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讀完這11本書(shū),勝過(guò)拿一個(gè)MBA

Sam Parr
2019-05-12

如何不讀MBA,,也能學(xué)到成為社會(huì)精英所需要的知識(shí)呢,?

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圖片來(lái)源:Getty Images

我不想責(zé)怪那些一心想去讀MBA的人。雖說(shuō)好多人幻想著拿了MBA學(xué)位后,,下一步就能當(dāng)高管,、娶白富美、走上人生巔峰,,但這畢竟也不是他們的錯(cuò),。

不過(guò),我們其實(shí)都知道(而且高盛公司也同意這一觀點(diǎn)),,花10萬(wàn)多美元接受一段無(wú)用的教育,,甚至讓自己背10年的債,對(duì)于95%的人都是錯(cuò)誤的選擇,。

那么,,如何不讀MBA,也能學(xué)到成為社會(huì)精英所需要的知識(shí)呢,?

答案無(wú)非“讀書(shū)”二字,。這當(dāng)然是個(gè)大而化之的答案。書(shū)有成百上千萬(wàn)本,,每個(gè)領(lǐng)域的著述都成千上萬(wàn),。尤其關(guān)于商業(yè)的書(shū)更是汗牛充棟,,理論上來(lái)說(shuō),你就算讀一輩子也讀不完,。而本文的目的就是要解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題,。

找到第一資源

《財(cái)富》的一名記者曾問(wèn)過(guò)Airbnb的CEO布萊恩·切斯基,在管理這家3000多人的大公司之前,,他對(duì)管理學(xué)了解多少,。切斯基的回答大意是,說(shuō)是一無(wú)所知也不為過(guò),。

但是切斯基還是把Airbnb管理得很好,,他是怎樣做到的?

切斯基并不奢望成為一個(gè)特定領(lǐng)域的專家,,他發(fā)現(xiàn),,更有效率的方法,是找到這一領(lǐng)域的最佳資源,,然后直接去找那個(gè)人,。“只要你找對(duì)了資源,,你就可以快速前進(jìn)了,。”他說(shuō),。

既然商學(xué)學(xué)位純屬浪費(fèi)時(shí)間,,那么進(jìn)行商學(xué)教育的最佳方法,自然就是讀書(shū)了,。

讀完以下這11本書(shū),,你就完全沒(méi)必要去讀MBA了。

《石油大王洛克菲勒傳》,,作者:羅恩·切諾,,所有對(duì)商業(yè)感興趣的人必讀

我曾經(jīng)讀到過(guò)一句話,說(shuō)你的水平,,大致相當(dāng)于與你相處時(shí)間最久的五個(gè)人的平均水平,。如果這是真的(我相信這是真的),那么閱讀名人傳記,,就相當(dāng)于每晚花幾個(gè)小時(shí)和那些偉大的人物相處了,。

傳記能以一種奇特的方式改變你的行為。當(dāng)你每天晚上都花一兩個(gè)小時(shí)向你的偶像學(xué)習(xí)時(shí),,你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn),,你漸漸開(kāi)始接受他們的習(xí)慣。這種感覺(jué)很奇怪,,但這是真的,。一本好的傳記,,會(huì)讓你的職業(yè)生涯走上快車(chē)道,因?yàn)槟憧梢詮乃麄兎高^(guò)的錯(cuò)誤中學(xué)到教訓(xùn),,避免自己走彎路。一本好的傳記,,可以讓你少奮斗幾十年,。

而且當(dāng)你知道你想做的事已經(jīng)有前人做到過(guò)時(shí),你的商業(yè)生涯就會(huì)變得容易得多,。

每個(gè)對(duì)商業(yè)感興趣的人,,都應(yīng)該讀一讀約翰·洛克菲勒的傳記。他不僅是史上最富有的人,,也是一個(gè)顧家的男人,,一個(gè)勤勉自律的工作者,他非常自信,,但又保持謙遜,。他白手起家創(chuàng)建了標(biāo)準(zhǔn)石油公司,它也是全球歷史上最大的公司之一,。美國(guó)之所以立法反對(duì)壟斷,,與洛克菲勒的極度成功有直接關(guān)系。

