Over the many years I’ve known Tom as both friend and mentor, I’ve learned more about business thought leadership from him than I have from the many books I’ve read about it. Each page of this book is crammed with wisdom and insight, and I guarantee that you will underline, highlight, and dog-ear it. By his own definition, Tom cannot call himself a ‘thought leader’, but there is nothing that prevents me from bestowing it. I take exception to just one thing about this book—it is not ‘the second-best business book ever written’, it is the best! You can put away all the other business books on your list and read this one—it’s that good

From the teachings of Aristotle in the halls of Lyceum to wisdom-based pitches made by Sales Executives in the corporate Boardroom, Tom blends history, data science, psychology and personal experience into a well-conceived methodology delivering fact-based instruction sure to improve sales and overall business results. Focusing on the customer, developing critical insights from industry trends, and mastering the art of storytelling form the foundation of Thought Leadership, the pinnacle of positioning in the corporate office and in the market. I found Tom’s writing to be reflective, insightful, inspirational, informative, amusing and challenging. I trust you will as well.

Based on the wisdom of ancient philosophers, Tom Marks presents a straightforward process for developing the competency of thought leadership. Most notably, his process is as relevant for selling products and services to prospective clients as it is for selling individual competencies and know-how to a potential employer. It’s a great read!

Business goals are necessary, but sometimes they get in the way. You want to be a leader? You want to make a difference in your company, your community? The secret from this book is that leadership – thought leadership – starts and ends with not trying to be different, but simply being more of yourself. Be human. Be honest. Plan your business strategy around that and success won’t be far away.

Well written, timely and incredibly relevant for anyone that practices thought leadership, consumes thought leadership or is curious about thought leadership. Buy it! Read it! Embrace it!

Admittedly, I had only barely heard of thought leadership prior to reading Tom Marks’ The Second-Best Business Book Ever Written. Thanks to Tom’s caring, creative, and curious new book, thought leadership will help guide and influence both our organization and my leadership throughout our future endeavors. Tom’s ability to clearly articulate difficult and insightful business concepts in a humorous and positive way, will be helpful to any reader whether your early in your career or a seasoned CEO. A truly great read.

Much of what passes for thought leadership these days is a provocative idea packaged in a pithy way designed to generate clicks.

That is most definitely NOT what Tom Marks writes in his The Second Best Business Book Ever Written. Rather, Marks identifies three key sources of human behavior – Desire, Emotion and knowledge – and links thought leadership around these ideas to three areas of influence – Wisdom, Trust and Ethics.

Of course, none of these ideas are new which is why Marks traces them back to the classic Greek Scholars, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and the lesser known, Aspasia. Deriving lessons from these original thought leaders, as well as from the worlds of sports and Broadway musicals, Marks makes the compelling case that market leadership, as well as thought leadership, is predicated upon these eternal truths. Having experienced living and working in non-Western cultures, I can say that whether your world view is rooted in ancient Greek philosophers ,or Buddha, or Confucius, these truths that have stood the test of time can be wonderful guides to business and personal success.