Top 20 Books You Need To Read To Crush 2020

When my team members come to me with issues, I try to get under the surface and understand how I can get on their level. Empathy is an absolute necessity for businesses, and this book is a great resource on the way it plays into the leadership, brand, and culture for companies of all sizes.

When I was starting out with my company, I felt like it was important to look and act the part of the professional without really knowing what that meant. Here, Kim and Foland show that it’s much more important to be human and connect with others through vulnerabilities. Essentially, this book is a great guide for being yourself.

I’m always eager to learn about how other leaders have navigated the business world to get where they are today. Schwarzman outlines his path from student to CEO of Blackstone, one of the most successful investment firms in the world. This is an especially worthwhile read for those who are just getting their careers started.

No matter how turbulent the world can be around me, I always try to provide a steady head to guide my team members where they need to go. It’s a quality all leaders ought to embrace. Here, Holiday illustrates that stoicism is the key to not only leading a successful business, but also leading a fulfilling life.

Leading in this era isn’t just about setting expectations. It’s about connecting with your people, your customers, and the world around you. That’s a lesson I always try to keep at the top of my mind. Goyette’s book shows how to build more effective relationships, develop better environments, and lead in a more purposeful manner.

I’ve always found Gordan’s work to be helpful. Here, he and West offer up a fable that provides lessons on how to live a happy, impactful life — and help others do the same. It’s a quick, light read that you’ll want to reference time and time again.

If transforming ourselves were easy, everyone would do it. In my life, I’ve had to sacrifice a lot to be the person and the leader I wanted to be. Goggins shows that a major shift in your mindset can help you achieve things you never thought were possible.

Amazon is one of the most important companies in the world. Jeff Bezos, the man who built it, is a worthy role model for entrepreneurs trying to make their companies similarly impactful. Anderson breaks down Bezos’ 14 principles of growth as a way to show readers how they can take lessons from one of history’s most successful entrepreneurs and apply them to their own companies.

A lot of the self-help books I read overlook some of the specific challenges women face in their professional lives every day. Here, Falconer helps women learn how to decide what matters and build their own individualized productivity plan.

I know how stressful it can be when you’re stuck in a job you hate. I’ve been there. As Coleman writes in this book, the key is to network and plan the steps to take to get where you want to be. Coleman outlines the four most important concepts that will allow you to do so, helping you find a job that makes you feel complete.

I’m always looking for ways to declutter my life, especially with so many gadgets commanding my attention. In this book, Newport shows how you can determine best uses for all the technology around you so you don’t become lost in a world of online distractions.

I’m someone who believes in the importance of setting goals. In this book, legendary motivational speaker Ziglar shows how you can set goals and remain accountable to them by writing down your goals, making your goals public, and seizing the day.

I have a love-hate relationship with meetings. They’re important for hashing out ideas, but they can also be a time suck. In this book, Rogelberg writes about ways to make the most of your meetings with lively agendas, smaller groups, and other unique insights.

It’s common for entrepreneurs to feel like they’re failing. With so many decisions to make — and things that can go wrong — it’s easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis. Fertitta wants to help. In this book, he leans on his experience in the hospitality industry to share some commonsense principles that have served as guideposts throughout his career.

I love gaining insights from some of the best minds in business. Campbell certainly qualifies. He helped build companies such as Apple and Google, and in Schmidt’s book, Campbell’s lessons are distilled in a way that makes them appealing and applicable to owners of businesses of all sizes.

Buckingham relies on troves of research to debunk some of the most well-known thoughts about the modern business world. This is an especially refreshing read, helping me think through — and toss away, in some cases — some of the advice I’ve been given over the years. This book will help you take stock of what you know.

I’ve always viewed myself as more of a specialist, which is what made Epstein’s book a thoroughly interesting read. Epstein shows how people who are trained to deal with a range of different situations are able to perform better than their specialized counterparts. It’s food for thought for folks like me.

Navigating the job market can be daunting, especially if you’re considering a new career. I know. I’ve been there. Bolles’ book is a must-have tool, providing job seekers with helpful search methods and ways to make sure their time on the hunt is being put to good use.

This isn’t just a business book. It’s a gripping set of stories about leaders who’ve hatched ideas and carried them into the great unknown. These are lessons from war and space exploration, not to mention so many other fascinating landscapes.