Good networking skills can be as important as professional skills and the quality of your products and services. Every employee wishing to advance through the ranks and manager looking to sell a product should hone their networking skills.
If you’re super busy, a good networking book is a great option. There are many excellent books on networking, emotional intelligence, and self-improvement out there, so picking a good one shouldn’t be hard.
Quick Look: Best Networking Books
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie - Get this book
- Give and Take by Adam Grant - Get this book
- Superconnector by Scott Gerber, Ryan Paugh - Get this book
- Networking Is Not Working by Derek Coburn - Get this book
- The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton - Get this book
- Mastery by Robert Greene - Get this book
- The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen R. Covey - Get this book
- The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane - Get this book
- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman - Get this book
- Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, Tahl Raz - Get this book
What You Should Look for in a Networking Book
When selecting the right networking book, you should pay close attention to several things. Most notably, you should take the author’s experience into account.
Additionally, you should check whether a book is focused on theory or offers real-life examples and applicable tips. Finally, pick a book that suits the setting you want to use it in.
Experience of author
The first and most important thing that you should consider is the experience of the book’s author. If you can’t find all the relevant info on the writer in several minutes on Google, maybe you should skip the book.
Practical skills vs. theory
Some authors, especially those with a scientific background, focus on theory and offer example scenarios without delving too deeply into details.
On the other hand, some authors emphasize real-life examples and give a bunch of applicable tips on how to approach certain situations.
Finally, a number of authors offer a mix of both. Decide on the style that suits you and go for the corresponding book.
Audience
Networking, while important in professional settings, also plays a huge role in our private lives. Aside from career books, there are also networking books that cover building relationships outside of work.
Finally, there are books that are applicable in both settings. Know what you’re looking for and choose accordingly.
Our Picks for the Best Project Management Books
The following books have been picked based on the criteria presented in the previous segment.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Who’s it for? Everyone
- Price: Kindle $6.78, hardcover $16.99, paperback. $10.27
How to Win Friends and Influence People is the oldest entry on this list. It was published in 1936 and is still among the most influential books on the subject.
On the pages of this book, Dale Carnegie teaches how to transform oneself into someone people would love to be around and how to add value to your life and the lives of other people. The book is an easy and quick read, as it’s a conversational tone and illustrates the author’s points with interesting examples.
Even though it was written more than 80 years ago, How to Win Friends and Influence People is a timeless classic.
Give and Take by Dan Grant
- Who’s it for? Professionals
- Price: Kindle $13.19, hardcover $15.89, paperback $15.30
Instead of focusing on individual talents and strengths, Dan Grant puts emphasis on social skills that might propel one’s career. So, instead of discipline, passion, and talent, you’ll be reading about how networking and building good relationships with the right people can take your career to the next level.
Between the covers of this book, the author Dan Grant lays out a brand new approach to work, productivity, and social interactions and proclaims that nice guys can actually finish first. The book is universally praised by social scientists and CEOs around the world. It was written in an engaging language and is hard to put down.
Superconnector by Scott Gerber, Ryan Paugh
- Who’s it for? Professionals.
- Price: Hardcover $26.00, free audiobook with Audible trial.
Scott Gerber and Ryan Paugh offer a brand new approach to networking on the pages of Superconnector. They urge the reader to ditch old-fashioned and tedious networking meetings and embrace the new age of social media.
In Superconnector, you’ll learn why it’s a good idea to put other people’s needs first and how to practice habitual generosity. You will also learn successful networking strategies, such as The Art of Selectivity that shows you how to prioritize your relationships and maintain the most meaningful ones.
Gerber and Paugh also share a ton of interesting anecdotes from their rich careers and offer invaluable insight into the world of modern networking.
Networking Is Not Working by Derek Coburn
- Who’s it for? Professionals.
- Price: Kindle $3.59, paperback $8.90, free audiobook with Audible trial.
The traditional networking model where a bunch of strangers meets for cocktails is, in Derek Coburn’s words, a waste of time and valuable resources. Instead, he proposes a new approach, one based on bringing value to the customers and potential business contacts.
