Name_Initials: Neil Bardach
Title: CEO
Company: EnviroVizion, Inc.Title: My Years With General Motors, Alfred P. Sloan Jr.
Comment: Sloan's discussions about managing the individual talents in
his organization were fascinating, immensely more valuable than the
myriad management primers gathering dust on everyone's bookshelves.
Name_Initials: Leslie Polgar
Title: CEO
Company: Talpra Consultants
Title: "Playing God" by Charles Mee
Comment: My favorite. This book is about 7 meetings spanning
1500 years that changed the world. It is a book about diplomatic
history, but its lessons for meetings are indelible and timeless.
Ed. Note: This is an
obscure, out of print little book. However, any senior management
that negotiates large scale transnational deals will find it useful.
Why? Because it insightfully delves into the minutiae of meeting
dynamics when disparate heavies sit down to get something important
done and often end up with unexpected, sometimes unfortunate,
results. Fascinating. --TSN
Name_Initials: anon.
Title: Chairman & CEO
Title: The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Name_Initials: J. E. Tschirgi
Title: CIO
Company: SEI Investments
Title: The Innovator's Dilemma
Comment: Thoughtful, well-written analysis of how businesses should
manage disruptive trends (business models or new technologies) so as to
capitalize on emerging market opportunities while not being overwhelmed
by demands to invest in existing markets/products with decreasing
marginal returns.
Name_Initials: MG
Title: CFO
Company:
Title: In Search Of Excellence
Comment: First book I ever read which identified the strategic
importance of corporate culture in a customer centric environment.
Name_Initials: TRN
Title: Pres.
Title: The Practice of Management
Comment: During the dot com craze a partner at the VC firm gave
me a copy of Drucker’s Practice of Management. I tossed it on the
shelf above the espresso maker and forgot about it. Later, when we
were cleaning the offices out, I picked up the dusty book and took it
home. Between bouts of self-pity I read it and realized just how
little I knew. Tough lesson. And it will never be forgotten.
Name_Initials: TJ
Title: Managing Director
Company: AHVP
Title: Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
Comment: Helps you understand what duty and leadership are, and what
they aren't.
Name_Initials: enoss
Title: ceo
Title: Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, Paul Kennedy
Comment: Taught me about the power of supply chains in business
Name_Initials: MM
Title: Managing Director
Title:
The Fifth Discipline
Comment: This book changed the way I view my role in management. It
takes a more integral approach to business, validating our internal
personal grwoth, cultural modeling, specific measures and larger
systemic understanding all in one approach.
Name_Initials: KP
Title: Assc. Professor, Dir
Title: The Art of War, by Sun Tzu
Comment: It seems likely that books have varying degrees of value
depending on the life situation in which we find ourselves. Luck or
providence plays a role when we happen to see a particular title or get
a recommendation from a friend, which in turn, helps to determine the book(s) that has/have the greatest impact on our professional lives.
That said, certain titles will flow to the top as they consistently
influence their readers. Although it is not easy to read and even more
difficult to apply, Sun Tzu's The Art of War remains the definitive
text on the art of competition. I would hope that Built to Last by
Collins and Porras, The Fifth Discipline by Senge, and The Tipping
Point by Gladwell will also appear on the readership list.
Name_Initials: RG
Title: Pres.
Title: Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
Comment: Although the characters are logical extremes, they represent,
along with the story, the psychology of what one encounters in business
and many other human interactions.
Name_Initials: P.A. Melita
Title: Director, Corporate Compensation
Company: American Red Cross
Title: The Practice of Management (1954) thru Management
Challenges for the 21st Century (1999) and all the tomes in between by
Peter Drucker.
Comment: Drucker's insights, knowledge, and advice are unsurpassed. He
defines "thinking outside the box".
Runners-up include Edgar Schein on culture, Chris Argyris on
organizational learning, Peter Senge, and Karl Weick.
