Books to Improve Your Business Mindset

Temp Agency in Petaluma

 

“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”
– Margaret Fuller

 

Have you run out of books to read?  Not sure what to read next?  Are you looking for ways to punch up your career skills?  We put together a list of 9 books which will improve your business mindset. These books will explore how to become more productive, discuss ways to increase your motivation and positive thinking, teach time management strategies for working less, and give you tools to become a master communicator.  Why 9 books?  Why not! Some may appeal to you and some may not. OK, here we go…

 

The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People: Power Lessons in Personal Change
by Steven Covey

Recommended by Star Staffing President, Nicole Serres, this is book is an oldie but a goodie.  This book was first published in 1990.  It’s not just a business book; it is a timeless book in which Steven Covey urges you to STOP spinning your wheels with unproductive activities. 

Exploring everything from family life to productivity and positive thinking, Covey teaches us how to use his four-quadrant application to help achieve maximum effectiveness. Pick up this book today to learn how to transform your personal and professional effectiveness for success.

 

Loonshots
How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries
by Safi Bahcall

An award-winning book, Newsweek advocates How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars is “a groundbreaking book that spans industries and time.”  To be honest, this isn’t JUST a business book. It’s a gripping set of stories about leaders who’ve conceived ideas and carried them into the great unknown. These are lessons from war and space exploration, not to mention many other fascinating landscapes.

We think this book, on the Forbes list for crushing 2020, is a Must Read.

 

Think and Grow Rich
by Napolean Hill

A classic, this book first published during the Great Depression, explains the principals of positive thinking.  Promoted as a self-improvement book, Napolean Hill was inspired by a suggestion from business mogul, Andrew Carnegie.  Selling over 15 million copies, the back cover brags, “There have been millionaires, and indeed, billionaires, who have made their fortunes as a result of reading this success classic than any other book ever printed.”

Hill believes that the way you think is a huge factor in your career and life success.  As an example, if you want the mind of a millionaire, you don’t have to have an MBA from an Ivy League School (although it can’t hurt😉).

Although the title of the book indicates increasing income, Hill insists that his philosophy can help people to succeed in ANY line of work or do ANYTHING they can imagine. Afterall, success isn’t just about money!

 

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
by Timothy Ferriss

This book was first published in 2007 and revised in 2009.  Now, we can see why this book excited many entrepreneurs.  Tim, you had us at 4-Hour Workweek

By title alone, we were motivated to put this book on our list. Not only will you find out how to become rich working only four hours per week, you will learn valuable tips and time management strategies for living more and working less, including the elimination of time-consuming activities like e-mail.

When you are done reading the 4-Hour Workweek, you may next want to check out Tim’s motivational business podcast which was selected “Best of iTunes” three years running.

 

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler

To succeed in business, you must know how to communicate. Whether you are at a meeting, networking event, conference, or merely in a casual conversation with a coworker, business relies on communication. Crucial Conversations will give you the tools needed to master those difficult conversations―both at work and at home.

 

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
by Daniel H. Pink

Despite conventional wisdom that says people are primarily motivated by money and fear, Daniel Pink’s book, Drive, explores a new way of thinking about motivation. With case studies from Google and Best Buy, two large companies that have gone against the conventional standards to give their employees freedom to work on their choice of projects on their own schedules, Pink argues that what really motivates us is the freedom to grow and succeed on our own terms. In his book, Pink suggests that you should pay enough “to take the issue of money off the table.”

What motivates you to succeed?  Give this book a try and explore!

 

The Empathy Edge: Harnessing the Value of Compassion as an Engine for Success
by Maria Ross

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of empathetic is showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Being empathetic at work means seeing the situation from a co-worker’s perspective and using that viewpoint to structure your leadership style, workplace culture, and branding strategy.

With proven research and stories from executives, change-makers, and community leaders, Maria Ross pairs her knowledge as a branding expert, to reveal exactly how empathy makes brands and organizations stronger and thus, more successful.

 

From Receptionist to Boss: Real-Life Advice for Getting Ahead at Work
by Nicole Smartt

Written by our own fearless leader, the next book on our list is not a classic, yet… but give it time.  😉 A quick read, you will love the “smartt” style the writer uses to convey her ideas and tips for moving up the corporate ladder to success. 

Are you just getting started in your career? Do you need motivation and courage to overcome obstacles in your path? Look no further: this book is your blueprint for getting ahead in your career.

In this book, you’ll find the practical advice you need to guide you. Having advanced from receptionist to business owner in less than seven years, Nicole Smartt offers a goldmine of information to anyone wanting to become extraordinarily successful in their career. Read the book, defeat the odds, learn the lessons, and follow in the footsteps of a real-life success story.

Check out the first chapter here.

 

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell

Small changes can result in big changes. This is not a new assumption, but it is one that we often overlook in the day-to-day business world.

Author, Malcolm Gladwell, inspires us to think big about small changes in his book. To paraphrase, Gladwell believes that the tipping point is that magic moment when an “idea (or) trend … tips and spreads like wildfire.”  In his book, you will learn how reaching a small group can ultimately influence the masses.  Want to learn how products and messages can spread like viruses?  Order your copy of The Tipping Point today.

 

 

Let us know what you are reading, we’d love to hear from you.

If you are looking for additional reading material as it pertains to the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve put together a list of resources for you and your organization.  As a top staffing agency in Northern California, we want to support you no matter what stage of your career you’re in. And if you’re looking for work, we can help. Connect with our local office today, and learn why we’re the preferred temp agency in Petaluma for local candidates. For more details, contact us at 707-762-4447.

 

 

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