但與其他資本家不同,,洛克菲勒的善良和慷慨是出了名的,。芝加哥大學(xué)就是由洛克菲勒出資創(chuàng)辦的,他還曾向斯佩爾曼學(xué)院捐過(guò)款,。

《時(shí)代》雜志和《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》都將《石油大王洛克菲勒傳》列為美國(guó)有史以來(lái)最偉大的傳記之一,,我認(rèn)為它也是有史以來(lái)最偉大的書(shū)籍之一。

我認(rèn)為對(duì)于成功來(lái)說(shuō),,沒(méi)有其他任何一種品質(zhì)比堅(jiān)持更重要,。它能戰(zhàn)勝幾乎一切,甚至是大自然,?!s翰·洛克菲勒?!妒痛笸趼蹇朔评諅鳌?/em>

《權(quán)力的48條法則》,,作者:羅伯特·格林,教你如何應(yīng)對(duì)商業(yè)世界的風(fēng)波險(xiǎn)惡

自古商場(chǎng)如戰(zhàn)場(chǎng),。商戰(zhàn)與真正的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)一樣,,其輸贏經(jīng)常取決于人心。一個(gè)偉大的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者可以控制他的敵人,、他的團(tuán)隊(duì)甚至是他自己的態(tài)度,。如果策略運(yùn)用得當(dāng),,甚至可以不戰(zhàn)而屈人之兵。

《權(quán)力的48條法則》基本上改編自《孫子兵法》(另一本偉大的著作),。區(qū)別是《權(quán)力的48條法則》更具可讀性,,并且引用了很多歷史故事作為注解?!秾O子兵法》讀起來(lái)給人佶屈聱牙之感,,但《權(quán)力的48條法則》卻非常引人入勝。本書(shū)用400多頁(yè)的篇幅,,教你如何一步步爬上社會(huì)權(quán)力的階梯,,并且用了歷史事例來(lái)佐證自己的觀點(diǎn)。

在一個(gè)人的一生中,,要想獲得長(zhǎng)久的幸福,,你最好遵循摩西、耶穌或佛陀的教誨,。然而悲哀的事實(shí)是,,很多人的人生遵循著一套非常不同的準(zhǔn)則,他們中的大多數(shù)人最終走向了自我毀滅,,但在這個(gè)過(guò)程中,,他們也會(huì)對(duì)我們的個(gè)人和職業(yè)生活造成嚴(yán)重的損害。

《權(quán)力的48條法則》一書(shū)則能讓你了解這些人是如何思考的,?!獊嗰R遜書(shū)評(píng)

《影響力:說(shuō)服心理學(xué)》,作者:羅伯特·恰爾迪尼,,讓別人買(mǎi)你賣(mài)的東西

了解什么東西能激勵(lì)人,、說(shuō)服人,是一門(mén)很重要的學(xué)問(wèn)——不僅對(duì)生意,,對(duì)生活也是如此,。圍繞這個(gè)主題的書(shū)有成千上萬(wàn)本,其中大多數(shù)都是垃圾,。因此,,關(guān)于銷(xiāo)售的書(shū),我只推薦一本,,那就是羅伯特·恰爾迪尼的這本《影響力》,。

1984年以后的任何一本關(guān)于說(shuō)服力或者人類行為的書(shū),基本上都引用過(guò)這本書(shū)里的內(nèi)容至少一次,?!队绊懥Α肥切睦韺W(xué)的一本經(jīng)典著作,它解釋了人何以會(huì)被別人說(shuō)服,并且告訴你怎樣將這些理論應(yīng)用在實(shí)踐中,。這本書(shū)一半講戰(zhàn)術(shù),,一半講戰(zhàn)略,既實(shí)用又易于理解,。

《影響力》一書(shū)是恰爾迪尼在電話營(yíng)銷(xiāo)公司,、汽車(chē)經(jīng)銷(xiāo)店和融資機(jī)構(gòu)做了三年的臥底調(diào)研后才寫(xiě)成的。美國(guó)的每一所商學(xué)院幾乎都會(huì)學(xué)到這本書(shū),,足以證明其重要性,。

