Business schools don’t have a monopoly on worldly wisdom. If you care more about increasing your effectiveness at work than a diploma and a few lines on your resume, the Personal MBA is for you…..
42 resources that will help you learn about business on your own time….. 
Master yourself
2 Mastery by George Leonard
Mastery is not a business book — it’s a book about the learning process and what you can expect from a project like the Personal MBA. Leonard explains that the mastery of any skill is a life-long process involving a series of plateaus, punctuated by short spurts of visible growth. True mastery is about embracing the plateau and learning to love practice for its own sake. It’s a short, inspiring read, and it’s the perfect book for starting down the path of becoming a self-taught “master of business.”
Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton According to Buckingham and Clifton, you are at your most effective when you’re capitalizing on your strengths instead of spending time and effort trying to improve your weaknesses. Now, Discover Your Strengths is the summation of a wide body of research conducted by the Gallup Organization on the subject of human talent. Gallup has identified 34 statistically-significant areas where people naturally tend to exhibit consistent, near flawless performance. Each copy comes with an access code for Gallup’s Strengths Finder assessment, an online tool that helps you identify and understand your own unique combination of strengths. (Be sure to get a new copy in order to get access to the assessment: used or library copies probably won’t work.) In addition to explaining how we develop our individual talents, this book has a lot to say about diversity and why it is so important in business. Because everyone has a different combination of strengths, we all approach the world from a slightly different perspective. By working with people who possess a wide variety of skills and backgrounds, our chances of success increase.
Manage your life and work
2 Getting Things Done by David Allen
Simply put, Getting Things Done is the best book on day-to-day, functional time management that has ever been written. (That is not an exaggeration.) Allen takes a “bottom up” approach to managing your life, focusing on helping you create a system of organization your mind learns to trust over time. By capturing everything floating around in your head, honing in on the physical actions you need to do, and creating a system where your next actions are easily stored and referenced, you’ll be free to focus on completing the tasks at hand and will experience less stress.
2 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
In contrast to Getting Things Done, Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People takes a “top down” approach to managing your life. What do you really want for yourself? What is important to you? When you have considered questions like these, you’ll have a better understanding of how to identify non-productive uses of time and create opportunities to accomplish the things that are really important to you.
Covey also discusses working with others productively. By learning simple principles like looking for win-win situations, seeking to fully understand the perspectives of the people with whom you’re working, and identifying new ways to cooperate, you’ll be better equipped to deal with the complexities of working with others.
Learn the fundamentals
Ram Charan is the patient coach of the business world, constantly reminding readers to learn the fundamentals of the profession.
2 What the CEO Wants You to Know by Ram Charan
In What the CEO Wants You to Know, Charan explains how to understand companies through the simple, fundamental concepts that are at the core of every business: cash, margin, profit, return on assets, velocity, growth, valuation, customers, employees, and shareholders. Along the way, he explains how these concepts interact in both large and small companies, and how you can improve your business by understanding the basics and focusing on improvingyour execution of the fundamentals.
2 Profitable Growth Is Everyone’s Business by Ram Charan
Profitable Growth Is Everyone’s Business is a deeper look at how businesses grow and how they can stumble if they attempt to grow in the wrong way. Healthy businesses grow organically by reinvesting profits, focusing on day-to-day execution, and improving the core of the business over time. All employees (at every level of the organization) need to understand how the business operates and what the company is working to achieve. By focusing on the things that make the business successful, Charan argues that companies can quickly adapt to changes in the market and pursue continual and sustainable growth for long periods of time.
Strategic thinking
2 On Competition by Michael Porter
Michael Porter has been a world-renowned expert on corporate strategy for decades, and his articles are assigned to students in business schools around the world. His “five forces” model of corporate competition provides an intuitive way to analyze the attractiveness of any industry. By paying particular attention to the power of suppliers and customers, the threats of new entry and substitutes, and the level of internal rivalry in the industry, it is possible to develop strategies that create a defensible competitive position for your firm. On Competition is a compilation of eleven of Porter’s Harvard Business Review articles, two previously unpublished papers on health care and capital investment, and a comprehensive introduction to his work.
