2024 Reads
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business – Gino Wickman
In Traction, Wickman introduces the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), a framework that helps organizations—big or small—get on the same page, build clarity, and drive results. What I love about EOS is how it focuses on both leadership and followership. Leaders set the direction and hold teams accountable, but followership is equally important. Employees need to understand their roles clearly and feel a sense of ownership in the company’s success. One way EOS ensures this is by assigning each employee a number—essentially a measurable goal tied to their specific responsibilities. This keeps everyone focused on outcomes and holds them accountable for their contribution to the team. EOS helps create this balance by defining clear expectations and leading to better accountability and a stronger team. What’s powerful about the EOS is that it’s a system for everyone in the organization, not just the leaders. It includes tools like the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO) to make sure everyone is aligned and the People Analyzer to help ensure the right people are in the right seats. The system promotes regular check-ins, which keep teams focused on the important stuff, like their top priorities, or “Rocks.” The best part? It’s designed to improve processes and make work more enjoyable for everyone. As someone interested in implementing an EOS in my own organization, I see how it could make a real difference by driving clarity, improving communication, and fostering a more accountable, engaged workforce.
Brave New Work: Are You Ready to Reinvent Your Organization? – Aaron Dignan
This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read about organizational behavior, talent management, and leadership. Reading Brave New Work was a thought-provoking and transformative experience, challenging me to reconsider how (in my organizational context) higher education operates and how it could evolve. The book’s concepts of adaptive systems, decentralized decision-making, and embracing complexity resonated deeply, illuminating the rigidity of traditional organizational (in my context higher ed) structures and the missed opportunities for innovation. It made me question why we cling to outdated hierarchies and processes that stifle creativity and responsiveness. Instead, I found myself inspired to imagine a more dynamic and people-centered model—one that empowers faculty, staff, and students to co-create, adapt, and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business – Patrick Lencioni
I like Lencioni’s books. I did read 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, and much of those points were also covered in this book. The chapter on over communicating clarity was truly on point. The chapter on meetings just doesn’t fit the project-based work that many organizations are engaged in now – I would have liked to see a project example featured here. A good read for leaders, regardless of.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team –Patrick Lencioni
I am awestruck by how impactful this tiny book was. I don’t usually get drawn into leadership books with fictional narratives, but as someone who oversees a team, I’ve been able to relate to much of what Kathryn has to work with and point out. Her relentless pursuit to get her team to communicate, collaborate, and have healthy conflict is awe inspiring. Although I found some of the tools in the back of the book helpful, it is oddly the narrative in the first half of the book that has me questioning my role as a leader/mentor/collaborator in building a better team. Excellent book!
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future – Peter Thiel, Blake Masters
Zero to One challenges readers to think big, which made me reflect on both startups and higher ed. Thiel’s idea of creating something entirely new rather than improving existing solutions is bold, but it doesn’t fit every scenario. Some markets—and universities—thrive on refining what works. Still, his argument for monopolies funding moonshot goals is spot on. Every organization, startups and universities alike, should set aside resources for visionary projects that could lead to transformative change.
One of Thiel’s key questions—“What valuable company is nobody building?”—really aligns with my research on leadership and followership in startups. For me, it’s also about asking: What problem is nobody solving in how we lead and follow in constantly changing environments? That’s a lens I think higher ed could benefit from as well, especially in how we adapt to evolving student needs.
Timing is another tough piece Thiel highlights. Whether it’s launching a startup or rolling out a new program, getting the timing right often feels like equal parts strategy and luck. Zero to One may not apply universally, but it’s a great reminder to ask better questions, think big, and be bold—lessons startups and higher ed can both learn from.
The PARA Method: Simplify, Organize, and Master Your Digital Life – Tiago Forte
Let’s just say – this book prompted me transform my categorization of my files in a matter of minutes using PARA. I no longer enter my Google Drive with a level of stress trying to find what I’m looking for. As a file hoarder, it has definitely been worth the try. I also recommend Building a Second Brain, as well.
Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential – Tiago Forte
As an academic, I have been using his method of highlighting for years to capture quotes and points from articles and books. Besides the methods, what I also appreciated was the methods and tools came from a place of understanding that if you organize your files in a way where you can easily find something in a moments notice, then you can effectively build a second brain – becoming smarter, faster, and more nimble. I read The PARA Method before this book and this book reiterates those points and suggests some complimentary ideas.
The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership – Richard Branson
This book was the perfect compliment to the Richard Branson MasterClass. For someone who claims to have never read a leadership book in their life, he seems to be doing all the right things as a leader. I’m amazed at how someone who has created an empire manages to distill their philosophy so approachably and concisely. Then again, that is one of his cardinal rules (KISS). One point that stick out to me is how to have fun in everything you do. Branson’s (sometimes dangerous) level of fun is infectious in his approach as a mega CEO, innovator, father, and leader. Good read!
Followership: How Followers Are Creating Change and Changing Leaders – Barbara Kellerman
Kellerman is right. As much as we dissect and assign leaders to categories, we lump followers into one group or ignore them altogether. It is time to consider what makes a good follower, and what traits each of us can take on to exhibit good followership behavior as we support leaders and work toward shared goals. One of the most intriguing sections was on bad followership. We all probably have the same idea of makes good followership but do we all have the same idea of what makes bad followership? One example is whistleblowing. People inside the company and who are in the know about the bad things going on in an organization would probably applaud whistleblowing, but leadership (including the Board) may not. As Kellerman states, “Where you stand depends on where you sit on what are your basic beliefs, on what are your fundamental values, and on what you think of this leader and these followers in this situation in particular“ P. 229.
The Leadership Playbook: Creating a Coaching Culture to Build Winning Business Teams – Nathan Jamail
Kindred – Octavia E. Butler
This is a book that will stay with me. It made me pause many times. “Kindred” follows Dana, a young black woman transported back to the antebellum South to bear first hand witness to her ancestors, Rufus, Alice, and Hagar. So many times, the whipping and power hungry assaults made me physically pause the book, and count my blessings. Slavery was horrifying and this book portrays it without no remorse. I’m left feeling terrible for Dana, and wondering what was it all for…
I loved listening to the audiobook version- the actress took on different accents for each of the characters, bringing them individual life.
Butler’s exploration of race, power, and identity makes it a must-read, leaving a lasting impact.
This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences – Sarah E. Hill
I learned a lot from this book. This book really does shed light on the possibilities of how much hormonal birth control affects women and the ways they interact with the world around them. As Dr. Hill says, the hormones in the pill affect EVERY organ system – billions of cells – and especially the brain. As women, our preferences and brains change when we are on hormonal birth control. The amount of research she pulls in backs these ideas in science. But the quantitative and qualitative data is limited. There is definitely more room for research, but for the purpose that women should have the right to choose which options are best for them and to look out for warning signs of negative impacts.
If you’ve read it, I lived a version of the stories told at the beginning of Ch. 5 and 6, and I’ve talked to others who know women who have gotten a divorce or who themselves have gotten a divorce after going off of the pill. This book validated a lot of my experiences on the pill, and how going off of the pill after 17 years affected my life. Years later, I experienced serious symptoms while trying the IUD, and was back to normal the day after removal. Again, I found solace in this research shared and stories told about the links to depression, weight gain, and fatigue. Every woman will experience different effects, but knowing this can happen can make you feel less crazy when it does.
How to Win in a Winner-Take-All World: The Definitive Guide to Adapting and Succeeding in High-Performance Careers – Neil Irwin
This book is a handbook for anyone looking to build a modern career. As a glue person, I agree with the key points made about building a lily pad career and leveraging your expertise to speak your various stakeholders. My careers in design, faculty development, online learning, recruiting, strategic planning, and k12 every day in higher ed. Another timely chapter (8) discusses the past idea of employee/organization loyalty and the current perspective of a limited duration relationship. I’ve seen many colleagues pass up great, lucrative opportunities out of loyalty for an organization only to regret it later or worse, get let go down the line. These two insights are key for any employee today.
Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: A Feminist’s Guide to Investing – Camilla Falkenberg, Emma Due Bitz, Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen
Listened to this book as part of my yearly #financefebruary. The book is filled with great reminders to spend less, save more, and start investing. I love the new focus on determining WHAT to invest in – choose your cause, invest in companies that give back, or invest in women and minority-owned businesses.
Leadership is Half the Story: A Fresh Look at Followership, Leadership, and Collaboration – Marc Hurwitz, Samantha Hurwitz
“Leadership is Half the Story” by Sam and Marc Hurwitz FLIPs the script on how we see leadership and followership. The FLIP concept they introduce emphasize the teamwork needed in today’s workplace, where teams rule, and things change fast. On a daily basis, most of us flip between being leaders in some contexts, and followers in others. This book provides a thoughtful Generative Partnership Model to help us navigate between these roles, and create consistency and meaning in what we deliver to each respective audience. The book challenges the stigma around followership, showing that everyone plays leadership and follower roles – on a daily basis.
The authors stress the magic of generative partnerships, where collaboration goes beyond individual efforts. They make a strong case for shared goals and a balanced mix of leadership and followership traits. Trust is a big player here, with competence and integrity taking the spotlight.
The authors introduce cool concepts like organizational mentoring, urging leaders to influence culture positively. The book is all about being agile – keep learning, develop partnership agility, and embrace organizational agility.
The authors give practical and well-laid-out tools like personal operating manuals and living dashboards for leadership communication. They suggest ditching the old-school performance reviews for contribution and progress reviews, keeping the focus on continuous improvement.
This book is a game-changer for every leader, follower, and organization that wants to make a TRUE impact. It breaks down the walls between leaders and followers, pushing for a dynamic and collaborative workplace.
As a leader, I can’t emphasize enough how much this book has changed the way I see my role as navigating between being a good ‘dashboard communicator’ for my boss and leadership, and a consistent ‘cascading communicator’ for my team. This has not be a one-read and done book… I continue to revisit it as my leadership changes, my team grows, and my organizations evolves.
Thank you, Marc & Sam for this brilliant guide!
2023 Reads
The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
- I wanted to learn more about startup culture and wasn’t disappointed to match many of the buzzwords I’ve heard with definitions. While I’m still uncertain how to get started with a startup, the lean startup is a framework to help those who are living the life. I learned some key tactics that can be used in businesses of all sizes, such as rapid iteration, data driven decision making, and early customer involvement. I also learned that minimum viable products (MVPs) don’t have to be full formed ideas- they could be videos, slide decks, or a crappy web site. Another key theme is cultivating and studying the innovation in an organization. We need to hold employees accountable for innovation and companies should aim to become a learning organization that is constantly evolving. More public private partnerships can help companies truly research their work. This book is jame packed with stories and theories that provide more context. It was a great read.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing – Marie Kondo
- I didn’t think I would love this book as much as I did. Marie Kondo changed the way I think about stuff and caring for my stuff. I am now a proud follower of the KonMari method: only buy and keep what you need, get rid of what you don’t, take care of what you have. After reading, I purged my home of 5 bags of unused and unloved things, and I’m happier for it!
That Month in Tuscany – Inglath Cooper
- Is it a decent poolside read you could finish in a day or two? Yep. But don’t expect it to be a life changing experience. I liked many parts of this book- the writing, the style of chapters, and the settings. It was hard for me to relate to Lizzy, the main character – I felt there was a general lack of depth to her character until the end when she found a tiny passion in photography. I also can’t imagine what it’s like not to work. As far as the storyline, I just felt there were way too many scenarios going on in one book to really explore each one, making the kidnapping scene seem rushed, the husband’s dalliance seem stereotypical, and the husband’s super tracking skills seem like luck. Maybe if the book was longer, there would have been more time to explore characters.
