These books have been recommended by Lisa Anderson in her monthly newsletters since 2006. They are listed with the most recently recommended book at the top.
Drive by Daniel Pink - This book is a an interesting read for business professionals. Don't we always think money motivates us? Daniel Pink proves that it isn't necessarily so. Empowerment might be the key.
Single Point of Failure: The 10 Essential Laws of Supply Chain Risk Management by Gary S. Lynch - This book is a must read for supply chain professionals as risk is a critical topic for all companies today. As the supply chain has become more complex, mitigating risk has become even more essential.
You're Not The Person I Hired!:A CEO's Survival Guide To Hiring Top Talent by Janet Boydell, Barry Deutsch, and Brad Remillard - Finding the right people is critical in today's workplace. Who hasn't had the feeling of "you're not the person I hired"? If you want to successfully hire top talent, you cannot afford to miss this book!
The Execution Premium: Linking Strategy to Operations for Competitive Advantage by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton - This book provides a great road map for execution success. It expands on the scorecard model and is an essential handbook for business success.
The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization By Peter F. Drucker - Peter is considered by many to be the father of leadership. This one is a classic.
Supply Chain Transformation By J. Paul Dittmann - An interesting book on the value, importance and how-to's of integrating supply chains as a key element of business strategy.
What Got You Here Won't Get You There By Marshall Gossmith - A great book on how to be successful in achieving your career goals - and how the subtle nuances matter.
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg - An interesting book on how women can thrive in the workplace. It offers some must-do ideas.
A Hire Connection:How To Make Your Next Hire Your Best Hire by Janet Boydell - My friend and colleague wrote this book on the secrets to finding and retaining top talent which is essential in today's marketplace.
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson - A great read with interesting insights about how Steve Jobs transformed Apple. Undoubtedly you'll pick up a few good tips.
Sales & Operations Planning by Thomas F. Wallace - a great guide on implementing S&OP. I use it as a research tool as I think through different approaches to implementing aspects of process.
Top 10 Rome by Frommers - looking forward to seeing whether I get feedback on this one..... As travel and vacations pop up frequently during the summer season, I thought I'd pass on one of my favorite travel books (the Top 10 series) - and one of my favorite places (Italy). I went late last year and had a fabulous time. Don't miss Rome's hidden treasures.
To Sell Is Human by Pink- an interesting book on selling and why we are all in sales.
The US Manufacturing Renaissance: How Shifting Global Economics Are Creating an American Comeback by Harold Sirkin, Justin Rose and Michael Zinser- an excellent book on the resurgence of manufacturing in the U.S.
Words That Sell by Richard Bayan- At a loss for words? Check out this book on words. It gives countless examples of powerful words which is something we all need from time to time.
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, What the Most Effective People Do Differently by John Maxwell- the majority of success relates back to communication; thus, why not continue to learn additional tips and techniques for success?
The New Supply Chain Agenda by Reuben Slone, J. Paul Dittmann and John Mentzer- a quick read on how to gain value from your supply chain. It's good to see the supply chain gaining relevance in the new normal.
Getting Organized in the Google Era by Douglas C. Merrill - this is an excellent book on how to get organized in today's information overloaded society. He provides many tips and techniques that you can 'take to the bank' to improve your efficiency and effectiveness.
Leverage Social Networks to Drive Business Results by Lisa Anderson - in my first book, I've focused on the hot topic of how to leverage social networks to improve operations and drive business results. It's full of practical tips and techniques to apply to your business immediately.
Million Dollar Referrals by Alan Weiss – an excellent book on how to master the art and science of referrals. I can't think of a profession or career where this type of information wouldn't add value.
Social BOOM by Jeffrey Gitomer - this is an intriguing book on how to leverage social media to improve your business, build a brand, create a marketing buzz, sell products / services etc. It's a quick and fun read with lots of tips and ideas for leveraging social media for business success.
Midas Touch by Robert Kiyosaki & Donald Trump - an interesting book on the critical traits and skills for successful business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Get to the Point by Elizabeth Danziger - a no-nonsense book on business writing. Business writing is such an important topic as it is critical to success, and this book provides several tips to more powerful language.
