Earlier this year, we shared some of our favorite books (see part 1 and part 2) and the response was quite favorable, so we thought we’d share a few more.These aren’t necessarily new books, in fact most aren’t new, but they’re books our staff have read this year. We’ve found value in these books, and we think you will too:
- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear – The title makes you think of a huge atomic reaction like an atomic explosion. But the reality is Clear actually spells out the science behind how habits are formed and changed, and how small (atom-sized) changes in our habits can produce outsized results. The book includes lots of actionable steps to improve performance.
- Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman – Nobel Laureate Kahneman provides great psychological insights into how we think and make decisions. The book discusses how biases form and how and why we form opinions. A truly great read!
- Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations: Whole Heart by Brené Brown – Clinical research professor Brené Brown came into popular consciousness with her Ted Talk on Vulnerability. In Dare to Lead she discusses how courage and vulnerability can help people become more effective leaders. The theme of the book is “choosing courage over comfort” and the book shows how smart leaders are willing to face and own their fears and not let
- them get in the way of having “tough conversations.”
- Think Big Act Small: How America’s Best Performing Companies Keep the Start-up Spirit Alive by Jason Jennings – In Think Big Act Small, Jennings shares how some of the world’s greatest companies foster and maintain a start-up mindset while rapidly growing and scaling. The secret, according to Jennings, is to build a culture that focuses on keeping an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must do to Increase the Value of Your Growing Firm by Verne Harnish – This book examines the timeless habits that built Standard Oil and other global companies. The company addresses how to focus on scaling while maintaining bedrock principles around culture. The book offers actionable steps to improve and scale your business. A timeless read.
- Small Giants: Companies that Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham – Originally published in 2007, Small Giants is a study of companies that focus on operational excellence over more traditional business objectives like year-over-year growth. These companies focus on embedding a higher purpose in everything that they do, and work on fostering a company where management and employees care for and about one another. A great book for entrepreneurs who do not have ambitions to grow to 100s of employees, but want to enjoy going to work every day.
What great books have you read recently? We’d love to hear from you!
