5 Business Books To Propel Your Career

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You are what you eat.” I like to use the phrase, “You are what you read.” I believe that to be successful in business you must have a healthy and positive mind set, similar to that of an athlete. Reading is an excellent way to gain experience without having to experience things the hard way yourself. The most successful people are continuously learning and reading, so grab a cup of coffee, and settle in to reading these excellent books to help propel your career forward.

  1. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
    When I was in business school, my Dad gave me this book as a gift. It was the same book that he read growing up and the pages were falling out. While the book itself was old and worn, its advice was fresh and new. This is my favorite book of all time and I believe the name of the book may dissuade some people from thinking it’s a business book. Dale Carnegie helps teach you how to thrive in relationships and how to get other’s to see your way of thinking, without criticizing and condemning their point of view. One of my favorite pieces of advice which has helped me in sales is to focus on being genuinely interested in others. He states, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
     
  2. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
    Never underestimate the power of a strong personal network. In this book, Keith Ferrazzi, a master networker and former CMO of Deloitte Consulting and Starwood Hotels, shares strategies of the world’s most connected individuals. The key to building a strong network is to make sure you are in frequent contact with your network and that there is mutual benefit in the relationship. Ferrazzi is able to make the strong distinction between building a genuine relationship and that of networking.
     
  3. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
    While the number of women in leadership roles are starting to increase, men still hold the majority of leadership positions. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg encourages women to speak up, take on challenges, and lean into opportunities. She gives helpful advice on negotiations and mentoring others. This is a must read for women looking to advance their careers and navigate the challenges of achieving a work/life balance.
     
  4. Grit by Angela Duckworth
    According to Angela Duckworth, a researcher and Professor, the greatest predictor of success is a combination of passion and perseverance, or what’s known as grit. In her book called Grit, Angela studied West Point cadets. Each year, 14,000 applicants apply and 1,200 are admitted and enrolled. Out of that 1200, 1 in 5 will drop out before graduation, and the majority of those drop out during the intensive 7 week training program called the Beast Barracks. Angela designed a serious of questions to assess the cadets level of perseverance and passion, called the Grit Scale and sure enough, she was able to conclude that what matters for making it through the Beast, wasn’t SAT scores, high school rank, leadership experience, or athletic ability, what matters is grit. The cadets that graduated had a never give up attitude. This same theory applies to success in business.
     
  5. Winners Dream by Bill McDermott
    In this uplifting and inspiring book, Bill McDermott shares his journey from a young entrepreneur purchasing and running his neighborhood deli to leading the world’s largest business software company, SAP. He shares that while these jobs are very different, his early experience running the deli and his focus on putting customers first in a competitive environment helped lay the foundation for his current leadership role as CEO of SAP. Bill offers invaluable advice on taking calculated risks and building loyalty within teams.

These books have all made a positive impact on my life and my business relationships. I hope these books help inspire you to strive for more, build lasting relationships, and persevere through challenges. With a healthy and positive mindset, and continuous learning and self-improvement, you can help propel your career forward.

Jenna