Tomahawk's Recommended Reads for Success in 2025

The world is brimming with incredible business, marketing, and personal development books that have the power to leave a lasting mark on their readers. Whether it’s a nugget of wisdom, a fresh perspective, or that "aha!" moment, the right book can spark ideas and ignite change.

That’s why the Tomahawk Team has curated a list of must-reads (and a few re-reads!) to fuel our curiosity, inspire creativity, and spark conversations. Join us on this journey of discovery, growth, and shared insights - we can't wait to explore these pages together with you!

Join Our 2025 Book Challenge!

We’d love for you to dive into some of the books on our list below! Whether you’re up for the challenge of reading one a month or just want to pick a few that catch your eye, there’s something here to spark your interest.

As we feature a book a month in an article, we’d love to hear your feedback on the book! Maybe you’ve already read it or heard about it - share your comments and reviews with us. Together let's boost our tourism businesses, industry and personal careers!

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - By Stephen R. Covey
2. Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action - By Simon Sinek
3. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don’t - By Jim Collins
4. Purple Cow - By Seth Godin
5. Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen - By Donald Miller
6. The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, and Stand Out from the Crowd - By Allan Dib
7. The 3-Minute Rule: Say Less to Get More from Any Pitch or Presentation - By Brant Pinvidic
8. Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content - By Ann Handley
9. Contagious: Why Things Catch On - By Jonah Berger
10. Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results - By Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen
11. Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect - By Will Guidara

Book 1: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

By Stephen R. Covey

We're kicking off with an oldie but a goodie! This timeless bestseller focuses on developing personal and interpersonal effectiveness through principles like being proactive, prioritising goals, seeking first to understand, and synergising with others.?These principles provide a solid foundation for personal and professional growth, helping you become a more effective leader and team member.

The 7 habits are divided into three categories: Personal Victory (independence): Habits 1-3, Public Victory (interdependence): Habits 4-6, and Renewal (continuous growth): Habit 7.

1. Be Proactive: Take responsibility for your actions and focus on what you can control.
2. Begin with the End in Mind: Define your goals and align your actions with your vision.
3. Put First Things First: Prioritise what’s important over what’s urgent.
4. Think Win-Win: Seek mutually beneficial outcomes in interactions.
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Practice empathetic listening.
6. Synergise: Collaborate to achieve results greater than the sum of individual efforts.
7. Sharpen the Saw: Regularly renew your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Why Read It

This book is a life-changing guide for anyone looking to improve their effectiveness, both personally and professionally. For business leaders, the principles provide valuable tools to manage teams, build relationships, and maintain focus on long-term goals. Covey’s approach helps align your values with your actions, fostering better decision-making and more sustainable success. Whether you’re seeking balance or striving for growth, The 7 Habits offers practical wisdom to navigate challenges and achieve meaningful results.

Team Reviews

"I read this book many years ago, and I believe the principles provided me with solid foundations for planning, goal setting and time management - both for personal and career achievements. Some of the habits may come naturally and others you need to work on! I have also put some of these principles into practice by using the Franklin Covey Planner system for day-to-day organisation - I even worked for Franklin Covey in Canada! To this day, I still endeavour to use these habits in my day to day life." - Michelle Ackers

Where to Buy

Paper Back: Paperplus (NZ), Amazon (AU), Libby (Loans & Audio)

Audio Book: Spotify, Apple (Audio & eBook), Audible

Have You Read It?

Let us know you thoughts on this book in the comments!