Name_Initials: Dr. Earl Sherburn
Title: President
Company: The Cultural Connection
Title: Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam
Comment: This book tells how in the last 40 years TV has contributed the
most to the downfall of the community as we knew it in America: loss of
numbers in service organizations and caring about our neighbors among
other things. I use this book to try to relate to neighborhood arts
groups when meeting and consulting with them to tell them about what
needs to change in their communities to make it more user friendly.
Name_Initials: MAW
Title: Director
Title: "Getting To Yes"
Comment: ...is an important book on
"Negotiations" and it appears to
follow the teachings of Dr.& Mrs. Fred Jervis at the Center For
Constructive
Change on the U. of New Hampshire campus who advocate that we should
create our strategic plans by looking ahead to what results are key to
achieving an ideal outcome. The Jervis' have materials that support
their
seminar teachings but no published books to my knowledge. Without
question
their teachings have benefited me the most in a diverse career.
Name_Initials: David Gimpelevich
Title: Managing Partner
Company: Spearpoint Group
Title: The Art of M&A by Reed and Lajoux
Comment: It is the absolute bible for M&A knowledge, absolutely
indispensable.
Name_Initials: LD
Title: Director of Communications
Title: "The Do-Right Rules"
Comment: Although I could say many different
books such as Jim Collins "Good to Great" or the like, I actually find
"The Do-Right Rules" by Peter S. Chantilis brings me back to the basics
that we all forget during our daily challenges, as well as keeping me
focused on our company's most important asset: our customer.
Name_Initials: William Stanley
Title: Management Consultant/retired
Company: Stanley Consulting
Title:
The Bible
Comment: My motivation, drive, sense of what is the right
decision, creative ideas and solution have been given to me that
clearly has been from God as contained in His Word.
Name_Initials: WWP
Title: P/CEO
Title: Crossing the Chasm/Inside the Tornado (Geoff
Moore)
Comment: OK, I cheated and named 2 books. But they go together and
illuminate the challenges of launching new products (or companies),
particularly in, but not limited to, technology-based markets. Geoff
explains the necessity of delivering The Whole Product and the various
ways to do do this.
Name_Initials: BC
Title: SVP
Title: Funky Business
Comment: This book opened my eyes to the world/people forces shaping
our future. It provided me the context to implement several unusual and
successful business initiatives.
Name_Initials: MR
Title: COO
Title: The Robber Barrons
Comment: Just how America got the way it is/was. Creation of wealth and
influence.
Name_Initials: Matthew Roche
Title: Co CEO and President
Company: Fort Point Partners Inc.
Title: The metaphysical club
Comment: If you ever wonder how people justify what they do, read this
book. Great American philosophers and thinkers lead us to the
conclusion that people do what they desire and use logic, religion, and
principles to justify it after the fact. Think about it when you
sell...
This book is basically unbelievable in terms of
explaining why our country is what it is today.
Name_Initials: AC
Title: President
Company: JEMM Corp.
Title: See You At the Top by Zig Ziglar
Comment: Not only did I read the book, but I bought the audio tapes as
well. I became a devotee of the philosophy of Zig's that "you can get
everything in life you want, if you help others get what they want."
This applies to business and personal life. Zig's positive attitudes
about sales and how to use the skills learned through sales jobs helped
me many times over the past years to establish my companies (3 total to
date).
Name_Initials: John Harvey
Title: President
Company: T2Partners/Freemans Seafood Company
Title: Simplicity by Bill Jensen
Comment: Bill does an incredible job of expressing the importance of
simplifying what we do as leaders and what our employees need from us
and our organizations.
Name_Initials: EZ
Title: Chairman
Title: Maverick, by Ricardo Semler
Comment: It provides valuable insights on managing well, living well
and relating to employees.
Other valuable titles are anything by Gary Hamel or
Peter Drucker (especially Drucker's little gem "Innovation and
Entrepreneurship").
