Marko Zitko, a senior account executive at WE Communications by day, is also co-founder at The Mercury Book Club, Australia’s first business book subscription box.
With 2020 being the year that it was, many have turned to non-fiction, business-related books as a means of staying productive with the extra time during the pandemic.
As we look forward to next year, here are my top five business books of 2020, spanning topics of culture, creativity, success, and communication.
1. No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer
Netflix revolutionised the entertainment industry – from an online DVD rental service to multi-billion dollar media giant. Traditionally, as companies grow larger, their culture tends to adopt more rules and processes. But this wasn’t the case for Netflix. Co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings dives deep into the successful company culture – one that values people and innovation over process and rules. Hastings explains how the company deliberately enforces less restrictions on its employees, allowing them to be more effective in their roles.
2. The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin
This year, best-selling author and marketing guru Seth Godin published his latest work, The Practice, which turns a lens on creativity. The book serves to inspire creatives, artists, writers and entrepreneurs to focus on the creative process, as opposed to the outcome of the work which is beyond their control. Godin explains that we’re often so caught up with the outcome of our work, that we become stuck and afraid of sharing work. It’s a practical guide to creating better work and a great read for those in the creative industry as well as freelancers.
3. Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
We’ve all heard about the 10,000 Hour Rule, which claims that to become an expert and truly master a skill, a person must practice for a total of 10,000 hours. Range is a book that challenges this concept. David Epstein examines case studies of successful athletes, artists, musicians, and discovers that generalists tend to excel, as opposed to those who specialise early in their career. The book argues that generalists are more creative, agile, and able to adapt to new situations, as they can draw upon more diverse experiences.
4. TED Talks: The official TED guide to public speaking - by Chris Anderson
This book wasn’t published in 2020, but Chris Anderson’s guide to public speaking has never been more relevant. While video conferencing has powered remote working throughout 2020, it has also sucked the life out of presentations, especially when it comes to new business pitches. It’s just not the same energy. But reading this book might help solve the monotony of presenting. The book provides the reader with five practical techniques for more compelling presentations and includes key presenting tips from noteworthy TED speakers. It’s a must read for anyone in the communications industry.
5. Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide by John Cleese
Comedian, writer and actor John Cleese, best known for Monty Python and Fawlty Tower, takes a look at creativity in his latest book. Cleese argues that creativity shouldn't be thought of as a unique skill only a few possess, but rather as something that anyone can learn. Stacking up at 112 pages, it’s a short but practical guide that examines the creative process and inspires anyone who reads it to find their creative selves. This book is the perfect gift for those who always decline a brainstorm because they’re ‘not creative enough’.
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