People, especially students, often ask me for recommendations of great books to read. A few days ago, the Washington Business Journal, asked me for a list of 5 books. Here’s the LINK to the Article.
Following is the full text of the piece with my comments in bold italic.
- Nicole Duhring
- Digital Producer-Washington Business Journal
Tien Wong, chairman and CEO of Opus8 Inc., talks the best business book he ever read and which book can help you win a major.
1. “Topgrading,” Bradford Smart
“The best business book I have ever read.” Why? Because you can’t build a great team without a methodical recruiting, measurement and retention process. When we had 2300 employees at CyberRep, we found this book and it became our “Bible” for managing human capital. I liked it so much, I have bought over 300 copies of the book to give to colleagues, partners and clients. Awesome book.
2. “Five Lessons: The 5 Fundamentals of Golf,” Ben Hogan
“Every business leader should work on his or her golf game. Master this book and you can win a major. Just ask Larry Nelson. “There’s no disputing that a ton of business still gets done on the golf course. I was a tennis player growing up, and kind of looked down on golf as not being a “real sport.” What I totally missed as a kid is that learning to play at a young age is invaluable for business. Why? Because many, if not most, business people love golf. And while it’s not a requirement to carry a single-digit index, it’s important to be able to play decently and not embarrass yourself when a boss or client invites you out for a golf outing, or vice versa. Having not played until my early 20s, I found myself playing “catch up” and having to learn the game through a lot of practice, lessons, and reading books. Ben Hogan’s book is concise and simple. It teaches the basics, the fundamentals, which can not only help anyone become a decent player relatively quickly, but create a Master’s champion like Larry Nelson.
3. Anything by F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Because nobody could put together a sentence like him. His writing is pure beauty.” Anyone who’s read Fitzgerald knows what I am talking about. I was lucky to have studied him in college and found myself reading his books twice, once for the story and once to appreciate the way he constructed his sentences. The upside is that my writing improved…a lot.
4. “Think and Grow Rich,” Napoleon Hill
“It’s not just about making money. It’s a classic ‘how to’ guide for achieving your goals.” Countless business leaders give credit to this Napoleon Hill’s classic as a big reason for their success. The book lays out a blueprint for achieving your goals, and I like to read it and review its words of wisdom every few months.
5. “The Innovator’s Dilemma,” Clay Christensen
“This book proves why companies who don’t innovate become extinct.” Christensen is a Harvard Business School professor and I recommend not only this book, but the many YouTube videos of his talks. His work is excellent and provides a lot of truth for all kinds of companies, but especially tech companies.
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