Influence: Science and Practice Robert B. Cialdini
Classic discussion on the art of persuasion. From both scholarly and practical points of view, Cialdini describes how seven social rules play to our intellect's desire to automate responses.
War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle Steven PressfieldA book about overcoming resistance personally and professionally between the life you live and the life you imagine. Regardless of age, he asks whether you approach your world as an amateur or a professional.
The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time Jonathon Weiner - A scientific book about the finches living on the Galapogos Islands. Evolution and biology are happening right before our eyes, not over hundreds of years. Surprisingly translates into marketing and business.
You2: High Velocity Formula for Multiplying Your Personal Effectiveness in Quantum Leaps Price Pritchett - A quick read about leaping forward simply by taking a new approach.
Nothing Like It In the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869 Stephen E. Ambrose
History of the railroad from an operational, financial and business environment perspective. Important to note how much hard work, luck and relationships played into the success and failure of the early railroads. Many corollaries to the telecommunication boom and bust. Will we see the Amtrak version of the Bell companies emerge in the next 10 years?
StrengthsFinder 2.0 Tom Rath - The future of human resources and in managing talent. We must evolve our teams to use their strengths instead of spending so much time and effort on bringing weaknesses to mediocre.
It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy Captain Michael Abrashoff - Captain Abrashoff, on his first commissioned ship, took a poor performing destroyer and her 300 crew and turned them into the "best ship in the Navy." He believes you must focus on purpose, not chain of command, and that true change is permanent. He challenged the rules while staying within the longstanding traditions of the Navy. Just like in business, results can overcome resistance to change.
All Marketers Are Liars Seth Godin - A story about stories. The title is designed to get your attention, but the content is about how to connect with customers. Rather than re-educate a customer, he suggests taking advantage of the stories they already have playing in their minds.
Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life: A Kick-Butt Approach to a Better Life Larry Winget Straightforward approach about creating the results that you want. His premise is that you must become uncomfortable before you will change.
Re-imagine! Tom Peters - This book will change the way you think about everything! Peters says that even the most mundane tasks can be turned into "WOW" projects and that everyone must be in charge of their own "brand." He says that businesses must evolve by leaps, not increments, or the new competitor will evolve past.
Harvard Business Review: Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave (January 1995)
Clayton Christensen - Quick read about a groundbreaking perspective on competition within your own business and how it can distract you from the true competitors that are disrupting your marketplace. A good example is Kodak's miss on digital cameras. Kodak's leadership continued to focus on making better film while the market and technology was progressing forward.