The Last Season
by Phil Jackson

How is a book about the NBA applicable to business? In more ways than you can imagine. Picture this: you are the leader of the team and you need to manage the egos of your star players while at the same time pleasing the fans (your customers), the executives of the ball club (your other set of customers), and, of course, try to win another championship. As if that isn’t difficult enough, the strategy that you need to employ to win another championship doesn’t necessarily please the players, the fans or the executives. Jackson does a nice job of giving an inside look at the NBA while sharing the strategies that have brought him such success: communicate firmly but unemotionally, understand the players personal motivation, understand that you cannot treat any two players the same, surround yourself with the right coaches, and, to the best of your ability, help the team understand that whatever amazing things they can accomplish on their own, they can accomplish more together.

Rating: A

Pour Your Heart Into It
by Howard Schultz and Dori Jones Yang

I loved this book. It’s about how Starbucks became the Starbucks that we know today – through passion for their product, passion for their people and passion for the customer experience. An easy and enjoyable read.

Rating: A+

Managing for Peak Performance
by Alan Weiss

A great book on understanding the other people on your team and how to manage your communication and interactions with them for optimal results. A key point (of many) that was made is that we too often use labels to describe people (old, immature, steamroller, nitpicker, etc.) and by doing so we blind ourselves from seeing the potential of the person as well as ways of effectively communicating and managing them. If you are managing a team, put this on your list to read – and soon.

Rating: A+

The New Strategic Selling
by Stephen E. Heiman, Diane Sanchez with Tad Tuleja

This book is a must for anyone in sales (and yes, if you are in business, you are in sales). Instead of focusing on sales tactics and techniques, this book is about strategically building your customer base: who do you want as customers, how do you approach them, and how do you recognize the decision makers. What I love about this book is that it is perfect for those of you creating a customer advocate culture in your organizations. This book is not about making a sale; it’s about creating customers by helping them win (which is what I’ve been preaching!).

Rating: A+

The Heart of Change
by John P. Kotter and Dan S. Cohen

A very engaging book about how to bring about change in an organization. The book is filled with memorable stories that illustrate the points. The basic model discussed is “See - Feel - Change.” Meaning that people need to see the need, feel why it’s important and that the feeling – the emotion – leads to change. Too often, we hear stories where managers simply want to tell their employees why they have to change. Not surprisingly, that doesn’t work too well. Engage the heart.

Rating: A

Hug Your Customers
by Jack Mitchell

For anyone out there who is interested in keeping your customers, READ this book. The author explores the simple, yet highly effective strategies that has built his companies. He covers not only the customer service strategies that they employ, but also their hiring strategies and the ways that they empower their associates. When you read it, you will say “yeah, that makes sense!” The question, though, is why don’t more companies do it?

Rating: A+

Hardball: How Politics is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game
by Christopher Matthews

I first read this book in college and enjoyed it. Then after being in business and having been out there networking and building business relationships, I read the book again and realized that this is a book about relationships and as such the lessons are as applicable in business as they are in politics. I found the case studies and history fascinating. An entertaining read.

Key statements:
1. It’s not who you know; it’s who you get to know – for anyone in business, who is it that you need or want to get to know?
2. Hang a Lantern on Your Problem – instead of hiding from an issue (or a mistake), admit it and move on.

Rating: A+

High Trust Selling
by Todd Duncan

Overall, a good book and worth the read. I could be biased because much of it is completely in line with our philosophy: understand your own intrinsic value and how that has a positive and profound effect on your customers; build real relationships with your clients; and, focus on your best customers.

Rating: B+

How to Win Friends & Influence People
by Dale Carnegie

No one in any sort of relationship business should begin without reading this book.

Rating: A

How to Work a Room: The Ultimate Guide to Savvy Socializing in Person and Online
by Susan RoAne

Good book. Some of the information is pretty basic but even some of that serves as a good reminder. I read the book in one afternoon although that could be because I skimmed a lot; especially the stuff on how to shake hands (didn’t seem like brain surgery to me).

Rating: A

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D.

One of my favorites. Explains so much about effective communication and why people do what they do (scary, huh?). A bit slow in places, but, the kind of stuff I like.

Rating: A+

It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy
by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
Former Commander, USS Benfold

A great and entertaining book about not just getting the support of your crew but about getting your crew to take ownership of their work. Key statement from the book: "If all you give is orders, all you will have is order takers!" Easy read.

Rating: A

Money Talks: How to Make a Million as a Speaker
by Alan Weiss

Great book for speakers. Comprehensive and compelling.

Rating: A

Nothing to Fear: Lessons in Leadership from FDR
by Alan Axelrod

This is a tough book for me to rate because I love history and I love studying FDR. On those merits alone, I would give this book an “A+” rating. However, portions of the book aren’t as strong as other portions. Having said that, however, some concepts are brilliant. There are many concepts in the book on powerful communication and that alone makes it worth the read. FDR was a master in communicating to the voters (his customers) in a way that motivated them to take action: outline the problem, state what they could do and tell them why it was important to do it.

Rating: B

Patton on Leadership
by Alan Axelrod

Wonderful and entertaining book (again, I like the history angle). Great concepts on leadership and communication. Insights on motivating the troops. It is a study in what can be achieved in unthinkable circumstances when the leadership is focused and committed to the end objective.

Rating: A

Permission Marketing
by Seth Godin

For anyone who is building relationships and selling services, this is a very good book to read. It’s a very easy read (partly because it is very interesting). I liked the case studies. In light of the increasing amounts of spam – and the frustration that we all have with that – these concepts are invaluable. How do you get permission from prospects to contact them and how do you insure that you never violate that trust?

Rating: A

Purple Cow
by Seth Godin

After having devoured Permission Marketing (above), I couldn’t wait to read this book. Wished I hadn’t. The concept is that you have to be different and stand out. Concept is intriguing and the book has some very good insights but would it seemed like a stretch to make a whole book out of it. A bit redundant in places. A bit redundant in places. A bit redundant in places.

Rating: C

Secrets of Question Based Selling: How the Most Powerful Tool in Business Can Double Your Sales Results
by Thomas A. Freese

Not a fast or necessarily entertaining read but a very good book. Takes a lot of mystery out of the selling process by explaining the questioning process.

Rating: A

The E-Myth Revisited:Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
by Michael Gerber

Tough for me to be objective about this book. Concepts are very good and solid; however, a bit self-serving and seemed a bit more about marketing himself than serving the reader. Does a good job of explaining many of the pitfalls that entrepreneurs face.

Rating: B-

The Tipping Point: How the Little Things Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s about how epidemics in society get started. I liked it because of the case studies and history that’s involved. What I really enjoyed was taking the concepts of epidemics and applying it to word-of-mouth epidemics! I read it in about a day.

Rating: B+

Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill

Classic. Inspirational. Illustrates what a person can do who is passionate, committed and persistent.

Rating: A