Fans pick 43 books like Pour Your Heart Into It

By Howard Schultz,

Here are 43 books that Pour Your Heart Into It fans have personally recommended if you like Pour Your Heart Into It. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money

Joseph A. Michelli Author Of The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

From my list on customer service and customer experience.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a New York Times #1 bestselling author of more than 10 customer experience and leadership books. When I am not reading and writing, I help leaders and entrepreneurs drive employee engagement, customer loyalty, and referrals. 

Joseph's book list on customer service and customer experience

Joseph A. Michelli Why did Joseph love this book?

Economists Gilmore and Pine, trace economic value through the agrarian, industrial and service age and pioneer thinking on the importance of “staging” experiences. This book created a tectonic shift from transactional “customer service” to emotionally engaging “customer experiences.” In a world where customer satisfaction is table stakes, The Experience Economy shows readers how to drive emotional engagement and repeat business.

By B Joseph Pine II, James H Gilmore,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Experience Economy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Time is limited. Attention is scarce. Are you engaging your customers?

Apple Stores, Disney, LEGO, Starbucks. Do these names conjure up images of mere goods and services, or do they evoke something more--something visceral?

Welcome to the Experience Economy, where businesses must form unique connections in order to secure their customers' affections--and ensure their own economic vitality.

This seminal book on experience innovation by Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore explores how savvy companies excel by offering compelling experiences for their customers, resulting not only in increased customer allegiance but also in a more profitable bottom line. Translated into thirteen languages,…


Book cover of The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary

Joseph A. Michelli Author Of The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

From my list on customer service and customer experience.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a New York Times #1 bestselling author of more than 10 customer experience and leadership books. When I am not reading and writing, I help leaders and entrepreneurs drive employee engagement, customer loyalty, and referrals. 

Joseph's book list on customer service and customer experience

Joseph A. Michelli Why did Joseph love this book?

If only my mail carrier were like Fred… but that’s the point. All of us can “up our game” when it comes to caring for and about others. Mark Sanborn crafted a highly accessible and engaging book that shows how everyone can “be a Fred.” The line between ordinary and extraordinary is less about resources and more about focus and effort.

By Mark Sanborn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Fred Factor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Mark Sanborn met his postman, Fred, just after he moved to Denver. Fred knocked on his door, introduced himself, and welcomed him to the neighborhood. He also asked Sanborn about himself and how he wanted his mail handled while he was away. Needless to say, Sanborn was shocked. He asked Fred more about his job and how he approached it. Fred's answers inspired him to develop motivational seminars promoting Fred's attitude and approach to life.

To embody the Fred philosophy is to realise and practise that:--Everyone can make a difference--Success is built on good relationships--You must continually create value for…


Book cover of Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow

Joseph A. Michelli Author Of The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

From my list on customer service and customer experience.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a New York Times #1 bestselling author of more than 10 customer experience and leadership books. When I am not reading and writing, I help leaders and entrepreneurs drive employee engagement, customer loyalty, and referrals. 

Joseph's book list on customer service and customer experience

Joseph A. Michelli Why did Joseph love this book?

I wish I had written this book. Chip Conley takes Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and applies it to employees and customers. Sharing lessons from hotel leadership, Chip demonstrates how managers and frontline workers should prioritize primary needs of those they serve while stretching to address higher level belonging and self-expression needs. With precision and clarity, Chip Conley offers a template for assessing the wants, needs, and desires of others

By Chip Conley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Peak as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Proven principles for sustainable success, with new leadership insight

PEAK is the popular, transformative guide to doing business better, written by a seasoned entrepreneur/CEO who has disrupted his favorite industry not once, but twice. Author Chip Conley, founder and former CEO of one of the world's largest boutique hotel companies, turned to psychologist Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs at a time when his company was in dire need. And years later, when the young founders of Airbnb asked him to help turn their start-up home sharing company into a world-class hospitality giant, Conley once again used the principles he'd developed…


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Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Tap Dancing on Everest By Mimi Zieman,

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route up…

Book cover of Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

Aimee Groth Author Of Kingdom of Happiness: Inside Tony Hsieh's Zapponian Utopia

From my list on sparking personal and organizational transformation.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a journalist covering the Future of Work and Silicon Valley in the 2010s, I encountered pioneering social entrepreneurs and newly minted tech billionaires whose ideologies attracted millions and have since shaped our culture, economy, and society. I've curated some of the most impactful books that informed my understanding of their ambitions and how work is evolving, as well as the thought leaders who inspired them. Engaging with this content and integrating it over the last decade has transformed my worldview, leading me to a more fulfilling, peaceful, and creative life—but it’s been quite the journey!

