Each quarter I list a group of books from my current personal reading list which will make you a better leader. This quarter’s collection will help you with personal growth, spiritual development, creativity, learning the secrets of championship teams, and even your marriage.
Also, I can’t recommend enough that you become a reader and continual learner. There are issues you are facing today which can be solved in 48 hours by simply purchasing one or more of the books listed below.
The following are The Top 10 Books Leaders Need To Read In Fall 2022 listed alphabetically by author:
- The Return of the Gods by Jonathan Cahn – The Return of the Gods is the most explosive book Jonathan Cahn has ever written. It is so explosive and so revealing that no description here could do it justice. Jonathan Cahn is known for revealing the stunning mysteries, many from ancient times, that lie behind and are playing out in the events of our times. But with The Return of the Gods, Cahn takes this to an entirely new level and dimension. The Return of the Gods, Cahn takes the reader on a journey from an ancient parable, the ancient inscriptions in Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia that become the puzzle pieces behind what is taking place in our world to this day, specifically in America. The mystery involves the gods. Who are they? What are they? And is it possible that these beings, whose origins are from ancient times, are the unseen catalysts of modern culture?
- Snow Leopard: How Legendary Writers Create A Category Of One by Category Pirates – Snow Leopard is the first writing advice book ever written through a Category Design lens. Inside, what you will not find are a bunch of nose-picky suggestions for how you can make your writing “better.” There will be no talk of comma placement, grammatical correctness, or a recap of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey.” Instead, you will internalize a completely new way of framing your ideas, stories, and insights to reach and resonate with the most people possible. Written by the world’s first “business writing band,” Category Pirates—made up of Christopher Lochhead, Eddie Yoon, and Nicolas Cole—Snow Leopard shows you how to create a category for yourself, master the art of Obvious & Non-Obvious content, monetize in new ways, and enjoy a lifelong career of independence, creative freedom, and exponential financial upside.
- Heaven Rules: Take Courage. Take Comfort. God Is In Control by Nancy DeMoss Walgemuth – Treatment options, work layoffs, election season, pandemic spikes, family trouble, car repairs. They take up so little room, just two little words, and yet they can fill the whole day, the whole house, our whole lives with anxiety and fear. Heaven Rules is the two-word answer for every two-word worry. The promise we need for every wave of trouble, every assault on our peace of mind. Heaven’s rule is God’s rule: His rule over nations and nature. His rule over renegade viruses, cancer, and concerns about your marriage, your kids, your job, and everything else. The Bible says God is personally, purposefully involved in all that’s taking place here on earth. He’s reigning over each tear and scar and crisis and conflict. Heaven is ruling, always ruling. That doesn’t mean we won’t experience distress, but it does mean we can find a refuge by looking upward and letting His peace rule in our hearts.
- Blind Spot: The Global Rise of Unhappiness and How Leaders Missed It by Jon Clifton – That’s because while leaders pay close attention to measures like GDP or unemployment, almost none of them track their citizens’ wellbeing. Grounded in Gallup’s global research, Blind Spot makes the urgent case that leaders should measure and quantify wellbeing and happiness — how citizens’ lives are going — and shows them how. It also discusses the five key elements of a great life and where the world needs to improve in each of them to better the lives of people everywhere.
- Truth North: Leading Authentically in Today’s Workplace, Emerging Leader Tradition by Bill George and Zach Clayton – The Emerging Leader Edition is filled with dramatic stories from successful leaders such as Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Merck’s Ken Frazier to PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi and General Motors’ Mary Barra, and emerging leaders like OneTrust’s Kabir Barday and Kanbrick’s Tracy Britt Cool of how they overcame great challenges to build highly successful organizations. The Emerging Leader Edition of True North is the classic guide for every current and aspiring leader to reach their full, authentic potential.
- Lead for God’s Sake by Todd Gongwer – The lives of an intensely-driven basketball coach, an ultra-successful CEO, and an unassuming janitor all intersect in this captivating parable about leadership, relationships, and the pursuit of success. An unforgettable story packed with profound truths, LEAD . . . for God’s Sake! will challenge you to think deeply about who you are as a leader, what success means to you, and why you do what you do. Whether you’re leading a business, a team, or your own family, this book is the first and most important step to becoming the leader you were meant to be.
- How to Thrive as a Pastor’s Wife by Christine Hoover – Every pastor’s wife is a faithful servant and leader in her own right. She has great influence on her church, her community, her family, and her husband, and she finds joy in seeing God move in the lives of others. Yet she also faces unique challenges that too often go unnoticed and unaddressed. At times, a pastor’s wife may feel she can’t talk about her struggles even with those who are closest to her, which can leave her feeling alone, depleted, and misunderstood. She may settle for this way of living, but that’s not God’s desire for her. Christine Hoover knows firsthand the unique struggles and opportunities afforded a pastor’s wife–she’s been filling that role for more than 20 years. Coming alongside as an understanding friend, she offers encouragement and guidance to the struggling pastor’s wife, showing her how to make meaningful personal relationships with God, her husband, her children, her church community, and other women–relationships that will sustain her and help her thrive.
- The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team by Patrick Lencioni – In classic Lencioni fashion, Pat brings his model to life in a page-turning fable that is as relatable as it is compelling. He tells the story of Bull Brooks, an entrepreneur, husband, and father who sets out to solve his own frustration at work and stumbles into a new way of thinking that changes the way he sees his work, his team, and even his marriage. What sets this book—and the model behind it—apart from other tools and assessments is the speed at which it can be understood and applied, and the relevance it has to every kind of work in life, from running a company to launching a product to managing a family.
- Unlock Your Potential: The Ultimate Guide for Creating Your Dream Life in the Modern World by Jeff Lerner – In Unlock Your Potential, author and entrepreneur Jeff Lerner answers those questions with a resounding YES! He shows readers how the failings of our education, employment, and retirement systems have opened doors most people didn’t even know exist. And, most important, he’ll show YOU how to step through those doors—where they exist, how they work, what it takes to go through them, and what’s on the other side.
- 5-STAR QB: It’s Not About The Stars, It’s About The Journey by Yogi Roth and Joey Roberts – 5-STAR QB is unlike any book you’ll ever read, as it takes you inside the minds, the lives, and the moment-by-moment experiences of more than 50 quarterbacks, in their own words. In addition, each chapter has advice from notable Ambassadors of the Game that is layered with a wisdom that will enrich the lives of any recruit, parent, or fan of football.
- ***BONUS*** The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek – In this revelatory new book, Simon Sinek offers a framework for leading with an infinite mindset. On one hand, none of us can resist the fleeting thrills of a promotion earned or a tournament won, yet these rewards fade quickly. In pursuit of a Just Cause, we will commit to a vision of a future world so appealing that we will build it week after week, month after month, year after year. Although we do not know the exact form this world will take, working toward it gives our work and our life meaning. Leaders who embrace an infinite mindset build stronger, more innovative, more inspiring organizations. Ultimately, they are the ones who lead us into the future.
- ***2nd BONUS*** 2021 The Year In Leadership: The Stories Of Faith, Athletics, Business, and Life Which Inspired Us All by Brian Dodd – Yes, this is my latest book! Each chapter is filled with wisdom and insights from the leaders who succeeded and struggled during 2021. I take these lessons from all walks of life and give you practical steps on how to best use them in your own leadership. As you will discover, the stories are entertaining, challenging, inspiring, and sometimes even sobering. The best leaders are the ones who sense and seize opportunity in the midst of chaos. By learning the lessons from 2021, it helps ensure you have the potential to become the leader God meant for you to be in 2022.