Books Recommended by Radu Marcusu

Now I listen to Shoe Dog since you were the second person around me that said something controversial about it and this got my attention. My partner said that is impossible for a man Knight’s age to recall so many details, which is indeed suspicious, but I try to enjoy the story and not to develop a new conspiracy theory. So far I love this book. I love that the story feels so natural, raw, humble; it came like a breath of fresh air from the (sometimes) clicheic business biographies. The book confirmed me once again that innovation is the only way to overcome your competitors, especially from an underdog position. Nike wouldn't stand a chance against Adidas if they didn’t challenged the status quo constantly.

My favorite non-business book, by far, is Trevor Noah’s Born a crime. If you are familiar with the “The Daily Show”, than you probably know who Noah is. He is a vivid character indeed but his book is even better. To really enjoy the experience you should listen to the book. His narration is authentic, he even interprets quotes from his characters in a very theatrical way, while bubbling over with excitement and good humor. I, however, have to admit, really enjoyed the way he managed to accurately insert pieces of psychological and social observation - quite an useful exercise for anybody who has to work on a daily basis with people.

Given that we work in this fast-changing environment, I think anyone who wants to start a career in digital marketing (SEO and content in particular) should cultivate his/her capacity to constantly learn, experiment and innovate. How Google Works is just for that. How Google Works is not about the technical functioning of its services, but how this culture inside the company influence its products.

As for business, my favorite would be Good Strategy / Bad strategy by Richard Rumelt. When you read a title like this, you most likely end up wondering whether it is going to be another strategy book loaded with buzz words but lacking in articulate content. Well, this one clearly delivers. It paints an accurate picture of the problem surrounding strategy and explains why there’s so much bad strategy all around us. What a CEO or entrepreneur will find extra useful is the fact that the book also exposes what you need to do in order to create good strategies.

A book that most recently made a difference for me was Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds. My IMWorld speech this year benefited tremendously from Carmine Gallo's framing of the nine secrets of all time successful TED presentations. I believe Gallo's step-by-step method makes it possible for anyone to sell their ideas persuasively when delivering a presentation. [...] Talk like TED is NOT an optional book whatever career path you want to follow. A person can have the best idea in the World, but if that person can not convince enough people, it doesn’t matter. I’ve seen too many good ideas dim due to lack of pitching skills. This book will help you raise your game when it comes to selling your ideas.

Another favourite of mine, although is not like a real book, is Management Tips from Harvard Business Review. This is the handbook for every manager. It is full of actionable insights and the beauty of it is that you can apply them immediately. I always have it on me because each page contains a tip and I write the date on the page every time I use it. I promise you that using this system will supercharge your management powers in no time.