2 Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim, Renee Mauborgne
The thesis of Blue Ocean Strategy is simple: why compete with other firms if you don’t have to? In contrast to Porter’s work, W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne advocate a different approach to strategy: try to create new industries that change the competitive landscape completely. By focusing your resources on creating uncontested market space (a “Blue Ocean”), you’re working to make your firm the industry leader while simultaneously making your current competition irrelevant. There’s no sense in operating in competitive war-zones (“Red Oceans”) if you have a choice.
The only thing constant is change
2 Seeing What’s Next by Clayton M. Christensen, Erik A. Roth, Scott D. Anthony Clayton Christensen is famous for developing theories of why firms rise and fall in The Innovator’s Dilemma and The Innovator’s Solution. Seeing What’s Next is a comprehensive introduction to the ideas presented in both books, with a smattering of business history thrown in for good measure. This book attempts to answer the question: “How will innovation change an industry, and what impact will this have on the firms I care about?” By building on a framework of three core theories of innovation, the authors develop a three-part process of predicting industry change: (1) identifying signals of change; (2) analyzing competitive battles; and (3) understanding strategic choices. Predicting the future is notoriously difficult, but the authors provide an approachable model for making the best decisions you can with the information
you have at your disposal.
2 Re-imagine! by Tom Peters
Tom Peters is the rock star of business commentary for a reason: he’s loud, opinionated, and more vocally passionate about business than anyone on Earth. The main idea of this book is written in big, bold, red letters across the back cover: “It is the foremost task — and responsibility — of our generation to re-imagine our enterprises and institutions, public and private.” You’ll find thoughts and ideas on almost anything you can think of: leadership, management, human talent, design, corporate systems, innovation, technology, R&D, diversity, risk-taking, decision-making, and societal trends. Reading this book is an informative, inspirational invitation to go out and make great things happen.
Masters of management
2 The Essential Drucker by Peter Drucker
No advanced study of business would be complete without Peter Drucker, the undisputed father of modern management theory. The Essential Drucker is a compilation of twenty-six of Drucker’s best articles, spanning six decades of observation and research. In this volume, Drucker discusses managing knowledge workers, making good decisions, hiring the right people, starting new ventures, building self-discipline, encouraging innovation, and predicting the future of work and society.
2 First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman
Based on in-depth interviews of 80,000 managers in 400 companies by the Gallup
Organization, Buckingham and Coffman argue that the world’s best managers break virtually every conventional “rule” of management practice. They select employees for talent, not experience, intelligence, or determination. They define the right outcomes for people, not the right steps. They focus on developing employee strengths, not eradicating weaknesses. And they find the right fit for employees in the organization instead of relentlessly promoting people up to their level of incompetence. This book will help you examine what you believe about effective management and encourage you to think of ways to set people up for success in your organization from the beginning.
The finest minds in business
Warren Buffett, master investor and second-wealthiest person in the world, is a well-known figure. Far less is written about Buffett’s long-time business partner, Charlie Munger. Both individuals are well worth studying — together, they manage Berkshire Hathaway, one of the most successful companies in the world.
The Essays of Warren Buffett by Warren Buffett & Lawrence Cunningham
Buffett likes to acquire entire businesses with the intention of owning them indefinitely, so he has some very developed ideas about how businesses should be run. The Essays of Warren Buffett is a collection of Mr. Buffett’s annual letters to Berkshire shareholders, in which he educates his partners about how the company operates, dissects his mistakes, and looks to the future. In this text, Buffett explains how to identify good businesses: what to look for, how to figure out how much a business is worth, how to set up effective corporate governance, how to keep management motivated, and how to be patient enough to reap the benefits of long-term partnership with quality people. His advice on personal investment is a valuable (and potentially lucrative) bonus.
2 Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charlie Munger & Peter Kaufman
Charlie Munger is a self-taught master of critical thinking and a voracious reader. Poor Charlie’s Almanack is part biography, part compilation of Munger’s speeches on everything from corporate analysis to managing non-profit organizations. By teaching himself psychology and a wide variety of “mental models” from disciplines like biology and statistics, Munger has mastered the art of rational observation and decision-making. Two of his speeches, “A Lesson in Elementary, Worldly Wisdom” and “The Psychology of Human Misjudgment,” are educational masterpieces.