羞恥心是一個(gè)要打倒的惡人?!_伯特·恰爾迪尼《影響力》

《巴菲特致股東的信》,作者:沃倫·巴菲特,,教你如何好好說(shuō)話

對(duì)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者而言,,強(qiáng)有力的溝通技巧,尤其是書(shū)面表達(dá)能力,,算得上是最重要的技能了?,F(xiàn)代人的溝通方式,離不開(kāi)短信,、社交軟件,、電子郵件和博客。我們的整個(gè)職業(yè)生涯基本上都是在鍵盤(pán)上度過(guò)的,。

乍一看去,,這本書(shū)出現(xiàn)在推薦榜單里似乎有些突兀。不過(guò)在我看來(lái),,巴菲特是這個(gè)世界上最擅于溝通的人之一,。一個(gè)優(yōu)秀的溝通者的標(biāo)志,就是能夠以簡(jiǎn)單但卻吸引人的方式,,向別人解釋復(fù)雜的概念,。而巴菲特將這兩點(diǎn)做得都很好。

從1977年開(kāi)始,,巴菲特每年都會(huì)向伯克希爾哈撒韋公司的股東寫(xiě)一封信,。在這些信中,他用外行也能懂的淺顯語(yǔ)言解釋了伯克希爾哈撒韋公司的業(yè)績(jī),,它對(duì)股東的意義,,以及下步股東對(duì)公司可以有哪些期待。巴菲特非常善用比喻和幽默,,并且完美地綜合運(yùn)用對(duì)話式和專業(yè)的語(yǔ)言,,向股東解釋了價(jià)格上漲、保險(xiǎn)浮動(dòng)、會(huì)計(jì)準(zhǔn)則等無(wú)聊的話題,。

巴菲特的每封信都可以在伯克希爾哈撒韋公司的網(wǎng)站上免費(fèi)閱讀,,但我還是建議你花幾塊錢(qián)購(gòu)買(mǎi)一本紙質(zhì)書(shū)來(lái)讀。

現(xiàn)在我要告訴你們,,進(jìn)入21世紀(jì),,我們進(jìn)入了制磚、地毯,、絕緣材料和涂料等尖端產(chǎn)業(yè),。請(qǐng)控制一下你的興奮?!?001年巴菲特致股東的信的開(kāi)場(chǎng)白

《一個(gè)廣告人的自白》,,作者:大衛(wèi)·奧格威,教你如何讓事物看起來(lái)性感

大衛(wèi)·奧格威是奧美(全球最大傳媒集團(tuán)之一)的創(chuàng)始人,,廣告界的宗師級(jí)人物,。雖然講廣告的好書(shū)也有幾十本,但在我看來(lái),,其中最優(yōu)秀的,,還是這本《一個(gè)廣告人的自白》。

奧格威的另一本書(shū)《奧格威談廣告》的知名度或許更高一些,,但其中的大部分內(nèi)容在《一個(gè)廣告人的自白》中已有提及,。而且《自白》中還講述了很多其他知識(shí),比如與客戶/代理的關(guān)系,、如何發(fā)展業(yè)務(wù)等,。

“你今天在電視上看到的很多糟糕的廣告,都是委員會(huì)的產(chǎn)物,。委員會(huì)可以批評(píng)廣告,,但決不應(yīng)該允許他們制作廣告?!薄笮l(wèi)·奧格威

《政敵團(tuán)隊(duì):林肯的政治智慧》,,作者:桃樂(lè)絲·卡恩斯·古德溫,學(xué)習(xí)美國(guó)最偉大總統(tǒng)的政治智慧

林肯是一個(gè)管理天才,。在1860年的總統(tǒng)大選中,,林肯所在的共和黨本處于一片混亂。由于沒(méi)有明確的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人,,黨內(nèi)無(wú)法就關(guān)鍵問(wèn)題達(dá)成一致,,而整個(gè)國(guó)家也同樣處于混亂之中。為了團(tuán)結(jié)全黨全國(guó)的力量,,林肯說(shuō)服他的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手加入了他的內(nèi)閣,。結(jié)果呢,?原本一群互相憎恨的烏合之眾齊心協(xié)力,成功帶領(lǐng)國(guó)家度過(guò)了最艱難的時(shí)期,。

