Warren Buffett, the famous American investor, speaker and philanthropist attributes his success to reading. An Investing student once asked him what the key was and he pointed to a pile of books and said, ‘Read 500 pages every day – that’s how knowledge works, it builds up like compound interest.’
His favourite books range from economist John Maynard Keynes’ classic Essays in Persuasion to former U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s Stress Test, which offers some fascinating reflections on some of the financial crises over the last ten years.
Following Buffett’s example, a book always makes a great present. It shows you’ve thought about the person, their interests and what you think they might enjoy.
Of course, there are lots of bestsellers out there; fiction, crime, fantasy but there are also some fascinating non-fiction titles too. If you’re buying for someone who’s in business, the books we’ve highlighted below may be particularly relevant. You may also find them of interest yourself.
So here are some top tips from the ‘smart thinking’ category:
Timekeepers by Simon Garfield
This is an engaging look at the way our lives have become dominated by time and the way technology is making everything faster and faster. Garfield examines our obsession with time and our desire to measure it and control it. You may identify with the ‘cauldron of rush’ of modern-day life.
Unlearning Leadership – Guy Bell
The subtitle of this book is ‘Know yourself – Grow your Business’. Bell challenges businesses that put shareholder value before their people, showing that companies which do so often have poor results. Instead, he encourages empathetic leadership and transformative thinking.
The Motivation Trap – John Hittler
If you’re a manager or in some other sort of leadership role, how do you keep your team motivated? Hittler unwraps some of the underpinnings of motivation, explores its limitations and shows when it can be an effective tool, based on his years of coaching experience.
The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg
Why do we do what we do? How can we change? This is an intriguing insight into what prompts behaviour from exercise to weight loss, market disruption to social revolution and what leads to success.
Happy Reading!