Responses

• Posted by Tom McCool on May 7th, 2010 at 7:16 am
  

  The one book that started me on learning more about leadership is John Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. I would recommend this as a starting point for new leaders. I’ve read several other Maxwell books but none have had the impact this has had. Yes, it is a basic book on leadership, and contains no really ground-breaking principles, but I would give this book to anyone who is graduating from college and entering the workplace this spring.

• Posted by Les Kobiernicki on May 7th, 2010 at 7:24 am
  

  1. MAVERICK, by Sicardo Semler; 2. THE 7-DAY WEEKEND by Ricardo Semler

  Both outline the successful practical aplication of a new kind of leadership, in which leaders act as a lens or coordinator to focus the combined weight of their employees’ choice, opinion, wishes on policy, business direction, spread, & even a completely fresh approach to education as training empowering people to function in accordance with the above. Read and you’ll be astonished ..

  ( I tried something rather similar myself in education 1979-1999 )

  Leshy

• Posted by Deb Hamacher on May 7th, 2010 at 7:25 am
  

  Just last weekend I read the book entitled The Go-Giver. I blogged about why I liked this book … you can check it out at http://fullpotential-kc.com/blog/?p=223.

  Here is a section of my blog in case you prefer not to link to the entire article:

  This story is a short but powerful business parable that outlines five laws of success. After reading the book, I feel as though the authors may have underestimated the target audience for their messages. Although written for business, the concepts and lessons can apply to all ages in and outside of the business world. The Go-Giver

  I want to share the authors’ five laws that confirmed for me it is better to give than receive. See if you agree …

  Law #1: The Law of Value – Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.

  Law #2: The Law of Compensation – Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

  Law #3: The Law of Influence – Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.

  Law #4: The Law of Authenticity – The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.

  Law #5: The Law of Receptivity – The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

  If you take these laws to heart, discussions and practices around generating revenue and profits take on a whole new meaning and purpose.

• Posted by Robert Kesten on May 7th, 2010 at 7:25 am
  

  Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan. The book has really crystallized the importance of the spoken and written word and demonstrates how effective good communication can be in getting people, in this case the American public prior to and during the Civil War, to rally around issues and causes. With our abundant communication possibilities today, communication is as important as ever and our choice of words and images even more so.

• Posted by Jim Taggart on May 7th, 2010 at 7:26 am
  

  I’m re-reading Henry Mintzberg’s newest book “Managing” (2009). The dean of management thinking, Mintzberg is one of the few writers who has done extensive empirical research on what managers and leaders really do. For those not familiar with Mintzberg’s work, he’s the Cleghorn Professor of Management at McGill University in Montreal.

• Posted by Toni Krasnic on May 7th, 2010 at 7:29 am
  

  One of my favorite business books is The Dilbert Principle: A Cubicle’s-Eye View of Bosses, Meetings, Management Fads & Other Workplace Afflictions by Scott Adams. Through Adams’ humor and cynicism, one learns valuable lessons about leadership, management, and other important business issues.

• Posted by Tweets that mention New feature in SBLeadership: Weekend Reading: What has inspired you to be a better leader? -- Topsy.com on May 7th, 2010 at 7:36 am
  

  [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by SmartBriefWorkforce, Jennifer Benz. Jennifer Benz said: New feature in SBLeadership: Weekend Reading: What has inspired you to be a better leader? http://ow.ly/1HZCb (via @SBWorkforce) [...]

• Posted by David on May 7th, 2010 at 7:36 am
  

  “GET NAKED” BY PAT LENCIONI

• Posted by Teresa Thompson on May 7th, 2010 at 7:58 am
  

  Great books are like a great friend. So hard to say what books have inspired me the most but I can pick two that impacted me greatly. Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott is a tremendous read. It really gets to the heart of communication and makes it simple to follow. And Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson was awe inspiring. That one person can so dedicate their life to the betterment of others is humbling. It truly inspires you to be a better world citizen.
  Teresa
  http://www.dailyvoicemaildealio.com
  Your Virtual Retail Coach!

