Summer typically brings more free time as work slows down and vacations roll around. So, how will you make use of the extra hours? How about treating yourself to some good reading!
For many leaders, taking the time to read can create feelings of guilt as there always seem to be bigger, more important things that could be getting done. However, the truth of the matter is that by not reading, you’re actually robbing yourself of opportunities to learn from others.
With that in mind, we asked our Predictable Success faculty to give us their current top book recommendations for both business and pleasure.
Naturally, the list wouldn’t be complete without Predictable Success, The Synergist, and Do Lead. Here’s what else they recommend:
Suggestions from Les
Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry
By: Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff
About: The incredible story of how one business innovated its way to the top only to succumb to internal strife and the ruthless competition of Silicon Valley.
Why Les recommends it: BlackBerry Limited, formerly known as Research In Motion Limited (RIM), is a case study of all 7 stages of the Predictable Success Lifecycle. This book eerily shines a spotlight on how RIM missed the vital transition from Treadmill to The Big Rut by moving into denial and losing the power to self-diagnose. Great read.
Book of Numbers: A Novel
By: Joshua Cohen
About: The billionaire founder of the world’s most powerful tech company hires a failed novelist to ghostwrite his memoirs.
Why Les recommends it: Wow. Just wow. The first chapter alone is stunning. This book is everything ‘The Circle’ was meant to be but wasn’t.
Suggestions from Dave
The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
By: Brad Stone
About: An unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at Amazon.com’s founder, Jeff Bezos, and the manifestation of his vision to create a store offering a limitless supply of everything, at the lowest prices possible.
Why Dave recommends it: Just like Losing The Signal, this is a great case study of the Predictable Success Lifecycle.
Any of the books in the Shardlake Series
By: C.J. Sansom
About: This outstanding historical fiction mystery series is set in Tudor England.
Why Dave recommends them: This series is perfect if you’re looking for some old-fashioned escapism.
Suggestions from Carissa
Business as Mission: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice
By: C. Neal Johnson
About: This book explores how faith and work intersect, and how job creation and community transformation go hand in hand.
Why Carissa recommends it: A comprehensive outline of the concept of combining the world of business and the world of mission in a global market.
Harriet the Spy
By: Louise Fitzhugh
About: The story of Harriet M. Welsch, a child spy who writes down everything she knows about everyone. Her notebook winds up in the wrong hands and Harriet must find a way to repair her life and her friendships.
Why Carissa recommends it: This is possibly the world’s best children’s book and it’s one I read at least once a year.
Suggestions from Alex
The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation
By: Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson
About: Based on a study of thousands of sales reps across multiple industries, The Challenger Sale argues that classic relationship building is a losing approach, especially when it comes to selling large-scale business-to-business solutions.
Why Alex recommends it: This book reveals what customers think is truly valuable – to be challenged and taught something they don’t already know.
Truman
By: David McCullough
About: This Pulitzer Prize-winning biography gives an in-depth look at the life of Harry S. Truman and the unprecedented challenges he faced during his presidency – from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and Korean War.
Why Alex recommends it: In the category of things I never say…”I wish that 1,000-page book were longer.” It serves as a brilliant example of how leadership comes in all styles.
Suggestions from Scott
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
By: Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
About: Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar studios, gives us the first-ever inside look at the nerve center of his groundbreaking company.
Why Scott recommends it: This book has a large number of takeaways about what it takes to keep an organization at its creative best, i.e. in Predictable Success. The peer review processes are especially noteworthy.
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life
By: Twyla Tharp
About: Internationally-renowned choreographer and creator of the hit Broadway show Movin’ Out shares her secrets for developing and honing your creative talents.
Why Scott recommends them: Ms. Tharp, a choreographer with 30 years of experience, provides amazing insights for delivering creativity on plan. It’s full of great exercises, so get the hard copy because you’ll want to mark it up.
So, there you have it, over a dozen quality books for your summer enjoyment. Whether you’re lying by the pool, on a flight to a vacation destination, or sitting in your favorite living room chair, we hope you’ll have a wonderful time with whichever title(s) you choose.
Transform the way you lead with this easy summer read!
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