Business

In Search of Inspiration: The World’s Best Business and Development Books

January 28, 2022

4 minute read

Books are always a brilliant source of inspiration. If you are looking to find suggestions on how to improve your persona, both on a private and professional level, take a stroll through the aisles of a library. You may stumble upon a new release or an old manuscript that will give you a fulfilling answer to the questions you’ve been asking yourself for ages.

For instance, you may pick up a collection by Sallust, a wise Ancient Roman historian. While leafing through the large dossier, you are likely to bump into this striking phrase: “est unus quisque suae ipsae fortunae faber”. What it means, essentially, is that each person is the artisan of their own fortune. Nowhere is this more accurate than in the world of business.

Over the centuries, many words have been jotted down about how one can develop as an individual and how to create a successful business. This is why we have put together a catalogue of the very best business and development books that you should add to your must-read list.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Published in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie has sold over 15 million copies, carrying readers up the ladder of success in both their business and private lives.

Indeed, it offers precious tips on how to handle interpersonal relations, while ensuring at the same time that you are likeable in the eyes of other people. For example, you should never criticize others, as it may wound their pride and confidence. Instead, you should give honest appreciation. Listen, smile, remember their name and talk about their interests – they are all recipes for admiration, respect and team development.

Moreover, Carnegie explains how to change your interlocutor’s thinking and how to adjust it to yours without arousing resentment. It is vital to remember that people are chests of emotions, bristling with prejudices and driven by a pinch of vanity. Therefore, the key to success is to see things from their perspective, discuss what they want, and show them how to achieve it.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

In order to change a given situation, this book by Stephen R. Covey encourages you to change yourself and your points of view first. Challenging the way we see and understand the world, this engaging read became an instant hit as people realised that their lives were headed off in the wrong direction.

From embracing a proactive attitude to having the end aim in mind, and from scheduling your priorities to seeking to understand others, Covey provides you with simple yet effective steps to nurture your personal growth. Not only that, but he suggests devoting time to renewing ourselves spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially.

In essence, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a development book that educates people on how to both live effectively and draw near to what would generally be viewed as a ‘successful’ life.

Think and Grow Rich

The title of Napoleon Hill’s book is self-explanatory. Think and Grow Rich uncovers the secret to great wealth based on the notion that if we can learn to think like the rich, we can start to behave like them too. By interviewing 500 affluent personalities and researching more than forty millionaires, Hill analyses the processes that turned them into the people they are today.

In line with Sallust’s aphorism, the book highlights that we are all masters of our own destiny. Hunger and desire are the first steps toward achieving your goals. If you fail once, learn from your mistakes: rebuild your plans and navigate with more confidence toward your target. Also, by setting your mind on a specific objective, you will be surprised to observe how fast you will reach it!

By following Hill’s formula, readers can learn to frame their ambitions, shake up their life and – possibly – replenish their bank account.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t

This business-oriented book by Jim Collins, published in 2001, is the result of a five-year research project which demonstrates that good, mediocre, or even bad companies can achieve greatness in the long run. The author unpacks a number of variables that allow any organisation to make the jump from bang-average to very successful, outlining the differences between those that spring forward and the others that remain static.

A reason for which readers particularly enjoy the book is that it provides them with concrete examples. In fact, Collins and his team identify an elite group of businesses that have risen to success and sustained their results for at least 15 years. By analysing the history of 28 companies and exploring in-depth interviews, this book unpacks the key determinants of success and why some companies make the leap…and others don’t!

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

We like a good title. Don’t you? Rich Dad, Poor Dad is a book that inherits autobiographical snippets from Robert Kiyosaki’s life. In fact, it unfolds from Kiyosaki’s story of growing up with two fathers – his real one and his friend’s ‘rich’ dad. In short, his work draws attention to how both men have shaped his financial mindset.

The powerful message that readers take away from this best-selling book is that you do not need to earn buckets of money to be rich. What is important, instead, is to make your income work for you and to know how to manage it wisely.

Finally, Kiyosaki moves on to reveal what truly is an individual’s most powerful asset – and no, it is not their finances. It’s their mind. With reason and conscientiousness, you do not have to be a millionaire to be rich.

So, do you feel inspired yet? We certainly do! We hope that you have enjoyed this list of the world’s most impactful business and development books. If you need motivation and want to enhance both your professional and personal life, these best-sellers will look good on your bedside table.