A Reading List Of Top Books For Office Managers
Now that the summer is almost here, it’s time to think about how you can catch up on your reading list. Spend summertime the right way by diving into some great books for office managers that will help advance your career while keeping your brain sharp and helping you to hone your professional skills. We have compiled a list of ten books that are perfect for office professionals of all types.
Whether you are struggling to be taken seriously in the office, dealing with perfectionism, wanting to develop your sales chops, or anything in between – this list has your summertime professional development covered. (And no judgement here if you decide to catch up on your reading with a fruity drink, poolside!)
7 Habits Of Highly Effective People
In this book, author Stephen R. Covey breaks down the practices that make people highly effective. In this book, Covey goes past the surface level help of focusing on public image and portraying a positive mental attitude. Instead, Covey dives deep and discusses the character shifts that will create a better life for you and those around you.
This book is perfect for: Anyone who wants to work on self-development.
The Healthy Workplace: How to Improve the Well-Being of Your Employees-and Boost Your Company’s Bottom Line
Being healthy when you are working in an office can be difficult. Office work is extraordinarily sedentary and that coupled with stress can lead to a lot of unintended, negative consequences. Leigh Stringer (author of this title along with The Green Workplace) wanted to share her journey to getting healthy and how you can use this journey to improve the well-being of your employees.
This book is perfect for: Office managers who have a focus on workplace health
Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers
As much as we’d like to applaud the progress we have made over the last few decades regarding women’s empowerment, there is still a disproportionate number of men to women in leadership positions.
In this book, Lois P. Frankel details her experience working with women across the world to bring you the mistakes women make that hurt their careers as well as advice to fix them.
This book is perfect for: The office manager who needs to break out of her comfort zone and apply for leadership positions.
The Art of Everyday Assertiveness: Speak Up. Say No. Set Boundaries. Take Back Control
It’s easy to go from the backbone of the office to the stepping stone of the office when you say yes to too many things. This book by Patrick King teaches you all the necessities of setting up boundaries so you can be useful in all areas of your life, including your career.
This book is perfect for: Office managers who always have too much to do around the office and need a break… i.e., every OM ever.
Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It
According to author Peggy Klaus, bragging is showcasing your best self and being proud of what you have accomplished. To most people, though, they are afraid of coming off as too abrasive or rude for being excited about what they have achieved. This book sets the record straight and allows people to brag without becoming self-conscious.
This book is perfect for: Office managers who do amazing things but need to get better at building their personal brands through bragging
Managing Your Manager: How to Get Ahead with Any Type of Boss
As an employee, you are likely going to face different bosses in your career. Being prepared for the different managers you might encounter is crucial so you can quickly identify the best ways to work and excel with each manager. In this book, Gonzague Dufour discusses various boss archetypes and how to succeed while working with them such as the bully, the star, the scientist, and the navel to name a few–each with distinct personalities and chapters devoted to them.
This book is perfect for: Office managers or executive assistants in transition to new bosses or those who deal with a variety of bosses in their daily work life.
Who Took My Pen… Again? Secrets from Dynamic Executive Assistants Be the Ultimate Assistant
Having an assistant is essential for any company; often managers depend on their assistants a great deal to keep their entire working lives in order. Take some time this summer to take your executive assistant skills to the next level for the sake of your current and future companies. This book by Joan Burge, Nancy Fraze, and Jasmine Freeman packs tons of advice by hundreds of executive assistants into 23 actionable chapters that will help you become a better assistant.
This book is perfect for: Office managers and executive assistants who want to learn the tricks of the trade and get to know more about their job by building upon the advice of others in their profession.
The CEO’s Secret Weapon: How Great Leaders and Their Assistants Maximize Productivity and Effectiveness
Being an effective leader is necessary to continued success. Companies who aren’t productive with their time and energy tend to burn out quickly or end up having to close their doors earlier than they’d like. Hiring assistants to become a more productive executive can be a great way to take your business to the next level, but only if you and your assistant work well together. This book by Jan Jones discusses productivity and effectiveness by helping you understand the resources you have in your executive assistant.
This book is perfect for: CEOs and other business leaders who want to learn more about how they can maximize their productivity this summer and beyond with the help of an assistant. This could be a great tandem read for both managers and their assistants!
Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact
The words you say and when you say them have a significant impact on the sales you make the customers you bring in. Author Phil M. Jones discusses a wide variety of business sayings that will get you the sales you want quickly and effectively. This book is only about 150 pages, making it a short but impactful read.
This book is perfect for: People who want to sell more by mastering the art of timely communication… and selling doesn’t have to mean that you’re in a sales role.
The Joy Of Imperfection: A Stress-Free Guide To Silencing Your Inner Critic, Conquering Perfectionism, and Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself!
Wanting to create excellent projects in the workplace is nothing to be ashamed of, but the need for perfection can cause a lot of unintended negative consequences in your life. In this book, productivity expert Damon Zahariades discusses how you can silence your inner critic so you can be the best version of yourself without the need to be perfect, paralyzing you into inaction.
This book is perfect for: Perfectionists who want to embrace the joy of being imperfect so they can be less stressed, irritated, and unhappy.
Read Easier & More Affordably!
This summer is the perfect time to pick up a great book, and there are no excuses for avoiding books in today’s age:
For those who don’t like reading, there is Audible! Audible has a vast library filled with tons of titles that are ready for you in audio form. You can download these books and read them while working out, relaxing by the pool this summer, or even on a long road trip.
And for those who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on books, there is Overdrive! Overdrive teams up with many local libraries to allow you to borrow many Kindle books for free. Plus, you don’t even have to purchase a Kindle as Amazon has created a ton of free apps for tablets, computers, and smartphones.
Pick up any of these helpful reads to expand your skills, evolve your mindset, and develop yourself personally and professionally so that at the end of the summer, you’ll feel accomplished.
