I think these are among few books no one should start or run a
business without reading them first. However, Here are some must-read
books for any aspiring professional. And though it’s entirely possible
that you’ve already read some of these titles, each is worth rereading
and adding to your personal library.

1) The Halo Effect: … and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers
by Phil Rosenzweig

Much of our business thinking is shaped by delusions — errors of logic and flawed judgments that distort our understanding of the real reasons for a company’s performance. In a brilliant and unconventional book, Phil Rosenzweig unmasks the delusions that are commonly found in the corporate world.

These delusions affect the business press and academic research, as well as many bestselling books that promise to reveal the secrets of success or the path to greatness. Such books claim to be based on rigorous thinking, but operate mainly at the level of storytelling. They provide comfort and inspiration, but deceive managers about the true nature of business success.

2) Expert Political Judgment: How Good is It? How Can We Know? by Philip E. Tetlock

The intelligence failures surrounding the invasion of Iraq dramatically illustrate the necessity of developing standards for evaluating expert opinion. This book fills that need. Here, Philip E. Tetlock explores what constitutes good judgment in predicting future events, and looks at why experts are often wrong in their forecasts.

3) Thinking in Time: The uses of history for decision makers by Richard E. Neustadt and Ernest R. May

For generations Americans have described and deplored the ignorance of history displayed by policymakers or, what is worse, the misuse of historical analogies. Since the 1950s Professors Neustadt and May have been working individually through their writing and consulting on this subject; in the past decade they have been collaborators in a course at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government focusing explicitly on “using history.”

4) Fooled by Randomness by The Hidden Role of Chance in the Markets and in Life, First Edition by: Nassim N Taleb

If the prescriptions for getting rich that are outlined in books such as The Millionaire Next Door and Rich Dad Poor Dad are successful enough to make the books bestsellers, then one must ask, Why aren’t there more millionaires?

In Fooled by Randomness, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a professional trader and mathematics professor, examines what randomness means in business and in life and why human beings are so prone to mistake dumb luck for consummate skill.

5) Will It Fly? How to Know If Your New Business Idea Has Wings…Before You Take the Leap by Thomas K. McKnight

Will your new business idea fly? Find out upfront, before you invest one dime! “Will It Fly?” introduces the first intuitive, practical tool for assessing and refining new business ideas. Fast, confidential, and reliable, it addresses 44 key elements of success, distilling experience from more than 200 business launches.

Further reading>>>