“Knock. Knock. Knock.”
“Who’s that?”
“Holidays!”
Before you do a handover and forget about your job, how about packing some reading with you?
Get a copy or download a new dose of leadership wisdom. Choose from six books that I enjoyed reading on holidays past few years. Some will excite you, others will make you think. But none is boring!
Don’t shut down your brain. The leadership journey never stops :).
1. Think Again by Adam Grant (2021)
Adam Grant’s newsletter has over 200,000 readers. His books are fun and light to digest. Pick Think Again if you prefer reading short stories.
1-Sentence-Summary: Think Again will make you more intelligent, persuasive, and self-aware by identifying the power of being humble about what you don’t know, how to recognize blind spots in your thinking before they start causing you problems, and what you can do to become more effective at convincing others of your way of thinking. - Luke Rowley
The book focuses on the importance of rethinking our beliefs, assumptions, and opinions to achieve personal and professional growth.
Learn, innovate, and adapt to change, you need to be open to challenging your ideas and beliefs and be willing to change your mind. He suggests that by developing what he calls "intellectual humility," or a willingness to recognize your limitations and be open to learning from others, you can become better thinkers, leaders, and collaborators.
Coming back from holidays, smarter? Yes, you can!
2. Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders by L. David Marquet (2013)
Story from a retired U.S. Navy captain? Uuuu.
L. David Marquet tells the story of his experience as the commander of the USS Santa Fe submarine. The book details how he transformed the traditional leadership model of the Navy, which was based on a hierarchical, top-down approach, into a more empowering and distributed model.
Marquet realized that the traditional leadership model was not working, as it resulted in a culture of passive followers who only followed orders and did not take initiative.
He believed that everyone on board the submarine had the potential to be a leader, and he set out to empower his crew to think for themselves and take ownership of their work.
Anyone on your team has the same potential. Think about it.
3. The Complete Robot Stories by Isaac Asimov (1982)
Being a sci-fi lover, I could not leave brilliant Issac Asimov off the list. The complete Robot Stories might be a surprising choice for the leadership library.
In many cases, they are brainteasers rather than conventional stories, where the reader is invited to work out the problem alongside the point of view character.
Finding and plugging loopholes in a system is pretty important for any leader or manager. Asimov may inspire you to think differently about how to do it.
The stories explore various aspects of robot technology and their interactions with humans, including the Three Laws of Robotics, which are a recurring theme in Asimov's work.
The collection also explores the potential consequences of robots and artificial intelligence, including their impact on society, the fear of their potential for violence, and the question of whether they can ever truly emulate human emotions.
In the world of ChatGPT, this is relevant.
4. Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business by Thomas Erikson (2014)
Do you want to finally understand people? Thomas Erikson gives you a framework.
The book posits that there are four main types of behavior:
Reds are described as dominant, action-oriented, and goal-focused, while
Blues are analytical, detail-oriented, and structured
Greens are empathetic, relationship-focused, and conflict-averse
Yellows are creative, spontaneous, and future-oriented
Erikson argues that by understanding these different behavior types, we can learn to communicate more effectively with people who have different communication styles than our own.
The book provides practical advice on how to identify the behavior type of the people we interact with, how to adapt our communication style to be more effective with each type, and how to avoid miscommunication.
5. The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael A. Singer (2015)
For spiritual souls, The Surrender Experiment will be the right choice.
Michael A. Singer chronicles his experiences of surrendering to the flow of life and letting go of his attachment to control.
He shares the lessons he learned about surrender, acceptance, and the power of the present moment, as well as the challenges he faced along the way, including conflicts with local authorities, legal battles, and personal struggles.
Ultimately, the book offers a powerful message about the potential for personal transformation and spiritual growth when we learn to surrender to the flow of life, rather than fighting against it.
6. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck (2006)
Carol Dweck needs no introduction. Her work around motivation and growth mindset is now well-immersed in the leadership field.
This book proposes that there are two main types of mindset: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
Source: Metrifit
Those with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities and intelligence are fixed traits and that they cannot be changed or improved. In contrast, those with a growth mindset believe that their abilities and intelligence can be developed and improved through effort, persistence, and learning.
The book provides many examples and case studies to illustrate the differences between fixed and growth mindsets, and how they can impact success and achievement in various domains, such as education, sports, and business.
Dweck also offers practical strategies and techniques for developing a growth mindset, such as embracing challenges, seeking feedback, and focusing on the process of learning rather than just the result.
There is always room for improving your mindset.
What is on your reading list now?
Let us know in the comments. More reading tips:
See you next week! Ivona