As some of you know, I have a passion for reading. Every year, my goal is to read a book every other week—26 books a year. And every year I smash that goal out of the park. Because the year’s not quite over with as I write this, I can’t tell you my total, but I’ll end up close to 40 reads.
I go through phases with the types of books I’m reading, but it’s typically beach reads, autobiographies, or thrillers. Because I read so much for my day job, I tend to use my personal reading time as an escape. Just for good measure, I throw some business books in there occasionally when something catches my eye. With that in mind, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite business reads in the hopes that you’ll add them to your 2020 reading lists.
1. Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D.
This book was instrumental to shaping my business persona in my early 20s. After a co-worker read it and highly recommended it, I dove in and discovered many ways I was train-wrecking my own career. (That may be a slight exaggeration but I can’t stress enough how much I have learned from this book.) I’ve gifted it over and over to young people I’ve worked with—and not just young women. Young men can also benefit from the tips and tricks recommended in this guide.
2. Hitting the Curveballs: How Crisis Can Strengthen and Grow Your Business by Jay B. Myers
If you’re a frequent SCN reader, you’re likely already familiar with Myers’ work; he’s often featured in our monthly Viewpoint column. In his second book, Myers shares the story of how his company, Interactive Solutions Inc. (now part of AVI-SPL, after a November 2018 acquisition) chose to not participate in a recession—yes, you read that right. The company’s conscious decision to grow during a downward spiral worked for Myers and his team, and he shares the story and practical tips for entrepreneurs to do the same.
3. Lead Your Tribe, Love Your Work: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Culture That Matters by Piyush Patel
If you have a strong memory, you may recall me using this book as inspiration for a previous editorial letter. Patel shares his culture-focused principles and, like the other authors mentioned here, gives practical and easily implementable steps you can use to change your business. Woven together with real-life tales, this book will make you reevaluate your leadership style and the culture of your organization.
Those are some of my favorite business books—I hope you’ll share yours with me. AV book club, anyone?