讀完本書(shū)最大的收獲,,是學(xué)會(huì)了如何應(yīng)對(duì)不同類型的人——很少有人曾花時(shí)間去掌握這門(mén)技能。林肯有一種神奇的組織能力,,而這本書(shū)則告訴你可以如何復(fù)制林肯的這種技能,。

該領(lǐng)域的第二名是《高產(chǎn)出管理》(它也是Airbnb的CEO布萊恩·切斯基最喜歡的一本書(shū))。這本書(shū)更技術(shù)性,,不過(guò)也枯燥得多,。

這是一個(gè)講述林肯的政治智慧的故事,從中可以看出林肯卓越的個(gè)人品質(zhì),,這使他可以與以前反對(duì)他的人建立友誼,;修復(fù)別人受傷的感情(別人感情受到傷害時(shí),如果不加注意,,很可能會(huì)升級(jí)為永久的敵意),;為下屬的失誤承擔(dān)責(zé)任;輕松獲得別人的信任,;并且從犯過(guò)的錯(cuò)誤中學(xué)到教訓(xùn)?!覙?lè)絲·卡恩斯·古德溫《政敵團(tuán)隊(duì):林肯的政治智慧》

《聰明的投資者》,,作者:本杰明·各拉漢姆,來(lái)自巴菲特的老師的投資智慧

當(dāng)被問(wèn)到對(duì)投資感興趣的人應(yīng)該讀什么書(shū)時(shí),,巴菲特答道:“60多年來(lái),,《聰明的投資者》的第8章和第20章,一直指導(dǎo)著我的投資行為,。我建議所有投資者都閱讀這些章節(jié),,并且在每次市場(chǎng)特別強(qiáng)勁或疲軟時(shí)都重讀一遍?!?/p>

我雖然不是巴菲特,,但我還是建議讀者將這本書(shū)通讀一遍?!堵斆鞯耐顿Y者》中的投資策略適合任何一個(gè)投資者,,而且它也講到了控制情緒對(duì)投資的重要性——有一顆強(qiáng)大的心臟,才是玩投資最重要的技能,。

本書(shū)最新版的內(nèi)容已較初版有所更新,,包含了更加現(xiàn)代化的投資技術(shù)和操作方法。

聰明的投資者是一個(gè)現(xiàn)實(shí)主義者,,他向樂(lè)觀主義者賣(mài)出股票,,從悲觀主義者那里買(mǎi)進(jìn)——本·格拉漢姆

《國(guó)富論》,作者:亞當(dāng)·斯密,經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)原理雖然乏味,,但還是要懂的

我并不喜歡經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)方面的書(shū),,因?yàn)槲矣X(jué)得它們很枯燥無(wú)趣,但它們確實(shí)也很重要,。亞當(dāng)·斯密的《國(guó)富論》應(yīng)該是你了解經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)原理的第一資源,。

《國(guó)富論》主要關(guān)注古典經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué),但它也是當(dāng)代經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)理論的開(kāi)山之作,,每個(gè)生意人都應(yīng)該讀一讀,。搞商業(yè)的人沒(méi)讀過(guò)《國(guó)富論》,就好比研究《圣經(jīng)》的學(xué)者不知道《出埃及記》,。

每個(gè)個(gè)體出于改善自身?xiàng)l件的努力是十分強(qiáng)大的,,光靠它自己,就算沒(méi)有任何外力協(xié)助,,也能帶動(dòng)社會(huì)走向富裕和繁榮,,并且足以超越愚蠢的人類法律所制造的上百個(gè)拖累其運(yùn)作的阻礙?!獊啴?dāng)·斯密

《廣告周刊文案手冊(cè)》,,作者:約瑟夫·舒格曼,寫(xiě)作是最被低估的技能

文案寫(xiě)作,,是一個(gè)從事商業(yè)活動(dòng)的人所能具備的最有價(jià)值的技能,,沒(méi)有之一。我知道這話聽(tīng)起來(lái)有些武斷,,但它是確鑿無(wú)疑的,。聽(tīng)到“文案”二字,你首先想到的肯定是怎樣寫(xiě)吸引人的廣告詞,。但我說(shuō)的并非這個(gè)意思,。

