feuhighschool82
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

feuhighschool82

A blast from the past...friendships that last: An interactive forum among the proud members of the FEU High School Class of 1982.
 
PortalHomeGallerySearchLatest imagesRegisterLog in

 

 6 Classic Books For Successful People

Go down 
AuthorMessage
reggie
Elite Contibutor
Elite Contibutor
reggie


Male Number of posts : 639
Age : 57
Registration date : 2007-07-26

6 Classic Books For Successful People Empty
PostSubject: 6 Classic Books For Successful People   6 Classic Books For Successful People Icon_minitimeFri Jul 27, 2007 2:17 pm

Think that only hotshot CEOs write great business books? Think again.
Some of the great strategic thinkers of the past few centuries offered
written words of advice that are still valuable today.
These classics, written primarily as political or military tracts,
remain relevant because of their lucid insights into human behavior.
Using the principles that these men espoused in years past, you can
succeed in the boardroom the same way that great generals did on the
battlefield.


1-
The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli


This is the book that made Machiavelli's name synonymous with deceit,
manipulation and corruption. Machiavelli's assertion was that ethics
have no place in the sphere of politics, and that a wise ruler may use
dishonest means to exercise his power -- means that would be
unforgivable in private life. Despite its surface amorality, The Prince
is an unparalleled treatise on human psychology and on the acquisition
of power. If nothing else, it's a guide to what one should look out
for.

What it teaches us: The best way to avoid being overthrown is to
avoid being hated. Though a ruler may be severe and greedy behind
closed doors, he must display public virtues like mercy, honesty,
humaneness, and uprightness. Taking too much and appearing irresolute
is a recipe for failure.

Quote: "From this arises an argument: whether it is better to be
loved than feared. I reply that one should like to be both one and the
other; but since it is difficult to join them together, it is much
safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be
lacking."
Back to top Go down
reggie
Elite Contibutor
Elite Contibutor
reggie


Male Number of posts : 639
Age : 57
Registration date : 2007-07-26

6 Classic Books For Successful People Empty
PostSubject: Re: 6 Classic Books For Successful People   6 Classic Books For Successful People Icon_minitimeFri Jul 27, 2007 2:18 pm

2- The Art of War - Sun Tzu


6 Classic Books For Successful People 133b_success


The oldest military treatise in the world is still astonishingly
relevant today. Hidden within its clear descriptions of armed strategy
are lessons that can be applied to any area of life. Sun Tzu wrote that
the key to success is not in fighting but in acquiring an advantage
over one's opponents, be it through resourcefulness, cunning,
flexibility, integrity, secrecy, positioning, surprise, or deception.
Since his time, millions have successfully applied Sun Tzu's ideas to
their own lives. It's even been reported that this book is mandatory
reading in many boardrooms, military academies, professional locker
rooms, and CIA training facilities.


What it teaches us: Sun Tzu said the most important factor to
consider is the cost of competition. Rather than building large armies
and engaging in direct, long battles, one should keep their investments
small and their contests quick. Furthermore, the best way to defeat a
competitor is not to attack him, but rather to focus on an area that he
must defend.

Quote: "Those skilled at making the enemy move do so by creating
a situation to which he must conform; they entice him with something he
is certain to take, and with lures of ostensible profit they await him
in strength."

3- How To Win Friends And Influence People - Dale Carnegie

Written in the late '30s, the principles in this book have stood the
test of time. Carnegie, a master of human nature, knew exactly how to
peer into a person's ego and stroke it just right to sway them to his
cause. He argues that success is only 15% professional knowledge; the
remaining 85% is the ability to assume leadership and arouse enthusiasm
in others. In order to influence others without inspiring resentment or
feelings of manipulation, one must see things through the eyes of
others.

What it teaches us: You can make others like you by showing
genuine interest, talking about their likes and repeating their names
constantly. You can better persuade a person by making him think an
idea was his while being sympathetic to his desires. The best leaders
encourage with honest praise and address mistakes indirectly.

Quote: "When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing
with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures
bristling with prejudice, and motivated by pride and vanity."
Back to top Go down
reggie
Elite Contibutor
Elite Contibutor
reggie


Male Number of posts : 639
Age : 57
Registration date : 2007-07-26

6 Classic Books For Successful People Empty
PostSubject: Re: 6 Classic Books For Successful People   6 Classic Books For Successful People Icon_minitimeFri Jul 27, 2007 2:19 pm

4- On War - Karl (Carl) von Clausewitz


6 Classic Books For Successful People 133c_success


Karl Von Clausewitz was an influential Prussian strategist who wrote
that war is simply a means to a political end -- it's a normal part of
a grander policy and should be conducted in the most destructive manner
possible. No surprise, then, that Clausewitz has been blamed for the
increased brutality of modern warfare. His ideas still influence
strategic thinking, simply because the search for military victory is
not unlike the pursuit of success in other arenas.