• Posted by Becky Frederick on May 7th, 2010 at 8:02 am
  

  Finding Our Way: Leadership For an Uncertain Time by Margaret Wheatley

  I have used this book for several years – both for personal reflection as I assess how I lead my life and my consulting practice – as well as with clients. Wheatley has a unique ability to combine very soulful, thoughtful reflection on leadership with amazing insight into the dynamics of organizations – and the realities of creating business communities today.

• Posted by Steve Spencer on May 7th, 2010 at 8:05 am
  

  I found the book “In the Best Companies People are Everything” authored by Lawrence Haines to be a simple, easy read that has truly inspired me as a manager/leader to begin treating the people I work with as if they are everything. And indeed I have come to find they really are! We always make statements to the effect that people are our greatest asset, but as I read this book I could sense the author truly did believe in the principles he outlined. I think that is how he was able to build a multi-million dollar international company from scratch. Perhaps following these principles I can at least help the people I work with to feel better about coming to work.

• Posted by Michael McDonald on May 7th, 2010 at 8:13 am
  

  There is no better book, no easier book to read on leadership, than Leadership is an Art by Max DePree, CEO of Herman Miller, a company recognized worldwide.

  In simple language and wonderful stories Max describes the “art” of leadership, how easy it is to miss the true talents of people, and how important servant leadership is to, not only profits, but creating a long term ethical culture. This book strikes just the right balance for the emerging young leaders of the 21st century

• Posted by Daniel Bloom on May 7th, 2010 at 8:13 am
  

  I am half way through the latest book from Lynne Lancaster and David Stillman called the M-Factor which devoted to explaining to us “older workers” how to work with that challenging generation called the millennials or Generation Y. It is a great follow up to their previous book When Generations Collide.

• Posted by David Tantillo on May 7th, 2010 at 8:14 am
  

  I have been receiving Smartbrief for several years now and I truly enjoy your daily dose of leadership stories, tips, and resources. One book I would recommend is called “Teaching Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.” (ISBN 1-4241-3290-8) “This book takes you on a self-development journey along with a cast of characters of whom you’ll swear you’ve met before. The reader will learn the basic building blocks on how to become a leader of tomorrow.” I would encourage this book for three reasons. First, it will help managers find leaders in individuals working for them today that they would have never noticed before. Second, it will help parents teach their children that leadership can also be found in our children and not the old and wise. Finally, the last reason to read the book is that I am the author! Writing the book taught me a lot about how to lead and what is the ultimate goal of being a great leader. I would tell you that goal, but then you wouldn’t buy the book! Thanks again for my Daily Smartbrief e-mails. You can contact anytime to talk about my book or on the topic of leadership.

  Warmest regards,
  Dave Tantillo

• Posted by Scott W. on May 7th, 2010 at 8:15 am
  

  “Leadership & Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box” by the Arbinger Institute.

  It challenges the paradigm that the reason we don’t get along with someone else is a problem with the other person. In many cases, the tension/conflict may have started within ourselves. The books frees me to view the others in a “blank sheet” manner and start relationships anew. I’ve worked with many people on my staff through this book and it’s helped them on their 360-feedback reviews.

• Posted by Simon Brown on May 7th, 2010 at 8:26 am
  

  Eckhart Tolle

  A New Earth Awakening to your Life’s Purpose

  It encouraged me to focus on being there for my team rather than further accelerating the doing which was not achieving the results we needed

• Posted by Lennie Rose on May 7th, 2010 at 8:53 am
  

  For me it’s not one book but several – Philosophically it was The Go-Giver. Understanding the journey itself, The Knack. For debunking the traditional process it was The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, for management an old book called Love & Profit. In my opinion leadership is many topics – from internal (what’s in my brain, heart and soul), what’s in the heartbeat of our society and how to contribute through business, and how to align my people in their heart and souls with the mission, strategy and tactics that reflect us.

• Posted by Hania Whitfield on May 7th, 2010 at 9:48 am
  

  I just finished Mireille Guiliano’s “Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire: Business Sense & Sensibility” Not only chock full of C-level wisdom and business practice, but an inspiration for all business women (and men). A good reread as well… Great encouragement and caveats about the glass walls that still exist. We don’t need to continue thinking about being dis-empowered, but about just being a good business person. Thank you, Mireille!

