Reading That’s Transformed My Thinking

One of the best ways to transform your company is to expose yourself to experts who think differently than you do. Here are some titles that have transformed my thinking about the fundamentals of high growth business.

 

• Leadership

5 Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell

To become more than “the boss” people follow only because they are required to, you have to master the ability to invest in people and inspire them.

 

• People (Hiring and Development)

Topgrading by Brad Smart

Whether you lead a company with 10 people or 100,000, you can begin hiring high performers and avoiding mis-hires, in every job today!

 

• Strategy (Creation/Development)

Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne

This international best seller upends traditional thinking with principles and tools to make the competition irrelevant. You win by not competing!

 

• Execution (Performance)

4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling

New tasks should take up only a small portion of each employee’s time—but employees must be held accountable for completing them. This book looks at establishing the four disciplines to accomplish that.

 

• Cash/Finances

Straight Talk, Big Profits!: 4 Keys to Unlock Your Business Potential by Greg Crabtree

Take the mystery out of small business finance with this no-frills guide to understanding the numbers that will guide your business out of any financial black hole.

 

• Personal Development

Start with Why by Simon Sinek

The leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way— and it’s the opposite of what everyone else does.

 

I’ll continue to post what I consider to be transformational books, so check back often for additional suggestions. You can also click here to see a more comprehensive (and growing) list of titles that can help you scale up your business.