Books: A Shortcut to Success

Reading is a necessity for any aspiring entrepreneur. It allows the unpacking of complex ideas in measured amounts and digestible concepts as you progress through the pages. 

And it is also a necessity to read about different ideas and topics, and not just the most immediate topics to your business, so that we can see more patterns from different perspectives and better predict outcomes to create smoother running organisations.

It SAVES time for busy professionals and entreprenuers, as instead of making mistakes or figuring out solutions to problems from scratch you can already pick and blend ideas from different sources.

So get reading on some great books.

1. SCRUM - The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time

A great process to enact in any project orientated organisation. Fast decision making cycles, agile to changing business requirements. A great read for any project manager.

2. Business Adventures - Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street

Read the misadventures of management and outright failures. My favourite story from the book was the Ford Edsel, what a monumental catastrophe for Ford. We can all learn from that and not be complacent.

3.  From Third World to First: The Singapore Story, 1965-2000

This book has some emotional connection for me being a Singaporean, but nonetheless a great insight into one of the great minds of the 20th-21st Century. Someone who was fascinated by the rise of China long before any other world leader and helmed a team of brilliant minds in an economic backwater to great success. 

4.  Principles: Life and Work

A book by someone who has experienced abject failure and soaring success. Written by Ray Dalio (Billionaire founder of Bridgewater) and trying to get across his ideas and principles of management and life. Great candid writing and get’s his ideas across very simply and insightfully.

5.  Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

A must read book to understand the differences in psychology between a female mind and a male mind. Helps communication dramatically.