10 Eye-Opening Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read BY Geoffrey James

These books reveal the truth of how organizations really work, and it's not pretty. As anyone who reads this column knows, I'm a huge proponent of positive thinking.  However, positive thinking is delusional unless it's based upon a clear understanding of how the business world really works.

Put another way: We can't make the world a better place unless we can first see things as they really are. I've already pointed you at the "Top 10 Motivational Books of All Time" in order to help you prepare to make the world for the better.

The books on this list show you exactly what we're up against.

10. How to Lie With Statistics

Darrell Huff's classic 1954 tome explains how business people, politicians, and the news media misuse "the truth" specifically to mislead. As a touchstone and reality check, this book keeps you from being duped by others. As a weapon, this book gives you vast power over the ignorant masses. Please handle with great care.

Best quote: "A well-wrapped statistic is better than Hitler's 'big lie'; it misleads, yet it cannot be pinned on you."

9. The No Asshole Rule

As much as we all wish it were different, there's no denying that some people are jerks and that sometimes we're going to end up working with them. The expletive in the title sets the tone for this book, which also provides suggestions for avoiding, transcending, or even utilizing these inevitable corporate sphincters.

Best quote: "Two-faced backstabbers...who have enough skill and emotional control to save their dirty work for moments when they can't get caught, are tougher to stop--even though they may do as much damage as a raging maniac."

8. The 4-Hour Workweek

Hard work and long hours are the key to success, right? Well, maybe not. In this widely praised (and criticized) book, author Timothy Ferriss asks you to rethink the concept of work, revealing the sad truth that 90 percent of what you're doing may be not just unnecessary but actually detrimental to achieving the life you desire.

Best quote: "Alternating periods of activity and rest is necessary to survive, let alone thrive. Capacity, interest, and mental endurance all wax and wane. Plan accordingly."

7. The Peter Principle

Most businesses aspire to create meritocracies where the brightest get promoted while the mediocre get culled out of the company. Unfortunately, there's a downside to this strategy, according to authors Laurence Peter and Raymond Hull. As companies grow and change, all staff members (including CEOs) end up in over their heads.

Best quote: "Anything that works will be used in progressively more challenging applications until it fails."

6. Crazy Bosses

The business press tends to lionize the heads of large corporations, treating them as giants among the rest of us mere mortals. This classic by Stanley Bing reveals the petty side of corporate privilege: the extreme narcissism of the powerful and privileged psychopaths who've clawed their way to the top.

Best quote: "After nearly 6,000 years of evidence on the subject, one thing stands clear: the people who end up as leaders in any organization, large or small, are often the craziest guys around."

5. 21 Dirty Tricks at Work

In this horribly fascinating book, authors Mike Phipps and Colin Gautrey explain the most common ways that bosses, co-workers, and employees attempt to manipulate one another. More important, it provides specific advice for thwarting these attempts and getting what you want at work.

Best quote: "Dirty tricks are more than just a career-threatening nuisance; they also form part of the political backdrop to all the great recent organizational scandals."

4. Don't Bring It to Work

Ever wonder why some people act childishly at work? Wonder no more. Workplaces have a tendency to reproduce the family dynamics of the people who work there, explains author Sylvia LaFair. She describes the dysfunctional types, then provides suggestions to help them evolve beyond their emotional limitations.

Best quote: "The reason most organizational programs abort is that they fail to deal with our life patterns, which are at the foundation of workplace anxiety, tension and conflict."

3. Poorly Made in China

According to author Paul Midler, the real story behind outsourcing to China isn't how much cheaper it is to manufacture there; it's how Chinese manufacturers destroy product quality and weaken brand names. Once you read this, you'll know why just about everything you can buy in the U.S. (but made in China) feels like a second-rate replica.

Best quote: "American companies...were no match for savvy Chinese industrialists who often went out of their way to manipulate product specifications to widen profit margins."

2. The Complete Yes Minister

Based on the acclaimed BBC TV program of the 1980s, this hilarious book describes exactly how faceless, nameless bureaucrats wield the vast power of inertia to frustrate attempts by clueless "leaders" to move organizations in new directions. Read it once, read it twice, and you won't get fooled again.

Best quote: "It's called 'the law of inverse relevance': the less you intend to do about something, the more you have to keep talking about it."

1. The Dilbert Principle

Still one of the best (and certainly the funniest) business books ever written. Author and cartoonist Scott Adams looks into the very soul of the business world and captures the absurdity of much that takes place there, puncturing every bloated corporate balloon that ever floated past a cubicle.

