TOP 20 best books on business and self-development

December

"How to communicate and convince people with words"

Six years ago, Maxim Ilyakhov and Lyudmila Sarycheva wrote the book "Write, Reduce". This year there was a sequel - "Clear, understandable." It is about more subtle and complex matters: how to convince people with words and convey your thoughts to them.

There are few specific rules and guidelines in the book. But there are many tips on how to work with context, create texts that will be read to the end, and about 50 tools with which you can improve any material.

Powerful Personal Development Tools

"7 skills" talks about the qualities that are useful not only in business, but also in life. A life that only you control: no external circumstances can get in your way.

These are the skills that are discussed in the text: be proactive, start with the ultimate goal, first do what you need to do first, think in a win / win spirit, first strive to understand, then be understood, achieve synergy, sharpen the saw.

A book on how to overcome the awkwardness of talking with strangers and overcome your fear of speaking in public. The author is a true master of communication; prominent figures in politics, business, sports and art considered it an honor to be a guest on his talk shows. In the book, he shares his secrets and provides many useful tips.

This diary will help you become the hero of your own life. It is designed to help you set really important goals for yourself, reach the end and win. It will help you along the way, and even if you get lost, the Performance Diary will help you get back on the road.

You don't have to schedule your day in minutes. To be successful, you only need to complete three important tasks a day, set goals that fit into 12-week sprints, and honestly measure results once a week.

Maxim Ilyakhov, Lyudmila Sarycheva

Maxim Ilyakhov and Lyudmila Sarycheva, authors of the cult book "Write, Reduce", suggest changing the culture of business writing and put forward two new rules: respect for the addressee and concern for his interests. Letters written according to such rules attract people to you and help you find a common language.

Let's start with the problems and challenges of our time. The point is - books and modernity, seemingly as "two incompatible things." Is it so? Let's try to figure it out.

Is the book business dead? Don't wait!

In the middle of the twentieth century, the great British writer, author of acute social dystopias and futurist, George Orwell sounded the alarm - he predicted that soon the time would come when people would stop reading books. And the reason, according to Orwell, will be this: the fascist government will forbid people to read books, which wants to turn everyone into an obedient cattle!

(The times when Orwell spoke these words, they really were the times of totalitarian regimes that love to prohibit this and that.)

But soon (the war died down and the consumerist boom set in) Orwell's younger contemporary appeared - Aldous Huxley, the guru of the Sixties, who knew better about our time with you, simply because he was younger, closer to us.

And he also predicted that in the future books will not be read by humans. But only for a completely different reason. Governments have nothing to do with it. According to Huxley, people will stop reading books because they don't want to. But this is much worse.

The pessimist and misanthrope, of course, will sum up that “Huxley was right, and therefore the publishing business is dead”. But I am not a misanthrope or a pessimist. Therefore, I will say my usual: “dead-shmumer - if only he was healthy!”

And I will also say this - from my point of view, Huxley is not right, and certainly not Orwell (remember the phenomenon of samizdat in the USSR - reading pale copies at night - in spite of prohibitions).

It is neither Huxley nor Orwell who are right. Right (however, as always) the subtle ironic observer of reality - Oscar Wilde.

And now it's time to remind the Reader that we are talking about business, about the book publishing business, and not about fluctuations in the reading activity of the middle class within the epoch - what does it matter at all ?! And for whom?

So, much earlier than Huxley and Orwell - Oscar Wilde expressed his famous maxim:

“In the past, books were written by writers, and the public read them. Now the public writes books, and does not read. nobody! ”

Tell me, Reader, where is even a word about the death of the publishing business written in these lines?

The domestic education system pays almost no attention to such areas as financial literacy and personal development, the study of which contributes to the faster achievement of success on the path of building your own business or professional career. And therefore, in search of sources for self-education, many have to sort through a huge amount of literature, looking for the best books on business and self-development. To facilitate this process, you can start with a selection of twenty bestsellers, released in different years, but still relevant to modern realities.

TOP of the best business books

First of all, you can pay attention to the best publications that business literature offers. They can help you change the way you think about money, business and people, but most importantly, they contain tremendous motivation that is necessary for anyone who wants to become independent.

Rich Dad Poor Dad Robert Kiyosaki

R. Kiyosaki "Rich Dad Poor Dad"

This book first saw the world in 1997, but today it is considered the best financial aid in the world for people of all income levels. The book talks about how to form and manage cash flows, invest and profit from it, as well as how to change your attitude towards money.