Being in Business is a Funny Thing - Getting Out is Not! featuring contributing authors Suzanne M. Graves and Cheryle L. Steddom - an excellent book on critical topics in today's new normal business environment - maximizing the value of your business and how to transition the business successfully. Interesting ideas and concepts that can apply to all businesses!
Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin - I found this to be an interesting book on talent. It explores what is talent and what isn't talent. It turns out that deliberate practice is a vital component.
Relationship Economics by David Nour and Alan Weiss - I found this to be an interesting book on the value of relationships. It also discusses how to transform your most valuable business contacts into personal and professional success.
Running Blind by Lee Child - keeping in the theme of life balance, I thought I'd throw in a mystery book - my favorite type, as my best childhood friend knows (and hopefully reads this) since we wrote an award-winning mystery book in the 6th grade - "The Secret of the Hidden Panel". My mom read Lee Child's book out loud in the car, and it was a great mystery. You can't go wrong if you enjoy mysteries.
POP!: Create the Perfect Pitch, Title and Tagline for Anything by Sam Horn - an interesting book on why some ideas break out and others fade away. Sam presents a simple and proven process to create one-of-a-kind ideas, products and messages that break through the noise!
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al Ries & Laura Ries - another marketing classic by Al Ries! The authors take a common sense view of branding and discuss what "works" which often times is different than many think. Interesting insights - definitely worth reading and implementing!
Your Marketing Sucks by Mark Stevens - in considering the theme of this month's feature article, this book is a perfect fit. In essence, it discusses focusing your marketing on what "works"; not what's easy or typical which results in zero benefit and costs substantial sums of money. An interesting read.
Publicize Your Book by Jacqueline Deval - as I've been focused on books that relate to speeches and my book proposal, I chose this one to share, as I think it goes beyond book publicity and provides practical tips and techniques that could be utilized to achieve a variety of publicity goals. As marketing and PR is key to anyone's success, I think it's worth a look.
All For One: 10 Strategies for Building Trusted Client Partnerships by Andrew Sobel - an interesting look at creating trusted client partnerships. As these same concepts apply to all relationships, I found it to be a valuable business book with ideas for all types of businesses.
The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course Product Development by Andrea Belz - a compelling book on innovation and product development. Undoubtedly, innovation is vital to succeed in the new normal, and Andrea does an excellent job of laying out a pragmatic approach to achieving success.
Best-Laid Plans by Alan Weiss – an excellent book on strategy. This book focuses on turning strategy into action throughout your organization. Not only pragmatic but also contains innovative ideas.
The Obvious Expert by Elsom Eldridge Jr. and Mark Eldridge – this book was referred by a friend and colleague, and I found it to be an engaging book. In essence, this book discusses marketing approaches on how to position you as the obvious expert. It's worth the read especially if you are a professional service provider or in a job search process.
Introduction to Type and Leadership by Sharon Lebovitz Richmond – an interesting book on personality type and leadership. Part of the Introduction to Type series from CPP, it relates the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) instrument to leadership. Sharon makes compelling points on how to understand and utilize type as a tool for tailoring a leader's development.
The 24-Hour Customer by Adrian Ott - a fascinating book on the new rules for winning in a time-starved, always-connected economy. Adrian provides interesting insights into "the money value of time". It's a must read for anyone interested in building better relationships with customers who have less time to give you and are more distracted than ever before.
Neuromarketing by Patrick Renvoise & Christophe Morin - I found this to be an interesting book about how the latest brain research can help increase your sales – and your personal success.
Speak Like a CEO by Suzanne Bates – I found this to be an engaging book about speaking skills in a business setting. There’s no doubt it is a critical subject and relevant to achieving business success, and so even if you only pick up a few tips and tricks, it’s worth the read.
Lessons from Private Equity Any Company Can Use by Orit Gadiesh and Hugh MacArthur – I found this to be a compelling book on how to create more valuable businesses regardless of who owns them.
Repositioning by Jack Trout - this is an update to the classic, "Positioning" for how to adapt, compete and succeed in today's overcrowded marketplace. I found it to be an insightful book on marketing strategy.
The Connectors by Maribeth Kuzmeski – an insightful book on how the world’s most successful businesspeople build relationships and win clients for life. I thought the book did a great job of illustrating the importance of relationships and people.
