Just spent the last three days doing elements of this on a training course.

Thought it was really interesting and want to do some more reading. Not looking for a text book or anything too weighty but something readable yet informative. Particularly interested in personality types, how they interact in teams and how you can influence and pursuade people.

Suggestions welcome?

Personality types is fairly well debunked IMO. Hofstede's work on culture is interesting on a general level but I've not actually found it practical in working in mixed culture groups – muddling along is easier than going into things with a load of preconceptions.

How to Win Friends & Influence People is still extremely relevant and incredibly claptrap free compared to modern business literature.

Robert Ringer "Winning through Intimidation" about 1974

It's not about you using intimidation, but how others use it on you to gain the business advantage.

Now quite old, but it really covers the characters you meet in business.

It has been rebranded in a more recent reprint "To Be or Not to Be Intimidated?: That is the Question."

The Prince – Machiavelli

Up the Organization by Robert Townsend.

Theory X theory Y
McGregor.
http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/mcgregor/