Here are some of the great books I'm reading and want to share with you.
Much of the material covered in the Starfleet Leadership Academy is based on personal experience. That experience is built upon by reading incredible books. I've put together this list of books, that will be rotating, that I recommend. Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook if you have questions or want to recommend other books.
Enjoy!!
Turn the Ship Around!: This book completely transformed one of the organizations I work with. L. David Marquet tells his story about leading a nuclear submarine and literally turning the ship around. His "intent-based leadership" is powerful, empowering and an absolute game-changer for organizations. There's also a workbook that I highly recommend.
The Compound Effect: Darren Hardy is well known in leadership development circles. My first exposure to him was SUCCESS Magazine. This book tells relatable stories and offers examples that demonstrate the Compound Effect. Small things, done consistently over time lead to massive impacts.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Until they come out with a 3.0, this is THE standard on Emotional Intelligence. No only will it teach you what Emotional Intelligence is, but also provides an honest self-assessment to help in your development.
All in the Same Boat: I consider Jon S Rennie to be a friend and I enjoy all of the content he creates. Im this book, he relates complimentary stories from both his time as an engineer on nuclear submarine and in corporate America to teach valuable lessons in management and leadership.
Never Split the Difference: Chris Voss was one of the top hostage negotiators for the FBI. Now, he helps people like you and me learn to be better at negotiation. The stories he tells in here, though harrowing and somewhat death-defying, are told in a relatable manner with lessons you can apply immediately in negotiations of all levels.
Suddenly Virtual: I was introduced to this book by Karin M. Reed when I heard her on the Deep Leadership podcast. There is not a more timely book out there on standing out in this new world where we connect, both personally and professionally, through the camera. Her decades of experience as a broadcaster bring lessons and techniques that have made a tremendous difference for me as I work to create motivational environments and to connect with people on my teams.
Make It So: This is kind of the book that started the Starfleet Leadership Academy. Frustrated with a leadership team I inherited, I looked to Star Trek for inspiration and found this fun and insightful book by Wess Roberts and Bill Ross. It (this might sound familiar) looks at Star Trek The Next Generation episodes through the lens of leadership...specifically through the eyes of Captain Picard. They pull back the curtain on his thinking in key moments. A read I will always treasure!
Where the Action Is: Do you know what I can't stand? Meetings. Sound like anyone you know? Well, J. Elise Keith felt the same way, but she actually did something about it! This book is packed with brilliant approaches and methods to handling meetings. Do your organization's meetings "flow" into one another, feeding each other to build to results? They will if you follow what is in this book! I referenced this book in the DIS: Choose Your Pain episode of the Starfleet Leadership Academy because it has even super-charged Performance Reviews!
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