Last month, we looked at three ways to develop your leadership skills in 2020. One of those options was reading.
Ready to figure out what to read?
I’ve got a few ideas.
Books
When we talk about reading, we usually think about books. So let’s start there.
Leadership books abound. Most in several formats (hardcopy, e-book, audio), so you won’t lack for options.
But where to start?
Here are a few classics:
What Got you Here Won’t Get you There: A must-read for senior leaders and those headed that direction.
The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team: Quick read on building your team.
First Break All the Rules: My favourite book on managing people. Facebook likes it too - they give it to all their new hires.
The Leadership Challenge: The best on creating a vision and what it takes to mobilize people to bring it to life. Great exercises, especially in the first few chapters.
The First 90 Days: For those starting a new job, a thorough resource to accelerate the transition. If you’re interested, I wrote a series to help get the best from each chapter.
If nothing there grabs your fancy, there are dozens of book lists to help you find the right book. Best of 2019 lists are everywhere this time of year.
Fortune: The one that catches my eye is No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work. It looks like an interesting take on an important topic.
Inc: For those with an interest in innovation, Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries. It’s on my list of books to read for 2020.
A quick word on the format you choose. If you’re reading a book you intend to refer back to frequently, hardcopy works best in my experience. And if the book has complex models and theory, they usually include diagrams. So skip the audiobook.
Calgary Public Library
In Praise of Libraries
If you prefer to borrow instead of buy, you can’t go wrong with your local library. There’s a wide selection and all you’ll need is a library card.
If you’re lucky enough to live in Calgary, our public libary is to top notch. Library cards are free. The website is well-designed with a digital library to expand your options. And you can find a local branch near you for convenience.
Plus, if you work in the downtown core, you can’t go wrong with a visit to the new library. It’s stunning.
The service doesn’t end there. TAL (The Alberta Library) gives you access to titles at most libraries across the province. If you can’t find something at the public library, do a search on TAL and they send it to your local branch.
Pretty good deal, eh?
And that’s my plug to support your local library.
Podcasts
I must confess I’m new to the podcast world. I’m slowly sifting through the vast number of options, looking for the right mix of great host, format and content.
Which means I’m light on recommendations.
I’ve got a few favourites, but most are business-focused. A very indirect view of leadership. The exception is the HBR podcast
HBR IdeaCast: Typically 20ish minute interviews with interesting authors and researchers on a broad range of leadership topics. And some broader business talks too.
Pivot: an unfiltered and entertaining podcast on the business of big tech. My favourite so far. But word of warning. This podcast has a personality. It’s unfiltered.
ARC Energy Podcast: Calgary’s energy section is going through a lot of changes. I’m trying to understand and keep up. ARC is perfect for that.
Collisions YYC: Tech-centric focus on Calgary during the current economic transformation. The guests stimulate my thinking around the question of how Calgary moves forward and who will be leading those efforts. Not a fan of the host, but love the topic. And some great guests.
And that’s as far as I’ve gotten
If you’d like more leadership-focused podcasts, hereyou can’t go wrong with business schools. Here’s a couple examples:
Kellogg: The Insightful Leader . Advice and insights on leadership. A little dry, but if there’s a topic you’re interested in, it’s good content.
Stanford: View from the Top. Prominent leaders give their take on leadership, values and more.
As a recent convert to podcasts, I'll be exploring this format more in 2020. So stay tuned. I'll let you know what I find.
Wrapping Up
That’s enough to get you started. Next month we’ll look at magazines, articles, video and online courses.
One last thing.
When it comes to leadership, there’s an endless supply of content. If you start a book and it’s not holding your attention, move on. It shouldn’t be a struggle.
Happy Reading
