I love to learn, and one way I love to learn is through reading books.
Books fit well into the 5 E’s of leader development: environment, education, exposure, experience, evaluation, both as education and even as exposure (authors are a kind of mentor). Some helpful books for new leaders offer practical tips; others deal more with heart issues. Here are a few of my favorites that focus mostly on heart issues:
INTEGRITY: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality by Henry Cloud
From the Amazon summary:
Dr. Cloud explores six qualities of character and how people with integrity:
- Connect with others and build trust
- Oriented toward reality
- Finish well
- Embrace the negative
- Orient toward increase
- Understand the transcendent
Other excellent books by Henry Cloud:
- Necessary Endings – “A mindset-altering method for proactively correcting the bad and the broken in our businesses and our lives.”
- Boundaries for Leaders – “Practical advice on how to manage teams, coach direct reports, and instill an organization with strong values and culture.”
LEADING WITH A LIMP by Dan Allender
From the Amazon summary:
God chooses leaders who aren’t deceived by the myths of power and control, but who realize that God’s power is found in brokenness.
EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY LEADER by Peter Sczazzero
From the Amazon summary:
Going beyond simply offering a quick fix or new technique, The Emotionally Healthy Leader gets to the core, beneath-the-surface issues of uniquely Christian leadership and shows leaders how to develop a deep, inner life with Christ, examining its profound implications for surviving stress, planning and decision making, building teams, creating healthy culture, influencing others, and more.
THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION by Brené Brown
Brené Brown, PhD, engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to battle:
- Performance, people-pleasing, and perfectionism
- What if I can’t keep all of these balls in the air?
- Why isn’t everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations?
- What will people think if I fail or give up?
- When can I stop proving myself?
Another excellent book by Brené Brown:
- Daring Greatly – How to have “the courage to step into the arena—whether it’s a new relationship, an important meeting, the creative process, or a difficult family conversation.”
If you have read any of these, what did you learn from the book? Which other books would you suggest for new leaders?
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