Thrive by Alan Weiss - an excellent book on why you should throw out a survival mentality and instead focus on thriving. It provides tips and techniques to thrive and lead a fulfilled life.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell - an interesting book on the power of thinking without thinking. It also provides insights into how to become a better decision maker.
The Art And Discipline of Strategic Leadership by Mike Freedman with Benjamin Tregoe - an excellent book that distills what's important on strategy into manageable chunks and provides a recipe for success.
Financial Reckoning Day Fallout: Surviving Today's Global Depression by Addison Wiggin and William Bonner - an interesting view of the current economy from the historical perspective. Whether you agree with the theories or not, it is a fascinating read of economic history.
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching by Dean Smith and Gerald D. Bell - since I'm an alumni of Carolina, of course, I consider it a classic. However, regardless of your school choice, it provides several coaching lessons, which can be directly applied to the business world in an easy-to-read format with real-life examples for easy application. For anyone interested in improving upon leadership skills, you'll be able to find at least a few "tips and tricks" to help.
Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath - a fascinating book about why some ideas survive and others die. In addition to being an interesting read, it provides insightful ideas for marketing and/or improving your everyday communications. Why not ensure more people actually hear what you say?
Inside Steve's Brain by Leander Kahney - a fascinating book about Steve Jobs. I found it to contain interesting insights from multiple perspectives, ranging from innovation to marketing to appreciating talent.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell - a thought provoking, fascinating book on why some people succeed far more than others. I found it to have interesting insights not only on why success occurs but it also provides ideas on how to create success. Who couldn't use a dose of success?
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries & Jack Trout - it is a marketing classic. The authors take a common sense view of marketing, which also tends to be contrarian to conventional views. In a time when funds are limited, it is critical to ensure marketing has an impact - this book provides practical insights to consider when prioritizing spending.
Secrets of Social Media Marketing by Paul Gillin - it is a timely book about how businesses can utilize online conversations and customer communities to prosper. In today's economic environment, can you afford to be left in the dust?
All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin - it is an entertaining yet timely and important discussion of effective marketing. In essence, it discusses the importance of telling stories instead of the typical feature and benefit marketing pitches.
Leadership in the era of Economic Uncertainty by Ram Charan - it is a timely and engaging book about leadership in the down economy. From the author of one of my favorite books, "Execution", this is a must read for anyone interested in how to improve business conditions during this economic timeframe.
Dangerous Business: the Risks of Globalization for America by Pat Choate - it is a fascinating book that discusses the history, risks and impacts of globalization. It is especially interesting in light of our current economic crisis and unemployment rates; however, regardless of your thinking on globalization, it provides interesting insights and probes your thinking on these interwoven subjects.
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss - it is an interesting story of how one person went from an overworked employee and entrepreneur to creating a 4-hour workweek lifestyle. I thought it offered valuable ideas and insights that can be applied regardless of specific work and life goals.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable Patrick Lencioni - it is an entertaining fable written about the dysfunctions of teams. I thought it was an easy-to-understand, pragmatic and enjoyable read about teamwork. It boils the subject down to a few, key points.
How to Get Ideas by Jack Foster - it is an entertaining book on how to generate ideas. Especially for those of us not typically high in creativity, this book provides ideas and proven techniques for generating ideas. Since creativity and idea generation is a fundamental element in everyday life and in business, I figure even if you learn one technique that helps generate ideas, it is worth reading.
Hot Commodities by Jim Rogers - this is a fascinating book about commodities. This is much more than a look at commodities from an investment perspective - it provides many insights from a business perspective. Commodities are fundamental to business results - impacting profitability, lead times, delivery performance, global sourcing strategies, etc. I still remember when I first understood the vast importance of this subject from my Procurement Mentor who seemed to keep track of and understand endless amounts of information (potential global wars, price of oil and natural gas, new technologies, etc) that affected what seemed to be a simple equation - the price of a plastic bag.
Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. - the authors have created a revolutionary program to help readers identify their talents, build them into strengths, and leverage them. It guides you through the process of identifying your talents and provides interesting ideas and insights into how to turn talents into strengths.
A Bull in China: Investing Profitably in the World's Greatest Market by Jim Rogers - much more than an investment book, this is an interesting perspective on China's progression over the last 20-25 years with a glimpse into the future.
