With literally thousands of business books published every year, how do you decide which ones are worth reading this winter? Personal recommendations aside, many entrepreneurs turn to Google Books, Goodreads, and Amazon to browse in-depth reviews – and in many cases, entire sections – of the newest, most popular releases. Short on time? Opt for an audiobook, and start with this collection of the top 5 business books of 2018.
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, by Daniel Coyle
If you’re struggling to master the mystery behind what makes a great company culture, NYT bestselling author Daniel Coyle may have unlocked the secrets. Coyle delves into a wide range of successful organizations – from Pixar, to the US Navy SEALs – to unveil exactly what makes them tick when it comes to cohesion, cooperation, and innovation. More than just a captivating read, The Culture Code gives readers a toolkit for building, fixing, and sustaining a single-minded culture that’s designed to flourish.
Measure What Matters: OKRs: The Simple Idea That Drives 10X Growth, by John Doerr
Setting large-scale goals and achieving them is only possible when you have the necessary information to make tough business choices. When venture capitalist John Doerr invested some $12 million in an immensely promising startup back in 1999 (aka Google), the founders were enthusiastic, but had no proper business plan. It was Doerr who introduced Google to the concept of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), and the $600 billion result speaks for itself. Both fascinating and practical, Measure What Matters will show you how to track your way to greater business growth by collecting data that’s timely and relevant.
Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence—and How You Can, Too, by Gary Vaynerchuk
Personal branding is all about making an impact, and standing out within your spheres of influence – and NYT bestselling author Gary Vaynerchuk is prepared to teach you everything you need to know about building a thriving business through branding. By sharing the experiences of dozens of entrepreneurial influencers – and scrutinizing every current major social media platform out there – Crushing It! demonstrates how you, too, can create an extraordinary personal brand for yourself.
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts, by Brené Brown
Their styles may vary, but every successful business leader understands that true leadership has nothing to do with power, titles, or status. Having worked with companies ranging from the smallest of startups to Fortune 50 organizations, NYT bestselling author Brené Brown addresses the modern-day dilemma of how to lead in a way that recognizes – and cultivates – leadership potential in others. Those who venture to lead, says Brown, don’t pretend to have the right answers – they stay curious and ask the right questions. Dare to Lead is a good place to start putting that strategy into practice.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, by John Carreyrou
If it’s good enough for Bill Gates … In a recent rundown of his 5 favourite books for 2018, Gates included Bad Blood, declaring he was “unable to put it down.” Prize-winning journalist John Carreyrou endured legal pressure and outright threats to deliver the inside scoop on the rise and fall of multibillion-dollar biotech giant, Theranos. So, if you’re looking for a true tale of corporate fraud and cover-up that reads like a spy novel, don’t miss this riveting account of how NOT to run your startup.