文案寫(xiě)作,是指將你對(duì)一個(gè)產(chǎn)品,、一種服務(wù),、一個(gè)創(chuàng)意的知識(shí)轉(zhuǎn)化在紙面上,以求將它賣(mài)出去的過(guò)程,。你要了解你的受眾需要什么,、想要什么,哪些東西能激勵(lì)他們,,哪些東西能刺激他們的情緒,。

說(shuō)到文案寫(xiě)作,《廣告周刊文案手冊(cè)》可以說(shuō)是這門(mén)手藝的黃金標(biāo)準(zhǔn),。作者約瑟夫·舒格曼是一位著名的郵件營(yíng)銷(xiāo)專家,。在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)出現(xiàn)之前,,郵件營(yíng)銷(xiāo)人員主要通過(guò)寫(xiě)信打動(dòng)潛在客戶。要想通過(guò)一張紙上的廖廖數(shù)語(yǔ),,說(shuō)服陌生人寄來(lái)支票,,購(gòu)買(mǎi)一個(gè)他們從來(lái)沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)的產(chǎn)品,顯然是一項(xiàng)高難度的工作,。而舒格曼則是這個(gè)行業(yè)的佼佼者,。

盡管《廣告周刊文案手冊(cè)》有些技術(shù)性,但它也是一本非常簡(jiǎn)單有趣的讀物,,他能教會(huì)你如保創(chuàng)作讓人們產(chǎn)生閱讀欲望的文案,。

要讓你的讀者感到必須要讀你的文章,讓他們不看到最后不罷休,,就好比他們從雪坡上往下滑一樣,,產(chǎn)生中間停不下來(lái)的感覺(jué)?!s瑟夫·舒格曼《廣告周刊文案手冊(cè)》

《人性的弱點(diǎn)》,,作者:戴爾·卡耐基,有史以來(lái)最暢銷(xiāo)的書(shū)籍之一

好多人之所以想讀MBA,,是看中了它所帶來(lái)的人脈資源,。不過(guò)大多數(shù)人其實(shí)并不擅長(zhǎng)經(jīng)營(yíng)人脈,他們不知道怎樣跟人交流,,怎樣表達(dá)對(duì)別人的興趣,,或者怎樣討別人喜歡。這就是為什么《人性的弱點(diǎn)》應(yīng)該是一本必讀書(shū)目,。

如果你從未聽(tīng)說(shuō)過(guò)這本書(shū),倒是會(huì)令我感到很驚訝,。自從卡耐基1936年出版這本經(jīng)典著作以來(lái),,它已經(jīng)成為有史以來(lái)最暢銷(xiāo)的非小說(shuō)類書(shū)籍之一?;旧厦课唤艹龅纳虡I(yè)領(lǐng)袖都能引用幾句《人性的弱點(diǎn)》中的名言,。多數(shù)大學(xué)也會(huì)在課程中講到這本書(shū)。商業(yè)圈子里的人如果連《人性的弱點(diǎn)》都不知道,,也就不用在這個(gè)圈兒里混了,。

你爺爺奶奶讀過(guò)這本書(shū),你爸爸媽媽也讀過(guò)這本書(shū),,現(xiàn)在該輪到你了,。

你可以通過(guò)對(duì)別人感興趣,在兩個(gè)月內(nèi)交到更多朋友,;或者通過(guò)讓別人對(duì)你感興趣,,在兩年里交到更多朋友,。——戴爾·卡內(nèi)基《人性的弱點(diǎn)》

《大師之路》(Mastery),,作者:羅伯特·格林,,自我發(fā)展最重要但常常被忽視

沒(méi)有方向的人生是毫無(wú)意義的。一味追逐金錢(qián)的人生同樣毫無(wú)意義,,除非你知道自己為什么要這么做,。然而不幸的是,大多數(shù)人,,尤其是對(duì)金錢(qián)如饑似渴的A型商人,,從來(lái)沒(méi)有問(wèn)過(guò)自己為什么要賺錢(qián),為什么要經(jīng)營(yíng)企業(yè),?!洞髱熤贰芬粫?shū)則能幫你找到答案。

