I have continued to read book after book during the first half of 2019 with my attention mostly focused on the leadership, business, and coaching genres. The personal development stories along with the changes made to organisations and their cultures have been incredibly informative. Many of the books aren't new but the material and underlying messages they contain keep resonating. I am sure you will find them insightful whilst sitting on the beach or by the pool!.
Top 5 book recommendations
Trillion Dollar Coach - Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and Alan Eagle
Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? - Louis Gerstner
Immunity to Change - Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey
What Got You Here Won't Get You There - Marshall Goldsmith
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R Covey
My most recommended book is Immunity to Change. I feel the framework contained in this book is very powerful when focused on a personal development journey but it also does a fantastic job explaining why it is incredibly difficult to bring out positive lasting improvements in organisations more broadly. As they say,
"Noble aspirations often lead to little change."
Not on my top 5 list but my most gifted book is The Hard Thing About Hard Things (Ben Horowitz). I read this several years ago and find myself keep coming back to it. It is the perfect read and antidote to the inspirational quotes and leadership platitudes so common in mainstream leadership literature at present.
I am a relatively new convert to podcasts and prior to 2019 rarely listened to them. That has all changed now that I have discovered:
The Tim Ferriss Show
Revisionist Histories
Akimbo
I can't get enough of them and consume episode after episode whilst out and about running or working out in the gym. The Tim Ferriss Show has long, in-depth and probing interviews with fascinating people. It is well worth finding the time to listen to him asking questions and teasing out the tips, habits, disciplines and mindset that have made these people so successful.
Enjoy the summer and let me know what you are reading and listening to!
If you want to discover more what I am reading, check out:
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