A businessman shares with readers his own secrets of how to get out of the closed cycle inherent in the life of an employee, become independent and rich, and also raises the problem of lack of financial education in schools using examples from his own life.

Nir Eyal "The Buyer on the Hook"

N. Eyal "The buyer on the hook"

In 2021, this book was ranked among the best by Forbes. It will be useful for private entrepreneurs, including beginners, designers and marketers. The bestselling book explains how to create products that shape consumer habits and how this will help build a business without aggressive marketing.

The author examines the principles of using various social networks, and also answers the question why some products cause consumer affection, while others do not. It also provides practical guidance on how to interact with clients and influence their psychology.

The Art of Making Deals by Donald Trump

D. Trump "The Art of Making Deals"

This article is a collection of 70 cool top business books worth reading. Look carefully, both a novice entrepreneur and his more experienced brother will find their benefit. Indeed, when opening or running your own business, it is useful to learn, think about and learn from the experience of those who have already gone this way and achieved success.

Motivational Books

1. “Principles. Life and work ”, Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio, founder of investment firm Bridgewater Associates, is one of the 100 most influential people in the world and shares the universal principles he has formed through numerous victories and defeats. You will familiarize yourself with the rules of life of an American millionaire and find the strength for new achievements.

2. “How Coca-Cola Conquered the World. 101 successful cases from brands with a worldwide reputation ”, Giles Lury

The book is a collection of stories from famous brands such as Pinterest, Chanel No. 5, Corona, Brewdog, Spanx, LG, KFC, WWF, Coca-Cola. Cases are divided into sections and are supported by the experience of well-known companies. You will learn how brands chose names, developed marketing strategies, brought products to market, and interacted with consumers.

3. “How Google Works, Eric Schmidt”, Jonathan Rosenberg

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and Vice President Jonathan Rosenberg share how they built a successful company. After reading the book, you will learn what kind of employees Google hires, how the company develops corporate culture, develops innovative products and makes effective decisions. The book will be of interest to future owners of IT companies.

4. “Shoe seller. Nike's story as told by its founder ”, Phil Knight

This book is an open and honest story about the beginning of Nike. Its founder, Phil Knight, tells how the idea of ​​creating a brand came about, what problems they faced and what solutions were found. The publication will be interesting to everyone who wants to learn from the experience of a successful manufacturer of sportswear and footwear.

5. “Made in America. How I Made Wal-Mart ”, Sam Walton

This book is not only a story about the success of a company and its owner, but also a guide to trading business. Its author, Sam Walton, creator of the WalMart retail chain, shares his experience, talks about the rules for conducting wholesale and retail trade.

6. “Blood, sweat and pixels. The Downside of the Video Game Industry ”, Jason Schreyer

For those who want to become a successful entrepreneur, but do not yet have the necessary skills and experience.

Rework Business Without Prejudice, Jason Fried and David Hensson

About the Authors: Jason Fraid and David Heinemeier are successful entrepreneurs. Founders of 37signals, a software development company. Their apps are used by 3.5 million people.

About the book. Describes how to start your business from scratch. Thanks to it, you will be able to structure your knowledge in the field of the business industry, or you will discover a new, yet unexplored world.

The book will not only inspire you to create a new project and find a team, but will also expand your horizons. He will also tell you how a business can grow from a hobby into a profitable business.

Purpose of Continuous Improvement Process by Eliyahu Goldratt

About the author: Eliyahu Goldratt is a physicist, creator of the theory of constraints and control methods. Recognized guru in business management, author of several best-selling books.

About the book. Written in the genre of a business novel, where practical recommendations are woven into an artistic plot. The main character is the director of the plant, who devotes all his strength to production, but constantly loses customers. Business fails, and the hero meets a physicist who helps him to look at the situation in a different way and realize his goals.

Delivering Happiness From Zero to Billion: A First-Hand Story of Building a Great Company by Tony Shay

About the author: Tony Shay is a prominent American businessman and internet entrepreneur. Director of the profitable trading platform Zappos. om.

About the book. A vivid life story of Tony Shay himself, who became an entrepreneur already in childhood. The guy bred worms and sold them to friends. Every year his entrepreneurial skills have evolved. As a result, Shay grew up and created his own corporation, which was bought by Amazon for $ 1.2 billion.

This book is about how to start a successful business project, take into account all the deadlines and not screw it up.

The First Days of the Success Strategy for Emerging Leaders at All Levels, Michael Watkins