Can you recommend a good business book?
Part of the fun of the job of being a librarian is discovering great books and sharing them with our patrons. Most librarians are asked for great fiction reads – but what about a good business read? One can always go to some books that recommend books such as The 100 Best Business Books of all Time or the finalists for the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year, but I thought it would be interesting to ask my colleagues who work with business questions day in and out, if they could recommend a few titles that they had read recently.
Our staff member writes: "She's my favourite
Dragon, on the Dragon's Den – and her story is pretty inspirational". Arlene Dickinson tells the story of how she went from a divorced mother of four to the CEO of a marketing firm. How did she do it? By developing the art of persuasion. True persuasion is mastering the art of listening and by connecting, not conning. She argues anyone can be persuasive, but the trick is persuading yourself of your own potential.
This 2005 title, written by the author of First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths, offers a guide to the three basic fundamentals of success in business – great managing, career success and leading. The author uses examples from interviews done ranging from CEOs to blue collar workers to back his theories. Marcus Buckingham is considered a leading authority on management and leadership.
Books on business etiquette are frequently asked for in our department, so it's good to know about this title. While published in 2002, it covers situations that are timeless, including handling difficult conversations, faux pas, and interpersonal communication. And I guess the subtitle says it all – "how good manners create good relationships, and good relationships create good business"
This 2012 title is a guide on how to minimize your taxes when you die. I know that is a cheery subject, but this is a topic that resonates with many of our users who are interested in estate planning. This is a practical book, written in a down to earth style, geared to the non professional. The author was a senior tax partner with BDO Dunwoody LLP. He retired in 2005 but
continues to consult on retirement, estate and expatriate planning. He is also the author of a number of other books on estate planning.
For these and other new business titles, check out the new business book feed at the bottom of the Find Your Way to Business and Personal Finance landing page or come in and we'll help you find a good read.
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