I am an avid reader of business books and in particular business biographies. I have been asked several times for my recommendations. Recently one of the team specifically asked for my top ten so I spent a little time going over my library to find the books which I had found most useful and had influenced me.
The following is my top ten.Not all of them are traditional business books however they tell stories which I have found useful.
We can learn from the past and all of these people have been exceptional in what they do. I have looked back over 100s of books I have read and after considerable deliberation these are the most influential. There are a few others on the fringe which didn't make the cut.
They are not necessarily ranked in order of preference but more in the order to read them.
I've mixed lighter books with heavier books and left some of the more challenging stuff to the end.
Just the best book on how business works. Backed up with facts:
Good to Great
Jim Collins
The sequel talking about how businesses can be sustainable:
Built to Last
Jim Collins
This book is more about the man than the company. Great integrity and values:
Who says elephants can't dance
Louis v gerstner
How to look at the world and its markets differently:
Purple Cow
Seth Godin
How business was done:
Jack
Jack Welsh
An amazing story of innovation, tenacity and culture:
Creativity Inc
ED catmull
A very practical book on business issues:
43 mistakes business's make and how to avoid them
Duncan bannatyne
How to build s culture from nothing:
Bill and Dave
How Hewlett and Packard built the Worls Greatest Company
Michael S Malone
This guy influenced so much you need to understand him:
My life and Work
Henry ford and Samuel Crowther
For me the ultimate business man. A genius. Unlikely to be repeated or replicated but we can learn some small things
Steve Jobs. The exclusive biography
Walter Isaacson
When you have read this lot you will be sick of you life.To cheer you up stick your head into the two Danny Baker Auto Biograhies as well as any book by Peter Kay. They will have you laughing out loud without fail!
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