Posted by The self-help market is a multibillion dollar industry and I must admit, I’m often skeptical about how much these books really provide breakthrough insights or are just stating the obvious, with ideas that are easy to claim but complicated to put into practice. However, once in a while, books do come along which can genuinely assist with developing leadership skills, increasing self-esteem, spiritual growth and self-improvement. Here are my top 6 picks:
How to Win Friends and Influence People- Dale Carnegie
Though it may sound like a manual for manipulation, How to Win Friends and Influence People is still one of the most inspirational and useful books dealing in interpersonal communication, even though it was first published in 1937. The book encourages sincerity and seeking the beauty in people, proposing that we don’t truly influence a person until we like and respect them first. I believe this to be an essential read for those in leadership positions, particularly dealing in things like employee performance management.
The 4 Hour Work Week- Tim Ferriss
Author Tim Ferriss is certainly a sensationalist marketer, yet despite the hype title, the point he makes is that people can reexamine what they want from life and explore possibilities that give them more time to do things they are passionate about. Very often, the boundaries people feel entrapped by are in great part self-imposed. Though the Tim Ferris philosophy is not for everyone, it certainly gives a fresh perspective on the nature of work.
Getting Things Done- David Allen
In 2007, Time Magazine called Getting Things Done “the self-help business book of its time”. Author David Allen gained notoriety in corporate circles with his philosophy on doing more with less stress. Giving helpful guidance in simplifying tasks, managing projects and boosting efficiency, he proposes a workflow process to gain control over all the tasks one needs to get done, and “6 different levels of focus” to help them do it. His method is based on making the information you need to get things done (GTD) easy to store, track and retrieve. By doing the thinking in advance, you essentially generate a series of actions which you can later undertake without any further planning.
7 habits of highly effective people- Stephen R. Covey
Author Stephen R. Covey presents an approach to being effective by consistently doing the things that will bring about the results we are after. The book provides a useful framework for understanding the process of personal development and professional management.
The Artist’s Way- Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Way is a collection of tips and hints from different artists and authors, which were compiled and published by Julia Cameron, as a set of helpful methods for maximizing the creativity and productivity of artists. It offers advice and a 12 week program to activate your creative juices, and is an invaluable guide for anyone embarking on a creative journey or trying to reactivate their artistic engines.
Zen Habits- Leo Babauta
Zen Habits is one of the most visited blogs on the Internet and covers topics like achieving goals, bring productive, organized, GTD, motivation, eliminating debt, saving, eating healthy, living frugally, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits. Zen Habits “is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives”, as written by the creator and writer of the blog, Leo Babauta.
