Great Business Books

Great books on BUSINESS  and  LEADERSHIP

For the last 20 years, we have had to become students of business and leadership because that was not more than 1% of our training in Dental School. And at least half of our serious challenges as a dentists come from the “business” tasks we are responsible for: managing budgets, employees, records, accounting, investments in technology, infrastructure oversight, etc...  
I suspect that this is a great quandary in many fields. Many of us are well trained to perform a highly specific technical skill, but if we need to work with others as a boss, or as a colleague, we are without any master skills in that area. I have seen many, many consummate professionals become frustrated and exhausted by this part of their responsibilities.

Many years ago, we decided that we were going to make a career-long effort to be better stewards of our business and create a terrific place for people to engage in their life's work. I have read and taught our staff about dozens and dozens of the most popular business books of the last two decades. Nine of our original 12 employees have stayed with us through our 20+ year journey at Fiddlehead Dental.  I think that says something about how important it is to develop one’s leadership skills.

Here is the list of the books (in order of importance) that I have read that have had the biggest positive impact on my perspective and success of our business.  I’ve told my children that I think they could probably run a small country with the concepts in these books. 

My latest favorite is so important, that I won't even put it in the list. It is a book I came across recently called "Peak" by Chip Conley. It's the story of the business journey of a hotelier, but you would have to be asleep to miss the insights that are useful to any business, or for that matter, any relationship. In our office, we are studying the book for a year in our staff meetings in order to understand each other, our patients, the neighbor, our plumber, and our mother-in-laws. 

My picks for the top “must Reads” in business are:

 

1.       ILLUSION – Richard Bach   (The book is insightful, but the part that we love is a tiny story  at the beginning of this book,  written in the author’s handwriting, that has been the inspiration for all our major business and personal decisions. It's about taking a leap of faith with optimism and passion for your dream.)

2.       THE E-MYTH – M. Gerber (  the most important book to read BEFORE you start your own business)

 

3.      THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER  - Ken Blanchard (The "bible" for simplified, visionary time management.)

4.    THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER MEETS THE MONKEY – Ken Blanchard   (a key concept to maintain sanity as a leader)

 

5.       THE TIPPING POINT – Malcolm Gladwell  (a must read for anyone who wants a competitive edge)

6.       WHALE  DONE – Ken Blanchard   (a key concept to know if you want to retain, inspire and improve a great staff)

 

7.       GOOD TO GREAT – Jim Colins   (the first ½ of this book is an amazingly insightful way to look at becoming sustainably remarkable)

8.       WHO MOVED MY CHEESE – Spencer Johnson   (we recommend you put your whole team through a study  of this book and concept BEFORE any major change has to be undertaken) 

9.   THE POWER OF THE POSTIVE NO – William Dry  (gave me the key to doing the right thing, even when I knew it would be unpopular)

10.   BREAKING FROM THE PACK – Harari (how to carve out your niche)

11.   THE PURSUIT OF WOW! – Tom Peters (an inspirational concept about adding a wow factor to your work)

12.   The Black Swan – (a profound book about the myths that we act on, often in error, without questioning )

 

13.   THE WEALTHY BARBER – Chilton   (reveals how important long-term planning is)

14.   The Seven Powers of Questions – Dorothy Leeds (The secrets of powerful positive communication outcomes in BOTH work and personal life.)  

15. ON BECOMIJNG FEARLESS – Ariana Huffington   (for any woman leader in a “hardball” environment)

16.       THE POWER OF POSTIVE THINKING – N.V. People   (the classic book of “create your own reality”) 

 

17.   THE FOUR AGREEMENTS – Don Miguel  Ruiz (A very, very interesting “vision” that we studied as a team.)

18.   The Best Advise Ever for Leaders – Wes Roberts (Very brief but monumentally inspiring quotes on every subject)

19.   A WHACK ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD – Roger Von Oech  (for enhancing innovation and inspiration)

20.   MASTERY – George Leonard   (an insightful way to understand  your own and your teams learning process)

21.   THE ONE MINUTE APOPLOGY – Ken Blanchard (an invaluable concept in business and personal life)

22.   LINCOLN AN LEADERSHIP – Phillips (A fabulous book on the timelessness of good leadership skills)

23.   FLIGHT OF THE BUFFALO – James Belasco (A very interesting business philosophy)

24.   SIMPLIFY YOUR WORK LIFE – Elaine ST. James