Welcome to the Reading Room.
We update this reading list every month with our favorite leadership books.
Check back each month to see what’s new!
“The Progress Principle,” co-authored by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, explores the significance of daily progress in the workplace and its impact on motivation, creativity, and overall job satisfaction.
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Usefulness: 9.4/10
Stretch Factor: 8.9/10
Sinek applies the examples of both finite and infinite games to several business, political, and societal structures where he asserts that many leaders do not fundamentally understand the game in which they are exerting influence.
Overall Rating: 9.8/10
Usefulness: 9.8/10
Stretch Factor: 9.5/10
The premise that trust, or lack thereof, is at the very root of all of our successes and failures as individuals and as a society, pervades this book. When trust is high, regardless of the setting, we as team members and leaders experience the “dividend of trust” …
Overall Rating: 9.4/10
Usefulness: 9.8/10
Stretch Factor: 9.0/10
The link between how one perceives and chooses to ponder the challenges of life is the premise for this helpful book. How successful people choose to frame their perceptions and the discipline they use to “think” through all manner questions, difficulties, and human interactions make this a highly engaging read …
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
Usefulness: 9.4/10
Stretch Factor: 9.2/10
Leadership, at its core, is all about relationships. The conversations and interactions with those we lead have a great deal to do with the ultimate success of our business or organization. Crucial Conversations is considered by many to be the most relevant and applicable work on …
Overall Rating: 9.9/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.7/10
While it is a rare thing, there are times when a book helps the reader to find what it seems they already intuitively know. Telling the story through the eyes of the character John Daily, a parable unfolds that allows the reader to understand the foundational principles of leadership …
Overall Rating: 9.6/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.1/10
Recent times have seen an intense reaction to events and issues that have modified, or in some cases severely disrupted our lives. Being in constant reaction to situations and forces that are outside of our control can make people feel powerless and, at times, even lost …
Overall Rating: 9.8/10
Usefulness: 9.7/10
Stretch Factor: 9.5/10
Stewardship is a time-tested volume of insight and wisdom that challenges the reader to examine the prevailing methods of leadership present in most businesses and organizations. The 2nd edition of Stewardship maintains the author’s original premise of …
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Usefulness: 9.0/10
Stretch Factor: 9.7/10
212 Degrees is a different type of leadership book. The author effectively uses a myriad of quotes, statistics, and brief vignettes to makes several important points about persistence, preparation, and commitment …
Overall Rating: 9.4/10
Usefulness: 9.0/10
Stretch Factor: 8.5/10
There are times when it is a pleasure to read a book that is optimistic, inspirational, and very practical. Greg Bell does a superior job of providing the reader with a rationale for bringing a more positive outlook into one’s life …
Overall Rating: 9.9/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.9/10
Wise Beyond Your Field includes the meaningful contributions of seven influential and successful leaders in addition to the writings of the author. The book is very practical and easy to read with examples of leadership and how those examples can be readily applied …
Overall Rating: 9.8/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.6/10
The true potential of an organization is realized when the leadership puts in place a system, top-down and bottom-up, that sets a few very clear “Objectives” and measures them with quantifiable and time-driven, “Key Results”…
Overall Rating: 9.8/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.7/10
The metaphor of Water the Bamboo speaks directly to the time, care, and intentionality it requires to nurture and create something of real value. It provides a proven road map for team accomplishment and long-term group success …
Overall Rating: 9.8/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.5/10
Leaders who have experienced great success in bringing forth a vision and charting a clear course Have most often done so by creating a “resonant” leadership message. Many such leaders experience years of success and accomplishment without interruption …
Overall Rating: 9.4/10
Usefulness: 9.6/10
Stretch Factor: 9.5/10
Overall Rating: 9.9/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 9.7/10
The graduation address given by Admiral William H. McRaven given to the University of Texas at Austin in 2014 was so impactful and resonant that it went viral on the internet with tens of thousands of views …
Overall Rating: 9.9/10
Usefulness: 9.5/10
Stretch Factor: 9.6/10
In The First 90 Days, Michael D. Watkins shares his thoughts and strategies for effectively navigating a job promotion or new leadership role. He makes the very obvious and astute point that the first three months in a new leadership …
Overall Rating: 9.0/10
Usefulness: 9.0/10
Stretch Factor: 9.0/10
The act of eating last, by senior officers in the Marine Corps, is a daily demonstration of the commitment by leadership to create a safe and nurturing environment for those…
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Usefulness: 9.3/10
Stretch Factor: 8.8/10
The idea of building radically candid relationships through personal caring and directly challenging your team is explained in great detail in this book…
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
Usefulness: 9.5/10
Stretch Factor: 9.5/10
Leadership of self and others can be greatly enhanced by being aware of the factors that impact both our individual performance and that of those we lead. The author utilizes several engaging and humorous examples to illustrate the point that productivity of individuals …
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Usefulness: 9.5/10
Stretch Factor: 8.9/10
Daring leadership and creating a culture of courage are beautifully explained in this book by Brené Brown. The concept that vulnerability and failure are essential components to innovation and breakthrough results is explored throughout this genuine digest…
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Usefulness: 8.5/10
Stretch Factor: 9.0/10
Exploring the topics of thrift and the building of wealth, the author uses the story of the people of ancient Babylon to convey many messages about the importance of “leading of self”. Commitment to long-term goals and self-discipline are known to be cornerstones…
Overall Rating: 9.9/10
Usefulness: 9.9/10
Stretch Factor: 8.7/10
Sinek does an excellent job of providing examples of leaders and organizations that are very clear and aligned in their purpose, direction and mode of operations. He thoroughly explores the reasons that a clear focus on their “Why” leads them to sustained success. Becoming very clear about…
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Usefulness: 9.0/10
Stretch Factor: 8.8/10
Managing or working on a team where infighting, a lack of accountability or jockeying for position is the norm. It’s like a dysfunctional family, except worse, because you spend so much more time with your dysfunctional work family…
Overall Rating: 9.5/10
Usefulness: 9.5/10
Stretch Factor: 8.0/10
This book is an excellent read for those who looking for insights on how to lift your game to become a more intentional coach of your people. Whether your circle of influence is small or large, the framework this book provides will be a great set of tools to add to your toolbelt…
Overall Rating: 9.0/10
Usefulness: 9.0/10
Stretch Factor: 8.0/10
What’s your mind telling you? Are you giving yourself a true story or protecting ego? As a team, we recommend this book to all our coaching clients. It’s a quick read, particularly since it’s written as a story and it gets into an important aspect of leadership in today’s world: The bar is being raised when…
Overall Rating: 9.2/10
Usefulness: 9.5/10
Stretch Factor: 8.9/10
The book points out that most organizations are built on two flawed assumptions: that each person can learn to be competent at almost anything, and that each person’s greatest room to grow is in their area of greatest weakness. Organizations don’t spend enough energy…
Overall Rating: 9.4/10
Usefulness: 9.4/10
Stretch Factor: 9.0/10
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, applies the love language concept to the workplace. This book assists managers effectively communicate appreciation and encouragement to their team members, resulting in higher levels of job satisfaction…