Biography of the Dollar by Craig Karmin - this is a fascinating book on the dollar. It describes how the dollar conquered the world and why it's currently under siege. I found it to be a valuable read for anyone interested in the far reaching impacts of the dollar on each citizen, U.S. businesses, global economies, politics etc.
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson - this is an interesting book on how the future of business isn't in the high volume hits/ top sellers (the high volume head of a traditional demand curve); instead, it is in the low volume end of what can be the endless long tail of that same curve. This is largely due to the expanding availability of technologies such as the internet and the seemingly limitless choice that it provides to consumers. It's a thought-provoking discussion of this phenomenon and its potential sales and marketing impacts.
The Coming Economic Collapse: How You Can Thrive When Oil Costs $200 a Barrel by Stephen Leeb, PhD - I thought this was a fascinating book about how the world has evolved specifically in relation to the need for and availability of oil. It is a good addition to your library geared towards understanding economics and natural resources.
Mean Markets and Lizard Brains by Terry Burnham - written by a former economics professor from Harvard who also has completed significant biology research, it provides thought-provoking reasoning of the biological causes of irrationality and its connection to investing. I thought it was an interesting read that provided many insights that could be used in a wide variety of aspects of life from business to investing to day-to-day decision-making.
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century? by Thomas L. Friedman. I consider this a "must-read", as it describes globalization and the evolution of the world in the last century, which has resulted in lasting changes for businesses, the world economy, and politics. The topics range from outsourcing, insourcing, offshoring, supply-chaining, etc. In addition to providing a historical perspective, it also discusses the impacts of these topics from multiple perspectives - environmentally, socially and politically.
Where Have All the Leaders Gone? by Lee Iacocca - one of the best books I've read in awhile. I thought Lee Iacocca made many interesting points about leadership and related those points to the state of the country, the government, the media, the business community etc. There are several insights to be gleamed for all aspects of life, and he discusses his conversations and learnings derived from his experiences and interactions with several key historical figures. Whether you agree with his upfront, in-your-face-style or not, it provides interesting perspectives and continually provides ideas and pleas for a call to action.
Who Says Elephants Can't Dance by Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. This book summarizes IBM's turnaround during Lou Gerstner's leadership. It discusses Lou's insights into management and leadership from a variety of industries and how he applied those concepts to IBM. I found the lessons of how to turnaround and run a successful company interesting and applicable to most businesses and industries.
The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt - I thought I'd refer back to one of the classics this month. Eli introduced the theory of constraints in this book. Although this sounds like a technical topic, he presented it in an interesting way. In essence, it shows you how to coordinate within a production setting to deal with common problems of production delays and low revenues. If you haven't already read it, it is worth a review.
The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker - it is one of the classics on leadership. He discusses the measure of an executive, which he reminds us is the ability "to get the right things done". He also discusses key points essential to business effectiveness. Peter Drucker provides fresh insights into everyday business situations.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey, it is a classic book on the key habits and/or attributes required for personal and professional success. Although much of the book is obvious if you think about it, I thought there were several insights offered as well. It can also be utilized as a practical guide for change.
The Maui Millionaires by Diane Kennedy and David Finkel - it is a fascinating book on the keys to becoming a millionaire while enjoying life as you do it. There are many concepts that can be applied to work-life balance, running a successful business, leadership etc. Several business experts agree that mastermind groups are a key to success. This book is one of the best on this topic, discussing how to create and maximize your value from mastermind groups.
The Capitalist Philosophers by Andrea Gabor - it is a fascinating book on the capitalist philosophers, the geniuses of modern business. In essence, it is a behind the scenes look at the people who shaped modern management, from Deming to Drucker to Maslow. Andrea Gabor tells this story through the lives, times and ideas of the great thinkers who defined the art and science of business.
John W. Gardner on Leadership by John Gardner - although it isn't written in an ideal style for my reading preferences, it is an insightful work on leadership principles. Gardner had an expansive career in academia, the U.S. Marine Corps, in government positions and serving on commissions of several Presidents, and as a director of many corporations. With this type of diverse background, he is in a unique position to expand thinking in terms of leadership.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – it is an intriguing book about the “tipping point” (the magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips and spreads like wildfire). The author discusses this phenomenon from several perspectives, provides several examples and explores business and marketing impacts. It stimulates thinking and provides ideas on how to utilize these concepts in selling products and disseminating ideas.
