My Top 5 go to Business Books - Dr. John Maltby
My Top 5 go to Business Books - Dr. John Maltby
I am going to apologize right out of the gate here and admit that this list technically has more than five books on it. I love to read and consume as much as I can. I am not a fast reader, and I have never enjoyed the skimming method or listening to audio books. I am a firm believer that every word written in these books is there for a reason and I try to understand them all (which is why I am also never too far from a dictionary).
I chose to highlight the following five books because I refer back to them and re-read them more than any others.
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
They also wrote a follow up to this book, The Dichotomy of Leadership, which is equally as good.
Jocko Willink has also written a series of kids books, The Way of the Warrior Kid, that are excellent as well (my kids enjoy them).
2. The E-Myth Revisited by Micael E. Gerber
I was first given The E-Myth in grad school and could not put it down. It is a more straightforward and practical business book than most that I have read. There is also The E-Myth Chiropractor that I like and go back to as well. There is an E-Myth book for just about any other profession out there.
I like how this book breaks down the various roles a business owner must take on, and how to navigate those separate roles by building and putting systems in place to make everything work smoothly.
This is an older book and might seem outdated, but the core ideas in it are still good for me today.
3. Good to Great by Jim Collins
This is the most recent read of mine. It is not the newest book on the list, but it has stood the test of time and quickly became a Top 5 book for me. Jim Collins does an excellent job analyzing the key factors that made good companies great companies.
It is a heavy data driven book, with a lot of case studies and analysis of them to help make its arguments.
4. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
I read this book before Good to Great and am excited to re-read it. Chris Voss was a successful FBI negotiator and lays out the methods and techniques he used to be one of the best ever. I have already used his approach in everyday discussions with surprising results. I feel like there is too much in this book for me to be able to condense down to a quick paragraph without dumping everything and then getting accused of plagiarizing. Do yourself a favor and buy it.
For all of you Real Estate Pros out there, he has released The Full Fee Agent specifically for you all back in November.
5. Are You the Doctor, Doctor? By F.H. Barge D.C., Ph.C., FICA
I fully understand if you want to skip this one if you are not a Chiropractor, but I would plead with you to hear me out. I do not expect anyone besides Chiropractors to buy this book, but there are a few things in it I think apply to all businesses.
This book lays down the argument that if you have decided to be a Doctor, then you are a Doctor 24/7. If you cannot be that, then find something else to do. I believe it speaks to the passion you should have in whatever it is you are doing, and to understand that you will need to sacrifice certain things in your life if you wish to be successful at this profession that you have chosen to do. There is so much more in this book for Chiropractors, but it is built on three basic principles:
- Strive To Know More
- Work Hard
- Be Absolutely Honest
I would love to know what any of your favorite books are as well.
Dr. John K. Maltby II
