Whether this is your first semester along the journey to achieve an MBA or you’ve completed your educational career and are looking for your first job in the C-suite, you can learn from the men and women who have achieved success in the business world.
While most of us can’t just pick up the phone and call these leaders for advice and inspiration, we can follow in their footsteps by getting to know the people who inspired them to pursue their dreams. There’s no better way to do this than to read some of the books on their essential reading lists.
Here are five books every business major should read, and all come highly recommended by people you already know and respect:
- “Rework” — Mark Cuban (one of the billionaire investors on the popular TV show “Shark Tank,” owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and a “serial entrepreneur”) recommends every would-be business leader (but especially the entrepreneur) read “Rework,” co-authored by Jason Fried and David Hansson. Expect to learn how to be agile, effective and focused in an environment that moves at the speed of light. One of the most important points the authors bring out in the book is that multitasking isn’t a valued skill, rather a sign that you are spreading yourself too thin and setting yourself up for unnecessary stress.
- “Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service” — Learning the art of delivering world-class customer service is something many grad schools don’t cover heavily enough. However, enhancing customer experiences is mission critical today. While you may not have heard of Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Harbor, Michigan, you’ll recognize the names that recommend their service platform: Inc. Magazine, Fast Company and USA Today are just three of the nationally known firms that praise the advice offered in “Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service,” written by one of the co-owners, Ari Weinzweig. Learn how to train your staff to appreciate both negative and positive feedback, while building a company culture designed to consistently exceed consumer expectations.
- “The Republic of Tea” — Seth Godin, author, entrepreneur, and marketing guru, calls “The Republic of Tea” written by Mel and Patricia Ziegler, “One of the best books about business ever written.” The 336-page book chronicles the day-to-day successes and failures of a real business from inception and product development to creating a solid business plan and securing financial backing. If you’ve ever wanted a step-by-step guide to opening your own business — or taking the helm at a startup — this one’s for you.
- “Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge” — We can probably all agree that Mark Zuckerberg knows a thing or two about running a successful business. He knows the value of connecting people in ways that appeal to their cultural, historical and financial commonalities. When Zuckerberg added “Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge” by Michael Suk-Young Chwe to his top 23 books everyone should read, it was because: “The book is about the concept of “common knowledge” and how people process the world not only based on what we personally know, but what we know other people know and our shared knowledge as well.”
- “Drive” — Daniel H. Pink wrote “Drive”; to help business leaders delve into one of the most complicated challenges in the business world — motivation. This interesting read for business majors will help you understand what motivates employees, consumers and competitors. You may even learn a few things about your own external and intrinsic triggers.
Shaping your leadership style is often as easy as picking up the right books for inspiration about hiring best-fit team members, encouraging your staff to tap into their creative spirit, and building relationships for growth and financial success. For books like these and more, search our website or contact TextbookRush today to get your hands on a copy!
Sources
https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/ep26-billionaire-mark-cubans-book-recommendation-rework/
http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-favorite-books-2016-2/#rational-ritual-by-michael-suk-young-chwe-23
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1774088.The_Republic_of_Tea
http://undergradsuccess.com/books-all-business-majors-should-read/7/
