Here at MyPeople we’re passionate about reading – it’s one of our guilty pleasures!
Books can be a source of inspiration and a way to develop skills. They can also help us to become successful by providing knowledge, new insights and different ways of thinking.
Reading can assist the development of our cognitive abilities, which benefits us in a variety of ways; improving literacy and verbal intelligence, enhancing memory and increasing the ability to make strategic decisions, boosting brain capacity and reducing stress.
To give you an insight into some of the books the team have been reading this month, we asked our Sales Manager Wendy to share her top five pick of books that she’s been enjoying over the last few months.
The Code of Trust by Robin Dreeke
At MyPeople, we talk regularly about how trust is really important in our lives and relationships, be they personal or professional, and this book reinforces just how powerful trust can be.
Dreeke takes his experiences as a Marine and in the FBI, and has created a code of trust to live by. It isn’t an experiment in manipulating people into trusting you, it’s a code by which to live and lead.
Plus, there’s loads of cool spy anecdotes in there (and who doesn’t love those?!)
Alchemy – The Surprising Power of Ideas that Don’t Make Sense by Rory Sutherland
The opposite of a good idea isn’t necessarily a bad idea. The premise of the book is that to be brilliant, you have to be irrational sometimes. It was written by Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy Vice Chairman, and founder of its Behavioural Science department.
It looks at why we think we are rational and logical, and we think make decisions based on evidence, when in fact we don’t. If we did, how do we explain Red Bull rivalling Coca Cola for the honour of being the World’s second favourite non-alcoholic cold drink (after water). Full of lots of Sutherland’s experiences, it’s an interesting view on how advertising and brands affect our choices.
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
Alignment is critical when it comes to business success. The business needs a purpose, and all the employees should be aligned to that purpose. The employees (and marketing) should also be able to clearly articulate what the organisational purpose is. Sinek’s ‘Start With Why’ has been on many ‘must read’ lists over the years, but it’s principles still hold true today. People don’t buy ‘what’ you do, they buy ‘why’ you do it, but understanding the business and our own ‘why’ isn’t always easy. For help peeling back the layers, this book is a great place to start.
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
Another one that’s been on a few ‘must read’ lists lately, but the biography from the Founder of Nike, is rightfully there. Knight tells the story of how he created the brand, and the culture that challenged the biggest sports shoe companies in the World and became one of them. It doesn’t gloss over the failures, but also celebrates the successes and the relationships that built Nike from a 1-man company selling shoes from the back of his car, to the multi-billion dollar business it is today.
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
On average, we spend about a third of our lives asleep (approx. 229,961 hours in fact!), but many of us don’t understand how sleep works. We know some of the consequences of not getting enough sleep, but not all of them. In this book Matthew Walker explores what happens to our brains and bodies when sleep, and the impact of not getting enough in both the short term, and long term. Definitely worth a read to explain to your boss why getting enough sleep is critical to performance, and how an afternoon siesta is good for you!
If you’re struggling for ideas for something to read, try one of these! Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner or just someone that loves to digest books – there is always something new to learn.
Make time for yourself, pick out a book and indulge! Reading doesn’t have to be an intellectual exercise all the time. Read to relax and have fun. Pick up a book that makes you feel good.
