We love it when others share with us their favorite insightful book. It's interesting what new ideas we come across as a result. We hope you-may find something interesting in the following recommendations. Do let us know of any of your favorites that are missing from this list.
BUSINESS
A Book About Innocent: Our Story and Some Things We've Learned
Innocent as in the smoothie drink - it's their story and some things they've learned and is as much a book on starting up your business than about them. I love their values (Responsible, entrepreneurial, generous, commercial and natural) and therefore love the book which covers: the idea, starting small, keeping on keeping on, knowing what you care about, it being all about the people, taking care of the details, behaving yourself and listening up and opening up. The criteria they share for recruiting people isn't only based on their capabilities and experience but foremost on finding people who resonate with their values. Although I personally prefer the earlier criteria of 'would we spend 3 hours in a van with this person'
Cracking the Millionaire Code: What Rich People Know That You Don't
This book is written by the same authors who wrote one of the first books I reviewed The One Minute Millionaire. Whilst that book had a story for the right brain thinkers on the right hand side for the page and the theory for the logical thinkers on the left this provides another dimension. There's certainly a reason for 'code' in the title. The text is littered with codes for you to break to support the content (along the lines of some of the rounds on the Krypton factor that has recently returned to our screens here in the UK). Both books consider entrepreneurialism and a mind set of how to make it work for you.
Gung Ho!: Turn on the People in Any Organization (One Minute Manager)
A business book with spirit. It's a story of a business manager under the threat of closure and the impact to her business of her learning the secrets of:
The squirrel - worthwhile work
The beaver - in control of achieving the goal
The goose - cheering each other on
A great little book that can be read in one sitting.
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Take Hold and Others Come Unstuck
About what makes ideas stick. A must for anyone running their own business and wondering how to market their product or service. The chapter headings say it all: Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories.
Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions
This book by John Kotter is a story of the penguins faced with the fact that their iceberg is melting. Whilst a very shallow metaphor it very easily demonstrates the business behaviours faced when implementing change.
The Big Five for Life: A Story of One Man and Leadership's Greatest Secret
This book by the same author who wrote the The Why are You Here Cafe: A New Way of Finding Meaning in Your Life and Your Work and is very thought provoking. It involves identifies your PFE (Purpose for Existing) and picking the five things you want to have achieved before you die. You then ensure that everything you do supports these. For me it's linked to being authentic and knowing that when you do this then passion for life follows. See www.mybigfive.com.
The One Minute Millionaire
A book that provides for both left and right thinkers a like. That is the left hand pages provide the theory and the right hand pages provide it contained within a story. It certainly gets you thinking about what's possible and how to go about making money and setting up a business. Anyone can do it.
The Saint, the Surfer and the CEO: A Remarkable Story About Living Your Heart's Desires
I love stories that have the learning hidden within them. As it's all about being authentic in business I just love it. Although perhaps more a MBS book Robin is an international business speaker and coach and uses language more easily accepted by business leaders than many MBS books. See www.robinsharma.com for more details about Robin.