One Italian Summer – Rebecca Serle
- This book is well written and imaginative. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a parent, but I have to imagine the loss as a single child is unbearable. I think the discovery process Katy goes through to learn more about the depth of her mother and her passions is well detailed and creative. I loved the details in each of the scenes- the smells, the sights, the food, the walks- it makes any reader want to visit Positano. I think the new found interest Katy finds in Adam while leaving threads hanging with Eric complicated the storyline, a bit. I felt like Adam served a purpose; but I’m not sure if Eric did. It is a great poolside read.
I’m Glad My Mom Died – Jennette McCurdy
- This was one of the best memoirs I’ve listened to. All I can say is ‘wow’. Jennette’s writing and details really brought her story to life. Her relationship with her mother was complicated- clearly her mom was loving, and did what she could in her situation with her family (using her daughter to support them). On the other hand, her overbearing tactics had a detrimental impact on Jennette. Dealing with eating disorders, being under bodily and acting scrutiny, falling into a drinking spiral, and dealing with extreme anxiety is something no teenager should have to endure. Most importantly, Jennette was so unprepared for many of the realities of life, which caused her to turn to many vices. There simply is no other way to read this book than audio, because of how Jennette brings her words to life. It was a fantastic, eye opening read.
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups – Daniel Coyle
- The culture code is filled with stories about what has made great culture in different organizations and circumstances. Some stories that stood out were about the San Antonio Spurs and Zappos (this book is great to pair with Delivering Happiness, which I felt lended more specific details on creating great culture). However, all the organizations are large and innovative in their own way. What I felt was lacking were stories about ordinary, everyday companies. I also felt the key steps were too varied and complex to really carry through to one’s own workplace.
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose – Tony Hsieh
- This is definitely one of the best autobiographies I’ve ever read. I loved learning about Tony’s early entrepreneurial life, just as much as what gave him purpose later on. I learned a lot about how Hsieh meticulously curated and discerned the why in what he did and how he co-created culture with his employees and customers, as well as friends. This book proves you can find success alongside friendships, and why sticking out bad investments sometimes pays off. Most importantly- a company should never outsource its core competency, like logistics for Zappos. I’d argue that this book taught me so much more about how to create good company culture than any book with that purpose that I’ve read. It also taught me to focus in my career: to focus on one thing I want to be the best at. Obviously, his self-reflection and intentionality throughout his life and leadership paid off with the Amazon but out of Zappos. I listened to this book on Tony’s own voice, and I’m glad he had a chance to share it before his tragic passing.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck
- This is THE book of on growth mindset. It’s packed with data, stories, and tips. The examples are spot on for supporting a growth mindset in children. The data is spot on for why a growth mindset is the only way to get the best out if life. And tips for developing a growth mindset in the self and ones kids is extremely helpful. If you can get past the slow beginning, this book will provide you with the know how for changing your life and the lives of those you love ❤️
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
- This the least favorite book I’ve ever read. I didn’t like the thoughts about thoughts, the vague and hole-filled storyline, and the lack of real depth in the characters. Mostly, I didn’t like the writing style, and the continued dedication to lead the reader down stories that meant nothing to the overall story. I have so many questions left over at the end of the book, whose answers could have made the story stronger.
Don’t Keep Your Day Job: How to Turn Your Passion into Your Career – Cathy Heller
- I was looking for an entrepreneurial read to motivate me. Cathy’s voice in the audio book is the perfect motivational companion to the interesting content found in this book. It is filled with very different stories about how creatives have cobbled together talents and services to earn a full income. The first part of the book was my favorite. Listening to Cathy’s story about how she’s been able to evolve her career as she evolved is inspirational. My only point is that this book is really backed by creative examples. A follow up would be great to feature other industry examples.
Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life – Marie Kondo
- I liked this book more than I thought. Marie’s thoughtful reflections paired well with Mark’s technical and practical how-to’s. It provides permission to delete, de clutter, and deep clean our work environments- physical and digital. I’ve definitely thought more deeply about what to respond to, invest time in, and retain. My biggest learning from this book is ‘the urgent vs. the important’. It is something so small, yet to me, has made a huge difference in how I approach what to spend time on and prioritize.
