I love to read books, which is good news in my job, because it requires me to read a lot of books - books about business, leadership, and learning. I always appreciate when people recommend books to me, so I thought the same may be true of you. I have compiled a short list of my absolute favorites. Some of them came out this year; others have been out for a while. Several of these are also referenced in interviews I did with the authors in our Thought Leaders series, so if you´re unsure whether you wish to go ahead and purchase them, our premier members can access either the archived webcasts or the written summaries of those interviews.
The Extraordinary Leader by Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman (Business Book Review: summary)- Not a new book, it came out in 2002. However, it is a fantastic book! It´s dense, full of practical information and based on extensive research, and still, a pleasure to read. They offer some unique insights around leveraging strengths and how to build on what a leader is already good at. If you are involved in developing leaders in any way, and/or you´re a leader in your organization, READ THIS BOOK! (Click here to read HR.com's interview with Jack Zenger)
Leadership Passages: The Personal and Professional Transitions That Make or Break A Leader by David Dotlich, James L. Noel, and Norman Walker. This book explores the critical life and work events that offer up the greatest learning for leaders at all levels. It also provides useful suggestions for successfully navigating each of the passages and provides a very healthy perspective on the role of failure and its potential value. To access this archived webcast, click here. To access the transcribed interview, click here .
The Leadership Gap by David Weiss and Vince Molinaro takes a comprehensive look at what it really means to choose and implement an integrated approach to leadership development. This is not a quick read, so be prepared to spend some serious time with this material as you think about how you might put it into practice. Click here to access the archived webcast. Click here to view the transcribed interview.
Marcus Buckingham has another wonderful read in his book that came out this year called The One Thing You Need to Know...About Great Managing, Great Leading and Sustained Individual Success. I enjoyed the stories and appreciated his ability to synthesize his learnings into a few guiding principles. If you see value in a ´strengths-based´ approach and are looking for ways to help managers and leaders see the big picture, this might be an excellent gift to give them for the New Year. Click here to access the archived webcast. Click here to view the transcribed interview.
Dan Pink spoke at our conference in Phoenix and I interviewed him in 2005 on his new book, A Whole New Mind. This is another fun read, with lots of great stories and a wonderfully refreshing approach to describing how the world is changing in favor of design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. For those of you with children who are contemplating what to do in the way of future career, you may find this book particularly insightful. Click here to access the archived webcast. Click here to view the transcribed interview.
Patrick Lencioni has written several books. The one I used as the basis for our recent Thought Leader interview was The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. It is an enjoyable read, and helps highlight some of the fundamental elements necessary for a group to function as a team. Click here to access the archived webcast. Click here to view the transcribed interview
My list would not be complete without a book from David Whyte, poet and consultant. He has written several. If you´ve not read any of his work, I would recommend you start with The Heart Aroused. This is not a new book, however it is a lasting look at why we need to invite soul to return to our places of work. To access the transcription of my interview with David, click here. To acces the webcast archive, click here .
My wish for you this new year...That you will find ways to make your heart sing! May you be healthy and happy, safe, and awake to life´s many blessings, and may we find peace in 2006.