Name_Initials: Gene McLean
Title: Chief Security Officer
Company: TELUS Communications Inc.
Title: Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy, by Partha
Bose of Gotham Books.
Comment: It is a good read and if you enjoy history and business, then
you will definitely enjoy this book. At a macro level it defines
strategy and provides context for its many uses.
Runners Up: Primal Leadership-Realizing The Power of
Emotional Intelligence.
Name_Initials: JMD
Title: SVP
Title: Advanced Accounting and Finance texts/courses in
grad school
Comment: Reviewed and analyzed the impact that high level corporate
decisions have on the bottom line.
Name_Initials: rk
Title: assistant general counsel
Title: The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Comment: I've kept this book on my desk for years. The skill and
ability of clear, graceful writing is essential to success. This books
helps me to write clearly. I've learned that when I cannot express
thoughts clearly in writing, it probably means that my thinking on the
subject is not yet clear. Clear writing and clear thinking are closely
linked to success.
Name_Initials: wkf
Title: Managing Director
Title: Flight of the Buffalo - Belasco and Stayer
Comment: The illustrations on p18 and p20 were particularly effective
in portraying the challenge of leading resilient independent scientists
in the competitive oil and gas industry
Name_Initials: LTC
Title: SVP & General Manager
Title: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen
Covey)
Comment: This book provides simple advice and guidance that I could put
into practice the very next day. It sets a framework for life that is
both strategic and practical day to day. I do think this book changed
my life, and I have re-read it twice.
Name_Initials: GJM
Title: Chairman
Company:
Title: How to Win Friends & Influence People (Dale
Carnegie)
Comment: I also recommend another of his books, "Golden Book of Rules"
Name_Initials: j ahbe
Title: ceo/president
Title: pillars of the earth - ken follet
Comment: not a business book necessarily - but rather a tale of
extreme perseverance in medieval times in England.
Successful people, go down many roads and paths, many
with closed doors. Those that have perseverance, never give up, and
positive attitudes - when most would give up - become leaders.
Name_Initials: Sandra
Title: Director of Assessment
Company: Parcon Research
Title: The Lessons of Experience-How Successful
Executives Develop on the Job. McCall, Lombardo, Morrison 1988.
Comment: Definitive research from folks who worked with the Center for
Creative Research -- it's not what you know, it's what and how you
learn.
Runner(s) Up (too hard to decide on just one):
The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Adam Smith. Ethical and
moral study for individuals and collectives. Today's business could use
a refresher.
Leadership and the New Science, Margaret Wheatley.
Systems thinking applied to leadership. Enough said.
Orbiting the Giant Hairball, Gordon MacKenzie (of
Hallmark). How to survive corporate idiocy with grace. Light with
depth.
Novations: Strategies for Career Management, Gene Dalton
and Paul Thomson. Based on their Harvard Business School research, they
break the ground for career stages. What's required and why not
everyone moves through each stage or should.
Name_Initials: Jerry
Title: CEO
Company: Branders
Title: Positoning: The battle for your mind (Ries &
Trout)
Comment: Many businesses are doomed to struggle for every new customer
because there really isn't anything new about that business' offering
that is important to the customer. No wishful thinking in this gem.
Authors Ries & Trout help you think realistically about how
customers probably think about your current business & offerings
and re-focus you on finding high-potential opportunites within your
industry.
Name_Initials: RNS
Title: CEO/ Chairman
Title: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen
Covey
Comment: Covey's book had a profound impact on my career as well
as my personal life.
At the core, Covey's thesis is personal responsibility and how powerful
that is correctly and consistently applied. We are not victims of
circumstance - all of us have been and will be tested by adverse
conditions... things will happen that we do not intend or plan. Instead
of finding excuses or whining we should look inward at our character
to determine "true north" and proceed to solve our own problem as best
we are able.
We all want to be trusted - but that starts with us
being trustworthy. We must take the responsibility of our own behavior
first.