Dollars on the books
Every business professional needs a solid working knowledge of finance and accounting. These books are designed for self-study, and will give you a first-rate education without putting you to sleep.
The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Finance for Non-financial Managers,
2nd edition, by Robert A. Cooke
The thing that impresses me most about this book is how enjoyable it is to read. Drawing on over thirty years of experience as a CPA, Cooke knows how to explain financial concepts clearly using non-technical language. In addition, he happens to be a master storyteller. Instead of assaulting the reader with a never-ending stream of formulas, Cooke uses stories and humor to illustrate how corporate finance works and why it is important to learn. The book is set up as a collection of twelve units, making it ideal for self-study. The 2nd edition contains an additional chapter on the function and role of auditors, an important subject in the wake of corporate accounting scandals and the introduction of Sarbanes-Oxley in the U.S.
Essentials of Accounting, 8th edition, by Robert Newton Anthony and Leslie K. Pearlman
When I picked up Essentials of Accounting, I was confused. This set of two booklets is a little over one hundred pages combined — how could it possibly be a comprehensive accounting course? The secret is in the design of the booklets. The first contains samples of basic accounting statements: balance sheets, cash flow statements, journal entries, etc. The second contains a double-sided set of fill-in-the-blank worksheets that guide you through analysis of the statements in the first book. This text teaches you accounting by having you actually work through the process of creating and analyzing accounting statements, a simple and relatively enjoyable way to learn a sometimes confusing subject
Numbers and negotiations
2 How to Read a Financial Report by John A. Tracy
Since finance and accounting are such important and challenging parts of business, the better we understand them, the better off we’ll be. How to Read a Financial Report is a concise, well-written guide to navigating the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Tracy is careful to explain how each statement is developed, how the statements relate to each other, and what each report tells you about the health of the business in question. After reading this book, you’ll be better equipped to understand the financial reports of any company, including your own.
2 Getting To Yes by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton
Negotiation is a part of everyday life. Considered a seminal text in “principled negotiation,” Getting to Yes focuses on teaching readers how to work with the people around them. Negotiation is all about creating solutions to problems that benefit everyone in some way, then convincing your negotiation partner to accept a proposed course of action. By separating the people from the problem, focusing on interests instead of positions, inventing options for mutual gain, insisting on using objective criteria, and identifying the best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), you’ll be in a better position to get what you want while maintaining a positive relationship with your negotiation partner. Don’t expect to learn much about Trump-style power negotiation, however — this text focuses on making everyone involved better off, not bullying your opponents into submission. (The authors include tips for fending off win-lose negotiators with bad haircuts as well.)
Operational effectiveness
2 The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu Goldratt & Jeff Cox
The Goal is not a traditional business book: it’s a novel about a plant manager whose factory is on the brink of being closed. Through the character of Alex Rogo, Goldratt and Cox progressively teach you about operations management, systems design, critical thinking, managerial decision-making, and the inherently human nature of business. Best of all, the story is engaging and memorable, which helps to reinforce the lessons presented in the book. Who knew running a factory could be so captivating?
2 Lean Thinking by James Womack & Daniel Jones
Lean Thinking is an in-depth look at the core principles behind the Toyota Production System, one of the most efficient manufacturing operations in the world. By understanding value from the customer’s perspective, completing a “value stream” analysis of current operations, eliminating wasteful activities, building flexibility into the line, implementing justin- time operations, and relentlessly pursuing operational perfection, the authors present a clear overview of one of the most successful manufacturing innovations in recent history.
Form and function
2 The Substance of Style by Virginia Postrel
Ever wonder why people are willing to pay $6.00 for a designer toilet brush when the plain old $1.99 special accomplishes the same goal? Why Apple’s iPod is so popular? Why some people are slaves to the fashion industry? It has to do with aesthetics: all things being equal, people will consistently choose products and services that please their individual sense of style.
Businesses all over the world are beginning to pay attention to design for a simple reason: good design has real economic value. In The Substance of Style, Postrel argues that aesthetic value is becoming an increasingly important differentiator in a world where product function and quality are consistently high.
