21 Most Recommended Books for Your Business Development Library

There are have been several discussions within networking groups I am in regarding building a business development related library for our technical staff. Below, I have compiled the list of recommendations from the groups as well as added some of my favorites. I then grouped them by topic.

The ones with an asterisk (*) next to the title I have read. The others are definitely on my reading list now!

Leadership, Management, and Team Building

• Good to Great* by Jim Collins – I read this book in college and still remember and use the concepts when I build and develop my teams. If you want to become a manager, this is a must- read.
• Stand Out: The Groundbreaking New Strengths Assessment from the Leader of the Strengths Revolution* by Marcus Buckingham – This is the follow-up to the Strengths Finder. When you purchase the book, you get an access key to continued development.
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
• Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t* by Simon Sinek
• Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant* by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne – This is a must read for your principals. It is based on 20+ years of research of firms who have essentially eliminated their competition through approaching work delivery and/or marketing completely different than the rest of the competing firms.

Networking

• Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
• Network Like an Introvert by Tim Klabunde
• Smart Networking by Liz Lynch
• Networking in the South by Gary Davis—This came recommended to anyone doing business development south of the Mason Dixon line.
• Make Your Contacts Count: Networking Know-How for Cash, Clients, and Career Success by Anne Barber & Lynne Waymon

Relationship Building

• The Thank You Economy* by Gary Vaynerchuk – This book focuses on building relationships and communicating with clients in the new web/digital economy.
• Relationship Marketing: Creating Stakeholder Value by Martin Christopher
• The Definitive Book of Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease
• The Trusted Advisor – David H. Maister, Charles H. Green & Robert M. Galford
•  The Behavioral Advantage – Terry R. Bacon & David G. Pugh
• Love is the Killer App (how to win business and influence friends) – Tim Sanders

Selling and Growing Your Business

• What Clients Love: A Field Guide to Growing Your Business by Harry Beckwith
• The Art of Selling Rocket Science: Book 1. Building a Sales Program for Technical Services by Charles McIntyre and Harold Glaser
•  The Art of Selling Rocket Science: Book 2. Winning Competitive Pursuits for Technical Services by Charles McIntyre and Harold Glaser
• Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith
• The 12 Clichés of Selling ( and Why they Work) by Barry Farber

Your Turn

Have you read any of these books? What others would you recommend to add to your AEC Business Development Library?