Reading for business inspiration (Vol. 2)

Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows

Can reading The Wind in the Willows teach you about business?

Can the Prophet Amos boost your productivity?

Indeed they can, according to the latest guests on BBC2's Working Lunch programme.

We interviewed some of the top business people in the UK to find out what makes them tick.

They told us about the books they read, their heroes, ambitions, working habits and what they have learned in business.

Their answers may surprise you, so if you are looking for a bit of inspiration, read on...

And for even more inspiration, see Volume One of this series and visit the Working Lunch Green Room to see the latest guests.

Phil Wrigley, New Look

Phil Wrigley in the Green Room

Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows is a "key book about relationships", according to the boss of the New Look clothing chain.

Phil Wrigley also recommended a business book by Jim Collins, called Good to Great, as a guide on how to prevent complacency in business.

Dame Hilary Blume, Charities Advisory Trust

Dame Hilary Blume in the Green Room

Dame Hilary says she is inspired by the Bible and the Talmud, and particularly by the exploits of the Prophet Amos - a prophet who "railed against everybody and thought everything was wrong".

Dame Hilary says one of the best ways to solve problems is to pay close attention to what others are doing - if people in an Indian village are doing something well, they should be imitated.

Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP

Sir Martin Sorrell on his sources of inspiration

Sir Martin Sorrell heads one of the world's largest ad agencies. He says a number of books have inspired him, including Andrew Sorkin's Too Big to Fail, Jonathan Knee's Curse of the Mogul, and Ken Auletta's Googled.

He also says he is inspired by Sir Jules Thorn (1899-1980), founder of Thorn Electrical Industries.

Mark Lewis, Ebay UK

Mark Lewis in the Green Room

The Ebay boss says he learned a great deal about business from the late Professor Peter Doyle, who died in 2003. Doyle's principles are encapsulated in his book, Marketing Strategy and Management.

He also described Apple's Steve Jobs as a driver of "change and innovation" and hence a good business role model.