• Posted by Robin Wohnsigl on May 7th, 2010 at 10:59 am
  

  Bill Creech’s “Five Pillars of TQM” has been my bible for the past 15 years. I worked for General Creech in the early 1980’s in Tactical Air Command. He was the best leader I’ve seen in almost 50 years of both military and civilian work. His book is a wonderful “How to” for effective leadership. Although published in 1994 it is still as relevent today as when first published.

• Posted by Robert L. Bailey on May 7th, 2010 at 11:34 am
  

  Two books I highly recommend–The New Leader–written especially for the person newly assigned to a managerial or supervisory role, but also appropriate for the leader who has been around the block a few times. A step by step approach to helping you become an outstanding leader.

  Also, Super-Size Your Sales, written for sales managers and sales people. A solid feed-on-the ground approach to becoming a successful salesperson.

• Posted by Drew Hawkins on May 7th, 2010 at 11:35 am
  

  The book called “The Little Red Book of Wisdom” by Mark Demoss is a good read for leaders or leaders to-be

• Posted by Larry Goldzband on May 7th, 2010 at 11:35 am
  

  I thnk that we seriously underestimate the leadership lessons in fiction. Two of my favorite books that is all about leadership and management are “The Three Musketeers” and “The Four Musketeers” — three veteran Directors protect their CEO (the King) and fight the private equity takeover artist (the Cardinal) while training a new recruit who suffers pitfall after pitfall, learns from his mistakes, and becomes a wily veteran, as well. Great lessons about competition, teamwork, mentoring, ethics, and the risks associated with romance in the workplace!

• Posted by Steve Crenshaw on May 7th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
  

  How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. No it’s not a joke. That book is a classic for a reason, and recommended by so many people for a reason. I read it in a new light after not reading it for a few years and it has helped me look at people in a different light..

• Posted by Dean Stanberry on May 7th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
  

  Think you’re “too good to fail”? Check out “Derailed (Five Lessons Learned from Catastrophic Failures of Leadership)”, by Tim Irwin. A reminder to check the ego and “superior” attitude at the door…

• Posted by Sean Eosefow on May 9th, 2010 at 11:08 am
  

  “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M.R. Covey. At time, the perfection of the Covey family can become a little overbearing, but overall, this is a paradigm changing book…especially for younger readers such as myself. Understanding the importance and power of trust in every level of life, from personal all the way to societal is critical for leaders in this day and age.

• Posted by Emily Molitor on May 10th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
  

  Some of our great suggestion tweets via the @smartbrief account on twitter:

  @ScottEblin: @SmartBrief Some of my fave books are Managing Transitions, Power of Full Engagement & #Leadership w/o Easy Answers

  @JohnBaldoni: @SmartBrief: Leadership book recommendation: Lefty by Jane Leavitt. Why Sandy Koufax is a national treasure

  @JohnBaldoni: @SmartBrief: Leadership book recommendation: Victor Davis Hansen: Soul of Battle and Carnage and Culture

  @JohnBaldoni: @SmartBrief: Book recommendation: Any book by Rick Atkinson: Long Gray Line, Army at Dawn, etc.

  @JohnBaldoni: @SmartBrief Leadership book recommendation: Heroic Leadership, secret of Jesuit longevity: courage, ingenuity, pragmatism, and love.

  @WallyBock: @SmartBrief 5 coming at you. Drucker Eff Executive/Managing for Results as two halves of one book

  @WallyBock: @SmartBrief In Search of Excellence – with this and Drucker you have the two great rivers of leadership /management lit

  @WallyBock: @SmartBrief Built to Last/Good to Great as two have of the same book. With ISOE a bundle of examples to choose from

  @WallyBock: @SmartBrief Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths and Total Nonsense. Introduction to “evidence based management” ~ ex companion to others

  @WallyBock: @SmartBrief The Science of Success – excellent, throughtful and systematic approach – learnings of a lifetime fm a very successful exec

  @WallyBock: @SmartBrief And a bonus, which may not be considered a “leadership” book. Warfighting – USMC strategic doctrine

• Posted by Emily Molitor on May 10th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
  

  Thank you everyone for all of your great suggestions. Check back in SmartBrief on Leadership this Friday to see our editor’s highlighted weekend reading suggestion of the week! If you are not a reader of SmartBrief on Leadership, sign up here: http://ht.ly/1Jgju.

