Five books every MBA aspirant should read

If you want to complete your MBA, you’re going to be doing plenty of study. There’s no getting around the fact that a Master of Business Administration demands an enormous commitment but that doesn’t mean you can’t do late night reading of your own. 

In no particular order, here are five must-read books for MBA hopefuls.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (2008)

Outliers is the source of the famous “10,000 Hour Rule” — the premise that success is dependent on practicing a task for 10,000 hours. Malcolm Gladwell uses Bill Gates and The Beatles as case studies and ponders the role of perceived intelligence and rational decision making in high achievement.

How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (1936)

Despite being published prior to World War II, this book remains as popular as ever and has sold more than 15 million copies. It focuses on handling people in the workplace and communication skills, homing in on themes such as interpersonal effectiveness and holistic perspectives.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (1989)

These seven habits have become renowned because they work, Stephen Covey covers being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand then to be understood, synergy and sharpening the saw.

Connect the Dots by Rashmi Bansal (2010)

Broken up into three sections – Jugaad, Junoon and Zubaan – Connect the Dots examines the lives of “20 true-life entrepreneurs without an MBA degree”, and how they came to be successful. Jugaad examines those without formal training, Junoon follows those with a specific idea and Zubaan focuses on those who are creative but lack a platform to express themselves.

Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch (2005)

This autobiographical account from former General Electric CEO and “the world’s toughest boss” Jack Welch. It delves into how he laid off over 100,000 workers during the 1980s and transformed the company into a “lean and mean engine of growth and corporate innovation.”