I’ve shared my daily reading list and have provided my book recommendations, but often times people ask me specifically which business books have impacted me the most.

Of course I’m not the authority on all the best business books out there, but I’ve been navigating the business world my entire professional life. So, yes I understand why people the gravitate towards the impact of a great book.

I’ve learned over the years, mostly the hard way, that diving into the right book at the right time can give someone a crucial advantage. So here you go, here are the 26 business books that have personally made a huge difference for me in the business space.

“Big Picture” Stuff

These are all books that have changed the way I think. They have created a noticeable shift in the way I think about business and how I do business. Some of these are about virtues and core values that support ones ability to navigate the business world effectively but they’ve all had a direct impact on the success I’ve experienced so far.

Good to Great by Jim Collins
Safe People by Henry Cloud, John Townsend
Put Your Dream to the Test by John C. Maxwell
Humility by Andrew Murray
Seeing David in the Stone by James B. Swartz
Boundaries by Henry Cloud, John Townsend
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

Strategy

In sports, in life and in business you need to have a plan. Sometimes we get so focused in the business (short term) we often forget to focus on the the business (long term). Of course we have to focus on our key performance indicators that keeps the business healthy; but it’s essential to focus on the business if we want to keep it thriving, moving ahead and growing.

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins
The Pheonix Project by Gene Kim
Start with Why by Simon Sinek
The Future of Management by Gary Hamel

Productivity

Personal and professional development are high value targets for me, which is why I like to read up on how be more productive without effecting my quality of life. You’ve heard the saying before; work smarter, not harder!

Margin by Richard Swenson
Fish by Stephen C. Lundin
QBQ by John G. Miller

Leadership

As a father, a corporate executive and a leader of a ministry, leadership is more than a concept; it’s my life blood. A few of these are not straight on “leadership” books, but they’ve been very influential in developing my leadership perspective.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley
Nehemiah and the Dynamics of Effective Leadership by Cyril J. Barber
Leading at The Edge by Dennis N.T. Perkins
Tribal Leadership by Dave Logan

Marketing

Marketing is an area that we can all learn more about. Whether its about a product, a team or a brand…the ground in this space is always shifting. These books represent philosophies, strategies and tactics for successful marketing in today’s competitive environment.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Tribes by Seth Godin
Groundswell by Charlene Li
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt

Presentations

I’ve been public speaking more these days and presentations are a key part it. Learning to do this well is critical to success and it’s definitely been key for me to learn how to do it better.

Resonate by Nancy Duarte
Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo

Some of these books are a compass for navigation, a journey into core values and a handy toolkit. But they’ve all been very influential in helping me achieve and navigate this space. I hope this list of books helps you to better navigate the business world.

What business books have been critical to your success?