2 The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
This book is a must-read for anyone involved in designing a product. The Design of Everyday Things describes how designers can successfully create products that really meet the needs of the end user, which is harder in practice than it sounds. Using a wide variety of real-world examples, Norman presents a broad introduction to the critical importance of design, how to notice good and bad design in the world around you, and how to use what you know about everyday life to create products and services people enjoy using.
Project management and marketing
These two books have something in common: each of the authors spent eight or more years working at Microsoft, and they have a great deal of first-hand experience to share.
2 The Art of Project Management by Scott Berkun
Scott Berkun spent ten years working on complex projects like Internet Explorer, MSN, and Windows, and now does project management consulting full-time. Skipping the complicated
jargon and convoluted methodologies that characterize most project management books, The Art of Project Management is full of practical guidelines and tips for keeping your projects moving forward and keeping yourself sane. Berkun has a knack for breaking complex subjects down to the critical essentials, which makes this book approachable and easy to understand. While the vast majority of examples come from the IT industry, the lessons presented in this book are universal to all projects and will be easily grasped by non-technical readers.
2 The Marketing Playbook by John Zagula & Richard Tong
John Zagula and Richard Tong spent their time at Microsoft leading the marketing campaigns for Windows, Office, and BackOffice. According to the authors, every marketing campaign will come down to choosing one of five distinct strategies, regardless of what product or service you’re offering or the size of your firm. Zagula and Tong teach you how to analyze your capabilities and your competition, develop a customized marketing playbook for your company, and then execute it effectively. If you’re interested in marketing or developing business plans, The Marketing Playbook should be one of the first books you read.
Do your own thing
2 The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
Focusing primarily on the venture capital approach to entrepreneurship, Kawasaki’s “timetested,
battle-hardened guide for anyone starting anything” is full of sound advice and useful tips for creating a startup. The Art of the Start covers topics like positioning your new company in the market, pitching to potential investors, writing business plans, bootstrapping, recruiting employees, raising capital, partnering with other firms, branding, and selling. Kawasaki is a strong advocate of the straightforward approach to business: keep it simple, keep it honest, and keep it short.
2 The Bootstrapper’s Bible by Seth Godin
The Bootstrapper’s Bible was created for people interested in starting a business with little or no money. Covering everything from business models to simple planning and bookkeeping, God in does a masterful job of explaining how entrepreneurs and freelancers can take advantage of their small size to accomplish big things.
Speak your mind
2 On Writing Well by William Zinsser
“ Managers at every level are prisoners of the notion that a simple style reflects a simple mind. Actually, a simple style is the result of hard work and hard thinking; a muddled style reflects a muddled thinker or a person too arrogant, or too dumb, or too lazy to organize his thoughts. Remember that what you write is often the only chance you’ll get to present yourself to someone whose business or money or good will you need. If what you write is ornate, or pompous, or fuzzy, that’s how you’ll be perceived. The reader has no other choice.” Good writing skills are essential. On Writing Well focuses on simplicity and clarity, the hallmarks of an effective writer. With a dedicated chapter on writing for business, you’ll quickly learn that big words, complicated sentences, and jargon decrease your ability to communicate your thoughts to the people reading your work.
2 Flawless Consulting by Peter Block
Flawless Consulting will teach you how to get things done as an internal or external consultant. According to Block, “The task of the consultant is increasingly to build the capacity of clients to make their own assessments and answer their own questions.” With practical tips on everything from building authentic relationships to making recommendations, this book is referred to as “the consultant’s bible” for many good reasons.
The delicate art of human relations
2 How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
It has been said that Dale Carnegie knew more about human nature than anyone before or since. After reading this book, I’m inclined to agree. Based on the core idea that people have a fundamental psychological need to feel important, Carnegie details “three fundamental techniques for handling people, six ways to make people like you, twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.” Many of Carnegie’s tips on working with people seem to be common sense, but beneath all of the stories and anecdotes is a simple, valuable lesson: if you choose to be genuinely interested in the people you work with and you let them know it, they will always be happy to work with you.
2 Crucial Conversations
by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
Life is full of difficult situations that require not-so-fun conversations with the people around us, both at home and at
