Photo Credit: Kevin Morris
This time of year, most of us have more down time for ourselves, for reading and introspection. A great book can fulfill an obligation (gift giving) and offer preparation (a new year is around the corner). In this time of looking forward to new goals, challenging old habits and unleashing your greatest potential, here are six books that can make seasonal giving and 2015 even better.
Again and again, this novel resonates universally with audiences around the world. Coelho’s fable tells the tale of a shepherd boy who travels the world in search of treasure and instead finds his destiny. It’s about resilience and faith both inside its pages and in its publication history. The publisher dropped it initially because it didn’t sell, but now The Alchemist has sold over 65 million copies and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 300 weeks. The book is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of our dreams.
Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success
Phil Jackson, one of the greatest coaches in basketball history, offers unconventional leadership wisdom that applies to any competitive arena. His holistic approach to leadership is based on many diverse influences. I love his focus on mindfulness and how transforming a group of young, driven, gifted athletes into champions requires “an open heart, a clear mind and a deep curiosity about the ways of the human spirit.” Read this and know why and how he won 11 championships. If you enjoy it, also read his Sacred Hoops.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Greg McKeown blogs for the Harvard Business Review and researches why people and teams thrive (or not). This book is chock full of techniques on how to determine the important from the trivial, get at what’s essential and limit what’s not. One brilliant aspect: this book is organized around a series of verbs, which reinforce that change only happens with concrete action executed consistently until becoming effortless.
Subtitled “Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time,” this book by Susan Scott has remained relevant since its release in 2004. Difficult conversations take courage, and if we dare, these can transform our lives. In the business world, a fierce conversationalist is a fearless leader. Scott offers an essential guidebook for any scenario: one-on-one, bringing an issue to the table in a team environment, conflict resolution, etc. Action items help you make these principles your own.
This is a short (less than 200 pages) book on a simple principle: 20 percent of what we do is important; the rest is trivial. How do we use the 80/20 economic principle to work less, worry less, succeed more, enjoy more? Author Richard Koch offers many exercises to work through applying this concept to real life situations.
Authors Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee coined the phrase “emotional intelligence” and built a case for the power and necessity for leadership rooted in openness, empathy, self-awareness and collaboration. These soft skills are even more important as our work lives become more wired. This is a book about how the best leaders motivate through understanding and harnessing emotions, to bring out the best in their teams.
The takeaway
The holidays can be the perfect time to create that blueprint for getting the most out of your talent and time. Why not pick up a new book to help you, or someone on your gift list, explore your untapped potential?
Molly Fletcher helps inspire and equip game changers with the negotiation tactics for leading well and with purpose. Her recent book, “A Winner’s Guide to Negotiating: How Conversation Gets Deals Done” (McGraw-Hill, 2014), draws on her decades as a sports agent and negotiator on behalf of pro athletes, coaches and broadcasters. Contact Molly here.
