Leaders Are Readers (#13)
Great leaders are readers. Leaders like Mark Cuban, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates make it part of their daily habits. Reading (or listening to an audio book), even during the coronavirus crisis, is a great way for you to remind yourself of an important concept, understand new ideas, and access experiences that aren’t your own.
I have been a serious reader since I was a kid, checking out books from the Delaware County Public Library. And I continue to read almost every day — fiction, business, leadership, history, and science fiction.
Here are six books that I read recently that I found helpful in expanding my ideas on leadership and understanding different experiences than my own:
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
An account of the first African-American women to work at NASA and their contribution to the space program
The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World by Peter Schwartz
Discusses scenario planning, a different way for organizations to do strategic planning and be better prepared for the future
10% Happier by Dan Harris
Mindfulness and meditation
Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety by Eric Schlosser
A history of a nuclear accident in Arkansas in 1980. Great documentary as well.
Moneyball by Michael Lewis
Leading change through the 2002 Oakland A’s a baseball team
The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
Practical ways to enhance your team’s culture
In the comments, put the book that you read recently that has helped you learn and grow.