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We know, you’re thinking “How do they expect me to read and do everything else?”. Well, if Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Obama have time to read – so must you. Leaders become leaders because they absorb inspiration and information from multiple sources and translate it into their lives, and do it better and faster than those around them. Since books remain one of the most important means human beings have to convey inspiration and information, you simply cannot ignore them. Here are our top picks for MBA students:

The Innovator’s Dilemma

Clayton M. Christensen, an Associate Professor at Harvard Business School best known for his “Disruption Theory”, is a strong defender of technology and of the crucial role it plays in successful companies. While that is one of the topics addressed in this book – a favorite of Michael Bloomberg – its main theme is the need for companies to be willing and able to change and innovate in a fast-moving world. Christensen exemplifies the dangers posed by inertia and is sympathetic towards the challenges decision-makers face, yet warns that what is the right thing to do at a certain time may be the wrong thing to do at another. In his well-argued opinion, ignoring this or being inflexible will lead a company to failure.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Ben Horowitz is a tech entrepreneur and a very successful venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, so it’s no wonder that his pals Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and Peter Thiel all have recommended this book at some point. Written in a very colloquial style, this is a book about the harsh reality that, when it comes to the things that matter in life, there’s no true guidebook to follow. Drawing on the challenges he and his companies faced and on the tough decisions he had to make, Horowitz questions the reader about the kind of person – not just the kind of entrepreneur or business leader – he or she wants to be.

The Lean Startup

A constant fixture of any “must-read list for entrepreneurs”, Eric Ries’ work proposes a trial and error model for any startup that wishes to become a solid company. The author doesn’t argue for sheer improvisation, though; his business fundamentals rely on an attitude of continuous learning and innovating, accompanied by steady measurements of results followed by fine-tuning procedures and operations. An homage to “lean manufacturing”, this is a scientific approach to entrepreneurship that you will want to read.

How to win friends and influence people

This is a classic of American business literature, first published in 1936 and still in Amazon’s top ten of non-fiction books. Dale Carnegie was born into poverty and worked briefly as a door-to-door salesman. He was so successful that when he lost his job (through no fault of his own), he persuaded the director of the YMCA he was staying at to allow him to lecture in the common room about sales and public-speaking. His message was simple, and it was a success: if you want others to change their behavior, you must change yours first. He went on to publish his lectures, including this “bible” of networking.

Thinking, fast and slow

This book displays the author’s expertise on the psychology of decision-making. According to Daniel Kahneman, we think using two different systems. #1 is automatic and emotional, while #2 is slow and rational. Understanding how human intuition works and identifying correctly in which situations to choose system #1 or system #2 will help you make better decisions in your personal and in your professional lives.

How will you measure your life?

Clayton M. Christensen earns yet another spot on our list with this thought-provoking book, written with James Allworth and Karen Dillon. A Harvard alumnus himself, Christensen was baffled by what he witnessed over the years in alumni reunions: his colleagues’ lives had skyrocketed immediately after graduation, but as time went by a string of personal tragedies and criminal convictions begged the question he poses the reader. Illustrated with real examples taken from business history, this book will make you think about professional fulfillment from completely new perspectives.

Let us know what you think of our list and feel free to suggest alternatives to our team! If you want to know more about studying in Portugal, download our free ebook below. Enjoy!