Bookshelf
Start With Why
by Simon Sinek
People like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with why. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the why behind it. A powerful read for anyone in leadership!
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't
by Simon Sinek
Today, in many successful organizations, great leaders create environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things. Too many workplaces are driven by cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But the best ones foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a "Circle of Safety" that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside.
Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories that range from the military to big business, from government to investment banking.
Good to Great
by Jim Collins
Jim Collins examines why some companies make the leap to greatness while others don't. It identifies key principles, including Level 5 Leadership and the Hedgehog Concept, offering insights for sustained success based on rigorous research and case studies. "Good to Great" offers a roadmap for organizations aspiring to transcend mere goodness and achieve sustained excellence.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
by Daniel H. Pink
“Drive:…” explores human motivation, challenging traditional beliefs. It introduces autonomy, mastery, and purpose as powerful drivers for performance, emphasizing the importance of intrinsic motivation in modern work environments.
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
by Brené Brown
Brené Brown delves into effective leadership, emphasizing vulnerability, empathy, and courage. Drawing on research and personal stories, Brown provides actionable strategies to cultivate daring leadership and foster a culture of trust, innovation, and resilience.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
by Angela Duckworth
Angela Duckworth explores the role of grit – a combination of passion and perseverance – in achieving long-term goals. Duckworth shares insights and examples, advocating that grit is a crucial factor in success.
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
by Patrick Lencioni
Lencioni dissects team dysfunction through a leadership fable. Lencioni identifies trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results as key elements and provides strategies for overcoming these dysfunctions to build a cohesive and high-performing team.
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win
by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Jocko Willink and Leif Babin illustrates leadership principles learned in combat. Emphasizing accountability and empowerment, the book offers actionable insights for taking ownership, making decisions, and leading effectively in any context.
Legacy
by James Kerr
Best seller. Fantastic read! The true story of how the legendary “All-Blacks” rugby team, arguably to greatest international team in all of sport, fell from greatness, and the remarkable processes of team leadership, commitment, and principle that brought them back to greatness. Lessons on every page!
Mentor Leader
by Tony Dungy
New York Times Best selling Author. Excellent and interesting. Tony Dungy describes how great teams and made up of people – how to build up people and develop great teams!
The Captain Class
by Sam Walker
Fascinating look and insight into the leadership characteristics of most of the great teams around the world. Great leadership does not always come from the best players. A must-read!
Chop Wood; Carry Water
by Joshua Metcalf
This is one of the best “coaching” books I’ve ever read. Persistence, perspective, humility, focus, and unconditional gratitude. A quick, but powerful read!
Chase the Lion
If Your Dream Doesn’t Scare You, It’s Too Small
by Mark Batterson
A fantastic story that encourages people to face their fears and dream big dreams – perfect for building teams and vision.
Quiet Strength
by Tony Dungy
Timeless – A “must-read” for any coach. Still one of the best “coaching” books to ever be written.
Talent Code
by Daniel Coyle
If coaching is teaching, and the best coaches are outstanding teachers, then understanding how people best learn is vital. Here is a great read.
Mindset
The New Psychology of Success
Carol Dweck
Your mindset determines nearly everything you can achieve. Here is a great presentation of just how powerful a person’s mindset can become – great for coaches, teachers, and athletes.
The Boys in the Boat
Daniel James Brown
An amazing, yet true story of personal growth and what can be done when teammates pull together. Love this book!
Wooden on Leadership
John Wooden and Steve Jamison
Still one of the best leader-coaches who ever lived. You can read this book ten times through and still, each time, learn even more about being an effective leader, a better coach, and even better person.
The Culture Code
By Daniel Coyle
What do the best group and team cultures look like? How were they built? How can a team culture be fixed? Daniel Coyle (“The Talent Code”) examines the notion of culture and how the strongest and most successful teams build their winning culture.