At Sage, we’re all about helping business owners succeed in everything they do.
We’ve teamed up with Simon Barry, a Sage Business Expert and mentor, so he can reveal his top five books to help you win in business and be the best leader you can be.
Simon is a business growth coach and mentor with more than 20 years of business experience, which includes working in financial technology, high-tech companies, and startups.
His favourite reads will help you get to grips with how to set yourself—and your business—up the right way, with some pro tips on running your own company too.
Check out Simon’s selection…
2. The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F***
1. Existential Kink By Carolyn Elliott
This book makes you think differently about your habits, the decisions you make, and the way you think.
By looking at the way you think differently, and accepting that some of the negative things might happen for a reason, we can look at ways to think and behave better by coming to terms with both the light and dark parts of ourselves and of life.
Find out more about Existential Kink
2. The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F***: A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good Life By Mark Manson
In life and business, we are often driven to act or do certain things not because we want to do them, but because of what people may think.
This book is funny, brash, and hard-hitting, but ultimately shows that you must be more confident in yourself.
A must for creating that thick-skinned approach to life that any professional or entrepreneur should develop to succeed.
Find out more about The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F***
3. Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success In A Distracted World By Cal Newport
How many times have you checked your phone in the past hour?
This book really makes you think, and the concept of ‘deep work’ it explores is profound.
We are in a world with distractions, and this has affected our ability to focus and work on things.
This book not only describes this issue but offers some solutions for us to truly focus and do the best work possible.
The lessons covered in here have massively helped me in the quality and quantity of work that I do, as well as being able to recognise that distractions can lead to sub-par output.
4. Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking By Susan Cain
I’m an introvert myself, and this is often seen as a negative character trait.
This book explains this trait, but also celebrates it and showcases some amazing individuals who not only are introverts, but use it as some sort of superpower.
It’s allowed me to embrace that side of myself and accept that no matter what or who you are, you have value and excellence to offer the world.
Your character traits don’t matter.
5. Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action By Simon Sinek
This book is simply brilliant.
In a nutshell, it helps you understand the why of what you do, and shows how being able to clearly articulate this and understand not only your reasons, but any potential customer’s, is incredibly important.
Find out more about Start With Why
6. The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme To Help You Achieve Success, Confidence And Happiness By Professor Steve Peters
This is a book I often re-read.
I love how he explains that some of our behaviours are often motivated by what he calls “the chimp”.
According to the author, once you understand this part of yourself, the natural motivations behind this, and – crucially – how to manage it, you can nurture this side of yourself to become happier, more confident, and more successful.
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