In the second installment of What We’re Reading, we’re taking a break from mobile data collection and retail execution strategy...
...to bring you our favorite business psychology titles. When our team compared notes, one quality that several of our favorite books share in common is the unequivocal power to engender positive thinking. These books can be found on the shelves of the new GoSpotCheck office library and inspire us to collaborate with confidence and passion each and every day.
The Happiness Advantage, by Shawn Achor
This fascinating, quick read presents an explanation for how happiness leads to success—and not the other way around. It’s a common tendency to assume that after we achieve success, we will be happy. But Achor cogently demonstrates that if we emphasize happiness and positive thinking from the start, then success will follow. By treating happiness as the orbital center of our lives, it becomes increasingly easier to maintain the productivity and creativity that are required to bring about the realization of your goals.
A More Beautiful Question, by Warren Berger
Berger’s illuminating premise is that the act of questioning forms the very heart of business innovation. He shows how the most successful individuals are expert questioners, and he breaks down how groundbreaking organizations instill productive questioning at the core of their DNA. Our natural drive to ask questions often diminishes along the path to adulthood—Berger, however, guides us to reawaken our questioning instincts so that we may become our best problem-solving selves.
Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In, by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton
This is the undisputed classic book about negotiation as a means for reaching consensus and developing ongoing and rewarding relationships. The authors delve into the psychology behind successful business strategy and focusing on interests rather than positions, separating people from problems, and much more.
Tribes, by Seth Godin
This is one extraordinarily tight, insightful read about leadership, teamwork and successful collaboration. Godin is a key visionary business thinker, and in Tribes he compels us to never lose sight of common ideas and goals, inspiring all of us to think like leaders. It’s a genuinely thought-provoking read and one that many of us return to time and again for its insights on thinking outside the box and seizing new opportunities through the power of collaboration.
Inside of a Dog, by Alexandra Horowitz
Here at GoSpotCheck, we pretty much love dogs just as much as we love to read, so Inside of a Dog has a special place in our hearts. If you’ve ever wondered what your dog is thinking, this book will be one tremendous pleasure for you. After perusing these pages, you’ll no doubt have a deeper understanding of dog behavior. The psychological analysis and historical perspective offered by Horowitz, a leading cognitive scientist, is notably thorough and endlessly fascinating. What’s more, the insights provided may prove especially useful when you’re trying to wrangle in the office welcoming committee!
We hope there are some new discoveries on this list for you or that we’ve reminded you to revisit some of your own perennial favorite business books. Look out for the final installment of What We’re Reading next week. And happy reading!
