What I am reading this summer
The picture above shows the three biographies I have stacked up to read over the summer. I am not going to lie. I find biographies to be heavy going and require multiple sittings for me to get through them. But inevitably, I discover little nuggets of wisdom. Insights that help me to connect disparate topics, so the effort pays off.
Anyway, I really enjoyed reading these books this year, and I think you will too.
The Captain Class - Sam Walker
The book is about a single idea taken from successful sports teams that can be applied to teams in other fields, such as business. It is the notion that the most crucial ingredient in a team that achieves and sustains historic greatness is the character of the player who leads it.
No Rules Rules - Erin Meyer and Reed Hastings
Netflix has created a different type of workplace that works for their highly creative business and industry. Over many years of trial and error, Netflix has found an approach to promote flexibility, employee freedom and innovation instead of error prevention and rule adherence. Three crucial steps build upon each other:
1️⃣ Build up talent density - only hire A players and get rid of those that have lost their A-game.
2️⃣ Increase candour - build a culture of feedback that is constructive and timely.
3️⃣ Reduce controls - remove rules and controls such as travel, expense and holiday policies.
The Cult of We - Maureen Farrell and Eliot Brown
The rise and fall of WeWork was enabled by a collision of forces: A man characterised by charisma, unbridled optimism, and astute salesmanship met an entire financial system primed to fall under his spell.
When all the forces worked together, people thought as a herd. Optimism supplanted critical thinking. In the blog, I wrote about this: "How to not let your leadership strengths derail you when things get tough."
Don't forget the importance of taking notes on what you read to help you remember the content and recall the most important insights quickly. My second brain digital note-taking system now contains my notes on 43 books covering Coaching, Leadership, Productivity, Psychology, and much more.
Enjoy the summer, and let me know what you are reading and listening to!
And if you want even more to read, don't forget to check out the RYse Journal, a self-coaching notebook to help you organise your thoughts in a world of doing more with less.
If you want to discover more of what I have been reading, then check out:
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