RICK'S LIBRARY
Check back often as I rate and review books that I have read or am currently reading. Most are non-fiction, with a focus on Personal Development, Leadership, Business & Marketing.
Email me at rick@HeyRick.com if you have any great books that you recommend with your rating and review.
RICK'S FAVOURITE BOOKS
(that's favorite for my American friends)
(Excluding "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent"
and "SHIFT" that should be on the top of every Realtor's Top Book List!)
"The Traveler's Gift" by Andy Andrews:
Certainly one of the most influential books of my adult life. The story of Michael Ponder, a man who feels that he's lost everything and takes a trip through time and space to find out just how much he truly has. On his journey, he is given the gifts of 7 decisions that affect our choices on how we define our lives. Note: Also available as "The Young Traveler's Gift", which is written from the perspective of a teenager.
"The Noticer" by Andy Andrews:
What can I say other than - he did it again? Andy's newest book, "The Noticer" is a great and very meaningful read. The central character, "Jones", serves up life lessons in such a way that they immediately impact how you want to live your life moving forward. I couldn't put it down and carried it in the car, reading it at every chance I could. I was even tempted at stop lights! Good thing it's another short read or nothing would have gotten accomplished in the meantime! (This, along with "The Traveler's Gift", I had to get in audio format. While I don't often read or listen to many books again and again, these are 2 exceptions.)
"Monday Morning Mentoring" by David Cottrell:
What Mitch Albon's classic "Tuesdays with Morrie" is to the important lessons in life, "Monday Morning Mentoring" is to leadership and management. Step by step, priceless lessons on how to grow and succeed as a leader are built upon. This book is outstanding in some of the ways that different concepts are put into easily understood strories and examples with exercises that anyone can do and benefit from. Like "Tuesdays..." it is told in a narative that grows each week as the main character meets his mentor. It jumped right up near the top of my list! Quite an achievement for a book I just happened upon as I strolled the book aisle at Costco!
"Failing Forward" by John C. Maxwell
Other than from my Mom and Dad, I have learned more from John Maxwell than from any other person in my life so far. It was listening to John Maxwell speak at the Keller Williams Family Reunion in 2004 that ignited my passion for reading again. "Failing Forward" was the first of many of his books that have moved me forward on my personal journey. In fact, easily half of this Top 10 List could be made of of John Maxwell's works, such as - "Talent is Never Enough", "Winning with People", "The 21 Laws of Leadership" and "Today Matters". I have joined John Maxwell's Maximum Impact Club and receive audio lessons from John on a monthly basis. Check out his website at www.MaximumImpact.com and know that any time spent listening to or reading anything by John Maxwell is time very well spent.
"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl
As a young Jewish Psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl lived through the most horrible psychological experience known to mankind - the Nazi Death camps at Auschwitz, Theresienstadt and Turkheim - and lived, not only to tell the world of his experience and revelations, but to develop an entire field of study related to what he observed and learned in those evil real-life laboratories. Frankl was uniquely qualified to observe and disseminate what really mattered - the difference between life and death for those that had any choice, in the brutal, daily struggle to survive. What it really was that gave one person hope to carry on, where another gave in to the despair and perished. This is not a read for the faint of heart, but an essential classic in each person's search for meaning and a witness and tribute to those that were murdered.
"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey
A true classic for the past 15 years. Stephen Covey guides us with the principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity as he brings focus to the habits that breed true success. More than one of these 7 habits are included in the Keller Williams "WI4C2TS" belief system. If you've read the book, you know which ones and if you haven't read it yet, well .... Also by Stephen Covey that are well worth the read are, "First Things First" and The 8th Habit". Note: His son, Shawn Covey has written "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" and his other son, Stephen M. R. Covey, recently wrote the next book on my Top 10 List!
"The Speed of Trust" by Stephen M. R. Covey
This is a GREAT book that takes a completely new perspective to the most basic componet of all relationships - Trust. Stephen Jr. looks at trust from many aspects including the real price of trust (or the lack thereof) in terms of dollars and time. He gives great insight into defining trust and what makes or breaks it, how to build it and how to repair it when it's broken. This is a fantastic book that I have reaad and then went out and bought the audiobook so that I can hear it again and again in my travels. Frankly, I found Stephen Jr. to be more enjoyable to read than his Dad!