我有意把羅伯特·格林的兩本書(shū)列在這份榜單上,。格林的書(shū)是我讀過(guò)的商學(xué)著作中研究得最廣泛和深入的,,每一句話都充滿了實(shí)用的信息。我認(rèn)為格林更像一位歷史學(xué)家,,而不是一名作家,。

在本書(shū)中,格林分析了莫扎特,、愛(ài)因斯坦,、達(dá)爾文等大師的成功之路,告訴我們?nèi)绾文軌虺蔀橐幻I(lǐng)袖,,以及這些大師是怎樣找到自己的使命的,。

未來(lái)屬于那些學(xué)習(xí)更多技能,并將其創(chuàng)造性地結(jié)合起來(lái)的人,?!_伯特·格林,《大師之路》

心得體會(huì)

如果你讀過(guò)這些書(shū),,并掌握了其中的內(nèi)容,,我相信,你的知識(shí)水平將超過(guò)99%的MBA畢業(yè)生,。假設(shè)你一個(gè)月讀一本書(shū),,你只需要花200美元和11個(gè)月的時(shí)間,就能學(xué)到其他人花幾十萬(wàn)美元和兩年時(shí)間才能學(xué)到的內(nèi)容,。

抑或就像電影《心靈捕手》里的威爾所說(shuō)的那樣:

“像你這樣的人,,最可悲的就是,50年后你會(huì)開(kāi)始反思一些事,,然后你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn),,生活中有兩件確鑿無(wú)疑的事:第一,,不要那樣做;第二,,你竟然在一項(xiàng)該死的教育上花了15萬(wàn)美元,,而那些東西花1.5美金在公共圖書(shū)館里就能學(xué)到!”

那么,,現(xiàn)在就閱讀起來(lái)吧,!(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))

譯者:樸成奎

I don’t blame people for wanting to get an MBA. It’s not their fault they’ve been duped into believing it’s the best way to further their career in business.

But, as we all know, (and Goldman Sachs agrees) spending over $100,000 for a useless education—and putting yourself in debt for the next 10 years—is the wrong move for 95% of people.

So how are you supposed to learn what you need to get ahead?

Books. Now, I know that’s an ambiguous answer. There are millions of books. Thousands on every topic. You could spend your entire life reading books on business. I’m here to solve that problem.

Go to the first source

When a reporter from Fortune asked Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky what he knew about management prior to running his 3,000 person organization, Chesky responded with, “It’s kind of like, what did I know?”

But somehow Chesky figured it out. How did he do it?

Rather than trying to learn everything about a particular topic, Chesky found it was more efficient to research and identify the single best source in that field. He then went straight to that person. “If you pick the right source, you can fast-forward,” he said.

And since a business degree is a pointless waste of time, the best way to educate yourself on business is by reading books.

Here’s a list of the 11 books you should read in lieu of getting a business degree.

Titan: The life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow: A must read for anyone interested in business

I once read that you’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with. If that’s true (which I believe it is), then reading biographies is like spending a few hours a night with the great ones.

Biographies have a strange way of changing your behavior. When you spend an hour or two a night learning from your heroes you notice that you start to adopt their habits. It’s strange, I know, but it’s true. A good biography will fast forward your career because of the time you’ll save learning from the subject’s mistakes rather than making them on your own. A great biography will save you decades.

Plus, your business career will be significantly easier when you know that whatever you want to accomplish has already been done.

Everyone interested in business should read John D. Rockefeller’s biography. Aside from being the richest person in history, Rockefeller was a loyal family man, a disciplined worker, and incredibly confident but humble. He built Standard Oil, one of the largest companies the world had ever seen, from scratch. Rockefeller is the reason monopolies in America are illegal.

But unlike other business magnates, Rockefeller was famously kind and generous (he funded the University of Chicago and donated to Spelman College).

Time Magazine and The New York Times list Titan as one of the greatest biographies ever written, and I think it’s one of the greatest books of all time.

I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.—John D. Rockefeller, “Titan”

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene: How to navigate the corporate world

Business and war are quite similar. But not for the reasons you might think. Business, like war, is often won in people’s minds. A great leader can control the attitudes of his enemies, his team, and himself, and if done correctly, can win a war before it ever starts.

