10 business books to inspire you

The holiday season is upon us. What better time to re-energise the brain muscle by taking in a few business books to inspire you with fresh energy for the new year?

To help you, we asked MYOB staff to recommend their favourite reads which have had an impact on them.

Want to get into 2017 full of new ideas? Here are 10 excellent sources of inspiration.

1. Connect by John Browne

Drawing from the experiences of John Browne, former CEO of BP, Connect explores the recurring gap between big businesses and social responsibility and how companies can succeed by engaging with communities and adopting genuine leadership.

– Tim Reed, Chief Executive Officer.

2. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

This is a New York Times Bestseller which offers a whole new look at the way our minds work and how we make decisions.

He believes that there are two ways we make choices: fast, intuitive thinking and slow, rational thinking.

This book provides practical techniques for slower, smarter thinking, helping us make more logical and rational decisions at work, home and in everything we do.

– Patrick Stafford, Digital Copywriter.

3. Quiet by Susan Cain

Did you know that 1 in 3 people we know are introverted? That means in a workplace, we’re all communicating and receiving information differently.

Introverts prefer listening to speaking and favour working on their own over brainstorming in teams.

This book explores how dramatically we undervalue this personality type, and how much we lose in doing so.

– Lauren Riley, Marketing Executive.

4. Creativity, Inc. by Amy Wallace and Edwin Catmull

For anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, post-mortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made.

It is, at heart, a book about how to build a creative culture—but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull writes, “an expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.”

– Jason McQuoid, Art Director.

5. Zero to One by Peter Thiel

Another New York Bestseller, this book explores how to build the future and continue innovating.

Thiel shows his readers how we can still find singular ways to create new things and ultimately one of the most important life lessons: learning to think for yourself.

– Jenny Nedanovski, Acquisition Content Strategist.

6. Payoff: The hidden logic that shapes our motivation by Dan Ariely

Payoff investigates the true nature of motivation.

Every day, we are self-motivated to go to work, be productive and create a life for ourselves and our families. From the boardroom to the living room, our role as motivators is complex.

Ariely digs deep to find the root of motivation—how it works and how we can use this knowledge to approach important choices in our own lives.

– Raffi Koshayan, Client Support Representative.

7. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Not your typical ‘business’ book but this emotional story teaches its readers the true definition of human purpose.

Based on his own experience, Frankl beautifully explains that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose.

Frankl says our primary drive in life is not pleasure, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.

– Saba Chowdhury, Public Relations Manager.

8. The Universe Doesn’t Give a Flying F**k About You by Johnny Truant

“The universe doesn’t hate you, but it doesn’t love you, either. You’re just an atom in its infinite workings. The universe doesn’t care if you live, die, suffer, or thrive. Whatever your life here will mean is up to you.”

This is a book to liberate and inspire you to live your wildest dreams because, as Johnny Truant says: “if your life is to matter, it’s not going to matter to the universe”.

This book is a profound reminder that time is short and if you want to reach your goals, the sky is the limit.

– Stefanie Di Trocchio, Content Lead.

9. Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty

This is a children’s story about young girls being encouraged to follow their entrepreneurial spirit.

Definitely the easiest read of this list, this is a charming, witty picture book about believing in yourself and pursuing your passion.

– Tracey Foster, Partner & Practice Marketing Manager.

 10. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Many people may read this book and not initially understand its relevance to business. But that would be missing the message.

This book is not about how to run a business or make smart investment choices, but makes an interesting comment on the way we think.

It explores how socioeconomic factors impact human thinking, comparing the lower socioeconomic communities to the wealthy.

This will change the way you think and prepare for your financial future.

– Evan Stamatopoulos, Release Manager, Product Development.