The 4 Most Inspiring Business Books

I've written before about business books that changed my thinking. But sometimes, I'm not all that hungry for change. Instead, I need inspiration, a reminder of why I went into business in the first place. I need to remember why it really is worth turning up each day. When I do, these four are the books I return to. They are all (unusually for business books) very well written. They aren't new, but they are eternal: A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. This is not your usual career book, although I do give it to all my young friends trying to decide what they want to do with their lives. That's because it reframes the whole question of what talent is, how to spot it and how to use it. Pink argues that key talents are story telling, the ability to synthesize and connect, an ability to see differently, and the capacity for empathy. He encourages every leader to see employees not as resources but as artists. For the artists among us, this is thrilling news.

The Soul of the New Machine by Tracy Kidder. Kidder has the novelist's knack of drawing great characters in even the most humdrum setting. His story of an engineering team building a new 32-bit computer may sound like history, but the passion, energy, frustration and deep camaraderie he discerns inside his protagonists captures the thrill that, if we're lucky, we find in our work. Kidder is one of America's great writers, and in the nascent computing industry, he chronicles an adventure as thrilling and daring as any extreme sport.

Small Giants by Bo Burlingham. Do you have to be big to be great? Or are there greater goals to be achieved by staying small? Burlingham studies inspiring businesses that, instead of pursuing growth for its own sake, have defined success in unique, sustainable and meaningful ways. A truly original book that asks hard questions about scope and scale.

Insanely Great by Stephen Levy. This is the story of how Apple built the Mac. It's inspiring because Levy captures the thrill of creating something entirely new. Steve Jobs acolytes revel in the historic details, but what I loved was the sense of danger, coupled with the recognition that vision is nothing without execution.

On vacation, I think all business leaders should read fiction and forget business. But very few can do that. So if you must read about business, read these books. They may refresh your dreams.