"The E Myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber
This is an absolute MUST read book for anyone who is even remotely thinking about starting their own business (which includes becoming a Realtor.) Michael tells the story of a friend who enjoyed amking the best pies in town who made the fatal mistake of listening to everone who said she should open a Bake Shop. I have been thanked by several people for insisting that they read this book before they embarked on owning their businesses. After reading this book, your eyes will be open to many of the problems that often develop in every "business-for-self" endevour and greatly enhance your chances for success. Michael Gerber has written many other books including, "The E Myth Mastery", which I am currenly is the process of reading.
"Loving What Is" by Byron Katie
Get ready to look at a whole new way of looking at your perceptions and your reality. Byron Katie introduces you to a series of questions that allow you to look at how we perceive things in a completely different way. Reading this book has completely changed the way I think about thinking and the thoughts that make up my "reality". By questioning the validity of toughts that cause pain, anxiety and stress, we can change how we feel about ourselves and the world around us.
"Raving Fans" by Ken Blanchard
A "must read" for anyone in any aspect of customer service. One of the easiest and quickest reads in my library, Ken tells the fairy tale of Charlie, the fairy godmother (who loves a good game of golf) who arrives to take the new salesmanager under his wing and show him all the lessons he'll eever need to know about delivering customer service at a "world class" level. Anything from Ken Blanchard is well worth reading including, "High Five"," Leading at a Higher Level"," Gung Ho" and more.
"Good to Great" by Jim Collins
One of the best books on leadership ever written. Starting with the first chapter entitled "Good is the enemy of Great" Jim and his team explore what the differences are between companies that make it to "good" and what it takes to make a company truly "great", Some of the answers might surprise you. Jim interprets the reasearch in a way that is clear, providing great examples and analogies to illustrate each.
"What Got You Here Won't Get You There" by Marshall Goldsmith
And now for something completely different! (with apologies to Monty Python) Marshall shows us that it's not what you should start doing, but what you should STOP doing to move to the next level. This is one of the most refreshing books on leadership that I have read in a long time. Working on the concept that change can indeed be difficult because it often means having to completely reverse habits and old ways, Marshall points out how just stopping these same habits is much easier and often all you need to do to get out of your own way. He looks at each of the most common mistakes that people make in their relationships, how that can affect the people around you and how to avoid making them.
"CRUSH IT" by Gary Vaynerchuk
As a young boy, Gary came to North America with his parents as the Soviet Bloc dispersed. Settling in New York, he started working in his parents' liquor store at the age of 16. His understanding of social media and expertise in the area of wine has driven his parents' little liquor store to become a $80,000,000 business. In "CRUSH IT" he shows you the power of the emerging Web 2.0 and social media. If you don't understand why you should be using Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc., in this easy and fun-to-read book of less than 150 pages, Gary will really open your eyes. This is one book that is literally worth 1000s of times the cover price! You can catch his video blog at www.winelibrary.tv.
"The 33 Million People in the Room" by Juliette Powell
Whereas "CRUSH IT!" illistrates WHY you need to get involved in social media, "33 Million People in the Room" is essential to tell you HOW to participate effectively and properly on Facebook and the other WEB 2.0 systems. Until I read this book, I had no clue how to properly be a member of the ongoing, online society. Again, this is another really quick and easy read that is worth it's weight in gold. The insights that Juliette has provided allow me to constantly see and understand why some are succeeding at a high level while many more are completely wasting their time while alienating everyone around them.
"The Power of Story" by Jim Loehr
"Am I right now dying, slowly, for something I'm not willing to die for?" Right from the first paragraph of the first chapter, Jim Loehr smacks you right in the face! This is one of those books that snuck up on me and attacked my perceptions and excuses just when I thought that I was going to read a little friendly book about the power in using stories or examples to make myself better understood. WHAM! That is not at all what this workbook is about. I say "workbook", as it takes you step-by-step through the process of uncovering your current or "old" story and ends up by guiding you through creating your "new" story. It is a process that I must admit, I am struggling with. It takes a brutal honesty with yourself to be able to carry through with it, but as Jim Loehr states in the introduction, "The most important story that you ever tell about yourself, is the story you tell to yourself." I will have to find the courage to keep going because I know that the payback is going to be worth the pain. (But it will be a work-in-progress for some time to come.)
