Whether you're looking to bolster your public speaking, decision-making, or time-management skills, the best business books are great resources for getting ahead.
But sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day to devote to reading. Luckily, audiobooks are a great way to learn when you can't spare your hands or eyes.
To find the most worthwhile business audiobooks for your time, Sanjay Singhal, CEO of Audiobooks.com, sifted through the audiobook service's extensive library for books that focus on concepts and ideas rather than step-by-step instructions and are engaging and easy to digest in audio form.
Here are Singhal's top ten picks and reasoning for why they're a great listen:
'Talk Like TED: The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds' by Carmine Gallo
For better public speaking skills
You'll need 7 hours and 44 minutes.
TED Talks have become the golden example of what a good, compelling, and concise presentation is, and this book will help you deliver high-quality presentations of your own. Gallo references many popular TED talks and dissects them to extract exactly what it is that makes them successful.
'Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us' by Daniel H. Pink
For greater motivation
You'll need 5 hours and 55 minutes.
This book breaks down the components of motivation so you can better understand not only how to motivate yourself but also your employees and clients.
'Creativity, Inc.' by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
To inspire a culture of creativity
You'll need 12 hours and 55 minutes.
"Creativity, Inc." offers both a behind-the-scenes look at how one of the most adored and admired companies in the world, Pixar Animation Studios, works and principles and methods to building a strong, creative, inspired company culture.
'Getting to Yes: How To Negotiate Agreement Without Giving In' by Roger Fisher and William Ury
For better negotiation and persuasion skills
You'll need 6 hours and 19 minutes.
This audiobook is "Negotiation 101" and provides fundamental principles that can be applied to every type of negotiation, from a corporate merger to your toddler's bedtime.
'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less' by Greg McKeown
To own your time better
You'll need 6 hours and 15 minutes.
Time management books often offer one of two kinds of advice: how to do more quickly and efficiently, and how to do less better — "Essentialism" offers the latter.
'When to Rob a Bank: ...And 131 More Warped Suggestions and Well-Intended Rants' by Stephen J. Dubner & Stephen D. Levitt
To inspire more analytical thinking
You'll need 8 hours and 16 minutes.
The authors of "Freakonomics" apply their signature analytical style to more off-beat subjects from "Why don't flight attendants get tipped?" to "Why does KFC always run out of fried chicken?" The topics are entertaining and informative, and they'll inspire listeners to bend their minds around other subjects and problems in the same way.
'Decisive' by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
For greater decision-making ability
You'll need 9 hours and 11 minutes.
"Decisive" will help you understand the myriad reasons why humans often instinctively make bad decisions and how to make better ones. The authors offer new techniques for making decisions that go beyond the pros and cons list. The book is also great for fans of Malcolm Gladwell and Daniel Kahneman.
'How to Win Friends & Influence People' by Dale Carnegie
To inspire teamwork and social skills
You'll need 7 hours and 20 minutes.
A favorite of legendary investor Warren Buffett, this classic focuses on the psychology behind daily interactions and how to use an understanding of how people work to emerge as a leader and influencer.
'Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead' by Sheryl Sandberg
To boost your confidence
You'll need 6 hours and 29 minutes.
Every woman who wants to have a career should read this book. Sandberg combines research with personal anecdotes in an easily digestible way to show how women unintentionally undermine their professional progress and to offer guidance for women and men looking to promote womens' career success.
'Good to Great' by Jim Collins
To inspire greater leadership
You'll need 10 hours and 4 minutes.
Another classic, this book is appropriate for anyone in a leadership position and perfect for companies of all sizes, from massive corporations to startups. Collins illustrates the value of putting together the right team and choosing the right leadership direction so good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies can achieve enduring success.
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