The 48 Laws of Power is basically an adaptation of Sun Tzu’s the Art of War (another great book). The major difference is in The 48 Laws of Power’s readability and it’s use of historical stories. I find the Art of War tough to read, whereas The 48 Laws of Power is a page turner. Greene spends over 400 pages explaining how to climb the social ladder and uses historical examples to make his case.

In one’s life, you’re better off following the teachings of Moses, Jesus, or Buddha to gain long-term happiness. But the sad fact is, many people live by a very different set of rules, and while most of these folks eventually self-destruct, they can inflict severe damage on our personal and professional lives in the process.

48 Rules of Power is a good primer for learning how these people think.—Amazon review of “The 48 Laws of Power”

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini: Getting people to buy what you’re selling

Understanding what motivates people is important — not just in business, but in life. There are thousands of books on this topic but most of them are garbage. That’s why I suggest reading only read Influence by Robert B. Cialdini when it comes to sales.

Practically every book written after 1984 on persuasion or human behavior cites Cialdini’s book at least once. Influence is the classic on the psychology of what makes people say “yes” and helps them apply these learnings. The text is half tactics, half strategy, making it practical and easy to understand.

Influence is based off three years of undercover research Cialdini did at telemarketing firms, car dealerships, and fund-raising organizations. There’s a reason Influence is on nearly every business school curriculum in America.

Embarrassment is a villain to be crushed.—Robert B. Cialdini, “Influence”

Letters to Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders by Warren Buffett: How to talk well

Strong communication skills, specifically through the written word, is arguably the most important skill a leader can have. Think about it. Texting, Facebook, email, blogging. We spend our entire professional lives at the keyboard.

On the surface this book seems like a strange recommendation. But here’s the thing—Warren Buffett is one of the greatest communicators I’ve ever read. The mark of a great communicator is their ability to explain complicated concepts in an engaging and simple way. Buffett does both beautifully.

Every year since 1977 Buffett has written a letter to his Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. In these letters he explains, in layman’s terms, Berkshire’s performance, what it means to shareholders, and what they should expect in the future. Buffett uses metaphors, humor, and a perfect combination of conversational and professional language to explain boring topics like price appreciation, insurance floats, and GAAP accounting.

Every letter is available online for free on Berkshire Hathaway’s site but I recommend paying a few bucks and getting a hard copy of the letters.

I will tell you now that we have embraced the 21st century by entering such cutting-edge industries as brick, carpet, insulation and paint. Try to control your excitement.—Opening line in Buffett’s 2001 shareholder letter

Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy: How to make things look sexy

David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy and Mather (one of the biggest ad agencies in the world), is the person to learn from when it comes to advertising. While there are dozens of great books on the subject, Confessions of an Advertising Man is, in my opinion, the best of the bunch.

Ogilvy’s other book, Ogilvy on Advertising, is better known, but Confessions of an Ad Man covers most of the stuff mentioned there, plus additional details such as client/agency relationships and how to grow a business.

“Much of the messy advertising you see on television today is the product of committees. Committees can criticize advertisements, but they should never be allowed to create them.”—David Ogilvy

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin: Learn from America’s greatest president

Abe Lincoln was a management genius. In the 1860 presidential election the Republican party (Lincoln’s party) was a mess. There was no clear leader, people couldn’t agree on the issues, and the country was a wreck. To bring the party and country together, Lincoln convinced the candidates running against him to join together to form his cabinet. The result was a ragtag group of men — who previously hated each other — working together to successfully navigate the country through its toughest period.

The biggest takeaway from this book is how to handle different types of people — a skill few people take the time to master. Lincoln had a magic ability to organize people, and Team of Rivals does an amazing job explaining how to replicate his skills.

A runner-up for this category was High Output Management, (Brian Chesky’s favorite book). It is far more technical, but it’s quite dull.