Another profound principal Covey espouses is the
discipline of putting off short term gratification for long term
reward. Requires deep character and this is especially difficult for
young people.
As a CEO and Chairman of a public company, I find all of
these principals extremely important on a daily basis.
Name_Initials: J H Zenger
Title: CEO
Company: Extraordinary Performance Group
Title: The Practice of Management by Peter Drucker
Comment: It was a simple, actionable and insightful book about management
Name_Initials: Lauch Hines
Title: Consultant
Company: LH Consulting
Title:
Atlas Shrugged
Comment: I've read countless books on operational excellence, technology
leadership, general leadership, etc. But, Atlas Shrugged, which I first
read 30 years ago, was the first book that opened my eyes to what
really motivates people.
Name_Initials: gregg bagni
Title: principal
Company: atc
Title: zen lessons; the art of leadership...translated
by thomas cleary
Comment: bottom line.......a nice little pocket book that's a quick and
great daily reminder of humility, leadership, simplicity and
compassion.
Name_Initials: Joan Hutton
Title: President/Ceo
Company: The Hutton Group, Inc.
Title: Winning Through Intimidation, Robert Ringer
Comment: Helps anyone to learn to protect themselves
from being 'used' or manipulated by people who have ulterior motives.
Name_Initials: Clay Fowler
Title: CEO
Title: On War, Von Clausewitz.
Comment: Really lays out strategy better than anything
else I've read and is a lot more fun to read.
Name_Initials: Scott Young
Title: General Manager
Company: Xerox
Title: Leading Change, John Kotter
Comment: Great read on the differences between managers and leaders,
with the eight key steps to effectively implement a change agenda. The
follow up book The Heart of Change provides more relevant and specific
examples of what works and doesn't work in change initiatives.
Name_Initials: RBC
Title: Chairman and CEO
Title: CEO and the Monk
Comment: I have been told by people that it's a real story
about the frailties of real people and it deals with corporate
leadership in these times when corporate leaders are not too well
thought of.
Of course I'm a little prejudiced since I'm one of the authors.
Ed. Note: The profits from
this book go to the
Keyspan Foundation.
Name_Initials: PGH
Title: Retired Pres &CEO
Company: International BlueCrossBlueShield Assn.
Title: Leadership is an Art by Max Depree
Comment: Tough question to answer since there have been many, but this
little volume by the former head of Herman Miller furniture makers
significantly shaped my managerial style early on with his notion of
servant-leadership.
Name_Initials: DM
Title: President
Title:
Good to Great
Comment: Helped us focus on level 5 leadership.
Name_Initials: RS
Title: COO Fortune 500
Title: Practice of Management (Peter F. Drucker)
Comment: This was my first “real” business book. Bought back in
the 50s I have yet to encounter anything of substance not covered.
The daily details have changed-the window dressing of
management--but not the core stuff he covered decades ago.
Name_Initials: TL
Title: Director
Title: Who Moved My Cheese
Comment: Simple, direct message...keep moving forward.
Name: EH
Title: CEO
Title: Birth of the Chaordic Age by Dee
Hock (founder of Visa).
Comment: This book provided practical insights into
management of complexity...particularly that associate with large
organization.
Ed. Note: Don't be confused if you
don't recognize the word "chaordic".
The author created the word to describe a new organizational
structure that is simultaneously both chaotic and orderly (e.g.,
VISA today, other successful organizations tomorrow). -TSN
Name_Initials: Kenneth Guss
Title: CEO
Company: AeroMark Group
Title: Leading Change-John Kotter
Comment: A blueprint for understanding and implementing cultural change
in your company. Very practical, not theoretical and very easy to use.
I have made it a bible for my Leadership teams wherever I have been.
Easily the best book I've seen on a subject that too few understand how
to deal with.
If you're interested in any of
these books:
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Copyright
© 2003 Parcon Research.