The 5 most important business books of all time are not officially business books at all, which is precisely the reason I have put them on this list. The titles will probably come as a surprise to most. What, no Stephen Covey? No John Maxwell? No Seth Godin?

Sorry, those authors belong on a list, just not this one.

My criteria for selecting the titles here include the author’s ability to convey universal truths and wisdom, keen insights into the human condition, and a mastery of using language to blast readers with a-punch-in-the-gut-and-bring-you-to-your-knees experience.

All things the majority of businesses everywhere could benefit from having more of in their daily operations.

I’m afraid that if you were hoping to find some pretty pie charts, PowerPoint slide shares, or any other manner of analytics and data, you will need to look elsewhere.

That said, here goes:

1. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield.

2. A Joseph Campbell Companion Selected and Edited by Diane K. Osbon

3. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

4. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

5. Any collection of poetry, but particularly those by Mary Oliver, Billy Collins, William Stafford, and Robert Frost.

The War of Art

In a previous post about this important book, I explained why it matters and needs to be read by anyone who is serious about building anything (that includes companies). It’s easy to dismiss this book at first glance because it seems to be about busting through writer’s block, but a closer look reveals how relevant Pressman’s mini chapters are to anyone who creates for a living. And yes, that includes business owners.

A Joseph Campbell Companion

Joseph Campbell was a mythology expert, and wrote copiously about the Hero’s Journey and the significance of myth on human experience. The subtitle of this book says it all: Reflections on the Art of Living. Filled with dagger-like insights about meaning and authenticity, this book should be on the shelf of every executive leader in the country. Considering that every one of us — entrepreneur or otherwise — is on our own hero’s journey, called to some higher purpose that we must attend to or perish, you’d be foolish to skip this one.

Bird by Bird

I include Anne Lamott’s exploration of the writing process on this list because — like any other creative act — writing holds universal truths that can be applied to all manner of business endeavors. Because what else is building a business but a creative act?

Having owned and run my own businesses for ten years now, I can confidently say Lamott addresses common challenges not only writers face, but business owners battle as well. From “shitty first drafts” to dealing with the critics living in your head who try very hard to tear you down and away from your vision of producing something of value, Bird by Bird explores many of the common traps those who want to create face regularly and need to move past in order to flourish (and produce those pretty pie charts stakeholders are so antsy to see all the time).

Letters to a Young Poet

A fabulous book that exemplifies the mentor to mentee relationship. Not to mention knocking you over with its nuances and soulful expression.

Poetry

I remember seeing a sign once in Powell’s that read: “There is no money in poetry because there is no poetry in money.” Businesses (and those who build them) are often perceived as synonymous with money, and nothing else. Right or wrong, this is a common perception among the masses who have been damaged brainwahsed by a relentless barrage of media coverage about greedy Wall Street Titans and big corporations sucking the coffers dry with no regard for anyone but themselves.

It is for this very reason that I include poetry collections by some of our greatest poets like Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, and William Stafford on this list. Poetry is perhaps the one written art form that gets us closest to the divine and the deepest parts of ourselves. I believe that if more business leaders made a point of pausing for poetry every now and again, we’d see more generosity from the top and less selfishness. (It would also help tremendously with the image problem as those of us who know how hard it is to create and then build a company aren’t all cut from the Gordon Gecko cloth.)

So there it is. My official list of the 5 most important business books of all time. Think about it. How could anyone not fall in love with a business leader who began a meeting with something like:

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems

POW!