Best quote: "We're a planet of nearly six billion ninnies living in a civilization that was created by a few thousand amazingly smart deviants.

12 Essential Traits Of Successful Start-up Leaders BY Young Entrepreneur Council

From humility to the ability to stay focused anytime, 12 start-up founders share the traits they consider hallmarks of great leadership.

We asked 12 successful founders from the Young Entrepreneur Council which traits they believe--above all others--define great start-up leaders. After all, passion is one thing--but what actually makes a good leader great? Their best answers are below.

1. Flexibility

"No plan survives contact with the enemy." This variation on German Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke's original quote could not be more true. Leaders of start-ups need to be flexible and be able to alter (or even throw out) plans as their business rolls forward. And they need to be able to do it without getting angry, stressed, or insulted. Emotions like that from a leader crush company morale. --Matt Peters, Pandemic Labs

2. Humility

Whenever the company fails, it should also be the leader's fault. Whenever the company succeeds, it should also be the employees' fault. Your employees are not a vehicle to fund your ego. If you run a company, your employees are now your customers--and your top priority should be to serve their needs, not your own. --Liam Martin, Staff.com

3. Focus

As a leader it's easy to get off track with your investment, your time, and your energy. You want to go to every event, every speech, and every dinner. Focus is what really matters. You need to put time and energy into activities that are the most effective for your business and its success. Have a litmus test for what those are and only accept invites and spend time on what passes that test. --Susan Strayer LaMotte, exaqueo

4. Decisiveness

The most successful start-up leaders recognize they do not have time to get all of the facts for the dozens of decisions they make each day. Instead, they just need to gather enough information to make sound decisions so the company can move forward. Some of those decisions will be wrong, but it is better to learn from those mistakes and try again than to be immobilized by indecisiveness. --Doug Bend, Bend Law Group

5. Stick-to-it-ness

Starting a new company of any kind isn't easy. If you look at any entrepreneur, you'll see a willingness to work through the hard times, but among the greats, it goes beyond that. Seriously impressive entrepreneurs are willing to put in the sweat, even if others can't grasp the vision. They work through the different bits of a knot, rather than trying to rush through and cut it apart. --Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting

6. Vision

Vision is the most important trait of a start-up leader. The ultimate test, though, is instilling the dream: encouraging the people around you to believe in your vision and quest. A consistent message and constantly renewed energy will help others to live your passion. --Russell Kommer, ExcelHelp.com

7. Paranoid Confidence

Every start-up leader is different, so no single characteristic is the defining trait for everyone. But, that said, I believe the best entrepreneurs develop a healthy balance of paranoia and confidence. They're vigilant and realistic while, at the same time, never lacking the the gumption to believe their vision is right.

--Derek Flanzraich, Greatist

8. Ownership

Great leaders, in any industry, will not let circumstances control their pursuit for making an impact. These leaders see themselves as arbiters of their success and regard external pressures as within their control. When something sets them back, great leaders persevere and take ownership of that circumstance.

--John Harthorne, MassChallenge

9. Positivity

A positive mindset defines a great leader. If you don't buy into a bulletproof mindset of positivity, you won't make it as an entrepreneur. Business is constantly filled with ups and downs; if the captain of the ship is always positive, he will influence others to feel the same.

--Aaron Pitman, API Domain Investments

 

10. Salesmanship

The ability to network and sell. Great start-up leaders are always selling. They are selling their employees to work for them, selling investors to invest in them, selling partners to partner with them, selling customers to buy their product. The greatest leaders all know how to sell and network. Tip: Read "How to Win Friends and Influence People."

--Peter Nguyen, Literati Institute

11. Self-Awareness

The best leaders have an acute sense of self-awareness; they know their strengths, and more importantly, their weaknesses. A great start-up leader is confident enough to be honest about areas for growth. Knowing areas you need the most assistance with allows you to identify the right people to join your team, as well as the best potential strategic partners for your business. --Charles Bogoian, Kenai Sports

12. The Ability to Listen

Listening is completely underrated in most business environments. In our hyper-competitive world, the person who speaks first--and loudest--is most often heard. But soliciting feedback and internalizing what you hear will always make you a better leader. Your employees will appreciate that you care about their POV and you'll gain trusted partners for the road ahead. --Brendan Mangus, Habidy

5 productivity tips from incredibly busy people by Scott Dockweiler

Most days, we can barely find enough time in the day to do everything we need to do—so we can’t imagine how the world’s top executives keep their lives together.

