Summer Reading List: 10 Books for Leaders

Summer is a very nice time to have a good read. We’ve chosen 10 incredibly interesting (to our view) books that would be useful and interesting to spend time with for those who want to advance their leadership skills.

“Stronger: Develop the Resilience You Need to Succeed”

By George S. Everly Jr. and Douglas A. Strouse
Professional athletes, surgeons, first responders - all perform remarkable feats in the face of intense stress. Why do they thrive under pressure, while others succumb? What separates the two is attitude. Resilient people meet adversity head-on and bounce back from setbacks. They seem to naturally exude an inner strength - but studies show that resilience is something that anyone can build. Drawing on the unique perspective of a standout team of authors (a stress management expert, a skilled entrepreneur, and a Navy SEAL), "Stronger" explores the science behind resilience and explains how you can develop this vital trait for yourself. Whatever your profession, today's demanding world calls for a special kind of strength. This revealing book holds the key.

Only Humans Need Apply: Winners and Losers in the Age of Smart Machines

By Thomas H. Davenport, Julia Kirby 
Nearly half of all working Americans could risk losing their jobs because of technology. It’s not only blue-collar jobs at stake. Millions of educated knowledge workers—writers, paralegals, assistants, medical technicians—are threatened by accelerating advances in artificial intelligence.

In “Only Humans Need Apply”, Thomas Hayes Davenport and Julia Kirby reframe the conversation about automation, arguing that the future of increased productivity and business success isn’t either human or machine. It’s both. The key is augmentation, utilizing technology to help humans work better, smarter, and faster. Instead of viewing these machines as competitive interlopers, we can see them as partners and collaborators in creative problem solving as we move into the next era. The choice is ours.

TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking

By Chris Anderson
This book explains how the miracle of powerful public speaking is achieved, and equips you to give it your best shot. There is no set formula; no two talks should be the same. The goal is for you to give the talk that only you can give. But don’t be intimidated. You may find it more natural than you think.

Chris Anderson has worked behind the scenes with all the TED speakers who have inspired us the most, and here he shares insights from such favorites as Sir Ken Robinson, Amy Cuddy, Bill Gates, Elizabeth Gilbert, Salman Khan, Dan Gilbert, Mary Roach, Matt Ridley, and dozens more — everything from how to craft your talk’s content to how you can be most effective on stage. This is the 21st-century’s new manual for truly effective communication and it is a must-read for anyone who is ready to create impact with their ideas.

Leadership Blindspots: How Successful Leaders Identify and Overcome the Weaknesses That Matter

By Robert Bruce Shaw
“Leadership Blindspots” is a comprehensive guide that helps individuals surface and act on unrecognized weaknesses that can impair their effectiveness, damage their organizations and derail their careers. Written by an author with years of experience working closely with leaders as a management consultant, the book provides a useful model for understanding how blindspots operate and the risks they pose.  At the same time, “Leadership Blindspots” offers a clear roadmap to becoming a better leader by offering pragmatic advice on how to manage blindspots more effectively.  

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t

By Simon Sinek
Why do only a few people get to say “I love my job”? It seems unfair that finding fulfillment at work is like winning a lottery; that only a few lucky ones get to feel valued by their organizations, to feel like they belong.

In his travels around the world since the publication of his bestseller “Start with Why”, Simon Sinek noticed that some teams were able to trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives were offered, were doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why? You’ll find the answer in the book.

Under New Management: How Leading Organizations Are Upending Business as Usual

By David Burkus
These days, the best companies are breaking the old rules. At some companies, e-mail is now restricted to certain hours, so that employees can work without distraction. Netflix no longer has a standard vacation policy of two to three weeks, but instructs employees to take time off when they feel they need it. And at Valve Software, there are no managers; the employees govern themselves. 

The revolutionary insights Burkus reveals here will convince companies to leave behind decades-old management practices and implement new ways to enhance productivity and morale.

The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places from Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley

By Eric Weiner
The acclaimed travel writer Weiner sets out to examine the connection between our surroundings and our most innovative ideas. He explores the history of places to show how certain urban settings are conducive to ingenuity. And, with his trademark insightful humor, he walks the same paths as the geniuses who flourished in these settings to see if the spirit of what inspired figures like Socrates, Michelangelo, and Leonardo remains.

“The Geography of Genius” redefines the argument about how genius came to be. His reevaluation of the importance of culture in nurturing creativity is an informed romp through history that will surely jumpstart a national conversation.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

By Daniel H. Pink
Forget everything you thought you knew about how to motivate people—at work, at school, at home. It's wrong. As Daniel H. Pink explains in his book, the secret to high performance and satisfaction in today's world is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world

Along the way, he takes to companies that are enlisting new approaches to motivation and introduces us to the scientists and entrepreneurs who are pointing a bold way forward. 
“Drive” is bursting with big ideas—the rare book that will change how you think and transform how you live.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't

By Jim Collins
“Built to Last”, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning.
But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness?

Jim Collins reveals these and many more topics in his book.

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

By Michael Bungay Stanier
A fresh, innovative take on the traditional how-to manual, the book combines insider information with research based in neuroscience and behavioural economics, together with interactive training tools to turn practical advice into practiced habits. Dynamic question-and-answer sections help identify old habits and kick-start new behaviour, making sure you get the most out of all seven chapters. Witty and conversational, “The Coaching Habit” takes your work - and your workplace - from good to great.


                                                                   



                                                                       
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