Successful leaders are readers. Whether by default or design, reading is part of a successful leader’s personal growth plan. In an effort to add value to you by pointing you to quality resources and writers, each quarter I share my personal reading list and why I chose those books.
There is something here for everyone. Christian, business, military and athletic leadership books are all represented. There is even a mainstream resource from Malcolm Gladwell.
The following are 10 Books Every Leader Should Read During Fall 2019 listed in alphabetical order by the author. You can purchase any title and add to your personal library by simply clicking the link provided.
- Chasing the Bear: How Bear Bryant and Nick Saban Made Alabama the Greatest College Football Program of All Time by Lars Anderson. Both Coach Bryant and Coach Saban are undeniable kings of college football, two coaches at Alabama who have each won more national championships-six apiece-than anyone else in the history of the game. Chasing the Bear examines how they did it, revealing along the way their similarities in style, background, football philosophy, and recruiting methods, while providing readers a rare inside look at two of the greatest leaders in the history of sports. Great leadership book!
- The Original Storyteller: Become a Better Storyteller in 30 Days by Robert Carnes. Robert is one of the key players for Orange Leaders, so he knows what he is talking about. What makes stories so powerful? Why are they so universal? How is a good story able to penetrate the distractions of a busy world? What causes a story to activate the minds of people anywhere? The Original Storyteller seeks to answer those questions through the lens of God’s stories. He is the first and best storyteller. His stories reveal the essence of all great stories. Take the 30-day journey towards becoming a better storyteller.
- Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell. Talking to Strangers is a classically Gladwellian intellectual adventure, a challenging and controversial excursion through history, psychology, and scandals taken straight from the news. He revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia scandal at Penn State University, and the death of Sandra Bland—throwing our understanding of these and other stories into doubt. Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don’t know. And because we don’t know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world.
- Know What You’re FOR: A Growth Strategy for Work, An Even Better Strategy for Life by Jeff Henderson. Working with companies like Chick-fil-A and the Atlanta Braves, then serving as a pastor for 15 years at one of the country’s largest and most influential churches, North Point, Jeff knows what success looks like for healthy organizations and healthy lives. With fascinating stories from a host of entrepreneurs and Jeff’s remarkable career, Know What You’re FOR equips you with a simple strategy and the tools for extraordinary growth. You can learn more about this great book by clicking 25 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Jeff Henderson’s Book Know What You’re FOR.
- The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger. This is the book I am currently reading. Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, during a difficult time. Competition was more intense than ever and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company’s history. His vision came down to three clear ideas: Recommit to the concept that quality matters, embrace technology instead of fighting it, and think bigger—think global—and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets. Twelve years later, Disney is the largest, most respected media company in the world, counting Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox among its properties. Its value is nearly five times what it was when Iger took over, and he is recognized as one of the most innovative and successful CEOs of our era.
- The Real Madrid Way: How Values Created the Most Successful Sports Team on the Planet by Steven Mandis. Real Madrid is the most successful sports team on the planet. So how did Real Madrid achieve such extraordinary success? Columbia Business School adjunct professor Steven G. Mandis investigates. Given unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, Mandis is the first researcher to rigorously analyze both the on-the-field and business aspects of a sports team. What he learns is completely unexpected and challenges the conventional wisdom that moneyball-fueled data analytics are the primary instruments of success. Instead, Real Madrid’s winning formula both on and off the field, from player selection to financial management, is based on aligning strategy with the culture and values of its fan base.
- Something Needs to Change: A Call to Make Your Life Count in a World of Urgent Need by David Platt. While leading a team on a week-long trek of the Himalayas, bestselling author and pastor David Platt was stunned by the human needs he encountered, an experience so dramatic that it “changed the trajectory of my life.” Meeting a man who’d lost his eye from a simple infection and seeing the faces of girls stolen from their families and trafficked in the cities, along with other unforgettable encounters, opened his eyes to the people behind the statistics and compelled him to wrestle with his assumptions about faith
- How to Lead in a World of Distraction: Four Simple Habits for Turning Down the Noise by Clay Scroggins. Clay teaches leaders four simple habits that create space for emotional evaluation and exploration. These helpful practices will empower leaders to replace the chaos of their busy days with emotional competence and awareness that leads to a calmer, more fulfilling life. How to Lead in a World of Distraction:
- Teaches leaders four simple habits that create space for emotional evaluation and exploration
- Empowers leaders to replace the emotional chaos in their increasingly busy days with an emotional awareness that will lead to a calmer, more fulfilling life
- Encourages leaders to fully embrace tangible steps each day until emotional distractions–the numbing nature of entertainment and social media and the urgency of the daily grind–are permanently replaced by calm, effective, and gratifying leadership
- Homegrown: How the Red Sox Built a Champion from the Ground Up by Alex Speier. This is a great book! Boston Globe baseball reporter Speier reveals, the Sox’ success wasn’t a fluke—nor was it guaranteed. It was the result of careful, patient planning and shrewd decision-making that allowed Boston to develop a golden generation of prospects—and then build upon that talented core to assemble a juggernaut. Speier has covered the key players—Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Jackie Bradley Jr., and many others—since the beginning of their professional careers, as they rose through the minor leagues and ultimately became the heart of this historic championship squad. Drawing upon hundreds of interviews and years of reporting, Homegrown is the definitive look at the construction of an extraordinary team.
- Character Carved in Stone: The 12 Core Virtues of West Point That Build Leaders and Produce Success by Pat Williams. Overlooking the Hudson River on the campus of the United States Military Academy at West Point are 12 granite benches, each inscribed with a word representing a key leadership virtue: compassion, courage, dedication, determination, dignity, discipline, integrity, loyalty, perseverance, responsibility, service, and trust. These benches remind cadets of the qualities that lead to victory and success, not just on the battlefield, but in all of life. With his signature enthusiasm and insight, Williams shares the incredible stories of West Point graduates who exemplified these traits, from the Civil War to the War on Terror. He shows readers of all backgrounds how to develop these 12 essential virtues in their lives, whether they are in the corporate world, the academic world, the military, the church, or in some other sphere.
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.