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What books should MBA students be sure to read? That’s the question Business Insider asked the nation’s top-rated MBA professors in this article. Charlene Walters, vice provost for the Digital Entrepreneurship MBA program at Strayer University, weighed in with her top 5 books for MBA students.

  1. LEADERS EAT LAST: WHY SOME TEAMS PULL TOGETHER AND OTHERS DON'T BY SIMON SINEK

    Walters considers this “…an essential book on leadership for entrepreneurs and business professionals. Sinek discusses the value of servant leadership and creating an environment of trust and inspiration in order to propel your business and your team forward."

    Leaders Eat Last explores:

    • How great leaders often sacrifice their own comfort and safety for the good of those in their care
    • How leaders create a "Circle of Safety" that helps their team succeed
    • True stories of outstanding leadership from the military, big business, and the government
    • How to skillfully lead Millennials in the workplace
  2. NAKED ECONOMICS: UNDRESSING THE DISMAL SCIENCE BY CHARLES WHEELAN

    Why did this book make Walters’ top five? “It's a straightforward, entertaining, and easy-to-digest book regarding basic economic principles,” she says. “It has real-world applications that students can grasp and enjoy."

    The revised and updated 2019 edition of Naked Economics includes:

    • Discussion of timely topics like automation, trade, income inequality, and America’s growing debt
    • An examination of how U.S. policymakers handled the 2008 financial crisis
    • Answers to questions “you were always too embarrassed to ask
  3. UNSCALED: HOW AI AND A NEW GENERATION OF UPSTARTS ARE CREATING THE ECONOMY OF THE FUTURE BY HEMANT TANEJA WITH KEVIN MANEY

    Walters recommends this book because, “…it gives a tremendous amount of insight regarding the future outlook of specific industries and the entrepreneurial opportunities that will present themselves as a result."

    In Unscaled you will:

    • Take a close look at the factors that are reshaping the global economy and revolutionizing the economies of scale
    • As both an economist and venture capitalist investor, Hement gives numerous examples which illustrate disruption, innovation and the unscaled phenomenon.
  4. STORYTELLING WITH DATA: A DATA VISUALIZATION GUIDE FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS BY COLE NUSSBAUMER KNAFLIC

    Walters chose this book because “…it is so critical for business pros to be able to present data in a way that is digestible and entertaining, in order to persuade customers and other stakeholders."

    Storytelling with Data helps you learn:

    • The fundamentals of data visualization
    • How to use data to tell a compelling story
    • How to choose the best data format for your project
    • To identify and eliminate the clutter that’s clouding your information
  5. TALK LIKE TED: THE 9 PUBLIC-SPEAKING SECRETS OF THE WORLD'S TOP MINDS BY CARMINE GALLO

    TED Talks have become the gold standard for public speaking, and this book explores the strategies that make presentations engaging and influential. “Talk Like TED is one of my favorites simply for the importance of mastering communication and persuasion as an entrepreneur, and the wonderful examples and tips it provides,” Walters says.

  6. You can benefit from these books whether you’re already an MBA student, you’re considering the Strayer Digital Entrepreneurship MBA program, or are simply looking for some great business reads.

    Want more book recommendations from top-rated MBA professors? Read the full Business Insider article by joining Business Insider Prime.

Category: Motivation & Inspiration

Published Date: September 13, 2019