Everyday Millionaires – Chris Hogan
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness – Dave Ramsey
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph – Ryan Holiday
It’s All in Your Head – Russ
2022 Reads
Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career – Scott Young
- I’ve been in Higher Ed for over 15 yrs, and served in assessment, faculty and staff development, and curriculum design roles. Now, I am involved in accreditation in HE and K12. I am attuned to and interested in learning more about learning. I didn’t think I would get much out of the book, but ended up listening to it twice, and reading it for notes, and buying a copy. I also have brought it to the high school I’m consulting with now.First, I listened to the book- which I believe was more impactful than reading/skimming it. The words land differently. It makes a huge difference to hear the stories and the rationales – and to process them that way. So if it’s your first time, try Libby and give it a read for free.Second, this book presents a precise framework that is lacking in formal education, just as much as people’s lives. For me, this book challenged my way of thinking about how we need to approach the student learning experience, which could involve more self education and well designed personal projects. The life changing stories in this book are evidence that self-made and executed learning experiences are intensely impactful.Oh and yes, I now have a framework for my own learning!!I highly recommend the listen if you are someone who equally enjoys thinking more about learning.
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It – Chris Voss
- I took Chris Voss’ masterclass and just loved it. These negotiation techniques are for people in any business and in any important discussion in their life. I was on the edge of my seat with the hostage stories, too- such a unique vantage point of what going on behind these scenes. You’ll learn about labeling, mirroring, and saying no without saying no.
An excellent book!!
Why We Can’t Wait – Martin Luther King Jr.
- I once read A Letter from Birmingham Jail in school, but it was an experience that could have been greatly enhanced by the context of Why We Can’t Wait. I am, of course, forever changed, but deeply grateful for a greater understanding of MLK. Never have I heard of him described as a stoic strategist, yet those qualities are now what I believe made him, his leadership, and his cause so successful. Besides discernment and strategic thinking, he possessed a unique ability to articulate sadness, unfairness, and hate, while knowing where to focus energy. This will certainly be the first of many MLK books I read in my lifetime.
Taste: My Life through Food – Stanley Tucci
- This book was like Sunday sauce night and all the courses that come along with it. It is a must read and I devoured it in a week. In particular, it was incredibly enjoyable in its audio version- with Stanley Tucci narrating his own stories.I loved the way Stanley wove family and friend stories through encounters with food. I’m a vegan, but even my mouth was watering with his detailed descriptions of meat, and equally horrified by the unknown. I felt I was there tasting every bite.I loved starting the book with the conversation with his mother, and ending with the same conversation with his son. I admired his expression of love for his wives and their own cooking adventures. And the actuality of eating on set in America would make me choose foreign films too :)I didn’t know about Stanley’s oral cancer- such a cruel version to have for someone who loves food so much! I learned more about what those with cancer go through in his equally detailed descriptions.What did I do to celebrate the completion of this book? Make pasta of course!
Ten Steps to Nanette – Hannah Gadsby
- Gender, sexual preference, abuse, autism, ADHD, art history, and the comedy world… Hannah Gadsby took me on a journey this year that I will forever be changed by. I am left in awe of the way in which Gadsby detailed her childhood, family relationships, and early friendships… and how they shaped her. Although there are many points I couldn’t relate to (outside of a love for art history), Gadsby’s articulation of living with autism and ADHD in such vivid detail left me with a much clearer understanding than I’ve ever had before of the inner workings of some minds. And while the stories of realizing she was gay in an intensely conservative system while having suffered multiple accounts of abuse had me heartbroken, knowing her self discovery gives me relief. Layered into a memoir about personal life is a unique account of finding and breaking a profession. It cannot be easy getting onstage to make people cry when they have arrived thinking you will make them laugh.Gadsby not only details her life with great detail and humor, she provides a history lesson along the way. There was very little I knew about Tasmania (if I even knew it really existed at all outside of cartoons) and about the Australian mainland. I am enlightened by the lessons on living with autism, being gay in a conservative culture, bodily shame post-sexual abuse, and the standup scene.This was the book I was most hooked on this year. I borrowed it after seeing Gadsby on Colbert. I listened to the audio version and wouldn’t recommend doing it any other way. Gadsby’s intentional pauses, inflections, and impressions are everything!! I think I borrowed the book from the library 15 times in order to finish it as I listened to a little bit everyday. It was well worth the wait every time. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Talking to Strangers – Malcolm Gladwell
- Still struck. Gladwell manages to piece together seemingly unrelated horrific, tragic, questionable, and confusing events to find a common thread among them. While I don’t disagree with a common thread, I am still pondering the last chapter and what it all really means. What do we take away? What do I take away? It’s a similar feeling at the end of all Gladwell books. I’m glad to have known and pondered these different events in our recent history, and to have gained some skills for the critical thinking needed to get through future events.
