Books have been our greatest source of knowledge since time immemorial. A great book is one that stands relevant even after years after its publishing. The world is business was never a static one. And in modern times, change is the only constant. An MBA degree will certainly equip you with knowledge of business fundamentals. But the real-world problems demand several soft skills which cannot be acquired in a classroom only. One of the easiest ways to prepare yourself for the professional world is by reading books while doing your MBA. Often students miss it and regret it later, but we request you not to. So, in this blog series, we present to you some of the best books for MBA students and aspirants to learn and enhance their business skills through some of the classics business books. Hope you enjoy it.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Even though written 2,500 years ago, this book will always remain relevant for business students. The origin of the strategy as a term was from conducting wars and battles. And presently, the modern business world is no less than a battlefield. The strategy has always remained an important cornerstone for any successful business. Every MBA student is expected to understand business strategy. Reading this book will introduce you to the most basic form of strategic thinking which are relevant in every sphere of life. When applied from a business perspective, the strategic lessons from this book remain invaluable to date. So, if a strategy is something that intrigues you, this book is a must-read for you.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Even though written in 1937, this book is still a bestseller today. Surprisingly, as the name suggests, this book doesn’t teach you how to make money. Rather, it tries to make you understand the importance of psychological conditions for achieving goals. As MBA graduates, you will eventually lead organizations. Along with your technical know-how, your psychology is going to play a vital role. This book will teach you to have a burning desire and obsess over it so that you can eventually achieve it. All the obstacles can be passed by having faith in your thoughts and a constant desire for action. So, read this book and set up your mind for the hurdles in your life.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Managerial jobs are more about managing people than tasks. Interpersonal skills play a very important part in every MBA graduate’s life. Though published in 1936, the book provides a holistic perspective on interpersonal effectiveness. Topics such as ways to make people like you, fundamental techniques to handle people, and how to become a leader are tackled in this book. The author correctly wrote, “…the person who has technical knowledge plus the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people—that person is headed for higher earning power.” So, if you aim to be a successful manager, this book is a must-read for you.
How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff
Data has become the latest language of the business world and Statistics is the script of data. As modern managers, crunching numbers, interpreting them, and generating actionable insights from them is a necessary skill. Now, there is a famous saying “In God we trust, everybody else brings data”. So, this book becomes a must-read for all modern managers. Even though published in 1954, the lessons from this book like correlation vs causation, random sampling errors, scaling distortions, etc are still important and rampant. Thus, to enhance your quants skills, have a go at this book.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
Written in 1984, this classic book on the art of persuasion is considered one of the best to date. As business professionals, persuasion is going to be an important weapon in your arsenal. Starting from your clients to customers to even your colleagues, everybody needs to be persuaded for something in your professional life. This book talks about the psychology of people and what makes them say ‘yes’. It further delves deeper to understand the reasons and how they can be applied in a practical scenario. Thus, this book can be very useful for you regardless of your specialization.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
MBA degree holders are considered either successful or on the path to it. But often people forget that it is not just the degree alone which propels these individuals to the heights of success. Habits play a vital role in the lives of these individuals. And no other book that addresses the topic of effective habits than this book written in 1989. Habits consist of knowledge, skill, and desire. This book explains through a series of habits, that how can we move from dependency to independence in our life. So, if success is something you desire, this book is a must-read for you.
None of these books can guarantee you all the success and growth in your life or career. But, reading these books will certainly make you aware of the importance of soft skills like mindset, habits, persuasion, communication, strategic thinking, etc in one’s life. So, if you desire to learn and improve your arsenal of soft skills, read these classics from our best books for MBA reading list – Purvesh
All the best and enjoy. Stay tuned for the third part of this blog series.
Read our previous blog on the series Best Books for MBA – Part 1 here:
If you listen to podcasts, here are some recommendations of podcasts every MBA aspirants need to listen :
For CAT preparation, find a list of recommended books for VARC section preparation here :
Also, find a list of recommended blogs and websites for VARC preparation for your CAT examination here:
Purvesh is a bibliophile currently pursuing MBA at IIT Madras
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