Business Books

“Confessions of an Advertising Man” by David Ogilvy is a fantastic book that extends far beyond the realm of advertising, making it a beneficial read for business professionals from all walks of life. While its title might suggest a niche audience, its contents are brimming with wisdom that transcends advertising industry boundaries, offering invaluable insights for those engaged in sales, communication, management, or anyone striving to refine their efficacy in conveying ideas.

So many aspects of our working lives revolve around the people in our organizations: coworkers, bosses, subordinates, clients, etc. Yet many of us don’t put strategic effort into making them better. In his book, “How to Work With (Almost) Anyone,” Michael Bungay Stanier gives us a framework and tactics to improve our working relationships. He brings forward five questions to complete a “Keystone Conversation” that will lead to what he calls the “Best Possible Relationship.”

The business world is changing. In reality, the landscape in which we operate is always changing. Right now, however, seems to be an inflection point with massive changes in both the macro and micro scales of business. Murray writes that we could be looking at the “first major change in corporate ideology since at least the 1970s.”

t usually pick up books with curse words in the title, but Kim Scott has proven herself with effective strategies for leading and managing in her preceding work called Radical Candor. I often find myself discussing feedback with other leaders and going back to the strategies in Radical Candor during those discussions.

In “Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader,” Herminia Ibarra challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about being a leader. Rather than assuming that leadership is a set of innate traits or skills, Ibarra argues that growth as a leader can be developed over time through practice and experimentation.

You might not be drawn to “Teach to Work” unless you’re in the teaching or mentoring arena. If that’s not you, stay with me anyway. This book has good things to say about how we train and teach the next generation.

“Multipliers” was first published in 2010 and revised and updated in 2017. I first read the book just this year but wish I had found it earlier in my leadership journey. Liz Wiseman writes with incredible insight and a well-seasoned storytelling ability. Her research partner, Greg McKeown, is also a favorite author of mine. We’ve also published two reviews of McKeown’s own books.

I picked up “Becoming Bulletproof” by Evy Poumpouras to read over Christmas and New Year’s break. Actually, I downloaded the audiobook and then bought the hardback. I am usually drawn to books that are read by the author, as you get a sense of meaning and extra tidbits not always shared by a professional narrator or in the published print version. “Becoming Bulletproof” is no different. Poumpouras includes a few interview segments between her and her husband explaining and expanding on some of the subjects in the book.

What does it take to be excellent? According to Trevor Moawad, it takes what it takes. Until his passing in the fall of 2021, Moawad was the mental conditioning coach for NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, and he wrote this manifesto for those desiring real growth and change.

Have you ever had a project due, yet your brain was tangled in distractions? I don’t need to bore you with social media and technology statistics for us to agree we live in a “distraction-rich world.” Unfortunately, those distractions often hold us back from meaningful, impactful work.