More Great Books for Leaders, 2016
Our final list of 2016’s Best Books for Leaders offers great insights for those who are seeking a mindful, caring, focused approach to leadership. Find great reading recommendations for executives, women in leadership, and others below:
Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family
by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia
It is not so much an aspirational account of what a multi BILLION dollar firm strives for; as it is an accurate account of what has been built. I took my leadership team to one of their trainings and had a chance to see them in action – very impressive.
– Recommended by Lee Murphy, Ph.D., CEO, Inspera Health (Cohort 1 Graduate)
Learning Leadership: The Five Fundamentals of Becoming an Exemplary Leader
by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
– Recommended by Wayne Brown, Systems Integrator Sr. Technical Specialist. DM, National Cybersecurity Protection System Vencore, Inc. (Cohort 2 Student)
Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through 
Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion
by Richard E. Boyatzis
– Recommended by Rémi Vespa, Ph.D., Executive Vice-President, Customer Engagement, BlueTrail Software Holding (Cohort 2 Graduate)
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Michelle Alexander
Under Civic Leadership, I recommend “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander. As we’ve been reading this book, others in my book group keep turning to each other and saying, “I am shocked. I had no idea that this is going on.”
-Recommended by Donna Darr, Ph.D., Visiting Professor, Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University (Cohort 2 Graduate)
Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less
by Joseph McCormack
Executives are busier than ever with information coming from all directions. In fact some of the statistics shared in the book are staggering, “The average professional receives 304 emails per week and checks their smartphones 36 times an hour and 38 hours a week. This inattention has spread to every part of life. The average attention span has shrunk from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight in 2012.” Joseph McCormack helps readers frame a conversation and/or presentation in a way that will keep the attention of the executive team and get a point across in a concise and brief manner.
– Recommended by Kimberly Sebastian, Director, U.S. Cellular (Cohort 1 Student)
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom 
Book)
by Don Miguel Ruiz
Make these agreements and you will be more self-aware… Have self-control and will manage relationships more proactively and efficiently.
– Recommended by Deirdre Barrett, Visiting Marketing Faculty, Robinson College of Business Georgia State University (Cohort 3 Student)
When Breath Becomes Air
by Paul Kalanithi
As noted by Kouzes and Posner, ‘leading is not about what we gain from others but about what others gain from us’. This book brings about the perspective of an author, physician, patient and father, who created a legacy that resulted in an enduring and meaningful life to everyone around him while confronting his own mortality.
– Recommended by Premalatha (Prem) Mony, Ph.D., Physical Medicine Supervisor, Good Samaritan Hospital (Cohort 1 Graduate)
Next:
- Return to Part 1 of our Recommended Reading List.
- Jump to Part 2 of our Recommended Reading List.
- Explore our Ph.D./D.B.A. Program in Values-Driven Leadership, for senior executives who love to read!
- Learn more about our M.S. in values-driven leadership program – designed for executives.