also tend to romanticize the potential pitfalls and hurdles that will likely come our way at one point or another. Horowitz leaves us under no illusion in this great book, asking questions such as how do you handle the need to fire a friend? Whether you should call it quits and sell your company, and if so how? This a thought provoking little book that doesn’t shy away from the gritty questions you might find yourself coming across.
And there we have it, a little list of books that we think are well worth your time reading. It’s easy to forge ahead and work on a trial and error basis in life, and we aren’t saying that primary experience is without value, but it’s easy to get blinkered by it. The beauty here is that there have been plenty of people who have both succeeded and failed, and put all their experience on paper. It’s crazy not to try and learn from it.
Additionally, if you are thinking of making the exciting career move into professional sleuth, then we do recommend our earlier suggestion of Poirot. For those familiar with the televised version, fear not, the moustache is not a prerequisite.