On the pages of this excellent book, Coburn explains his new approach step by step. He even backs it up with his own experience, claiming that the method helped him grow his company 300% in just 18 months.
The book is an easy read, interesting, and deeply insightful. Coburn’s style is light and laden with real-world examples and anecdotes.
The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton
- Who’s it for? Professionals.
- Price: Hardcover $16.97, paperback $8.84, Free audiobook with Audible trial.
Though the title might seem a bit harsh, the No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton is an invaluable read for those who have to deal with difficult people at work. If you have problems with egomaniacs, despots, bullies, and other damaging or toxic people, make sure to grab this book.
On the pages of this book, Sutton explains how to diagnose and effectively deal with various types of negative influences and people in your professional environment. This hands-on guide is guided by real-world cases as seen in major companies and laced with a healthy dose of humor. It also includes a self-diagnostic test to recognize and tame your own dark side.
Mastery by Robert Greene
- Who’s it for? Everyone.
- Price: Kindle $14.39. hardcover $22.48, paperback $15.63, free audiobook with Audible trial.
Though not a book concentrated on networking skills, Mastery is an applicable guide on how to master just about any skill or art. Instead of delving into the specifics, Greene explains the principles of and the right mindset to achieving mastery.
Greene uses historical figures such as Mozart, Da Vinci, and Darwin and contemporary greats such as Freddie Roach and Paul Graham to illustrate his points. He writes in a fun and engaging way that’s easy to follow and understand.
The main takeaway for those looking to step up their networking game is that networking is not a talent but a skill that can be practiced and honed.
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen R. Covey
- Who’s it for? Everyone.
- Price: Kindle $6.53, hardcover $20.40, paperback $13.86.
The 7 Habits is among the most popular psychology and self-help books ever written. It was first published back in 1989 and has sold more than 25 million copies around the globe.
While technically not a guide to better networking, leaders, managers, and workers aiming to enhance their networking skills can benefit greatly from this book, especially the second part of the book called interdependence.
In the interdependence part, Covey lays out habits 4, 5, and 6: “Think win-win”, “Seek to understand first, then to be understood”, and “Synergize!” These habits focus on building better relationships with others and achieving win-win situations in life and work.
The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane
- Who’s it for? Everyone.
- Price: Hardcover $14.98, paperback $8.18
Olivia Fox Cabane claims in The Charisma Myth that, contrary to popular belief, charisma is not something a person is born with. Instead, everyone has to learn it along the way. Cabane also claims that the reader can, if they’re willing, learn and master the art of charisma.
In this book, you’ll learn the specific techniques as well as the dos and don’ts that will help you build up your charisma. As Cabane claims, becoming charismatic doesn’t mean changing your personality, it means adopting the practices that fit well with your existing personality.
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
- Who’s it for? Everyone.
- Price: Hardcover $10.57, paperback $19.69.
Well-developed EQ is a critically important asset for all looking to improve their networking skills. Also, according to a growing body of research, it is a better indicator of someone’s personal and professional success than IQ.
On the pages of Emotional Intelligence, the author Daniel Goleman makes a case for EQ as the key to improving both your personal and professional life. He defines self-management, self-awareness, relationship management, and social awareness as the four core EQ skills and breaks them down into easy-to-digest lessons.
Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, Tahl Raz
- Who’s it for? Professionals.
- Price: Kindle $15.59, hardcover $22.44
In Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz lay out their approach to effective networking at work and in your private life. The authors explain their tested and proven method step-by-step and in bite-sized chunks.
Ferrazzi and Raz implore the readers to not keep scores, as giving others what they need is as important as getting what you want. Also, they advise nurturing your relationships instead of calling in only when you need something.
According to the authors, invisibility is worse than failure, the reason why you should never eat alone. Finally, they offer useful tips on how to harness the power of social media and use it to your benefit.
Finding the Best Networking Books
Better networking skills may help you get that promotion of your dreams and or enlarge your circle of friends.
When selecting the right networking book, it is important to find one that suits your style and offers what you need.If you want to broaden your skillset even further, we suggest these entrepreneur books and personal finance books. If you’d like to know more about business in general, make sure to give these business books a look.