Top Management Books for Local SMBs
Monday, August 04, 2014
Growing up dividing my school year in California and my summers in Rhode Island, I learned what the term “culture shock” truly meant at an early age. While attending Mount Saint Charles Academy in high school, I soon realized the differences between the haves and the have-nots. While my family divided up their financial earnings between selling cars in Woonsocket and running a small pet store in Glocester, I found myself far more interested in the lifestyles and businesses of my wealthy colleagues. Hearing about Rhode Island’s “F” grade for Small Business Friendliness certainly makes me reflect on my younger days growing up there.
My first job ever was working as a caddy at Kirkbrae Country Club where I was surrounded by very affluent members of the local community. I learned a lot about customer service, attention to detail, standards of excellence and survival of the fittest on that golf course. I also learned the skill of name dropping as I was related to one of the founding members of the club and was therefore allowed certain leniency from otherwise demanding golfers.
Over the past few years, I’ve received a lot of career advice but some of the best ideas that have launched my career in business have come from business books and management books in particular. From Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In to The Everything Store, the new tell-all about the rise and dominance of Amazon, management books have played a huge part in my successful achievements.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTKeeping Providence’s unemployment rate on a continued descent from its high percentages from just a few short years ago is vital to sustaining the economy. Here are my recommendations on a few current management books that can make an impact on local SMBs:
1. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. The COO of Facebook would certainly seem to be an ideal fit to author a management book. In Lean In, however, Ms. Sandberg takes a unique approach. Her book focuses on the struggles women face in balancing family and career and why there aren't more women in leadership positions. She recounts her own personal conflicts with success and offers suggestions on how both men and women can work to create a more supportive culture for women in the workplace and at home.
2. Manage Your Day-To-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind by Jocelyn Glei. Ms. Glei edits this compilation of thoughts on time management and creativity from more than 20 business leaders, including Seth Godin, Stephen Pressfield, and Jonathan Fields. The book is part of a series aimed at enhancing creativity and productivity through time and idea management.
3. The Power of Negative Thinking: An Unconventional Approach to Achieving Positive Results by Bob Knight and Bob Hammel. Sports metaphors and anecdotes have always been popular in business. In The Power of Negative Thinking, Bob Knight, who has the second-most wins in college basketball history, turns the power of positive thinking on its head. He shares why thinking about the downside and the worst-case scenario often leads to better preparation and produces the best-case scenario.
4. The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone. This recently released book made news when Jeff Bezos's wife, Mackenzie Bezos, gave the book a one-star review on Amazon, claiming the book was riddled with inaccuracies and speculation. Regardless of whether Ms. Bezos is right, The Everything Store provides an illuminating look at how Amazon transformed from one man's idea to a business in his garage to one of the world's largest retailers.
5. An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything by Chris Hadfield. Colonel Hadfield spent decades as an astronaut and has logged more than 4000 hours in space. During that time, he trained for every possible scenario and then dealt with crises that no training could prepare him for. In An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, he applies his training and experiences as an astronaut to modern business challenges. The results often run counter to commonly accepted wisdom. He says that people should visualize failure rather than success, should care about what other people think, and should always sweat the small stuff.
There are thousands of books in print about management and business issues, but that doesn't mean there aren't still new thoughts and ideas on the subject. Whether it came from an intense former basketball coach, a veteran astronaut, or a top executive at one of the world's largest companies, fresh perspective on management is always readily available.
Andy Franco has been in the marketing industry for more than 10 years. He is an entrepreneur and also a freelance writer for several authoritative publications. When he is not working or writing, he loves to travel around the world.
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