• Posted by Savi Sharma on May 10th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
  

  I recently finished the book ‘The Elements of Persuasion’ by Robert Dickman. It was an easy read, describing the 5 key elements of story and how to create a compelling story from the raw facts. I am able to notch up the game a level by using those principles. In most of our jobs, we need to tell the story about our vision and design to get buy-in, support and sponsorship. Being a story teller is a crucial skill and this book really does a fantastic job of teaching it.

• Posted by April on May 12th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
  

  I second the Dale Carnegie book! I read that myself and have integrated it into many of my leadership programs. Another good one that is great for leaders on the go or who have small amounts of time for reading (which I would say most leaders fall under this category):

  The 60 Second Leader: Everything you need to know about leadership, in 60 second bites.

• Posted by John Walcott on May 14th, 2010 at 10:05 am
  

  The disconnect between the military and business that's developed since the Vietnam War has deprived many business leaders of good lessons and bad, both from the battlefield and from the bureaucracy, lessons that the World War II generation learned the hard way. One of most valuable is spelled out in what I think is the best book ever written on the Vietnam War, one that a group of 50 military historians named one of the 10 best books on war ever written. "We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young" by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore, Ret. and Joseph L. Galloway chronicles a rare combination of knowledge, courage, character, and informed intuition under fire, in this case real fire, that has lessons for all of us.

• Posted by John Fiksdal on May 14th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
  

  By all means … the first 2 books of "The Last Lion Trilogy" by William Manchester, a biography of Sir Winston Churchill. Reading like an novel, I literally hurried home each night to pick it back up. A pariah for decades, no person in history withstood political banishment as did Churchill, who, by holding steadfastly to his beliefs, unwavering in his message and commitment, returned from political disfavor to proudly lead his country to victory. Can't wait for volume III in 2011, to be completed by Paul Reid. The message: be true to yourself and honest with those who depend upon you, above all else.

• Posted by Scott on May 14th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
  

  Although the book itself isn't the greatest, I'd say the StrengthsFinder assesment (through the book). I believe in order to be a better leader, you must lead yourself. Knowing my Top 5 Strengths has heavily influenced me on my journey. It's helped me narrow my focus and be great in a couple of areas and shaped my "style" as a leader. I know what I can do and what I need around me to succeed. At the end of the day self-awareness and self-confidence really create positive momentum. I think we all have to stay driven and become life long learners. I want to look back on my life 6 months from now and laugh at myself because I've learned so much new stuff! To the ability that you can lead yourself is the extent you can lead others…

• Posted by Susan on May 15th, 2010 at 1:02 am
  

  Book I am reading for the third time You're Hired By Bill Rancic. He was the winner from season one of the
  Apprentice.This book is full of information in how to succeed in office life and in life in general. One chapter I am now reading very carefully is lesson learned on leadership. One thing I got out of this chapter you must know what you are worth, must put a price tag on time. This book came out in 2004, but the information is still very good.

• Posted by Chris Haid on May 16th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
  

  QBQ by John Miller. This simple easy read helps people discover the power of personal responsibility. I recommend it for anyone who's ever said "Why doesn't somebody do something about that?" When folks realize they are that they are "sombody", it can change their world.

• Posted by firoza on May 21st, 2010 at 7:29 am
  

  most inpiring, and full of "spiritual" wisdom. Love and trust–for all age groups and all professional domain are key to tranquility and 'calm' leadership styles

  keep up the good work

• Posted by Mark on May 21st, 2010 at 5:13 pm
  

  Volunteering as an adult leader with my son's Scout troop. I realized that the lessons I learned as a teenage Scout were the same skills that were amplified in my MBA program and are the ones that I use everyday managing my team.

