If you are a regular reader of this site then you know each quarter I like to provide my current reading list.  Therefore, in an effort to point you to quality resources, the following is what I’ll be reading this upcoming season.

This quarter’s list is very special to me personally.  At the end of the list, I will be spotlighting five specific books separately.  I think you will be intrigued and impressed as to why when I give the explanation.

Click on the links to learn more and purchase.  They will make you a better leader.

The following are The Top 10 Books Leaders Should Read in the Winter of 2025 in alphabetical order:

• Transformer: Klopp, the Revolution of Club and Culture by Neil Atkinson – Jürgen Klopp’s announcement in January 2024 that he was to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season would see an unprecedented outpouring of grief from his adopted city. But the story of Klopp and Liverpool is a special one.  A city haunted by tragedy and economic hardship rapidly found itself reinvigorated and redrawn by one man’s philosophy, and an approach to life and football that was driven by joy, passion and inclusivity.
• Voices: The Power, Pain, & Purpose of Voices by Dr. Sam Chand – We live in a world of voices: disparaging ones, encouraging ones, skeptical ones, and meaningful ones. As leaders are being pulled in every imaginable direction, learning to filter out the destructive voices, harness the constructive ones, and use the painful ones for purpose has never been more critical than it is right now. Leadership architect and consultant Sam Chand offers a path forward in Voices-a timely guide for leaders whose hearing has been dulled from the deafening noise of conflicting voices.
• The Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played (Tiger Woods in 2000 – 2001) by Kevin Cook – I love books on excellence and elite performance. In The Tiger Slam, Kevin Cook delivers a gripping, inside-the-ropes account of an astonishing streak of victories that left Woods’s rivals scrambling to keep up.  Readers will hear from many of golf ’s biggest names—Tiger’s caddie, his coach, his opponents, his idols, and others, all offering fresh insight into the electrifying highs of his victories and the obstacles on and off the course that threatened his relentless pursuit of perfection.
• Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business by Liz Elting – For the first time ever, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Forbes’ Richest Self-Made Woman Liz Elting shares her story on how she co-founded and grew TransPerfect, the billion-dollar translation and language solutions company that began as a dream in an NYU dorm room.  In Dream Big and Win, Elting divulges practical and inspiring tips you can implement immediately, teaching why success is not solely about attaining and wielding power.  Elting shows you that fulfilling your highest potential will require you to look beyond yourself. In her honest and often humorous narrative, Elting illustrates why actions are more important than mantras and why doing will always eclipse dreaming.  This book is for anyone who has ever dreamed of translating their passion into purpose and creating something bigger than themselves.
• HBR Daily Leader: Everyday Wisdom for Exceptional Leadership by Harvard Business Review – HBR Daily Leader provides 365 days’ worth of insights and inspiration, an easy and enjoyable way to make your professional development a regular habit. Every page offers something new, whether it’s an insight to spark your thinking, a quote to inspire you, or a question to reflect on. And each day presents you with an opportunity to take on topics such as communicating effectively, managing your time, expanding your influence, and cultivating new skills.
• The Great Mental Models, Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts by Shane Parrish – Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields.  Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back.
  Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity.
• Lessons From Thought Leaders by multiple authors including Bob Berg, Kevin Eastman, Tom Ziglar, and many more – I am very excited about this book.  Each author and everyone behind the scenes has made a great effort to create this book to make a positive ripple in the world. We are honored by you taking the time to read these stories and by you continuing to make waves as you live out the lessons within!

Special Collection of Books and Authors

Each week, I join 90+ high school, collegiate, and professional baseball scouts and coaches in a nationwide Zoom Bible study.  These men have stretched me, challenged me, and made me a better husband, father, leader, and man.

If you a baseball scout and coach and would like to be part of this group, email Mike Linch at mike.linch@northstarchurch.org and he will get you setup.

This group is of such quality that four of its members released books in December.  More specifically, three made Amazon’s #1 best-seller in the Sports Coaching category.  Check out these books.  Each holds a special place in my heart.

