Bougie Book Club | January 2020
By now you guys are full swing into Q1 of 2020, it's time to set some realistic personal development goals.
We decided to start a book recommendation feature for our blog. Each month we will recommend 5 books within a particular theme that will help you live your best life. This month will focus on leadership.
#1 | Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink
We recommend this as the first book to read if you are looking to improve your leadership skills. Most people want to do something great with their lives and the reassurance that their time masters. This book describes 'Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose' as keys to motivation for all of us.
#2 | Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
This book and assessment tool are a great way to open communication in a new team by establishing a common vocabulary to articulate our individual strengths and how they can complement one another. You read 30 pages and then take an online assessment where you will receive a detailed report on your “five themes”. As a bonus, the follow-on Strengths Based Leadership by Tom Rath provides insights as to how the themes can be grouped into leadership styles (executing, influencing, relationship building, strategic thinking).
#3 | Mapping Innovation: A Playbook for Navigating a Disruptive Age by Greg Satell
Mapping Innovation reminds us that inventions rarely materialize in “eureka” moments but through combinations of ideas, concepts and technologies that occur over time. This book also describes the concept of an “Innovation Matrix” which is meant to help organizations not just describe where they are today but more importantly, where they need to go.
#4 | Unstoppable: Finding Hidden Assets to Renew the Core and Fuel Profitable Growth by Chris Zook
The “grass is always greener” is often a phrase heard during challenging times. What I like about this book is that it helps you identify “hidden assets” that you can leverage in new ways to solve important problems. Cases studies and techniques are provided which will help you do this for your situation. Unstoppable was a “couldn’t put it down” read for me and reminded me that although you should always be externally focused there are opportunities to leverage existing internal competencies in new ways.
#5 Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr
This is a great read, as well as a great audio book. Spoiler alert for the audio version, Bono (lead singer of U2) reads a section of the book. This book is about defining a purpose, setting aspirational goals, and aligning teams around the key results that when achieved yield the desired objective.
Please comment with additional recommendations that you have found useful in developing your leadership. Also if you have any book recommendations, please email them to contact@bougieguidebook.com.