Long Life Learning – Michelle Weise
- THE great summary of the intersection and future of education and work, and the ecosystem needed to tie them together.
- Weise has applied her years of apprenticeship with the late Clayton Christensen and as a formidable asset for higher education and industries to this massive summary and guidebook for what exists now and what our future needs from the education and industry collaboration. At the heart of this book are the voices of the workforce that have become louder throughout The Great Resignation. Many Americans are lost on the broken journey full of dead ends and barriers that should lead them to jobs that fit their interests, experience, and abilities. Layered on top of the first hand job seeker stories of frustration, is a thesaurus of projects, data, ambitious entrepreneurs, and technologies hoping to solve this complex puzzle. I highly recommend this book for anyone researching or interested in the intersection of higher education, industry, and job seekers.
The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals – Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling
- As someone who has managed strategic planning for a large organization, I know first hand that systematizing execution is something many organizations struggle with. The principles in this book are easy and straightforward to follow. They aren’t rocket science, and yet so many organizations struggle to follow-through on goals before they move on to the next one. Though it’s interesting to hear the organizational examples in the book, I only wish there were more or different scenarios from different industries. I’m in Higher Ed, and feel like this industry really needs the book!
- A year later, this book has become my most cited framework while discussing planning in the workplace and while consulting.
The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask about Your Organization: An Inspiring Tool for Organizations and the People Who Lead Them – Peter Drucker
- This quick read is one of Peter Drucker’s most referenced frameworks. Like some of my accreditation discussions last week, this book is all about company self-assessment. It’s a method for assessing what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what you must do to improve an organization’s performance. The five essential questions include:
1. What is our mission?
2. Who is our customer?
3. What does our customer value?
4. What are our results?
5. What is our plan?
This framework forces organizations to focus on their mission and narrow their activities to meet their mission and what the customer ACTUALLY needs. This might include identifying what NOT to do, as well.Things to remember: “Planning is not an event. It is a continuous process of strengthening what works and abandoning what does not, of making risk-taking decisions with the greatest knowledge of their potential effect, of setting objectives, appraising performance and results through systematic feedback, and making ongoing adjustments as conditions change.” (p. 4)
The Power – Naomi Alderman
- In THE POWER, the world is a recognizable place: there’s a rich Nigerian boy who lounges around the family pool; a foster kid whose religious parents hide their true nature; an ambitious American politician; a tough London girl from a tricky family. But then a vital new force takes root and flourishes, causing their lives to converge with devastating effect. Teenage girls now have immense physical power–they can cause agonizing pain and even death. And, with this small twist of nature, the world drastically resets.
- I will forever be changed by the detailed cautionary storytelling in this book. The book posits, ‘what if women had more power in the world’? We like to think that the world would be a more peaceful and considerate place. The storylines in this book make me think otherwise.
- The only way to read this book is the audiobook version – an extremely talented voice actress embodied all characters and accents to perfection.
Leah's books
The Obstacle is the Way shows us how to turn obstacles into opportunities, but it also creates a framework for acting like a strategist:
1. Start from the middle ground. Sometimes winning the war isn't glamourous. It might be a long ro...
