Books & Articles

Explore our curated collection of best leadership books and insightful articles. Discover the works that have inspired us.

Leadership Evolution

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle

by: Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA

This insightful book was written primarily for women and decodes the science behind burnout and offers a compassionate, practical guide to completing the stress cycle for lasting well-being. This helped me through burnout in combination with neurofeedback. It’s a vital resource for leaders seeking to prevent burnout in themselves and their teams.

Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes

by: Amishi P. Jha, PhD

This research-backed guide reveals how to train our attention and sharpen focus, even amidst distraction and stress, with just a few minutes of daily practice. These are my daily brain breaks that help my memory, help me sleep, and help me recover from burnout. It’s invaluable for leaders aiming to boost presence, improve decision-making, and build mental resilience.

Extreme Ownership

by: Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

Drawing lessons from elite military operations, this book powerfully illustrates the ultimate responsibility of leaders in solving problems and taking ownership. It’s a challenging read that provides a clear framework for discipline and decisive action in any environment.

Blink

by: Malcom Gladwell

This fascinating book explores the power of our instantaneous judgments and the subtle cues that guide our intuition, even in high-stakes moments. It’s an invaluable read for leaders learning to trust their instincts and make rapid, effective decisions when clarity is crucial.

Scaling Leadership: Building Organizational Capability and Capacity to Create Outcomes that Matter Most

by: Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adams

A deep dive into the essence of leadership effectiveness and how to scale impact across an organization, focusing on building crucial capabilities and capacities. It’s invaluable for leaders aiming to create outcomes that truly matter and drive strategic change. Perfect companion to a Leadership Circle Profile.

The Ideal Team Player

by: Patrick Lencioni

Building on team effectiveness, this book identifies the three essential virtues of an ideal team player: humble (the most underrated behavior), hungry, and smart. It offers clear insights for both individual growth and cultivating a truly high-performing team culture.

What Do You Want To Be on the Way to What You Want?

by: Donna Zajone

This profound book challenges us to focus not just on our goals, but on who we become in the process, emphasizing intentional living and personal evolution. It’s a powerful guide to aligning our actions with our deepest purpose for lasting fulfillment.

Dare to Lead

by: Brene Brown

This powerful book redefines leadership by emphasizing courage, vulnerability, and empathy as essential strengths, fostering trust and genuine connection. It’s a must-read for leaders committed to building psychologically safe, daring cultures.

Leading with Gratitude

by: Adrian Gostick and Chester

This book highlights the transformative power of gratitude and appreciation in leadership, demonstrating its importance for creating high employee engagement, morale, and overall team performance. It offers practical ways to cultivate a culture where everyone feels seen and valued.

The Power of Curiosity: How to Have Real Conversations That Create Collaboration, Innovation and Understanding

by: Kathy Taberner and Kirsten Taberner Siggins

This book powerfully unpacks the art of curiosity (my favorite word) and its transformative role in fostering genuine connection and collaborative conversations. It’s an invaluable guide for leaders seeking to deepen understanding and unlock innovation through authentic dialogue.

The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

by: Michael Bungay Stanier

A highly practical guide that revolutionizes leadership by emphasizing the power of asking insightful questions rather than always telling (game changer for us control freaks). It’s essential for cultivating a coaching mindset that truly empowers team members and fosters their growth.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

by: Patrick Lencioni

A cornerstone for understanding why teams struggle, this book brilliantly lays out the five common dysfunctions that hinder collaboration and performance. It’s a must-read for leaders committed to building cohesive, high-achieving teams. Lack of Trust was the key for me in this book.

Personal Evolution

Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life

by: Jim Kwik

This book challenges the limits we place on our own learning and potential, showing us how to upgrade our mental operating system. It provides practical strategies for truly unlocking exceptional personal and professional growth – and encourages us to eat great brain foods that we love!

The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control

by: Katherine Morgan Schafler

For leaders striving for control and perfection (this was so Ann), this book offers liberating insights into embracing vulnerability and finding strength in imperfection. It guides you to lead with greater ease and authenticity.

Present over Perfect

by: Shauna Niequist

For those caught in the relentless pursuit of perfection and busyness, this book offers a liberating path to a more present and authentic way of living – which reminds us both that we need to do more candy throwing. It’s a gentle yet powerful reminder to prioritize genuine connection and well-being.

Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It

by: Kamal Ravikant

A concise yet powerful book provides an array of impactful exercises (sometimes we think they are silly), for when you are confused about how the heck to love yourself. It’s a vital reminder that personal transformation begins with nurturing our relationship with ourselves.

The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship

by: Don Miguel Ruiz

This profound guide transforms our understanding of love and relationships (mostly with ourself), revealing how to overcome fear-based patterns and foster genuine connection. It’s essential for cultivating healthier professional dynamics built on respect and authenticity.

The Fifth Agreement

by: Don Miguel Ruiz and Don Jose Ruiz

Building on the original agreements, this book delves into the power of doubt and the importance of truly questioning what we believe to be true. It’s a challenging yet liberating read for cultivating deeper authenticity and genuine self-expression.

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

by: Don Miguel Ruiz

This book offers four simple agreements that empower us to challenge self-limiting beliefs. Just catch yourself daily in these simple agreements and your life will change for the better. One of our favorite books for starting out on your personal evolution. It provides a powerful foundation for authentic self-leadership.

The Alchemist

by: Paulo Coelho

This is the book I read to start me on my self-discovery. It was a gift from a friend for which I will be forever grateful. This timeless parable inspires us to pursue our deepest aspirations, reminding us that the journey itself holds profound lessons and opportunities for self-discovery. It’s a beautiful reflection on finding purpose and courageously evolving through life’s challenges.