Aimee's book list on sparking personal and organizational transformation

Aimee Groth Why did Aimee love this book?

Meeting Tony Hsieh and encountering his pioneering business and life philosophy was so transformative that I upended my entire life and lived out of a suitcase for years to document his fascinating social experiment in Las Vegas and beyond.

Hsieh, the late CEO of Zappos, was a trailblazer in the business world, known for balancing profits, passion, and purpose. He was an early advocate for stakeholder capitalism, a concept that puts employees, customers, and communities on par with shareholders. In his #1 New York Times bestselling memoir, Hsieh shares the mental models and visionary, relational leadership that helped him become a multi-millionaire in his early 20s and near billionaire after Amazon acquired Zappos. His unique take on human systems design draws inspiration from unlikely sources, including rave culture and Zen principles.

Hsieh’s insights offer a blueprint for creating a company culture that empowers employees, satisfies customers, and benefits external stakeholders.…

By Tony Hsieh,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Delivering Happiness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

- Pay brand-new employees $2,000 to quit
- Make customer service the responsibility of the entire company-not just a department
- Focus on company culture as the #1 priority
- Apply research from the science of happiness to running a business
- Help employees grow-both personally and professionally
- Seek to change the world
- Oh, and make money too . . .

Sound crazy? It's all standard operating procedure at Zappos, the online retailer that's doing over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales annually. After debuting as the highest-ranking newcomer in Fortune magazine's annual "Best Companies to Work For"…


Book cover of Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't

Rusty Komori Author Of Superior: Creating a Superior Culture of Excellence

From my list on building excellence in leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was the Head Coach of the Punahou School Boys Varsity Tennis Team for 22 years, and we were fortunate to win 22 consecutive State Championships. Since retiring as head coach in 2015, I felt compelled to become an author and share my system of coaching excellence which led to this unprecedented winning streak. I know there are distinct differences between great and superior which can be applied to everyone in business, sports, and life. I want to inspire everyone to maximize their potential and have peak performance as a parent, son or daughter, coach or player, leader or team member.

Rusty's book list on building excellence in leadership

Rusty Komori Why did Rusty love this book?

I loved this book because we all want to achieve greatness, and it clearly identifies practices, strategies, and habits that can take a good team and make them great. It’s a reminder for me to be disciplined as a person, control myself with disciplined thoughts, and exhibit disciplined actions.

I like how Jim Collins emphasizes strategic focus, disciplined decision-making, and the importance of sustained excellence for long-term success. His "Hedgehog Concept" is a great reminder for me to reflect on what I’m deeply passionate about, what I can be the best at, and what drives my economic engine.

By Jim Collins,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked Good to Great as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

________________________________
Can a good company become a great one? If so, how?

After a five-year research project, Jim Collins concludes that good to great can and does happen. In this book, he uncovers the underlying variables that enable any type of organisation to make the leap from good to great while other organisations remain only good. Rigorously supported by evidence, his findings are surprising - at times even shocking - to the modern mind.

Good to Great achieves a rare distinction: a management book full of vital ideas that reads as well as a fast-paced novel. It is widely regarded…


Book cover of Corporate Lifecycles: How and Why Corporations Grow and Die and What to Do About It

Eric G. Flamholtz Author Of Growing Pains: Building Sustainably Successful Organizations

From my list on the stages and challenges of organizational growth.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Professor Emeritus at UCLA and have also been on the faculty of Columbia University and The University of Michigan, where I received my PhD degree. I founded Management Systems Consulting, which works with entrepreneurial firms in the US and globally to scale up, in 1978. I've served on the board of a firm (99 Cents Only Stores) that scaled up and was a NYSE listed firm. I've advised CEOs who have created global champion firms and been recognized as leaders in their space. I've authored or co-authored several books including Creating Family Business Champions; Corporate Culture: The Ultimate Strategic Advantage; Changing the Game; and Leading Strategic Change.

Eric's book list on the stages and challenges of organizational growth

Eric G. Flamholtz Why did Eric love this book?

