Management "self help" book gift ideas…

I realize people may have some fun with this but hey ho tis the season….

My boss has decided as part of the Christmas party that we’re going to have an anonymous book exchange. Everyone buys and wraps a book which is placed in a pile then people take turns to draw from the pile. So in theory no one will know.. The theme is “Each person purchases a book that encourages new ideas and viewpoints, growth, innovation, knowledge, etc. supporting professional and personal learning and development”

So I’m looking for ideas that won’t get me fired but are slightly risky that fulfill the above brief.

“Its not what you say, its the way that you say it” Michael Parker. Came recommended this weekend

HTH

Hmmmm. I suspect given half a chance my boss would buy me the first of those choices CFH as I’m very much the scruffy scientist to his polished MBA style.

Nice trainers

Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, Paul Babiak

https://37signals.com/rework

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0141033576/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478685902&sr=1-1&keywords=fast+slow+thinking

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/dp/1846684811/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478686065&sr=1-1&keywords=good+strategy+bad+strategy

Sun Tzu – The art of war

This is a good version, as it’s not just the book but a bunch of other philosophers takes and some essays and stuff

art of war

The theme is “Each person purchases a book that encourages new ideas and viewpoints, growth, innovation, knowledge, etc. supporting professional and personal learning and development”

😀

Sorry, the one I posted above isvthe wrong version, this is the version you want

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-art-of-war/sun-tzu/thomas-cleary/9781590300541

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

The Ladybird Book of the Meeting

The Ladybird Book of the Sickie

The Ladybird Book of the Sickie

Cheap boss??

I hope you have a real budget for this kind of books too.

new ideas and viewpoints, growth, innovation

We are allowed to expense the books so not overly cheap.

I’m probably going to go for something sensible and think fast looks good.

+1 for Sun Tzu.
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson.
Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters.
Anything by Ken Blanchard.
It’s a deal by Paul Steele and others.
The Peter Principle by Peter Drucker
None of the above are endorsements.
Endless trips to and from pointless business meetings;private eye, the economist, times and then the latest management tome – those who can, do; those who can’t, write about it.

Five go a Strategy Away Day

Anything by Machiavelli

Sounds like a fun work environment…

Maverick by Ricardo Semler

Up the Organisation by Robert Townsend

Upside Down Management by John Timpson

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Lean-Thinking-Banish-Waste-Create-Wealth-Corporation/0743231643
Great principles that apply to any business.

and again +1 for the art of war but the one with the discussion and explanation rather than the quote book.

The Clown Manifesto by Nalle Laneela

Where Good Ideas Come From – Stephen Johnson
Relentless Innovation – Jeffery Phillips

Both interesting reads, not really “self-help”, not full of **** theories.

The Rules books by Richard Templar, in this case the Rules of Management.

This..

Or this..

Or, this..

Will help you succeed bigly.

Where Good Ideas Come From – Stephen Johnson

such a grammatically poor title, does not bode well for the rest of the book

We are allowed to expense the books so not overly cheap.

I’m probably going to go for something sensible and think fast looks good.

that’s good to hear 🙂

Have you got the Lean Start Up on your book shelves? It’s fantastic and potentially transformational depending on where you work.

Innovation Games is excellent too. Lots of good techniques in there.

XLR8 by John Kotter

Game Storming by Dave Gray