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These are books I highly recommend. I only recommend books I have actually read and found inspiring or useful. If you want to purchase them you can click on the link and buy them new or second-hand from Amazon.
1. First off a FREE resource. I have definitely read it since I wrote and researched it (with the help of a fab support team) for Arts Council England in 2003. I’ve been told many times by people who were starting up an Arts Ambassador Programme that they found it invaluable. Its called, A Practical Guide to Working with Arts Ambassadors.
If you prefer a nice, bound copy you can buy it for £10 by sending an order via email to: direct.orders@marston.co.uk
Guide to Working with Arts Ambassadors
2. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.
This is a classic for anyone interested in word of mouth marketing. It explains ‘social epidemics’: how a few people doing something (eg. young people wearing Hush Puppies, once seen as uncool) can suddenly tip into a major trend. Its totally engaging, thought-provoking and a very easy read (it took me just one day while on holiday – I couldn’t put it down). This book ‘woke me up’ and inspired me to find out more about how the ‘hidden’ networks in society operate. I always mention this book when I am working with people who engage arts ambassadors and, given that it’s a bestseller I am often surprised how many people haven’t read it. Apart from the fact that it is now part of its own epidemic its a MUST HAVE book for anyone interested in influencing social behaviour.
3. The Three Laws of Performance by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan
When a book gets the thumbs up from Desmond Tutu you know its got to be worth a peek. This book is a really entertaining read. It would be understandable if you approached it as ‘yet another management or leadership text’ but its way beyond that. Its full of strikingly memorable case studies and fascinating insights into huge corporations and yet also manages to be very intimate, personal and relevant to anyone at the same time. This is the perfect book to read if you are feeling a bit uninspired by your work or your life and are wondering what to do about it. One of the authors, Steve Zaffron is the CEO of Vanto Group. I’ve taken part in one of Vanto’s training courses for entrepreneurs and it was the most effective, inspiring (and occasionally astonishing) training I’ve ever done in my professional life. Streets ahead of everyone else – it had a big, positive impact on my ability to produce results in all areas of life. The book is not the same as doing the course but its a powerful read. What has it got to do with word of mouth? Not a lot at first glance but one of its central points is the power of what they call ‘future based language’ and its impact in groups and companies. This aspect as well as others in the book are very useful for anyone who wants to cause a shift in organisational or public perceptions.