Successful leaders are continual learners. As a result, leaders are readers.
I love books and am an avid reader. Each quarter I want to share with our leadership community what is on my reading list and why.
The following are 10 Books Every Leader Should Read During Summer 2019 in alphabetical order by author (except for one major exception which is listed first). The interesting thing about this set of books is how almost each one contradicts some long-held leadership beliefs I have. These books expanded my thinking, forced me to unlearn some things, relearn some new ones, and hopefully made me a better leader.
You can purchase any title and add to your personal library by simply clicking the link provided.
- Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A: How Faith, Cows, and Chicken Built an Iconic Brand by Steve Robinson. Simply put – THIS IS THE BEST BUSINESS BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!!! During his thirty-four-year tenure at Chick-fil-A, Steve was integrally involved in the company’s growth–from 184 stores and $100 million in annual sales in 1981 to over 2,100 stores and over $6.8 billion in annual sales in 2015–and was a first-hand witness to its evolution as an indelible global brand. In Covert Cows and Chick-fil-A, Robinson shares behind-the-scenes accounts of key moments, including the creation of the Chick-fil-A corporate purpose and the formation and management of the now-iconic “Eat Mor Chikin” cow campaign. Drawing on his personal interactions with the gifted team of company leaders, restaurant operators, and the company’s founder, Truett Cathy, Robinson explains the important traits that built the company’s culture and sustained it through recession and many other challenges. He also reveals how every aspect of the company’s approach reflects an unwavering dedication to Christian values and to the individual customer experience.
- New Thinking, New Future by Dr. Sam Chand. With candor, humor, and personal stories, Sam peels back the layers of our assumptions to challenge us to think more deeply, more clearly, and more productively than ever before. He addresses fundamental topics all leaders instinctively address, including security, location, ownership, team, growth, and benchmarks of success.
- It’s the Manager: Gallup finds the quality of managers and team leaders is the single biggest factor in your organization’s long-term success. by Jim Clifton and Jim Carter. Packed with 52 discoveries from Gallup’s largest study on the future of work, It’s the Managershows leaders how to adapt their organizations to rapid change, ranging from new workplace demands to managing remote employees, a diverse workforce, the rise of artificial intelligence, gig workers, and attracting – and keeping – today’s best employees. Who is the most important person in your organization to lead your teams through these changes? Gallup research reveals: It’s your managers.
- The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to a Career You Love by Ken Coleman. Right now, 70% of Americans aren’t passionate about their work and are desperately longing for meaning and purpose. They’re sick of “average” and know there’s something better out there, but they just don’t know how to reach it. In his latest book, The Proximity Principle, national radio host and career expert Ken Coleman provides a simple plan of how positioning yourself near the right people and places can help you land the job you love.
- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. Plenty of experts argue that anyone who wants to develop a skill, play an instrument, or lead their field should start early, focus intensely, and rack up as many hours of deliberate practice as possible. If you dabble or delay, you’ll never catch up to the people who got a head start. But a closer look at research on the world’s top performers, from professional athletes to Nobel laureates, shows that early specialization is the exception, not the rule. David Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel. Generalists often find their path late, and they juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They’re also more creative, more agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see.
- The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller. Newsweek called pastor Tim Keller “a C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century.” In this book, Keller offers a rational explanation to understanding Christianity and uses the parable of the prodigal son to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation. Within that parable Jesus reveals God’s prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a whole new way.
- Chumps to Champs: How the Worst Teams in Yankees History Led to the ’90s Dynasty by Bill Pennington. This is the best sports book I’ve read this summer. What happened during George Steinbrenner’s two-year suspension and how it shaped the future Yankees dynasty is fascinating. From 1989 to 1992, the Yankees were a pitiful team at the bottom of the standings, sitting on a 14-year World Series drought and a 35 percent drop in attendance. But out of these ashes emerged a modern Yankees dynasty, a juggernaut built on the sly, a brilliant mix of personalities, talent, and ambition. In Chumps to Champs, Pennington reveals a grand tale of revival.
- Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley’s Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt. I am so excited to begin reading this book week! Bill Campbell played an instrumental role in the growth of several prominent companies, such as Google, Apple, and Intuit, fostering deep relationships with Silicon Valley visionaries, including Steve Jobs, Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt. In addition, this business genius mentored dozens of other important leaders on both coasts, from entrepreneurs to venture capitalists to educators to football players, leaving behind a legacy of growing companies, successful people, respect, friendship, and love after his death in 2016. I can’t wait to learn how he did it!
- The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. With their first book, Extreme Ownership, Willink and Babin set a new standard for leadership, challenging readers to become better leaders, better followers, and better people, in both their professional and personal lives. Now, Jocko and Leif dive even deeper into the unchartered and complex waters of a concept first introduced in Extreme Ownership: finding balance between the opposing forces that pull every leader in different directions. Here, Willink and Babin get granular into the nuances that every successful leader must navigate.
- Greatness: The 16 Characteristics of True Champions by Don Yeager. GREATNESS is a motivational book whose target audience is found in business and self-help. It is a life book, aimed at inspiring others to achieve their personal and professional best. Opening with an in-depth discussion of the nature of Greatness-what it is, what it is not, and why it is worth pursing-each subsequent chapter of the book consists of a detailed story illustrating one aspect of Greatness with examples from the sports greats that Don has interviewed over the years. This will be followed by a discussion and other related examples. There are also practical tips and plans for assisting the reader in implementing new habits, routines, practices, and philosophies of Greatness into his or her daily life. As each characteristic is outlined, the reader is challenged to look for areas in his or her professional and personal lives that can be improved by embracing these lessons.
What other great books do you read this summer?
And if you have not picked it up already, my book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is available for purchase. If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you! By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you. This book is not to be read alone. Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence. Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.