• Posted by Joe Robertson on May 28th, 2010 at 7:48 am
  

  My inspiration is simple. Sharing my knowledge so that others can grow.

• Posted by Kate Putnam on May 28th, 2010 at 8:27 am
  

  "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel H. Pink makes me think about what kind of holistic thinking is needed going forward by explaining how our brains work, what we have valued about our brains in the past and what we need to succeed in a post-mechanistic world.

• Posted by Mark Sturgell on May 28th, 2010 at 8:41 am
  

  I have never been one to invest myself in just one book, so it's difficult to choose just one. With this challenge in mind, however, I have to say one book that I read in the past 2 years that has not been mentioned is "Measure of a Leader: The Legendary Leadership Formula For Producing Exceptional Performers and Outstanding Results ", by Aubrey Daniels and James Daniels. I work with numerous organizations which struggle to develop leaders, let alone measure leadership. Daniels and Daniels get it right by showing how to focus on the behavior (and results) of followers to craft a powerful leadership style. I recommend this book to all leaders and to people in the organizational development profession. It is outstanding, informative and helpful, among the best on leadership.

  I am also glad to see that someone has also listed "Leadership & Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box" by the Arbinger Institute. This is another book that every leader should read at least 5 times in his/her lifetime. As an alternative, every person should read this one or the companion book "The Anatomy of Peace" by The Arbinger Institute.

• Posted by Wilber H. on May 28th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
  

  I found this inspiring; just figured I share it with you…

  Best advice given in your career (per David Rubenstein):

  - make yourself indispensable in your organization,
  master one subject (make sure you know it better than anybody else),
  - keep your ego in check,
  - make sure you get along with other people,
  - try to share the credit,
  - don't focus on the wrong things/make money for the wrong reasons (be passionate for what you want to do),
  - if you have some financial success make sure you give back to the community & make it a better place

  https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Strategy/Strate...

• Posted by Tim Genck on May 28th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
  

  I really enjoyed the book, "Love is the Killer App" by Tim Sanders. He shares how to make yourself indispensable at work by sharing your knowledge, network, and compassion. Leaders today can help their people (and company) grow by embracing and encouraging this type of behavior in others. Imagine how contagious it can be when everyone is sharing and full of enthusiasm.

• Posted by Tim Genck on May 28th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
  

  Talent leadership is key to running a business and as everyone gets busier we seem to spend less time making sure our top talent is engaged. "Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay was written by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans and provides 26 strategies for busy managers. This alphabetical journey provides practical exercises any manager or leader can take to leverage the strengths and talents of their people. A couple examples; A = Ask, what keeps you? This chapter provides great conversation starters to understand what will keep your employees working for you. J = Jerk. Don't be one! It's a fact that people leave bad bosses. The book is simple and practical.

• Posted by Tonya Payne on May 28th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
  

  The book that helped me the most as a new manager was Keith Rosen's "Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions". The most valuable part of the book was the Playbook of Questions for Sales Coaches – 31 pages of categorized questions that apply to any situation, not just sales. This helps me probe to discover the real issues at hand, then sets the path of not solving problems for others, but guiding them into figuring it out for themselves with my support. Fantastic resource! The other oldie but goodie is The One Minute Manager series by Ken Blanchard.

• Posted by N Wood on May 29th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
  

  The thing that always inspired me to be a better leader was how I could help to create an environment that encouraged the people that I managed to be as good as they could be. I found it very satisfying to see their growth and how they took real responsibility for the job they did. This reflected on who I was — a good manager who could get things done. My power as a manager came from them as part of my team as we worked on OUR goals together.
  I told them that what they learn on the job is theirs to keep — it doesn't stay with the employer no matter who that is at the time.

• Posted by Amit Somani on June 5th, 2010 at 4:30 am
  

  Few of my favorite management and leadership books are – Good to Great, The Leadership Challenge and Management Lessons from the ER

• Posted by Bill on June 11th, 2010 at 11:47 am
  

  Many people will think that this is a joke, but one of the most thought provoking leadership books I've read is "The Leadership Secrets of Atilla the Hun". It is short, segmented into different leadership areas and the little Atillaisms are novel and stick with you.