• Hurdle-isms: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Baseball by Clint Hurdle – Releasing February 11th, renowned Major League Baseball player, hitting coach, manager, and current Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Colorado Rockies, Clint Hurdle, delivers a collection of his most inspirational stories.  You’ll find a ton of funny, insightful, and otherwise notable anecdotes from one of Major League Baseball’s most successful personalities.  In each chapter, Hurdle also describes the experience, strength, and hope he’s gained through his experiences playing, coaching, and managing his way through the MLB, as well as his successes and failures in the league.
• Coaching With Purpose: The Game Plan That Helps Coaches Build Winners On and Off the Field by Keith Madison – Coaching today is more challenging than ever. From tight budgets, long hours, and overzealous parents to the NCAA transfer portal, NIL deals, and social media, today’s coaches are faced with high expectations and little thanks.  Too many coaches find themselves burned out, worn down, and wondering if all the stress and pressure is worth it.  What if there was another way to stay in the game? What if coaches had a game plan to help them build their program, develop stronger players, and withstand the storms?  After 28 years of coaching on the field, including 25 seasons as head coach for the University of Kentucky, and 20 years mentoring coaches both one-on-one and through his work at SCORE International and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Coach Keith Madison has a plan to help you be successful.
• The Daily Competitor: 366 Reflections for Living With Purpose and Heart by Jeffrey Swarr – Do you want to become the best version of yourself?  If you enjoy challenging yourself and competing with yourself to get better each day, then you can use The Daily Competitor: 366 Reflections for Living With Purpose and Heart as your daily reader for the year.  This book offers a month-by-month guide to personal growth, beginning with Purpose and Mission in January and ending with Heart in December.  Each chapter dives into key topics like Habits and Routines, Self-Talk, Attitude, Mindfulness, Challenges, Visualization, Leadership, Focus and Discipline, Confidence, Goals and Heart to provide practical advice and actionable steps to build a stronger, more resilient self throughout the year.
• The Games Leaders Play: How People just like YOU are Winning in Athletics, Business, Faith and Life by Brian Dodd – Yes, this is my best-selling book. Some leaders are easily forgotten, others leave a lasting legacy. Some leaders do things by default, others by design. Some leaders want silver bullets, others build systems. The Games Leaders Play is a powerful resource which gives you the tools and resources needed to succeed in today’s world. Containing numerous stories and anecdotes, I will teach you the leadership principles needed to make a positive difference in the lives of others. You will be inspired and better equipped to lead others as you turn each page.

BONUS

• Competing With Impact by Ken Adams and Kevin Burrell – Kevin, a Chicago White Sox scout, is the 5th person from the Bible study.  He and his pastor have created a wonderful resource.  Athletes of all ages have a tremendous opportunity to influence others around them for the sake of Christ.  In this ten-week course, you will discover how to leverage your influence to make a difference on and off the field for Christ.

In addition to the study, Ken Adams is leading the Disciple-Making Summit on January 31st and February 1st in Newnam, GA just south of Atlanta. From its start in 2021, the Disciple-Making Summit has had a singular mission—calling disciple-makers, leaders, and pastors across nation and around the world to come together to focus on our main purpose. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 to “Go and make disciples…”  We are here to do just that.  Join the movement and come together with us for one weekend and learn more about how you can make and multiply disciples of Jesus.

FREE Resource – The Top 75 Leadership Quotes of 2024 Part 2

As previously mentioned, I have recently developed a strategic partnership with an organization called Netline.  They are an organization which gets content into as many hands as possible.  Together, we created a FREE resource entitled   “The Top 75 Leadership Quotes of 2024 – Part 2.“  You can click HERE or on the image provided to receive this complimentary resource.  

There comes a time in the life of every leader when they must stand up and declare, “Follow me!”  Language and how to use it is a BIG deal for leaders.  Words matter.  They can mobilize people, inspire enormous change, and move others to life-changing action.  Therefore, when a leader speaks, the quotes they give, matter.

Now a special request.  This is a complimentary resource.  Therefore, if you will make special note of the ads on the pages you will see.  If any interest you, please click the images and learn more about their products.

Once again, you can get your FREE resource by clicking HERE.  

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