After decades of advising and coaching some of the top rainmakers in law, legal recruiter Shari Davidson shares her top self-development books every lawyer needs to read to make it rain.
These must read books have paved the way to new opportunities, broken glass ceilings, revealed how to create an ideal career, rewrite the rules of the road, and helped rethink the way the world works in law today.
SELF-DEVELOPMENT TOP READS
- Who Moved My Cheese | Spenser Johnson—An Amazing way to deal with change in your work and your life. Excellent in today’s business and COVID climate.
- Start With Why | Simon Sinek— Simon started a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them. Millions of people now understand the concept of the Golden Circle. Knowing why gets you out of bed each morning and gets you excited about living.
- How The Best Get Better | By Dan Sullivan—The most successful entrepreneurs are taking advantage of new capabilities to create greater wealth and autonomy for themselves, while providing new income and employment opportunities for millions of others. Short chapters that have a lot of information and thought on each page.
- Think and Grow Rich | Napoleon Hill— Napoleon Hill teaches what called the thirteen steps to riches. Those thirteen steps, he claimed, were the secret to building wealth.
- How To Win Friends And Influence People | Dale Carnegie— Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett credits Dale Carnegie’s teachings with transforming his life. The book’s main principles focus on persuading people through charm and confidence rather than aggression. This is an old favorite, and still stands true today.
- Awaken The Giant Within | Tony Robbins— Tony Robbins is the guy to get you excited and motivated. It can be the first step to hiring a career or business coach.
- Solution Selling | Michael Bosworth— Solution Selling is the most comprehensive sales and sales management process available today. Mike Bosworth has the best understanding of sales process in Corporate America.
- Spin Selling | Neil Rackham— Developed from 12 years of research into 35,000 sales calls, SPIN (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff) is already in use by many of the world’s top sales forces.
- Influence | Robert B. Cialdini— Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book.
Shari Davison said, “This book explains the psychology of influence that will help you retain clients, understand challenges and negotiate deals.”
NETWORKING - Never Eat Alone | Keith Ferrazzi—The youngest partner in Deloitte Consulting’s history and founder of the consulting company, Keith Ferrazzi shares his networking techniques from generic handshakes to tossing business cards like confetti.
- The Art of The Business Lunch | Jay Robin— Learn the secret art of successful dining! What’s the one entree you should never order at a business lunch? Is it ever okay to order alcohol? When should you bring up the subject of business? The Art Of The Business Lunch takes you through every aspect of the business lunch.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
- The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias: How To Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, and Create High-Performing Team | By Pamela Fuller—As we evolve as a society, collectively we all have some kind of unconscious bias. This affects everyone in personal and business relationships. Pamela Fuller the reader to understand and move past their own preconceived ideas. As a practice leader this will help you be more effective in management and business development.
- Breaking The Bias | Andrea Kramer and Alton B. Harris—Breaking Through Bias explains that it is the stereotypes about women, men, work, leadership, and family that hold women back, and it presents an integrated set of communication techniques that women can use to avoid or overcome the discriminatory consequences of these stereotypes. This book is written by attorneys, good for all professions.
LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
- The E-Myth Attorney: Why The most Legal practices don’t Work and what to do about it. | Michael Gerber— Considering going Solo. Michael Gerber gives you the foundation and tools to start a practice quickly.
- How to Start & Build A Law Practice | Jay Foonberg—This book is from the American Bar Association. Some of the information maybe outdated, however it is always good to review what worked historically and what doesn’t.
- Alternative Fees for Litigators and Their Clients | Patrick Lamb— Our lives and business are evolving. Alternative fee agreements maybe the way of the future. Create alternative ways to capture business to be profitable.
- Smart Collaboration: How Professionals and Their Firms Succeed by Breaking Down Silos | Heidi Gardner— Heidi Gardner offers law firms advice on how to earn your client’s trust.
- Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business | Gino Wickman—This book provides practical information and tools to a starting a law firm.
PRODUCTIVITY & TIME MANAGEMENT - First Things First | Stephen Covey—This book is especially useful for lawyers to learn how to achieve healthy work life balance.
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful lessons in Personal Change | Stephen Covey— If you read this book 15 years ago or more, it may be time to review again. In this new normal, we all need to take a look at how we do business and where we can be more productive.
Shari Davidson said, “Don’t buy the Kindle or iPad version, buy the book. These books are meant to be referenced throughout your career. They belong in your library along with all the other books you cherish and refer to often.
Top rainmakers are constantly learning new skills and reading about new ways to take their game to the next level. Got any good books to add to my must read list? Shoot me a note on our website: https://onbalancesearch.com. Thanks.”
About On Balance Search Consultants
On Balance offers great insight and industry intelligence. Shari Davidson, president of On Balance Search Consultants, advises law firms on how to take a firm to the next level and helps rising talent make the transition to the right law firm.
Contact us today. Call 516-731-3400 or visit our website at https://onbalancesearch.com
Please note that the content of this blog does not constitute legal advice and is only intended for the educational purpose of the reader. Please consult your legal counsel for specifics regarding your specific circumstances and the laws in your states pertaining to social media and any legal restrictions regarding the law.