• Posted by MIke Ebel on June 11th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
  

  I just finished John Maxwell's book. FANTASTIC perspectives!

• Posted by Robby Martin on June 11th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
  

  One of my favorites is "Today Matters" by John Maxwell. It's a straightforward read about choices, and how choices made – or not – can have an impact on the rest of our life. As someone who struggled to make choices, or set goals, for much of my life, this book spoke a great encouragement to me that it's never too late to make the right decision. John calls it his most life-changing book, and it's a great read for Leaders of all ages and experience levels.

• Posted by Rivers on June 18th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
  

  A book titled "Lead………. for God's Sake!" by Todd Gongwere.
  I highly recommend it for all, ages 14 to 85. Read it, you'll be glad you did!

• Posted by MajorStu on June 18th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
  

  I second the recommendation of "The Leadership Secrets of Atillla the Hun" by Wess Roberts. Atilla is a metaphor for a chieftain/warrior/CEO and the short lessons and parables are broken into sections of leadership areas that are quickly and easy to digest and absorb.

  Also, the parallels on military leadership and corporate leadership are being lost on the Post-Viet Nam war generations. Perhaps that will get turned around with our Iraqi veteran leaders. Being of the earlier generation, I learned much from "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, a classic circa 340 BC with timeless lessons on managing conflict. "On War" by Frederick von Clausewitz is a heavy tome, but rich in understanding the "fog of battle" and "the object" or goal – what do you or your adversaries desire and what do you wish to keep enough that it's worth fighting for? Market share? Innovation leadership? Quality Reputation? Customer loyalty? Understanding what your adversary is working to deprive you of helps formulate counter-tactics. If you misunderstand or underestimate, you will lose. "We Were Soldiers" is outstanding, and I learned much from "About Face:The Odyssey of an American Warrior" by Colonel David Hackworth, who shared lessons in showmanship as a facet of leadership, and couldn't understand why the military leadership in Viet Nam weren't interested in learning why his tactical approach to fighting the Viet Cong was so much more successful than the traditional approach; Out-g the g – If you want to beat a guerilla warrior, you have to be a better guerilla than he is, get in his skin, think like he is, and anticipate where he will be.

  On the non-military side, "On Being a Leader" by Warren Bennis has been very useful. "Out of the Crisis" by
  W. Edwards Deming and the subsequent writings on Dr. Demings insights are indispensable. GM jetissoned Deming's philosophy in the early 1990's for the Ignaki Lopez fad and have been in decline ever since. "The Essential Drucker" by Peter Drucker is a compilation to get unfamiliar readers acquainted with his phenomenal insight. Anything by Peter Drucker is insightful and relevant to your immediate business situation – believe it or not!

• Posted by Anil on June 18th, 2010 at 9:42 am
  

  My inspiration came from the greatness guide, by robin Sharma

  The book is made up of 100 chapters each a page or two and reminds of basic principles which you can be a great leader without title and excel in life

  The book has a second part and that just assures you in the same way as the first one that basic principles in life make you great at it

• Posted by D. F. on June 18th, 2010 at 10:41 am
  

  I think the most inspiring book about leadership I have read is "A Leader's Legacy" by Kouzes & Posner. The book discusses how everyone is a leader and how we all leave legacies. I love this book and recommend it to anyone who needs to work with others and direct the work of others even when you are not their immediate supervisor. This book changed how I looked at each position I have ever held and what I will do in future positions.

• Posted by Lois Melbourne on June 18th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
  

  "Leadership & Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box" by the Arbinger Institute.
  This book makes you consider leadership where you don't always consider looking.

  &

  Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation by John Carlin
  The greastest example of leadership earned by giving respect and having faith in people. It should be mandatory reading on leadership book lists.

• Posted by Richard Bren on June 26th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
  

  John Maxwell resources have consistently been of great inspiration to me. Running with the Giants and a 4-quick read series of '101' books on Relationships, Equipping, Attitude, and Leadership are two items not yet referenced in these posts. GOOGLE "Lou Holtz Three Questions" if you want a very simple and focused approach that has been used by a famous coach of our time. rb

• Posted by Debra Botterill on June 27th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
  

  "Integrity" by Henry Cloud. His concept of leaving two "wakes" whenever you interact with people regardless of your position in the organization is great advice and words to live by.

