Thursday, June 18, 2009

Summer Reading List

Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading. Yeah, right! Who wants to read on vacation, you say? Well, whether you are a prodigious reader like us or not, these are the books we recommend this summer. We prefer books that are easy reads that challenge our assumptions and give us tools we can use in our everyday leadership. These definitely fit the bill:

How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In
by Jim Collins

·Whether your company is on the way up, way down, or stagnating, this book will let you know the warning signs of failure and how some organizations stay successful. Hint: a lot of it has to do with your senior leadership team.

The 100 Best Business Books of All Time: What They Say, Why They Matter, and How They Can Help You
by Jack Covert, Todd Sattersten

·This is my kind of book - pick it up anytime you have a few minutes and read the 2-3 page summary of a book you have perhaps read before but want to be reminded of the key concepts.

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
by Seth Godin
·Puts a whole new perspective on how leadership develops on blogs and social networking sites.

Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else
by Geoff Colvin

A Sense of Urgency
by John P. Kotter


Here are some books that aren’t as new as the titles above, but ones that we definitely recommend:

Firing Back: How Great Leaders Rebound After Career Disasters
by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Andrew Ward
·I picked this one up at a used bookstore just because I hadn’t remembered seeing a book on this topic before. At about 300 pages, there is a lot there, but it is a tremendous look at what it takes to recover from setbacks.

The Servant
by James Hunter
·A nice little fable that illustrates that the greatest leader is the greatest servant. This one changed my life.

Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers
by Robert Kriegel
·Funny and provocative look at innovation and shaking up your business.

The Transparency Edge
by Barbara and Elizabeth Pagano
·This isn’t just a leadership book – it will teach you how to live.

Of course, we recommend that you read anything ever written by Patrick Lencioni. Also, any of the “Little (Color) Book of ____________” by Jeffrey Gitomer. Both of these authors are especially good choices for people who don’t like to read traditional business books.

Any that you would add to your summer reading list?

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