As a life-long reader, I am naturally drawn to bookstores. I can spend hours drifting from one section to another, looking at book covers, reading titles and book jackets. However, I am careful what I leave with, hating to waste money on a book that gets shelved or neglected because it didn’t quite make it to my infamous “this is the best book I’ve ever read” list.
Through the years, bookstores and then, of course, Amazon have been constant companions. I’ve never been a library person until just recently. My mother-in-law, at the age of 99.5, is a voracious reader, consuming fiction and non-fiction alike. She has made her way through our bookcases uncovering books she thought she would have little interest in but dove into regardless and now wants to discuss over dinner. I love that about her.
Hoping to entertain her one day, I suggested we go to our local library and check it out. As with most things you do for someone else, you typically get more out of it than the other person. I signed up for a library card and felt like I was the proverbial kid in a candy store. Checking out a few books I was interested in reading but didn’t necessarily want to buy; I found a few that I’ve been recommending over and over.
When you need a new book, check out these suggested titles:
The Social Business Imperative by Clara Shih is a book I’ve been recommending for months. I have it on my Kindle and recently took it out of the library so I could experience it again in a different medium. Every CEO, business owner, marketer, and sales leader should read and study this book. She paints a remarkably straight-forward understanding why and how business leaders need to look at their businesses.
Trust Factor by Paul Zak delves into why culture is so elusive for most companies and how it all boils down to trust. He points out the behaviors that increase trust, build culture and lead to high performance.
Own It: The Power of Women at Work by Sallie Krawcheck is a good and necessary read; and not just for women. Don’t miss her nuance and the intensity. She talks about moving beyond the “false comfort of agreement,” understanding how empowerment doesn’t work and what real diversity looks like for everyone. With stats and actual research behind her, Own It is a read for everyone.
Each of these authors provides a roadmap for creating a better business; one that is in tune with a forward-thinking, abundance mindset.
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