A Few Books That Have Shaped My Thinking on Being a Person at Work
These are a few of the books that informed my writing while I was working on Everyday Leadership and could be good follow-on reads if you're looking for what's next.
As I mentioned in the book, I’m often in the position to recommend books that might help people continue learning and developing in their leadership capacity. In fact, this frequent request was part of what nudged me in the direction of writing the book in the first place.
I wanted to write something that I thought could provide some context for thinking about leadership, and a framework for how/why you might seek out other reading material to continue learning. To that end, I thought it could be useful to comment on a few of the books that have shaped my thinking and I find myself recommending with some frequency.
In keeping with the Everyday Leadership ethos, I’ve categorized these recommendations by the essential elements of leadership that I write about in my book – anticipation, participation, and cooperation – to suggest which books you might pick up if you’re trying to develop in a specific area.
Anticipation
The anticipation books provide insight into how we think, how our brains work, and how we might tap into more creativity in our lives.
Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility – James P. Carse
Finite and Infinite Games presents a philosophical framework dividing human activities into two categories: finite games, which are played with the goal of winning, and infinite games, which are played for the purpose of continuing to play. It explores how these concepts apply beyond literal games to all aspects of life, like politics, society, education, and personal relationships. The book encourages readers to approach life as an infinite game, focusing on growth, community, and sustainable success rather than short-term victories and unfulfilling accomplishments.
Thinking Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman
Thinking, Fast and Slow explores the two systems that drive the way we think: System 1, which is fast, intuitive, and emotional; and System 2, which is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The book delves into the cognitive biases associated with each type of thinking, demonstrating how they affect our decisions in everyday life, from the trivial to the consequential. This is a big, dense book but it is the best book out there for understanding how the mind works in applied decision contexts.
The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward – Daniel H. Pink
The Power of Regret describes how regret can be a powerful force for positive change in our lives. It argues that understanding and reflecting on our regrets can provide valuable insights into our values and decisions, and lead to personal growth and better future choices. Through new research and real-life examples, it demonstrates how embracing regret can enhance decision-making, improve relationships, and increase overall happiness.
The Creative Act: A Way of Being – Rick Rubin
The Creative Act delves into the nature of creativity not as a momentary inspiration or talent, but as an innate part of human experience accessible to everyone. It explores how creativity can be integrated into daily life, transforming routine activities into opportunities for discovery and expression. The book encourages readers to embrace their natural curiosity and imperfections, arguing that the act of creating is more about the process and the journey than the final product.
Participation
The participation books are, for the most part, very practical looks at how to get things done, how to take action on ideas, and how to get more productive (as a human with human limits…).
The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter – Michael D. Watkins
The First 90 Days is a guide for navigating the crucial first three months in a new leadership role, offering practical strategies and principles to successfully transition, build strong teams, and create immediate impact. This book is a classic and provides a roadmap for assessing the situation, adapting to organizational culture, and identifying opportunities for change and growth.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear
Atomic Habits presents a comprehensive framework for understanding how habits form and how they can be changed, emphasizing the idea of making tiny improvements consistently over time. It emphasizes the importance of systems over goals and explains how small changes can lead to big results by compounding over time. This is the most practical book out there if you’re looking for strategies on trying to change habits.
Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work – Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Decisive tackles the complexities of the decision-making process and offers a specific framework to counteract common biases and short-cuts that often lead to bad decisions. The book is super practical, and guides readers through how to make more effective, confident decisions in their personal and professional lives by providing tools and strategies to broaden the range of options, test hypotheses, gain perspective, and ensure flexibility in the decision-making process.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals – Oliver Burkeman
Four Thousand Weeks challenges conventional wisdom on productivity and time management by confronting the finite nature of human life. It questions the relentless pursuit of efficiency, instead advocating for more meaningful engagement with our limited time. This book is a corrective to hustle culture, encouraging the reader to focus on what truly matters, embrace limitations, and make peace with the inevitable trade-offs of life.
Cooperation
The cooperation books provide insight into how to engage others by becoming more inquisitive, asking better questions, listening well, and giving feedback.
Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling – Edgar H. Schein
Humble Inquiry emphasizes the importance of building trusting relationships through the simple act of asking questions. It argues that our culture is dominated by telling, and that the ability to ask questions in a manner that shows genuine interest and respect can lead to deeper understanding and stronger connections with others. This is a brief, easy to read book that provides guidance on cultivating an attitude of curiosity and openness, encouraging readers to learn from others by asking rather than asserting, and fostering more effective and empathetic interactions.
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever – Michael Bungay Stanier
The Coaching Habit offers an easy to digest look into how adopting coaching methods can transform managerial roles and interpersonal relationships at work. It suggests that by asking the right questions, leaders can develop better communication, foster independence among team members, and create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. The book presents seven core coaching questions to integrate into daily conversations to start having more coaching oriented conversations right now.
Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) – Amy Gallo
Getting Along provides strategies for navigating complex and challenging interpersonal relationships. It offers practical advice on how to deal with conflict, communicate effectively, and set boundaries that foster positive relationships. This book is an action-oriented guide aimed at helping people collaborate more effectively even with people we may find difficult.
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity – Kim Scott
Radical Candor introduces a management strategy that combines direct, honest feedback with genuine personal care for others. It presents a framework for leaders to both challenge and support their teams effectively, encouraging a culture of openness, growth, and better performance. If you struggle with speaking your mind openly and giving direct feedback, this book can be a nudge in the right direction.
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – Robert B. Cialdini, PhD
Influence explores six universal principles of persuasion: reciprocity, commitment and consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. It presents the psychological underpinnings of why people say “yes” and how to apply that knowledge in various aspects of life. It can be a useful way to think about communication and how to get others engaged in your ideas.
What books am I missing??
P.S. Everyday Leadership is currently on sale for 20% off at Routledge and Amazon if you don’t yet have a copy.