This, then, is a story of Lincoln’s political genius revealed through his extraordinary array of personal qualities that enabled him to form friendships with men who had previously opposed him; to repair injured feelings that, left untended, might have escalated into permanent hostility; to assume responsibility for the failures of subordinates; to share credit with ease; and to learn from mistakes.—Doris Kearns Goodwin, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham: Written by Warren Buffett’s mentor

When asked which book people interested in investing should read, Warren Buffett said, “Chapters 8 and 20 [of The Intelligent Investor] have been the bedrock of my investing activities for more than 60 years. I suggest that all investors read those chapters and reread them every time the market has been especially strong or weak.”

I’m no Buffett, but I’d suggest reading the entire book. The Intelligent Investor covers strategies for any investor, plus the importance of controlling one’s emotions…arguably the most crucial skill needed when playing with the market.

The newer editions have been updated to include modern investment techniques and practices.

The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists.—Ben Graham

The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith: Economics are dull but necessary

I’m not a fan of books on economics. I find them dull. But they are important. The Wealth of Nations should be your first source when it comes to understanding economics.

While it’s mostly focused on classic economics, it’s a defining book on economic theory that every business person should read. Not reading this text would be like a Bible scholar not knowing about The Exodus.

The natural effort of every individual to better his own condition is so powerful, that it is alone, and without any assistance, not only capable of carrying on the society to wealth and prosperity, but of surmounting a hundred impertinent obstructions with which the folly of human laws too often encumbers its operations.—Adam Smith

The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman: Copywriting is the most underrated skill in business

Copywriting is the single most valuable technical skill a business person can have. I know that’s a bold claim, but it’s true. Now, when you hear copywriting you’re mostly likely thinking about creating sexy advertisements. But that’s not what I’m referring to.

Copywriting is your ability to transfer your knowledge of a product, service, or idea onto a sheet of paper for the purpose of selling. Part of the process involves understanding what your audience needs, what they want, what motivates them, and what stirs their emotions.

When it comes to copywriting, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook is the gold standard. The author, Joseph Sugarman, is a famous direct mail marketer. Before the internet was around, direct mail marketers wrote letters to potential customers. Using only a sheet of paper, these marketers had to convince strangers to send a check for a product they had never seen before. And Mr. Sugarman was the best in the business.

While The Adweek Copywriting Handbook can get technical, it’s a very easy and fun read and teaches strategies to get people to read whatever you write.

Your readers should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slope.—Joseph Sugarman, “The Adweek Copywriting Handbook”

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: One of the best-selling books of all time

A legitimate reason for wanting an MBA is because of the network you’ll build. However, most people are awful networkers. They don’t know how to hold a conversation, show interest in others, or be likable. That’s why How to Win Friends and Influence People is a must read.

I’d be shocked if you’ve never heard of this book before. Carnegie published this classic in 1936. It has since become one of the best-selling nonfiction books of all time. Practically every great business leader can quote a few sentences from How to Win Friends and Influence People. Most universities have this book in the curriculum. And if they don’t then they should lose their accreditation.

Your parents read this book. Their grandparents did too. Now it’s your turn.

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.—Dale Carnegie, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”

Mastery by Robert Greene: Self-development is often ignored but most important

Without direction life is meaningless. Chasing money is utterly useless unless you know why you’re doing it. And unfortunately, most people, especially money hungry type A business folk, never ask themselves why they want to make money or why they want to run a business. Mastery helps you find that answer.

I put two Robert Greene books on this list on purpose. Greene’s books are the most well researched and in depth books I’ve ever read. Every sentence is packed with practical information. I think of Greene as more of a historian than a writer.

In Mastery, Greene explains how to become a leader by examining the pathways to success taken by historical masters such as Mozart, Einstein, and Darwin. He explains how people found their calling.

The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.—Robert Greene, “Mastery”

The takeaway

If you read and master these books, I believe that you’ll know more than 99% of MBA graduates. And, at a book a month, you’ll only spend $200 and 11 months to learn what others pay hundreds of thousands for, over two years.

Or, as Will Hunting beautifully put it:

“See, the sad thing about a guy like you is, in 50 years you’re gonna start doin’ some thinkin’ on your own and you’re going to come up with the fact that there are two certainties in life: one, don’t do that, and two, you dropped 150 grand on a fuckin’ education you could have got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library!”

Now go on… read!

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