• Posted by Michelle Mangen on July 2nd, 2010 at 9:23 pm
  

  Two books I am currently reading that have made me think more in terms of leadership on marketing and business referrals are:

  1. The Referral Engine by John Jantsch and
  2. Lead, Sell or Get Out of the Way by Ron Karr

• Posted by Brian Anderson on July 2nd, 2010 at 9:29 pm
  

  Any Book by John Maxwell is a great investment; his book 21 indispensable qualities of a leader is a must have.

• Posted by EmKay383 on July 2nd, 2010 at 9:47 pm
  

  I recommend "It's Okay to be the Boss," by Bruce Tulgan, to all my colleagues. It gives step-by-step directions with rationales for being a better leader and heading off problems early. Being a leader is hands-on and this book describes exactly why under-management is a problem in the workplace.

• Posted by anil khemlani on July 3rd, 2010 at 5:06 am
  

  the greatness guide by robin sharma

  this book had all the basic concepts listed in a 100 single page or 2 page chapters and it reminds how everyone in his place can be great as a leader and be the change that we need.

  it was one of the best reads in my life, and it surely changed my life completely.

• Posted by Chad Storlie on July 6th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
  

  One of the ways that I help motivate the people who work with me is to use personal stories and professional examples of friends of mine that were killed in Iraq. This is a great way to put a "face" on people who we do not want to forget as well as ensure their personal and professional legact lives on.

• Posted by Mike Henry Sr. on July 9th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
  

  Two that had the most impact on me as a leader are The Fred Factor and You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader, both by Mark Sanborn. I have also appreciated Visioneering by Andy Stanley and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive by Patrick Lencioni.

• Posted by John Keyser on July 9th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
  

  It's been my favorite book for past two years. Yes, the ideas help succeed in business, and they also help
  lead a better life.

• Posted by Mike on July 9th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
  

  I suggest reading "The Traveler's Gift." This book was a tremendous reminder to forge ahead in the face of adversity on to not make decisions from fear alone.

• Posted by Mark Allen Roberts on July 10th, 2010 at 2:19 am
  

  As I discuss in my blog post: Delivering Happiness; Proof …the “Golden Rule” is Profitable! http://nosmokeandmirrors.wordpress.com/2010/07/09... I found Delivering Happiness gave me courage to boldly live the golden rule.

  Mark Allen Roberts

• Posted by Mary Schnack on July 13th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
  

  Becoming ATHENA: Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership by Martha Mayhood Mertz, founder of ATHENA International. This inspirational book focuses on the importance of a balance in leadership and how women lead – reaching out to mentor, giving back to their communities and collaborating with others all while staying authentic and true to themselves.

• Posted by Paulette Robinson on July 16th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
  

  I have just finished a great book I would recommend any leader read. It is Drive by Daniel Pink. The book explores Motivation 3.0. He takes advantage of over 20 years of research on motivation that went largely ignored in an era of carrot and stick motivational practices. It centers on the three principles of automony, mastery and purpose as motivating principles.

• Posted by April on July 20th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
  

  I loved the book – How Amazing Women Lead. It was great, gave good tips and reinforced some of the things I was doing right and will pay off in the long run. I keep checking back to see what everyone else is reading…. thanks!

• Posted by Rick on July 23rd, 2010 at 4:47 pm
  

  Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" was an assigned read for a leadership course many years ago. Coupled with the class motto: Principle of preference, Frankl's simple recognition of choice in life made me a much better leader.

• Posted by Mark on July 30th, 2010 at 11:06 am
  

  I second the nomination of Three Cups of Tea. One person, focused, committed, enthusiastic, can make a difference. The Story Factor by Annette Simmons provides great insights on how (and why it's the only thing that works) to influence through the art of storytelling.

• Posted by MissionMusings on July 30th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
  

  Leadership primers need to cover the basics. One book that I enjoyed is ""YES" or "NO." The Guide to Better Decisions. A Story, by Spencer Johnson, M.D."

