BUSINESS BOOK CLUB

My clients and friends know I read tons of books on leadership, personal growth, and change management. Here are the books I recommend most frequently — some of which have links to full book reviews in my blog.

Check this page often; I add books as soon as I read them!

Your Brain at Work, by David Rock

I loved this book so much that I reviewed it in not just one blog post, but two. Super-interesting info about how our brains work, and how to use that functionality to our best advantage.

Multipliers, by Liz Wizeman

This might be my favorite book about leadership. Ever. Wiseman talks about the stuff great leaders (Mulitpliers) do as well as the stuff bad managers (Diminishers) do or don’t do. Backed by fascinating anecdotes, this is a must-read for leaders and those who aspire to be leaders. Read the full book review of Multipliers here.

Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps, by Jennifer Garvey Berger

This is a quick and fascinating read about the “mindtraps” leaders can fall into. Stuff like simplicity, rightness, agreement, control, and ego. The best part? She tells you how to get out of the traps, too. Read the full book review here.

Never Eat Alone, by Keith Ferrazzi 

This book is loaded with tips on connecting with others. While some of his advice is a bit more assertive than I’m comfortable with, there’s such a wealth of great info here that I recommend it highly. Make sure you get the updated version, too. Here’s my full book review.

We Have a Deal, by Natalie Reynolds 

I loved this book on negotiating, written by a negotiations consultant. While Reynolds doesn’t speak specifically about salary negotiations (which is my jam), her advice about negotiating across the table is invaluable. Check out my full book review here.

When, by Daniel Pink 

This is a fascinating book on how timing matters. If you want to figure out when your most productive time in the day is, or why how you end a conversation is at least as important as its beginning & middle, this is the book for you. Here’s a link to my full book review.

Talk Like TED, by Carmine Gallo

I read this book when I was prepping to give a talk earlier this year. There are so many great tips on becoming a compelling speaker here! I loved the book.

The One Thing, by Gary Keller

A book on the importance of prioritization, I use advice from it every single day. Check out my full review here.

The Fine Art of Small Talk, by Debra Fine

This is a super-quick read, and great for anyone who’s not a natural networker (which is almost all of us!). You’ll find tips on everything from conversation starters to how to make a graceful exit.

Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown

Daring Greatly is the first book I read of Brown’s. It’s also my favorite. I prefer it to Dare to Lead, her latest book – the content in Daring Greatly is much richer and well-rounded. I recommend this book to all of my clients, especially those who lead others.

Essentialism, by Greg McKeown

My clients often talk with me about how to become more efficient and productive, and this book helps with both. It’s a book that reinforces one of my favorite sayings: “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” Here’s my full book review of Essentialism. Oh, and the author helped write Multipliers.

Insanely Simple, by Ken Segall

This book’s a great thought-starter on how to simplify messages, processes, or anything else. Some of the behind-the-scenes at Apple anecdotes are fascinating, if a bit of a let-down for Jobs fans (or not, if you already love Jobs’ trademark acerbic style).

Deep Work, by Cal Newport

Deep Work is another interesting book on focus and intention – if you’re struggling in either (or both!) of these areas, this would be a good book to read. I love his perspective on boredom: it’s necessary!

Joyful, by Ingrid Fetell Lee

This book was interesting to me not only for what it did include (lots of info on how design & environment sparks joy), but for what it didn’t (anything about relationships, which are my primary source of joy). Here’s the full review.

Play Your Bigger Game, by Rick Tamlyn

The wonderful Rick Tamlyn dedicates some of his very busy schedule to teach coaching to coaches, and that’s how I met him years ago. His book is a quick & easy read about personal transformation with fun tools & exercises designed to help you get started.

Failing Up, by Leslie Odom, Jr.

Broadway and Hollywood star Leslie Odom, Jr. shares his wisdom about personal and professional development in this short and fascinating book.

I loved how accessible — and fun to read — his lessons on learning were. The longer version of my book review is here.

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