Guts! - Companies that Blow the Doors off Business-as-usual by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg - it is a book by the authors of "Nuts", the story of Southwest Airlines. This book is focused on the secrets behind a number of gutsy companies that have chosen to follow their own, unique path and have achieved success (record profits) through unorthodox leadership. It's an interesting read on achieving the extraordinary.
The Warren Buffett Way by Robert G. Hagstrom - although this might seem like a book for investors, I found it to be a "must" for anyone interested in the fundamentals of achieving business success. Warren Buffett happened to achieve huge stock market success, but the principles and strategies he employed is what I found most interesting. As he says, what he does is not beyond anyone else's competence. It is common sense. This book provides insights into business, management, finance and value tenets that can be applied in any business or with any leader.
Why We Want You to Be Rich by Donald T rump and Robert Kiyosaki - whether you like the authors or not, they come together to tell an intriguing story of the need for financial education/ literacy in the United States. They believe you can not solve money problems with money. You can only solve m oney problems with financial education. And they want to teach you to be rich. It is an interesting book with concepts that can be utilized for your personal finances, your company, and the world economy.
Our Emperors Have No Clothes by Alan Weiss- it is a compelling, conversationally written book about the insanity of what corporate executives have done while reengineering, restructuring, downsizing, etc. In addition to describing multitudes of examples of this insanity from recent history, it provides common sense alternatives and solutions for today's leader.
Alpha Dogs: How Your Small Business Can Become a Leader of the Pack by Donna Fenn- it is an interesting book on how seemingly ordinary businesses go to the head of the pack and become a dominant Alpha Dog. After reviewing several businesses, the author has discovered some common themes for rising to Alpha Dog status. The book discusses the themes and provides examples/ case studies.
The Toyota Way by Jeffrey Liker- it is an excellent book on The Toyota production system philosophy. I appreciate the way the book discusses the philosophy and principles behind Toyota's success. This allows the reader to think through options in terms of how to implement in a way that is tailored to his/her company's needs - the book provides insights and value instead of being just another book about the latest fad.
The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching by Dean Smith and Gerald D. Bell - since I'm an alumni of Carolina, of course, I consider it a classic. However, regardless of your school choice, it provides several coaching lessons, which can be directly applied to the business world in an easy-to-read format with real-life examples for easy application. For anyone interested in improving upon leadership skills, you'll be able to find at least a few "tips and tricks" to help.
Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles - I consider it a classic on customer service. It is in an easy-to-read, story format, and it contains timeless lessons about what is truly important in customer service. It provides practical advice on how to achieve "raving fan service" for your organization.
Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout - it is a classic, timeless, fascinating read on what really matters in the world of marketing. There is a huge amount of money and resources spent on marketing that yields minimal or no business results. This book is insightful in a new approach to marketing in a society that is overloaded with information. It describes how to develop a "position" in a prospective customer's mind-one that reflects a company's own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of its competitors. After reading this book, I immediately could see what was previously a blur - I knew of several mistakes (and a few successes) of a major new product launch of a company I worked with in my past. And, more importantly, it provided ideas and insights of how to approach it differently for improved results.
Before You Quit Your Job by Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter - it is a fabulous read on the critical success factors of life. It is about 10 real-life lessons every entrepreneur should know about building a multimillion-dollar business; however, what I found interesting is that these lessons/ skills are the same ones everyone needs to be successful in life. This book provides a blueprint for understanding the critical skills and beliefs required to be successful in life - regardless of your chosen path.
Good to Great by Jim Collins - it is an interesting read on how any company can become "great" (achieve sustainable performance) and what the critical factors are in companies who have gone from "good" to "great". The results of the study were interesting and a bit radical from "common" organizational thinking. It all starts with people - leadership. However, the findings show that it isn't the dazzling, celebrity leaders that Boards typically choose that build great companies; it is the often-overlooked "Level 5 leaders".
Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan - it is an interesting read on the importance of execution (for example, an alarming statistic on weak execution: in the year 2000, 40 CEO's of the top 200 companies on the Fortune 500 list were removed - 20%). And, I thought it did an excellent job of conveying that the keys to execution are not the ones I've typically heard discussed in companies (using the latest technology, programs etc such as lean); instead, it boils down to people and fundamentals.