What are two of the best business books you have every read?

For the would be entrepreneur, “Small Time Operator” would also be on my list. (Along with many other Nolo Press titles.) We have occasionally been criticized for making some Nolo titles required reading in some of our MBA courses. (“They are not academic in nature.”) But they provide great nuts and bolts information that is surprising accurate and up-to-date.

There was one piece of information that was critical to the early success of Taft twenty years ago that we got from a publication from some guy named John Bear. (And we didn’t even have to pay a consulting fee.)

 

Thats a book I long to read - our local library has it listed in inventory but its never in its proper location.

 

Easy, but there are four:

- How to Negotiate Anything (Cohen)
- The Peter Principle (Peter)
- Burnout (Freudenberger)
- On Leadership (Gardner)

 

The B&M Barnes and Noble have their own printing of it. I bought it, for a reread, for $10.00.

 

Gus,
Yeah, the Art of War was an interesting book for business strategies don't you think?

I also thought that the Vest-Pocket MBA and the Business of Consulting were interesting as well.

-------------
JPMAMBA

BA, Business Economics - UCLA
BBA, Accounting - California State University, Fullerton
MBA, Financial Management - National University
DBA, Accounting - Argosy University (IP)

 

1. A Higher Standard of Leadership: Lessons from the Life of Gahndi. By Keshavan Nair

2. Bringing out the Best in People: How to Apply Astonishing Power of Positive Reinforcement. By Aubrey Daniels (Who by the way was one of my instructors at Harvard University's JFK School of Gov. Executive Leadership Program)

3. Primal Leadership. By Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Anne McKee

Veritas,

Michael

 

The Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
Cry, the Beloved Country - Alan Paton
My Taitors Heart - Rian Malan

Required reading for doing business in South Africa

 

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People(S. Covey)

but my personal favorites are:

2. Who moved my Cheese? (might not be business per se but gives a lot of insights on managing your life)
3. a. Peter Principle/ b. Peter Prescription
4. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

 

I'd add to the wonderful list that's already been generated:

1. Peter Block, Stewardship: Choosing Service over Self-Interest.

2. Richard D'Avani, Hypercompetition.

3. Sloan, My Years With General Motors.

4. Barnard, Functions of the Executives

 

WOW ! Nobiody mentions my picks...

The Witch Doctors : Making Sense of the Management Gurus
by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
by Jim Collins

My step-father recently retired as a VP from 3M Company. It may be instructive to know that he mostly read and reads biographies.

--Orson

 

The Emperors of Chocolate- Joel Glenn Brenner
Lee Iococca- An Autobiography
Ford: The Men and Machine- Robert Lacy


I have read all these books at least 5 times. I could not put them down.