5 business books you should read this year

These practical gems deserve a place on your nightstand.

Confessions of the Pricing Man
How Price Affects Everything
By Hermann Simon

Pricing is one of the most critical decisions a company can make, but the vast majority of executives give it an educated guess at best—leaving 25% to 100% of their potential revenue on the table. Turn what you charge into a strategic weapon with this crash course on the psychology of pricing, written by the founder of Simon-Kucher & Partners, the premier global consultancy in this field. (Make sure you check out the case study on the London Olympics, which generated more revenue than the three previous Olympics combined.)

Pre-Suasion
A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade
By Robert Cialdini

Many believe that Cialdini’s bestseller, Influence, made him the top mind on this subject. Now he has produced a book that shows how to multiply the effects of your persuasion. The key is to take the right steps before you attempt to influence someone. This book reveals the proper timing and setup, something many sophisticated marketers don’t know.

Right Away and All at Once
Five Steps to Transform Your Business and Enrich Your Life
By Greg Brenneman

Every company is in perpetual turnaround mode today. Brenneman—ex-CEO of Burger King and PwC Consulting and past COO of Continental Airlines—offers a succinct formula to evaluate whether your business can be saved and, if so, how to do it. No matter what business you’re in, you’ll profit from the advice of the king of turnarounds.

The Coaching Habit
Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever
By Michael Bungay Stanier

I’ve long hoped we’ll replace the term “manager” with “coach.” Stanier shows why it is imperative to do so in a data-driven age and how leaders can guide people in 10 minutes a day or less. Tapping key findings in behavioral economics, he reveals the seven questions coaches must ask to achieve phenomenal results.

How to Have a Good Day
Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life
By Caroline Webb

If the thrill is fading from your work, economist and former McKinsey partner Webb has the antidote. Drawing on brain research, she shows how to make more of your daily tasks pleasurable, max out your creativity, and add to your impact by putting in place the seven building blocks of a good day. Webb will show you how to prevent burnout so you arrive at your desk excited and leave energized.