Unlock the secrets to professional growth with these nine brilliant books from business and psychology experts. Delve into the art of communication with Charles Duhigg's insights on successful conversations. Discover Cal Newport's groundbreaking philosophy of 'slow productivity' for sustainable accomplishments. Navigate the complexities of human interaction with Thomas Erikson's guide to understanding and influencing others. Uncover Napoleon Hill's blueprint for wealth creation through mindset shifts. Learn how to build trust and cooperation with Simon Sinek. Explore change management with Spencer Johnson's allegorical tale. Negotiate like a pro with Chris Voss's FBI-tested tactics. Plus, timeless wisdom from Og Mandino and Josh Kaufman.
Supercommunicators
Charles Duhigg
The bestselling author of The Power of Habit shares the secrets of good conversations and successful communication How is it that we find it easy to talk to some people and struggle to do so with others? Why does the effectiveness of a message rely so strongly on who the messenger is? And what is the secret of having a successful difficult conversation? Charles Duhigg has the answer to all these questions and many more, and he shares the arts and science of successful communication. He explains the neuroscience of listening. He interviews expert persuaders and reveals their secrets. And he reveals the techniques we can all master to achieve a sense of true connectedness with others, however tricky the circumstances. Along the way he shows how a board game fanatic used his conversational skills to become a champion, how a potentially fatal outbreak of botulism was prevented not by medical diagnosis but by talking, and what Plato has to teach us about empathy. Packed with fascinating stories and drawing on cutting-edge research, this is a wonderfully readable and rewarding book on an essential human skill.
Slow Productivity
Cal Newport
From the New York Times bestselling author of Deep Work, Slow Productivity is a groundbreaking philosophy for creating great work at a sustainable pace. Hustle culture. Burnout. Quiet quitting. Today we're either sacrificing ourselves on the altar of success or we're rejecting the idea of ambition entirely. But it doesn't have to be all or nothing. There is a way to create meaningful work as part of a balanced life, and it's called 'slow productivity'. Coined by Newport, slow productivity is a revolutionary philosophy based on simple principles. From managing your energy according to the season, to identifying which projects to pursue and which to set aside, to building a schedule that yields maximum output with minimum stress, this timely and essential book will revolutionise how you work, helping you to accomplish great things at a more humane pace.
Surrounded by Idiots
Thomas Erikson
Do you ever think you’re the only one making any sense? Or tried to reason with your partner with disastrous results? Do long, rambling answers drive you crazy? Or does your colleague’s abrasive manner get your back up? You are not alone. After a disastrous meeting with a highly successful entrepreneur, who was genuinely convinced he was ‘surrounded by idiots’, communication expert and bestselling author, Thomas Erikson dedicated himself to understanding how people function and why we often struggle to connect with certain types of people. Erikson will help you understand yourself better, hone communication and social skills, handle conflict with confidence, improve dynamics with your boss and team, and get the best out of the people you deal with and manage. He also shares simple tricks on body language, improving written communication and advice on when to back away or when to push on, and when to speak up or indeed shut up. Packed with ‘aha!’ and ‘oh no!’ moments, Surrounded by Idiots will help you understand and influence those around you, even people you currently think are beyond all comprehension. And with a bit of luck you can also be confident that the idiot out there isn’t you!
Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill, America's most beloved motivational author, devoted 25 years to finding out how the wealthy became that way. After interviewing over 500 of the most affluent men and women of his time, he uncovered the secret to great wealth based on the notion that if we can learn to think like the rich, we can start to behave like them. By understanding and applying the thirteen simple steps that constitute Hill's formula, you can achieve your goals, change your life and join the ranks of the rich and successful. In this updated edition, Dr. Arthur R. Pell provides examples of men and women who, in recent times, exemplify the principles that Hill promulgated. With the success stories of top achievers such as Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg, he proves that Hill's philosophies are as valid today as they were then. If you're looking to become the next Bill Gates, this is the book for you.
Leaders Eat Last
Simon Sinek
Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work. This is not a crazy, idealised notion. In many successful organisations, great leaders are creating environments in which teams trust each other so deeply that they would put their lives on the line for each other. Yet other teams, no matter what incentives were offered, are doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why? Today's workplaces tend to be full of cynicism, paranoia and self-interest. But the best organisations foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a Circle of Safety. It separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside. Everyone feels they belong and all energies are devoted to facing the common enemy and seizing big opportunities. As in Start with Why, Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories, from the military to manufacturing, from government to investment banking. He shows that leaders who are willing to eat last are rewarded with deeply loyal colleagues who will stop at nothing to advance their vision. It's amazing how well it works.
Who Moved My Cheese?
Spencer Johnson
Who Moved My Cheese? is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life - whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money or a possession, health or spiritual peace of mind. And the maze is where you look for what you want - the organisation you work in, or the family or community you live in. This profound book from bestselling author, Spencer Johnson, will show you how to anticipate change, adapt to change quickly, enjoy change and be ready to change quickly again and again. Discover the secret for yourself and learn how to deal with change, so that you suffer from less stress and enjoy more success in your work and in life. Written for all ages, this story takes less than an hour to read, but its unique insights can last for a lifetime.
Never Split the Difference
Chris Voss with Tahl Raz
A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating - effective in any situation. After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most - when people's lives were at stake. Rooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.
The Greatest Salesman in the World
Og Mandino
“I will persist until I succeed. I was not delivered into this world into defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny. I will persist until I succeed.” What you are today is not important... for in this runaway bestseller you will learn how to change your life by applying the secrets you are about to discover in the ancient scrolls.
The Personal MBA
Josh Kaufman
An MBA at a top school is an enormous investment in time, effort and cold, hard cash. And if you don't want to work for a consulting firm or an investment bank, the chances are it simply isn't worth it. Josh Kaufman is the rogue professor of modern business education. Feted by everyone from the business media to Seth Godin and David Allen, he's torn up the rulebook and given thousands of people worldwide the tools to teach themselves everything they need to know. The Personal MBA teaches simple mental models for every subject that's key to commercial success. From the basics of products, sales & marketing and finance to the nuances of human psychology, teamwork and creating systems, this book distils everything you need to know to take on the MBA graduates and win. Josh Kaufman is an acclaimed blogger and consultant who helps people improve their business skills. He previously worked at Proctor & Gamble. Since 2005 Josh has been helping people learn about business without remortgaging their lives through his website.
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