influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Collins Business Essentials) author: Robert B. Cialdini rating: asin: 006124189X binding: Paperback list price: $17.95 USD amazon price: $12.21 USD

This is an excellent book that provides insights into the methods often used to influence peoples' behavior.

Well worth a read, and should be re-read from time to time.

The Care and Feeding of Ideas: A Guide to Encouraging Creativity author: James L. Adams rating: asin: 0201101602 binding: Hardcover list price: $16.95 USD amazon price: $16.95

Of course, this is only good if you want some creativity from your employees. If you want them to resemble the workers in 1984, avoid this one at all costs.

Finding Time: How Corporations, Individuals, and Families Can Benefit from New Work Practices (Collection on Technology & Work) author: Leslie A. Perlow rating: asin: 0801434254 binding: Hardcover list price: $37.50 USD amazon price: $37.50

Anyone even thinking about going into management should be required to read this. It blasts apart the argument that workaholics are good for business and gives many case studies and innovative ideas to help people achieve a good work/life balance.

Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition; Why It Can Matter More Than IQ author: Daniel Goleman rating: asin: 055380491X binding: Hardcover list price: $29.00 USD amazon price: $19.14 USD

A great book on understanding people (and why very smart people don't necessarily do better than the rest of us)

First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently author: Marcus Buckingham Curt Coffman rating: asin: 0684852861 binding: Hardcover list price: $30.00 USD amazon price: $19.80 USD

I can't possibly agree with everything everyone in the book does, but it has the definite upside of pointing out that there really aren't fixed rules for management and showing how conventional management wisdom doesn't always get you to the right place.

The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership author: James C. Hunter rating: asin: 0761513698 binding: Hardcover list price: $22.00 USD amazon price: $14.96 USD

I love this book. It looks at management not as a position of power, but as a position to empower. Not preachy at all, but a good lesson in why some people just don't do well at management.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking author: Malcolm Gladwell rating: asin: 0316010669 binding: Paperback list price: $15.99 USD amazon price: $10.87 USD

A fascinating study of the shortcuts in thinking and decision-making that people take (not all of them are bad!). It gave me some insight into the importance of 'gut feel', and why some people just always seem to jump the right way.