The framework presented in Corporate Lifecycles deals with the same core issue of Stages and Challenges of Organizational Growth as dealt with in my own book, but from a different perspective. The author is a former academic who has developed his own framework of corporate lifecycles and his methodology of organizations working through them. The book presents a different framework of corporate life cycles and emphasizes the managerial styles that are appropriate to reach stage of the corporate lifecycle. The author has seen and worked with a large number of companies that have employed his methods. He presents his perspective and insights for this role as a participant-observer. 

By Ichak Adizes,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Corporate Lifecycles as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Likens corporations to living organisms and traces their developmental stages, discussing the normal, even healthy problems that lead to growth at these stages, as well as the unusual problems that can cause a company's death


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Book cover of The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

The Coaching Habit By Michael Bungay Stanier,

The coaching book that's for all of us, not just coaches.

It's the best-selling book on coaching this century, with 15k+ online reviews. Brené Brown calls it "a classic". Dan Pink said it was "essential".

It is practical, funny, and short, and "unweirds" coaching. Whether you're a parent, a teacher,…

Book cover of My Years with General Motors

Eric G. Flamholtz Author Of Growing Pains: Building Sustainably Successful Organizations

From my list on the stages and challenges of organizational growth.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Professor Emeritus at UCLA and have also been on the faculty of Columbia University and The University of Michigan, where I received my PhD degree. I founded Management Systems Consulting, which works with entrepreneurial firms in the US and globally to scale up, in 1978. I've served on the board of a firm (99 Cents Only Stores) that scaled up and was a NYSE listed firm. I've advised CEOs who have created global champion firms and been recognized as leaders in their space. I've authored or co-authored several books including Creating Family Business Champions; Corporate Culture: The Ultimate Strategic Advantage; Changing the Game; and Leading Strategic Change.

Eric's book list on the stages and challenges of organizational growth

Eric G. Flamholtz Why did Eric love this book?

This book presents the historical story of another great company that rose to dominate its industry from the perspective of the man who led the company and was the architect of the strategic battle to create it. Alfred P. Sloan was an MIT-trained engineer when he was selected to lead General Motors, which was at the time “an also ran” to the once mighty Ford Motor Company led by the legendary visionary of the industry, Henry Ford. Yet Sloan, who even today is less well known than Henry Ford, crafted a strategy and organization that ultimately surpassed Ford not only in market share, but also in all aspects of operations so that General Motors and not Ford became the dominant colossus of the Automotive industry for more than a half-century. 

The book gives readers an opportunity to see the nature and evolution of Sloan’s plans and actions that slowly and…

By Alfred P Sloan Jr.,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked My Years with General Motors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This edition has no photos nor charts. A free GM_Charts_Supplement.pdf can be download from enetpress.com

“Deliberately to stop growing is to suffocate. . . . I put no ceiling on progress.”
~Alfred P Sloan, Jr.

Alfred P Sloan, Jr. began his career with General Motors little realizing that the automobile presented one of the greatest industrial opportunities of modern times. It was because of his genius and leadership that General Motors Corporation grew to be one of the largest corporations on Earth. My Years with General Motors tells Alfred P. Sloan, Jr.’s remarkable story.

When Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. joined…


Book cover of I'll Be Back

Steven Van Belleghem Author Of A diamond in the rough: Over a 100 specific tips to build a strong customer culture

From my list on From Steven's list on acheiving an awesome customer experience.

Why am I passionate about this?

Raised in a Belgian retail store, exceptional customer service was a daily conversation topic with my parents. This upbringing made customer experience a natural part of who I am. Realizing the rarity of such service in the broader world, I delved into studying consumer behavior and how companies can respond effectively. Now, I'm deeply involved in the customer experience field, having authored six books and co-founded Nexxworks, an inspiration agency. I share all my insights freely on social channels, driven by a life goal to help everyone become more customer-centric starting tomorrow.

Steven's book list on From Steven's list on acheiving an awesome customer experience

Steven Van Belleghem Why did Steven love this book?

I am big fan of Shep Hyken and his work. Shep is an incredibly enthusiastic customer experience storyteller, possessing a knack for providing very practical advice to businesses. In this book, he zooms in on one of the most crucial aspects of customer relationships: loyalty.

I fully agree with Shep's viewpoint that many organizations overly concentrate on acquisition, overlooking the fact that cultivating loyal fans and even ambassadors is essential for long-term success.

By Shep Hyken,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked I'll Be Back as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How do you build a business that thrives during good times and bad? Is there a strategy that can set up  your company up for success, no matter what curveballs the world may throw your way? There is: Turn customers into repeat customers, and turn repeat customers into loyal customers.
 
