Knowing how to manage a business well requires effort and also extensive knowledge. 

The learning curve of a person who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, or is already one, must always be ascending. They need to not only be up to date, but also to work on improving their time management, financial knowledge, team work, among others.

To do so, relying on good management books is the first step.

That’s exactly why we put together this list with some of the best management books that you must read:

1. Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead (Sheryl Sandberg)

Forbes considers Sheryl Sandberg to be one of the most powerful women in the world — and rightly so. After all, she has been Facebook’s chief operating officer since 2008 and one of the people responsible for the  worldwide expansion of the social network.

In her book, Lean In, Sandberg proposes a reflection about women in the global workforce. 

Despite being the majority of the population, few women occupy leadership positions in the corporate world.

The author investigates the reasons for the stagnation in women’s growth in terms of career, while encouraging women to dream bigger, take risks and pursue their goals without fear.

What is interesting is that the executive doesn’t only propose a self-reflection, but also shows the successes and failures in her career. 

The book is for both women and men, because it helps show the panorama of the issue of gender in the workplace, promoting a more equal role.

2. The Effective Executive (Peter Drucker)

Peter Ferdinand Drucker was an important researcher and author, and is considered one of the forerunners in modern administration. 

He wrote over 30 books throughout his life, with one of the most notable being The Effective Executive.

Drucker’s theme in the book revolves around the importance of effective managers, and how it can be learned; after all, managers get paid to show effectiveness in their work.

One of the unique features for readers is the fact that the author brings up the issue of the decision-making process, and also the empowerment necessary for managers.

Based on pillars such as organization and self-development, Drucker also provides cases about employee development to generate good results for the business. 

It is a truly effective guide on how to make it happen.  

3. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors (Michael E. Porter)

You have probably heard of Michael Porter, a Harvard professor and also one of the most acclaimed authors on management. Among his main contributions to the market is the article The five competitive forces that shape strategy, which originated Porter’s five forces.

In Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, Porter presents one of the most powerful competitive tools ever developed: the combination of low-cost strategies, differentiation and focus.

The idea is to help predict the behavior of competitors in order to choose what to emphasize as a competitive edge, while also addressing the topic of how to further develop managerial perception.

4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)

200 years. This was the amount of time that Stephen Covey covered in his research in order to understand which habits make people more effective.

Despite its self-help inclination, the book is an important read for managers, precisely because it deals with a subject that still concerns the organizational environment: productivity.

In addition to habits that every manager should adopt, the book also covers what should be avoided. 

An interesting aspect is being able to pass this on to employees who work closely with you in order to ensure an alignment among all parties.

5. Leadership Gold (John Maxwell)

When talking about books on management, we must highlight the importance of the leadership aspect. 

Being a good leader is key, especially when you have your own business.

Accordingly, John Maxwell’s book tells us a bit about his journey, which started in 1964, when he reflected for the first time about what leadership meant. Since then, Maxwell has been on his path as a leader with many lessons learned along the way — a true find.

6. Competing for the Future (Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad)

Being on Time magazine’s list of the 25 most influential business management books isn’t a minor feat. Gary Hamel and C.K. Prahalad managed to do this with their book, Competing for the Future.

The authors defend a very current concept of business strategy. In their view, strategic planning must occur all the time, not only in specific situations.

In addition, they emphasize that management must be guided with purpose and not only with the analytical process. 

They also point out that executives must be constantly evolving, in order to develop essential skills and anticipate changes in the market.

7. Emotional Intelligence (Daniel Goleman)

It’s no surprise that organizations are increasingly valuing emotional intelligence. The interpersonal skill of knowing how to deal with complex situations in the workplace is what differentiates one professional from another.

Daniel Goleman is a journalist who, for over 12 years, wrote about studies of the brain and behavioral sciences for the New York Times. This served as the basis for his book, which is the benchmark when it comes to management.

In Emotional Intelligence, Goleman explains how rational and emotional minds shape our destinies. He states that emotional awareness is key for the development of individuals’ intelligence, not only at work, but also in their personal life.

Focused on management, this is one of the books that help you reflect on human potential.

8. Walking the Talk (Carolyn Taylor)

Good management is also linked to an organization’s culture. 

When we think about human development, it is essential that we have a guide, with a business it’s the same. 

Understanding the organizational culture is the first step towards alignment and management success.

In Walking the Talk, Carolyn Taylor writes about the impact of the organizational culture when carrying out a strategy. 

She also shows the responsibility of leaders in this implementation and adaptation process to reach the business’ goals.

9. Exponential Organizations (Salim Ismail, Michael S. Malone, Yuri Van Geest and Peter H. Diamandis)

What defines an exponential organization? 

We could say that a simple definition would be the willingness to accomplish something radically new. In fact, a business that isn’t willing to do so tends to go stagnate.

Faced with such concerns, the authors of Exponential Organizations studied and researched the patterns of the main businesses with this characteristic nowadays, such as Netflix, Uber and AirBnb, including Coca-Cola and Amazon.

The intention was to shed light on the management world, especially regarding organizational and technological trends with greater impact, which can be applied to practically every type of business.

The impact of knowledge on management

Strategic management demonstrates that merely knowing something isn’t enough, it is also necessary to apply it. 

The modern world is immersed in the value of learning, and those who have this characteristic end up making the difference, not only in the market, but everywhere.

As we’ve seen in this list of books on management, aspects such as emotional intelligence, rationalization about gender issues and innovation are essential for anyone, regardless of their field of activity.

Would you like more tips like this one? Make sure you also check out our list with 14 books on leadership to read and boost your business!