Well, this infographic uncovered their secrets. Browse below for quick tips from Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and sports legends about how they operate at their absolute peak potential at work and in life. 

Then, try one of the ideas yourself, and tell us how it goes in the comments section!

4 To-Dos for the 'Someday' Entrepreneur - Adelaide Lancaster

I talk with a lot of people who want to start a business “someday.” And as a result, I often think about the factors that determine which “someday” entrepreneurs will actually become business owners, and which will continue to say “I wish” for years to come.

Surprisingly, the ability to take the plunge has a lot less to do with people’s personalities, and a lot more to do with how accessible and familiar the experience of entrepreneurship is to them. Those who can picture themselves running a business often do. And those who continue to think of entrepreneurship as a big, scary thing that other people (perhaps more gregarious, sales-oriented, or risk-tolerant people) do tend to never move forward.

So, if you, too, dream of someday being your own boss, an important first step is just getting acquainted with the nature of the beast. Here are four things that will help you do just that.

1. Make New Friends

One of the best ways to learn what entrepreneurship is really like is by getting to know some entrepreneurs. Not necessarily the fancy, media darling types, but just normal, low-key people who work for themselves. To start, connect with entrepreneurs who match your own demographic—it helps you to start thinking “hey, if they can do it, so can I!” But be sure to branch out from there, and also to meet people in a wide variety of industries. There are lots of styles of entrepreneurship, so the more diversity you can experience, the better!

If you don’t know any entrepreneurs, just start asking people to make some introductions. Or, join groups on LinkedIn or Facebook and start paying attention to the discussions that are happening. Ask someone you find interesting to have coffee and take it from there. Pick their brain about useful resources, groups, or meetings, and see if they can introduce you to even more entrepreneurs.

2. Pick Some New Role Models

In addition to making some new pals, it’s important to identify role models who are a little more established in the business world. You might not be able to take them to coffee, but you can learn a lot by observing them and their companies from afar.

Select three brands or companies that you like and admire. Find as many ways to follow their leaders as possible—be it their blogs, articles, or Facebook profiles. Read their books if they have them. Read their press and interviews that they’ve done. Think about how their personalities and leadership styles have shaped the brands and the companies they run. Stay abreast of their company news, and take note of what they share about their own experience.

3. Fall in Love with Small Business as a Customer

There’s a certain romance to small business. As a customer, there’s always something more special about the experience. Sometimes it’s witnessing changes over the years, other times it’s the connection to the owner, others it’s the attention to detail that’s given to the product or service.

And there’s a lot to learn from that! So, in addition to making friends with entrepreneurs themselves, it’s important to also make relationships with some actual businesses. Think about the small businesses that you currently patronize, or the new start-ups whose products you love. What do you know about their owners or story? What are their goals and where are they going? What do they do that’s memorable, distinct, or unique? What do they do particularly well? Thinking about your own experiences as a customer will give you tons of insight into running your own show.

4. Demystify “Business” Speak

Most would-be entrepreneurs get scared off by the “business” side of things. They overestimate the skills and knowledge that are needed to run a business and assume that there are huge mountains to be climbed and learning curves to overcome before even getting started.

But it’s important to confront the monster under the bed—it’s not as hard as you might think, and you certainly don’t have to have an MBA to do it. Pick a small business magazine like Inc. or Fast Company and invest $15 to get a subscription. Peruse it each month, but feel free to read only what’s interesting to you. You’ll soon see how un-mysterious business can be. From behind-the-scenes business profiles to questions about how to handle particular challenges, you’ll begin to learn a lot about the experience of entrepreneurship.

As you start talking to people, expanding your reading list, and thinking more and more about the what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, you’ll soon see that it’s not as big and scary as you might think. And that “someday” will inch a little bit closer to today. 

15 Big Life Insights I Wish I Knew at 18 - By Jordan Lejuwaan

This is the list that comes to mind now. I chose to give it a different name rather than ’50 Life Secrets & Tips: Part 3′ because this represents what I consider to be a new era of understanding in my life. I hope you enjoy them :)

1) True pleasure and results come from mastery

In this internet age, there are many of Jack of all trades: people who know a bit about MANY things, but have not mastered any one thing. This is unfortunate. Immense pleasure is derived from being absolutely badass at something.