Renowned customer service and experience expert Shep Hyken maintains that delivering an amazing customer service experience that keeps customers coming back for more is everyone’s job. Customer service is not a department. It’s not just for people on the front lines. It’s the responsibility of everyone in the organization, from…


Book cover of Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise

Ron Kitchens Author Of Uniquely You: Transform Your Organization by Becoming the Leader Only You Can Be

From my list on leadership books about leading with heart and soul.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up as a dyslexic kid with teenage parents and losing my dad at four, I spent my life searching for role models who turned their unique stories into something impactful. I’ve had the privilege of meeting all these incredible authors, learning about their journeys, and even calling a few of them friends. What sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to being real and transparent in their leadership. They don’t just lead—they use their experiences to make life better for the people they serve and to create positive change in the world around them. Their stories are proof that true leadership comes from authenticity and purpose.

Ron's book list on leadership books about leading with heart and soul

Ron Kitchens Why did Ron love this book?

This book is an inspiring and highly practical guide from one of the most respected leaders in the hospitality industry. As the co-founder of Ritz-Carlton, Schulze shares the secrets behind creating a culture of excellence that drives world-class service and lasting success.

He emphasizes the importance of a customer-first mindset, empowering employees to take ownership and setting uncompromising standards that everyone in the organization strives to meet. Schulze’s approach shows that excellence isn’t just about meeting expectations—it’s about consistently exceeding them in every detail. This book is a masterclass for leaders who want to build a high-performance organization that stands out and thrives through exceptional service and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

In some ways, Horst Schulze invented modern hospitality in America. His leadership lessons can be seen in the way companies like Chick-fil-A interact with their customers. This is a journey of greatness that we can all emulate. 

By Horst Schulze, Dean Merrill,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Excellence Wins as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Horst Schulze knows what it takes to win. In Excellence Wins, the cofounder and former president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company lays out a blueprint for becoming the very best in a world of compromise. In his characteristic no-nonsense approach, Schulze shares the visionary and disruptive principles that have led to immense global success over the course of his still-prolific fifty-year career in the hospitality industry.

For over twenty years, Schulze fearlessly led the company to unprecedented multibillion dollar growth, setting the business vision and people-focused standards that made the Ritz-Carlton brand world renowned. In Excellence Wins, Schulze shares his…


Book cover of The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth

Stephen Wunker Author Of The Innovative Leader: Step-By-Step Lessons from Top Innovators For You and Your Organization

From my list on passionate innovators.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an innovator. I’ve been one since I was a kid. Since then, I’ve started a couple of non-profits and four companies, and I’ve advised hundreds of clients on innovation opportunities. I’ve also led the team that created one of the world’s first smartphones. Over the past dozen years, I’ve written four books on the strategy and capabilities of innovation. Innovation is one of the essential characteristics that make us human. It can get the world into trouble, but it does more good than harm on balance. My mission is to make us better at innovation and make the world a better place.

Stephen's book list on passionate innovators

Stephen Wunker Why did Stephen love this book?

I read this book before a job interview with the author, and I kicked myself for not reading his works years earlier. Clay Christensen was a master of making the counter-intuitive simple and compelling and of showing why his theses really matter.

In this book, Clay laid out several of his most important theories—going well beyond the concept of Disruptive Innovation he’s most famous for. He illustrates the concepts with research and anecdotes, and his prose is always a joy to read. For anyone passionate about innovation, this book is simply a must. It’s a guidebook to success.

By Clayton M. Christensen, Michael E. Raynor,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Innovator's Solution as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An innovation classic. From Steve Jobs to Jeff Bezos, Clay Christensen's work continues to underpin today's most innovative leaders and organizations. A seminal work on disruption--for everyone confronting the growth paradox. For readers of the bestselling The Innovator's Dilemma--and beyond--this definitive work will help anyone trying to transform their business right now. In The Innovator's Solution, Clayton Christensen and Michael Raynor expand on the idea of disruption, explaining how companies can and should become disruptors themselves. This classic work shows just how timely and relevant these ideas continue to be in today's hyper-accelerated business environment. Christensen and Raynor give advice…


Book cover of The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money
Book cover of The Fred Factor: How Passion in Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary
Book cover of Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow

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Interested in customer service, Starbucks, and customer experience?

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