Books of the Year 2005 and 2006

For the past two years, our firm has selected what we consider to be one of the most influential and enjoyable business books of the year.

Last year, we chose Thomas Friedman’s bestselling book The World Is Flat. (Read reviews about it HERE or HERE or buy it HERE.) We selected this book for a number of reasons, but mainly because it resonated with our firm’s culture and collaborative service model. As a firm that competes daily with larger global competitors, we enthusiastically embrace Friedman’s theory of the “coefficient of flatness” and the idea that legacy-free companies can innovate more quickly, provide better service and offer a heightened sense of urgency to their clients. As the world continues to flatten, we are believers that the small really can act big and that size is no indicator of greatness.

In keeping with the notion that the world is getting flatter and small companies are playing an ever larger role in the global economy, our 2006 book of the year is Small Giants by Bo Burlingham. (Read reviews HERE or buy it HERE.) This book showcases 14 companies that eschewed growth-for-growth’s sake in favor of a passionate dedication to being the best by creating a unique corporate charisma. The companies profiled in the book contribute to their communities, provide excellent work environments to their employees, give outstanding customer service, and of course, make world-class products for their customers.

The message of this book is that being the best does not necessitate being the biggest. Clearly, there are numerous examples of great, large companies. In fact, most books about successful businesses focus on large market cap companies that are defined by their growth and shareholder value. Small Giants is an interesting read because it highlights several remarkable companies that have taken a different path to unconventional success.