Writing Business Development Begins Here really made me think about those authors who have had an influence on me. Many of mine have been cited in the book and I thought it would be worth sharing a few. Codifying my thoughts on business development really highlighted a number of books that have shaped my professional thinking over the last few years.
Being curious about the world is an important part of being a successful business developer. Getting into a mindset of constant self development is key. Of course, regular reading is part of that.
Below are three of my favorites.
Story Brand by Donald Miller
Story Brand is a fantastic book dealing with the messaging of your business. Donald Miller leads the reader through a Brand script that frames your customer as the hero. As the business developer you take on the role of guide. Therefore your job becomes guiding your Hero towards greatness.
As a massive fan of all forms of storytelling Donald’s approach really resonated with me. Especially as he contextualises it within the framework of the 7 elements of a story. Following his examples (See Star Wars – one of my favourite films above) I found it easy to apply to my own business.
His mantra – “Confuse and you Lose” also aligns strongly to my way of thinking. Simplicity is king.
Donald’s book really contextualised how to message my marketing. The concepts and thinking have really shaped the way I approach business development.
To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
Daniel Pink needs no introduction. His bestselling book To Sell is Human changed the way I viewed both sales and business development. He makes the very compelling case that all of us are selling in our day to day regardless of what job we are in. This can take the form of persuading someone to help with a project, convince them of your idea, or influence them to get on board with a particular strategy. Therefore, we have sales in every role and at every stage of life.
Unfortunately sales is often considered to be a dirty word associated with shark-like used cars salesmen. But Daniel makes the point that the easy access of information in todays world has changed all that. The role of sales now is to be honest and transparent. Guiding your customer, explaining the information and helping them make the best decision.
Reading To Sell is Human helped me finally cast off the old sales tropes and see business development as a positive force.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Extreme Ownership by Jock Willink and Leif Babin showcases the leadership lessons gained from their time serving as Navy Seals. These lessons were truly tested during the Battle of Ramadi in the Iraq war.
As the name suggests one of their key principles is that of Ownership.
As a business developer you have a lot of balls to juggle. Staying systematic, contacting customers and defining strategy all need to be driven by you. To do that effectively needs you to take ownership of all aspects of the role.
This is especially true when things go wrong. Don’t blame others, take ownership of solving the problem.
This level of proactivity struck a chord with me. It inspired me to make the time to write Business Development Begins Here. It also reinforced the need keep aggressive with your level of activity.
Although not explicitly stated the Extreme Ownership ethos is baked into the Triple A Framework. From the business development perspective taking ownership of your assessment, planning and level of activity is critical to success.
Who are your Influences?
Donald Miller, Daniel Pink and Jocko Willink have all deeply influenced the way I work. I can’t recommend reading all three of these books highly enough.
I’m always on the lookout for new books to read. So, which authors have influenced you? Which writers would you recommend? Please share in the comments below so that we can all benefit from their wisdom.