The solution:
“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” – Swami Vivekananda

2) The best practices are those you discover for yourself

The downside of having so much information available online is that it’s easy to get lost in spiral of trying out other people’s methods while never attempting to create on of your own. You’re missing a lot of context when simply subscribing to some internet guru’s meditation technique. This is akin to buying an iPhone and thinking you know how to manufacture a phone.

Instead, try a method that you think would feel good for you. Continually make modifications until you have a practice that is uniquely your own. Feel free to take inspiration from others, but be sure the final product is finely tailored to who you are.

3) Reality is highly subjective

Even science is subjective. The more deeply you realize this truth, the better you will get along with your fellow man. Our thoughts and beliefs shape our realities in a greater capacity than we can fully understand. This is has major take-aways:
1) Accept the seemingly absurd views of others as a logical result of them looking through an entirely different lens.
2) Realize that you are in control of the lens you look through. Carefully mold your beliefs towards the kind of world you wish to live in. The sky is the limit.

4) You can only be truly angry at yourself

If something bothers you, it must also dwell inside of you. For example, if your friend’s selfish behavior pisses you off, then you are actually frustrated by your own selfish tendencies. I know, this one is difficult to swallow at first. Take a long hard introspective look inside the next time you’re angered. It’s a great way to learn more about yourself and increase your control of your emotions.

5) Re-apply your own principles routinely

Lessons need to be learned over and over. It’s easy to ride the wave of your past learned experiences and fool yourself into think you’re still acting upon them. Keep a note somewhere of your big life lessons and go through them routinely to make sure you’re still on track.

6) Stating intentions out loud can reduce their power

The opposite is also true, but this side of the polarity is rarely talked about.
There is something powerful about concealing a secret mission to accomplish X rather than sharing it with the world. I’m having trouble iterating exactly why this is, but please do try it out for yourself.

7) My broken record: pyschedelics are an insanely powerful tool for introspection

I’ve advocated the responsible use of psychedelics for personal growth on HE more times than I can mention. They have been essential to my own growth, and to the existence of this very website. Read this article for more info if you’re a first-timer.

8) Your morning routine is everything

Start your day with a structure that empowers you for the rest of the day.
For me, the most important part is getting up at a set time, even if that time isn’t very early. In this case, consistency trumps efficiency (within reason). When you’re awake, do what makes you feel ALIVE! It doesn’t need to be meditation or journaling. Do what makes you amped for the rest of the day.

9) Seriously, remember people’s names

I’m still horrible at this. I like to blame it on the sheer number of people who contact me on a daily basis, which has trained me to think that I can’t keep track, but that’s just an excuse.
Remembering someone’s name is the first step towards seeing the divinity in each person you meet.

10) Embrace what is innate in yourself

For a while I battled with my anti-social nature. On an average night, I much prefer to stay in and work/create than go out with other people. In the past I felt bad for not wanting to be social, placing selfish accusations on myself. But more recently I’ve realized this is just me. Self-improvement books and popular culture have taught me that it’s not good to live out that side of me. But it feels good. So fuck it.

11) Repetition is key

Unless you’re a savant, you need to read/learn/experience things multiple times for them to stick. If come across something that hits home with you, be sure to revisit it again and again until it’s engrained in you. Re-read books, write down your lessons, use Anki Cards for memorization, etc. And repeat :)

12) FOCUS! / Learn to say NO

I know this because I’m still recovering from the lesson. My time is split between HE, Valhalla Movement, RaveNectar and some super-secret side-projects. My results would be much more powerful if I poured all of my time into 1-2 projects maximum.
Just because something is inline with your bliss does not mean it has a place in your life. Place a priority on having priorities ;)

13) Down with extremes

Self-improvement freaks have a tendency to try out extreme habits, eg. no meat, working out every day, no drinking, etc. These short-lived experiments generally end with a binge on the other end of the spectrum. Instead, aim for a healthy balance from the start.

14) Follow the path of least resistance

When you’re in full acceptance of the path laid before you, life flows. You don’t need to force anything.
If you’re pursuing something and life is throwing a ridiculous amount of hurdles at you, re-consider whether or not this is the right path for you. Are you forcing it?
It may seem difficult to discern between needing to work hard and the Universe saying ‘STOP!’, but you’ll gain that ability with time.

15) You can do anything

Every single amazing person you’ve ever heard of started off as a zero. Great feats come through sweat and tears, not innate talent. Decide what your greatness should be and go pursue it relentlessly. The only person standing in your way is you.