"Words that Work" by Frank Luntz
This book is one of those "sleepers" that I just happened to notice at Costco and was fortuate enough to pick up. Frank Luntz is a "wordsmith extrordinaire". A long-time political speachwriter, he has influenced the political and promotional vocabulary of our entire generation. Frank researches the different ways that you can say the same thing and yet get an entirely different response. The subtitle of the book is "It's Not What You Say, It's What They Hear" and he really proves his point with real-life examples and study results to back it up. Extra bonuses include such things as how to write a more effective letter, how to improve your odds of getting out of a traffic ticket or onto a flight when you're late and the doors are already closing. This is probably one of the easiest books to take and impliment into your life, and that's why it makes it into my Top 10!
"The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni:
This book offers great insight into how to get the right people on your boat and everyone to "row in the same direction". Told in the often used "tale of a ficticious company" format, it makes it easy to see bits and glimpses of yourself and others in the various characters that make up the story. While I have not read Patrick's other books (yet), I have heard good reviews, particularly "Death by Meeting".
"Work the Pond" by Darcy Rezac:
"Don't judge a book by its cover". The cover of this little gem does not do credit to the great insight contained therein. In fact its probably one of the worst bookcovers that I've ever seen. However, this book provides fantastic ideas and direction on how to become a master at networking.
"Peaks and Valleys" by Spencer Johnson:
Similar in style to his other popular works "Who Moved My Cheese" and "The One Minute Manager" (which was co-authored with Ken Blanchard), Johnson's latest book is very timely with the current challenges facing our world today. While it sometimes seems simplistic and even repetitive at times, the messages resonate and are needed when you find yourself "deep in a valley". We all need to be reminded to enjoy the journey (and a map to show the way out!).
GREAT BOOKS THAT I NEED TIME TO WRITE REVIEWS FOR:
"The Wednesday Letters" by Jason F. Wright
"Quiet Leadership" by David Rock
"Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albon (also "Have a Little Faith", "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and "One Day More" )
"GO Put Your Strengths to Work" by Marcus Buckingham (also "The One thing You Need to Know", "First Break All the Rules" and "Now Discover Your Strengths")
"The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell (also "BLINK")
"The 10 Commandments of Common Sense" by Hal Urban (also "Positive Words - Powerful Results", "Life's Greatest Lessons" and "Choices that Change Lives")
"The Greatness Guide" by Robin Sharma (also "The Greatness Guide 2" and "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" )
"FISH!" by Stephen Lundin (also "FISH! Tales" and "FISH! Sticks" )
"Power vs Force" by Dr David Hawkins
"Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
"10-10-10" by Suzy Welsh
"The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman
"Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance" by George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson
SPECIAL BONUS SECTION: RICK'S GUILTY PLEASURE
OK. So you managed to stay interested enough to get all the way down here! Such perseverence must deserve some reward, so here it is: "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader". Yep! That's it! You heard what I said - "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader". Whenever I just need to totally unwind and read something, nothing beats it. I can read it for 5 minutes or for 5 hours straight when I'm travelling and just want to be entertained. I have read every annual edition for well almost 20 years, in addtion to the special editions, such as: Uncle John's Plunges Into the Universe, Sports, Canada, Civilization, History, Christmas and many, many more! I've read both of the Uncle John's books on Quotations and also Uncle John's Book of Odd and Book of Trivia! I read every "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" that I can get my hands on! It makes a GREAT gift and is a fun and funny read that not only entertains you, but, when strategically left where offsprung might notice it, it seems to turn pages by itself. When you come back to it, the page is never where you left off! (and you don't want to challenge me to Trivial Pursuit!)
ENJOY! As Uncle John always says, "Go with the flow!"