  While not as well known as his "Who Moved My Cheese" book, It's inspiring because it simplifies decision-making for those of us who are new to leadership.

  "Complex doesn't mean complicated. If we are mulling over "complicated," we aren't breaking decisions down into baby steps."
  http://www.missionmusings.com/2007/12/book-review...

• Posted by Rebecca on July 30th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
  

  Off Balance On Purpose by Dan Thurmon
  I was fortunate enough to see this material presented in person by the author who is a brilliant presenter but the book itself is equally inspirational. It acknowledges what we have all known for some time, that this elusive quest to find balane in life is a long journey to nowhere but frustration, Instead, Thurmon focuses on on how to achieve through imbalance, or as it is subtitled, “Embrace Uncertainty and Find a Life You Love”. He gives real life examples and scenarios to illustrate his points, is easy to read, and is almost guaranteed to change the lens you view your world through.

• Posted by Linda J on August 6th, 2010 at 9:24 am
  

  I found Hyrum Smith & Richard Godfrey's new book: Home of the Brave, Confronting & Conquering Challenging Times, a terrific new way to look at our historical leaders and translate their leadership skills into modern life. Available via their website: http://www.homeofthebravebook.com

• Posted by Warren Wright on August 6th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
  

  "The Purpose Linked Organization" by Love and Cugnon, published by McGraw Hill. The premise is that true leadership occurs when the purpose of each one of your employee is aligned with the purpose of the company. Tough task as a leader? Yes. But the authors offer a novel solution– uncover each employee's passion… and then you get to each person's purpose.

  The book allows you take the "Passion Profiler" which tells you your top Passion Archetypes. Really cool! There are 10 Archetypes, like The Builder, The Teacher, The Healer, The Connector. Good science — forward by Noel Tichy and they worked with researchers at University of Michigan.

• Posted by Ken Goldstein on August 13th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
  

  Three must reads and must shares:

  First Break All The Rules http://www.shop.com/First+Break+All+the+Rules+Wha...

  Talent is what matters and focusing on your best people is how everyone wins.

  Only the Paranoid Survive http://www.shop.com/Only+the+Paranoid+Survive+How...

  Fail to innovate and stand and your laurels and you're toast.

  Built To Last http://www.shop.com/Built+to+Last+Successful+Habi...

  A brand does not invent itself, it is a labor of intense passion, commitment, and shared values.

  Get you and your executive team on the same page with these three volumes and you have a decent chance at winning!

• Posted by CARL on August 20th, 2010 at 11:18 am
  

  "Leading at a Higher Level" BY Dr. Ken Blanchard. CHECK IT OUT AND EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF LEADING YOUR TEAM.

• Posted by Tim Genck on August 27th, 2010 at 8:16 am
  

  I recently read Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck and found it fascinating. It’s the mindset we choose to adopt; either a “fixed” mindset or a “growth” mindset that can profoundly affect the way you lead your life. Fixed mindset people believe you have a certain amount of talent or intelligence and that’s it. Those with a growth mindset believe that everyone can change and grow. To create a growth mindset environment in which people can thrive and become better leaders the author recommends:

  1.Present skills as learnable
  2.Convey that the organization values learning & perseverance, not just ready-made genius or talent
  3.Give feedback in ways that promote learning and future success
  4.Present managers as resources for learning

  Finally, encourage the fixed mindset person to love the challenge, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy their efforts, and to keep on learning.

• Posted by Patty Butler on August 27th, 2010 at 10:23 am
  

  "Winners Never Cheat' by John Huntsman. There is a right way and a wrong way to do just about anything. When faced with a decision, in the long run, you will never regret taking the moral or ethical high road.

• Posted by RickMayhew on August 28th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
  

  The New Leader by Robert L. Bailey is my favorite. It's the quickest jump-start or refresher I've found. Frontline examples through years of experience provide a great glimpse into the challenges of management and solutions for those challenges. This book was widely dispensed to the management team at one of the top companies in the country. There is a reason why.

Leave a Reply