BUSINESS

STRATEGY
REVIEW

WINTER

Te reading list
Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at London Business
School, selects his favourite personal leadership classics

1 2 3 4 5

The seven The liTTle The AlchemisT hOw will if

hABiTs Of highly Prince Paolo Coelho yOu meAsure rudyard Kipling
effecTive PeOPle Antoine de (HarperCollins) yOur life?
stephen r Covey saint-exupéry James Allworth, “If you can keep your
(simon & schuster) Te story of the Clayton Christensen head when all about
Tis is one of my two journey of a shepherd and Karen dillon you/Are losing theirs
“Mr Covey has a joint-favourite fction from Andalusia to (HarperCollins) and blaming it on you”
knack of dressing up books. It’s about the Egypt has sold more is the – perhaps too –
spiritual principles in importance of than 30 million copies An excellent book on familiar opening of
pinstripes,” observed savouring the breadth, since it frst appeared how to fnd meaning If. Written in 1895,
one commentator. length, height and in 1988. Tis is one of and fulfllment in your Kipling’s poem has
Tis 1990 bestseller depth of life, rather my other joint- career and personal become a much-
reinvigorated the than focusing on goals; favourite fction books. relationships, and to quoted classic. It’s
personal development about having child-like It’s about personal be true to your values. my favourite poem
market almost wonder throughout drive, taking risks, and In a surprising change on balancing drive
singlehandedly. It is life. Ostensibly a following your dream. of career tack, Harvard with humility.
my favourite book on children’s book, Te If you like this book, I Business School’s Clay
personal leadership. It Little Prince is much, highly recommend By Christensen moves
covers several major much more. Written the River Piedra I Sat from contemplating
topics, not limited to by the short-lived Down and Wept and innovation and
but including: being aviator/philosopher, it Te Fifth Mountain industry change to
the master of your own has sold more than 140 by the same author, seeking to understand
destiny, setting goals million copies, was which build on similar how you truly gauge
and priorities, chosen as the best themes – and are also success. More
managing your time, book of the last century great works of fction information at
showing empathy in French and has in their own right, measureyourlife.com.
towards others, been published in 250 quite apart from the
thinking ‘win-win’ languages and dialects leadership content.
in relationships. since frst being
published in 1943.
PHOTOs Co r bIs

62 I s s u e 4 - 2 013 © lo n d o n b u s I n e s s s C H o o l w w w. lo n d o n . e d u / b s r
 BUSINESS
STRATEGY
REVIEW

ThE Guy IN
ThE GLASS

6 7 8 9 10

The One minuTe BOunce The guy in firsT hOw TO win

mAnAger Matthew syed The glAss Things firsT friends And
Kenneth blanchard (Fourth estate) dale wimbrow stephen r Covey, influence PeOPle
and spencer A roger Merrill and dale Carnegie
Johnson Written by a highly Tis is a short poem rebecca r Merrill (Vermillion)
(HarperCollins) successful table-tennis on staying true to what (simon & schuster)
international who is important to you, Originally published
A book about how has turned himself rather than being Published in 1994, this in 1937, this was the
small time investments into one of the UK’s swayed by external was part of the food original self-
(that can take as top sports journalists, criticism or praise. of books spawned by improvement book.
little as one minute) Bounce gives mere Written in 1934, the the initial bestseller. It Carnegie described
can improve your mortals hope. It poem is frequently was a follow-up to one it as a “practical,
efectiveness as a debunks the talent mistitled as ‘Te man of the seven habits: working handbook on
people manager. myth: that highly in the glass’ and putting frst things frst human relations”. Te
It encompasses skilled people are passed of as being (time management). title is self-explanatory.
one-minute goal made (through written by other In response to Seven None of his advice is
setting, one-minute efort and dedication), authors. Tis rather Habits, many readers earth-shatteringly
praisings, and one- not born. It is misses the poem’s wrote to Covey saying surprising (a common
minute reprimands. empowering, as it point of being honest that this was the habit feature of all books on
So far, this pithy shows we are not a with yourself. they found most personal leadership)
collection of wisdom slave to genetics. difcult, and so he but there is great
has sold more than wrote a book devoted beneft in reading his
13 million copies. to this habit. advice as it is explained
in a clear and
convincing manner.

w w w. lo n d o n . e d u / b s r © lo n d o n b u s I n e s s s C H o o l I s s u e 4 - 2 013 63