Leadership development: Reading lists to help you grow

September 7, 2016 by Wally Bock

Leadership development and personal growth

David Ogilvy said that he wanted to hire people “with well-furnished minds.” If you’re waiting for your company to help furnish your mind, you could be in for a long wait.

Leadership development and reading

Leaders are readers because reading helps you benefit from experience that’s not your own. Reading helps you enrich your thinking and expand your mental reach. Reading is the most important thing you can do to furnish your mind well.

Reading lists for your leadership development

Here are four excellent reading lists that I’ve culled from the many I’ve reviewed over the last year. The lists here have recommendations that go beyond the usual self-help and leadership titles. I limited this selection to excellent lists that included an explanation of why a book was recommended. One more thing, even though the titles of some lists suggest it, these aren’t just for summer reading.

From the Forbes Coaches Council: 10 Must-Read Books To Develop Your Leadership Skills

“You may think you don’t have enough time to invest in your own development, but honing your skills can be as easy as updating your reading list. To get started, here is a list of leadership books recommended by members of Forbes Coaches Council.”

From Matt Collins: 10 Leadership Books for Your Summer Reading List

“While I can’t put more hours into your day, I’ve enlisted the help of DDI’s ‘personal trainers’ to weed through the options for you. Here’s what our resident brainiacs recommend reading to whip your brain into shape this summer:”

From McKinsey & Company: What CEOs are reading

“Leaders of some of the world’s biggest organizations reveal which books will keep them occupied in the coming months.”

From Greg Satell: Summer Reading List: 17 Great Books Every Innovator Should Read

“That’s why I’m writing this book, to give managers a more complete account of how to match problems with solutions. To do so, I’ve cast a wide net, talking to a diverse array of executives and researchers about their work. There have also been many books that I’ve found helpful. So for this summer’s list, I’d like to highlight 17 books that I think innovators should read.”

Wally Bock is a coach, a writer and President of Three Star Leadership.

Posted in Leadership Development

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