Recommended Readings

One of the most impactful leadership books I have ever encountered. Terry has written a terrific book that offers practical insights into inspirational and engaging leadership. I refer to the principles here almost everyday of my life.

Clicks and Mortar: Passion-Driven Growth in an Internet Driven World – David S. Pottruck and Terry Pearce

This is the book that brought me into contact with Terry and changed the course of my work. Co-written with the former CEO of Charles Schwab, Dave Pottruck, Terry expands upon his work with Dave around personal leadership and looks at how they worked to apply it to organizational change and intentional culture creation. Great stuff.

Working with Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman

I recommend everything Goleman has written. His work on emotional intelligence is excellent and his appreciation for Eastern thought makes me like him even more.

Primal Leadership, realizing the power of emotional intelligence – Daniel Goleman

A recent work from Goleman around emotional intelligence -which for my money, is one of the most important differentiators between leaders and great leaders of people.

Paradoxical Thinking: How to Profit from Your Contradictions - Jerry Fletcher and Kelle Olwyler

An interesting work that looks at the crux of extraordinary performance. Their premise is that the key is recognizing and leveraging your individual personal contradictions. I have found their work very powerful in my own.

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies – Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

A classic that is still relevant today.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Other Don’t – Jim Collins

A very smart and insightful guy with great research to back up his conclusions. Powerful thoughts about organization development and leadership excellence.

The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company – Ram Charan

Another smart guy with some excellent insights into leadership development. My own experience working with leaders experiencing growing pains around what I call the leadership maturity curve jibes with Ram’s research. Figures I would like it since he agrees with me.

Heroic Leadership – Chris Lowney

Lowney is ex Jesuit initiate for the priesthood turned Wall Streeter. He takes two thousand years of accumulated leadership lessons from the Jesuits and describes how he applied them in the less than holy world of investment banking. A very good book with interesting insights about leadership.

Credibility – Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner

Another classic by two very smart guys.

Smart Questions – The essential Strategy for Successful Managers – Dorothy Leeds

A practical, hands-on guide for leaders who understand the power of questions but don’t always find it easy to come up with the right ones given a particular leadership situation. From interviewing to delegation and coaching to negotiating, Ms. Leeds has a primer sure to help the manager that needs some practical help.

You’re in charge – Now What? – Thomas Neff and James Citrin

First hand stories from dozens of CEO’s and other senior leaders regarding their insights and lessons from the first hundred days of stepping into a new leadership position. This book points out the pitfalls, opportunities and best practices of new leaders in a myriad of different companies, industries and circumstances.

The guy is wonderfully insightful about the intersection of leadership and business. There likely isn’t one author on the above list who hasn’t read and benefited from his work.

Some of my Bennis favorites:

• On Becoming A Leader
• Managing People Is Like Herding Cats: Warren Bennis on Leadership
• Why Leaders Can’t Lead: The Unconscious Conspiracy Continues
• Geeks and Geezers

A more personal list:

Brave Questions – Dr. Alan Zimmerman

Anyone who has worked with me knows how strongly I feel about the power of thoughtful questions as it relates to any relationship; leader, teacher, employee, parent, spouse, friend. Dr. Zimmerman has created a wonderful little book just loaded with questions that will drive conversations that I guarantee will deepen the nature of every relationship you have.

Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind - Shunryu Suzuki

Meditation helps me slow down and focus on who I am, how I want to be and what impacts I have on everything and everyone I come into contact with. Many leaders find themselves feeling as if they have very little time, constantly rushing from fire to fire, rarely taking the time to really pay attention to things outside of themselves and the tactical issues at hand. Since beginning my meditation practice, I find myself not only more relaxed but far more effective at everything I do. This book helped me begin my practice and was recommended by my friend and mentor Terry Pearce. It is a pleasure to pass it on.

Tuesdays with Morrie – Mitch Albom

A great book with powerful lessons about what is most important in life based on the reflections of a dying man. Not only are the insights compelling but the story is true. Alternatively, it has been adapted into a good movie starring Jack Lemmon.

The five people you meet in heaven – Mitch Albom

A wonderful book that again calls us to be conscious of how we live.

Endurance – Shackleton’s incredible voyage to the Antarctic – Alfred Lansing

An inspiring story that for me highlights the power of a leader with unquenchable drive and optimism; all that in a true story that makes anything a screen writer could come up with look tame.

The Wisdom of Forgiveness – The Dalai Lama and Victor Chan

A co-written work that illuminates the concept of forgiveness and how it can impact our lives. Regardless of your faith, you can’t help but be captivated by the Dalai Lama’s strength, fortitude and kindness.

Speaking Peace – Connecting with others through nonviolent communication – Marshall Rosenberg

One of the guru’s of responsible communication in my mind. The stories and examples are funny and enlightening. I often find myself paging through this book to refresh my own skills.

Don’t Be Nice, Be Real – Kelly Bryson, MFT

Another excellent book on communicating with others. He is funny, irreverent and tells good stories. This is an extension of Marshall Rosenberg’s work above.

Beyond Success: The 15 Secrets to Effective Leadership and Life Based on Legendary Coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success – Brian D. Biro and John R. Wooden

I admire the heck out of coach Wooden as a teacher and a man. If his former players’ voices mean anything he is certainly one of the most influential leaders and teachers they ever encountered.