7 Books to Kickstart your Fall
Back to school season is upon us! If you’re reading this blog, I probably don’t have to tell you to never stop learning. The world of business is changing constantly and while it can be tempting to stay up to date through a steady stream of the latest articles that fill your LinkedIn feed, sometimes your time is better spent relying on a full book; one that cannot be broken down into 10 second sound bites or a catchy headline. Below are seven books that I recommend and when to read them.
- If you’re new to your role or just hit a plateau:
You Already Know How to be Great is a must read for professionals in any role in business. Whether you’re just starting out or have been climbing the ranks of leadership for ten years, there are lessons to learn from this book. It’s not uncommon for ambitious people to have a list of books and podcasts they’re going through, searching for the latest insights to give them the competitive edge. Alan Fine takes a different approach; he suggests that you remove all those distractions to find your focus. I think the title says it all. If you’re going to read one book this season, this is the one to read!
2. If you want to promote a culture of coaching in your organization:
Don’t skip Coaching Sales People into Sales Champions. Keith Rosen reveals practical and proven suggestions for implementing a coaching strategy on a large scale. Developing a sales team can be tough. The SDR role has one of the highest turnover rates in the industry and a lot of that can be attributed to lack of direction or lack of progress. This book helps you as a manager better define success and encourage professional development through coaching.
3. If you’re looking for sales tips but don’t want to feel like you’re reading a textbook:
The Joshua Principle: Leadership Secrets of Selling follows a 20 something year old through his year long journey from mediocrity to excellence. This is a story of a young man who struggles in his relationships with his girlfriend, his father, and his job. The book swerves between relatable and cliché but it is a very easy read. Perfect for those of us who place a strong emphasis on career development but also would like to curl up on the couch in fuzzy socks and sympathize with an engaging character.
4. If you’re looking for a laugh but also want to feel like you’re bettering yourself:
Sloane Crosley’s I Was Told There Would be Cake is a hilarious take on trying to make it (whatever “it” is) as a young woman. Sloane has the best intentions, but they don’t always play out in reality. While the relationship back to sales is not explicit, this book tells stories of blind optimism and how to deal with a boss who you admire but also kind of scares you. I suggest reading this book with a book club then gathering once a week to discuss each chapter and your takeaways. This is bound to lead to a stronger ability to take something deeper away as well as share some embarrassing stories that Sloane’s book will undoubtedly resurface to your memory.
5. If you feel overworked yet underutilized:
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less understands the millennial struggle that is constantly being busy but simultaneously never getting enough done. We are surrounded by distractions whether caused by social media notifications, spammy emails, or just the open floor plan. This can make you feel overwhelmed despite not actually getting anything of value done. This book forces you to take a step back and decide what’s worth focusing on. Greg McKeown doesn’t just teach you how to say “no” but what to say “no” to.
6. If you’re trying to be more effective in your full sales cycle role:
There’s a reason your boss keeps telling you to read The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation. When Matthew Dixon wrote this book in 2011, sales was all about relationships. He turned this notion on its head by suggesting that, in fact, sales was all about challenging the customer. If you’re in full cycle sales and haven’t read this book then you likely have heard its teachings, but that doesn’t make you exempt. Read this book. Don’t just skim the SparkNotes or hear a summary from your colleague who learned about it from her colleague who heard about the book in training.
7. If you know there must be a better measure of success than your commission check:
You already know Arianna Huffington, but have you read her book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-being, Wisdom, and Wonder? Arianna Huffington is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time. She has built a media empire and this came at the expense of her personal well-being. Take it from Huffington, the drive for money and power will get you motivated but it’s not enough to keep you going. The perfect book for getting out of summer mode and back into a balanced but ambitious power mode.
BONUS: If you secretly don’t understand how all these businesses function:
Skimmed From the Couch is a podcast by the founders of The Skimm will answer all of your questions. Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg founded The Skimm when they were still in their 20s. In this series, they interview women like Arianna Huffington, Mindy Grossman, Melanie Whelan, and others who have either started successful businesses or worked their way to the top of their industry. This podcast will help you understand how businesses can survive when they’re not profitable, what it actually means for businesses to raise funding, and what kind of advice you should ignore.