What it teaches us: While war is the preferred and most
effective means of achieving a goal, it should be a last resort. Though
politicians start a war, it is the generals who must end it (think of
CEOs and COOs as their civilian equivalents). Most startlingly, it is
not the attacking nation that wants war, but the defending one. The
attacking nation is happy to just annex the other.

Quote: "If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he
pursues his aims with audacity and strength of will, he will reach them
in spite of all obstacles."
Back to top Go down
reggie
Elite Contibutor
Elite Contibutor
reggie


Male Number of posts : 639
Age : 57
Registration date : 2007-07-26

6 Classic Books For Successful People Empty
PostSubject: Re: 6 Classic Books For Successful People   6 Classic Books For Successful People Icon_minitimeFri Jul 27, 2007 2:19 pm

5- The Book of Five Rings - Miyamoto Musashi

Many have wondered how a primer on martial arts strategy written by a
sword samurai can apply to other areas of life. But the successful man,
using creative interpretation, will know that observing an opponent's
moves, confusing him and noting his vulnerabilities are as valid in
business as in karate. Musashi outlines psychological tactics to throw
competitors off guard, including the crucial suki , that brief moment
of vulnerable hesitation that presents the best time to strike.

What it teaches us: Musashi argues that it is not important how
an opponent is cut, but that he is cut, period. In other words, focus
not on the details, but on the main goal. It's equally important to use
all one's resources, to take advantage of your opponent's fears and to
make strategy your everyday attitude. Be open to change, be unpredictable and never take extreme positions.

Quote: "When in a fight to the death, one wants to employ all
one's weapons to the utmost. I must say that to die with one's sword
still sheathed is most regrettable."
Back to top Go down
reggie
Elite Contibutor
Elite Contibutor
reggie


Male Number of posts : 639
Age : 57
Registration date : 2007-07-26

6 Classic Books For Successful People Empty
PostSubject: Re: 6 Classic Books For Successful People   6 Classic Books For Successful People Icon_minitimeFri Jul 27, 2007 2:20 pm

6- The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene



6 Classic Books For Successful People 133d_success


Greene, a voracious scholar of the classics, noted in his studies
certain patterns used by history's most powerful figures, from
Cleopatra to Napoleon to P. T. Barnum. He compiled his findings into a
book that reads like a how-to for attaining and keeping power. Greene
neatly illustrates each law with a historical example, an
interpretation and an image that sums it up. The image of a thumbscrew,
for instance, references the unique weakness found in every man, which
one should twist to their advantage. While Greene's counsel may sound
devious and sometimes downright Machiavellian,
many of his lessons have actually become standard tactics for effective
managers. For example, how many of us have at some time felt the victim
of Greene's seventh law of power: Get others to do the work for you,
but always take the credit.


What it teaches us: Power is not accidental. While appearing the
paragon of virtue, you must be constantly aware of others' intentions
and foil their attempts to subvert your own. You gain respect by saying
less than necessary, by concealing your intentions and by winning
through your actions instead of your words.

Quote: "Humans are creatures of habit with an insatiable need to
see familiarity in other people's actions. Your predictability gives
them a sense of control. Turn the tables: Be deliberately
unpredictable. Behavior that seems to have no consistency or purpose
will keep them off balance, and they will wear themselves out trying to
explain your moves."

words of the wise


Classics become classics for a reason. Their ideas are timeless, their
principles always valid. Though these books aren't your average
business tomes, they lay the foundation to a good businessman's way of
thinking.

Resources:

www.amazon.com

http://en.wikipedia.org

www.jadedragon.com

www.utm.edu

www.tech.purdue.edu

www.eisshinryu.com
Back to top Go down
Sponsored content





6 Classic Books For Successful People Empty
PostSubject: Re: 6 Classic Books For Successful People   6 Classic Books For Successful People Icon_minitime

Back to top Go down
 
6 Classic Books For Successful People
Back to top 
Page 1 of 1
 Similar topics
-
» 5 Must-Read Books For Successful People
» How Successful People Handle Criticism
» 6 More Quotes From Successful Businessmen
» Classic Jokes
» Make A Successful Career Change

Permissions in this forum:You cannot reply to topics in this forum
feuhighschool82 :: Knowledge is Power :: Career Advancements, Self-development, Job Opportunities, Etc.-
Jump to: