It’s the time of the year where you start to see lists highlighting the best of 2018. This is my contribution of some of the best leadership books I read this year. Of course this is only my opinion and feel free to share your favorite in the comments.
Here they are, in no particular order:
Bad Blood recommended by a friend, this book reads more like a fiction novel. A fascinating look at what happens when ego gets in the way of a leader. Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes was once compared to Steve Jobs. However, through a series of deceptions and poor leadership the company met an untimely demise, leaving early investors out millions of dollars.
Notable Quote:
“A sociopath is often described as someone with little or no conscience. I’ll leave it to the psychologists to decide whether Holmes fits the clinical profile, but there’s no question that her moral compass was badly askew.”
The Dichotomy of Leadership is a great book written by two former Navy Seals, who have gone on to create their own executive consulting service. Pairing active duty military experience with practical wisdom, this book ends up being an applicable read with a Tom Clancy flare.
Notable Quote:
“If mistakes happen, effective leaders don’t place blame on others. They take ownership of the mistakes, determine what went wrong, develop solutions to correct those mistakes and prevent them from happening again as they move forward.”
Presence This is a fascinating book on how body language and posture can impact your influence as a leader. Definitely made me aware of when I was slouching or adopting a “closed” posture and focus more on “power” poses.
Here is a link to a TED talk from the author:
Notable Quote:
“focus less on the impression you’re making on others and more on the impression you’re making on yourself.”
The Power of Moments This is an awesome book I just recently finished. I received it as a gift and have really enjoyed it. From the same authors who wrote Switch this book focuses on ways to create lasting impact for your customers, employees and family. Full of practical examples, including one that I am blatantly stealing. How to create a memorable First Day Experience for your new employees.
Notable Quote:
“Passion is individualistic. It can energize us but also isolate us, because my passion isn’t yours. By contrast, purpose is something people can share. It can knit groups together.”
Tribe of Mentors complied by Tim Ferris, most well known for his podcast The Tim Ferris Show and his book The Four-Hour Workweek (another of my favorites). This is a large book, but easily digestible. The subtitle describes it best, “Short life advice from the best in the world”. Great insight from the likes of Yuval Noah Harari, Arianna Huffington, Ray Dalio etc. Lots of great perspective and I really use it more as a reference book to keep going back to throughout the year.
Runner Up:
Quiet is a book for introverts on the power of being an introvert in a noisy world. After taking the Meyers-Brigg this year and learning that I fall into the INFP label, this book was extremely interesting and reassuring. It’s ok to be an introvert, as a matter of fact it can be kind of awesome.
Notable Quote:
“Spend your free time the way you like, not the way you think you’re supposed to. Stay home on New Year’s Eve if that’s what makes you happy. Skip the committee meeting. Cross the street to avoid making aimless chitchat with random acquaintances. Read. Cook. Run. Write a story.”
That was my top five, so many more could have made the list. These are the ones that stood out. Looking forward to hearing your recommendations.
Below is a little preview of whats in my queue for 2019: