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"Leadership development is a life-long continuous process.  Professional reading is part of that process."
    

Leadership Development Network

SUGGESTED READING LIST


The publications listed here were selected for their content and suitability for developing leadership skills.

  • Lasting Change: The Shared Values Process That Makes Companies Great, by Rob Lebow & William L. Simon:  As business and political leaders decry the lack of strong values in the workplace, Rob Lebow and William Simon take a pragmatic approach to putting those values back into any business. The tested, documented techniques in this book are a sure way to find continuous improvement in communication, innovation, enthusiasm, responsibility-taking, empowerment, and team play.

  • Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't, by Jim Collins:  "This carefully researched and well-written book disproves most of the current management hype - from the cult of the superhuman CEO to the cult of IT to the acquisitions and merger mania. It will not enable mediocrity to become competence. But it should enable competence to become excellence." - Peter F. Drucker

  • Accountability: Freedom and Responsibility Without Control, by Rob Lebow:  Blending economics, psychology, sociology and management theory, this book provides practical guidelines for transforming control-based operations into freedom-based work environments where managers take on the new role of "Wise Counsels" and employees design and fully own their jobs. Worksheets, research, and resources will help begin your journey.

  • Crossing the Minefield, by Robert W. Barner:  To be successful in competitive and changing times, you and your team need to know how to stay motivated, energized, and efficient. This book provides strategies for accomplishing this now rather than later when you team has become stagnant. You will learn how to: help your staff manage stress, respond quickly to demands from customers and your company, focus your efforts, inspire team members, streamline your team, and reenergize yourself to meet new challenges.

  • Beyond Success, by Brian D. Biro:  The author takes the 15 Secrets of Coach John Wooden's pyramid and provides the reader with a systematic approach to impacting others lives as a parent, a friend, and a professional.

  • Beyond Race and Gender, by R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr:  The author presents his definition of diversity after six years of research and presents a new and fresh approach for the readers to consider. His book is intended for managers seeking to achieve sustainable progress with diversity issues and to gain a competitive advantage for their organizations.

  • Leadership When the Heat's On, by Danny Cox and John Hoover:  The authors contend that leadership is about making a positive difference in the lives of those around you. This book is a guide on how to be the best possible leader, especially during times of change and uncertainty.

  • The Leadership Genius of George W. Bush, by Carolyn B. Thompson and James W. Ware:  The authors reveal the unwavering leadership principles of the first President with an MBA. The principles include identifying core values, having vision, communication, building trust, and getting the right people in the right job then allowing them to do their job. This practical leadership guide will help you develop the leadership skills necessary for success in today's fast-paced world.

  • The Confident Decision Maker, by Roger Dawson:  Dawson's book explains the core of confident, effective, systematic decision making. Practice his methods for identifying, analyzing, and responding to problems and opportunities, and achieve success through confident choices.

  • On Leadership, by John W. Gardner:  This renowned author takes the reader through a discussion of all aspects of leadership, including: the nature of leadership, the qualities and attributes of a leader, and how an individual becomes an effective leader. The author argues that leadership is the "release of human possibilities" and is a fundamental ideal in our society.

  • Leadership, by Richard L. Hughes, Robert C. Ginnett, and Gordon J. Curphy:  This textbook proceeds from the premise that leadership is a process, not a position. The authors look at how leadership develops and is measured, leadership as an art as well as a science, and how leadership is related to other concepts, such as power and influence. The book proposes a simple framework for conceptualizing leadership, composed of the Leader, the Followers, and the Situation.

  • If It Ain't Broke...BREAK IT, by Robert J. Kriegel and Louis Patler:  The authors contend that conventional business wisdom cannot help you keep pace in these rapidly changing times. The book will help you unlock the creative thinker inside; work smarter, not harder; and explore new and different paths.

  • Leading Change, by James O'Toole:  The corporate leader who sets out to command or manipulate employees to lead them through change is, says the author, doomed to failure. Change has been and always will be resisted. The only way to overcome that resistance is to use leadership based on moral values of integrity, trust, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is best for your employees. Also explored are why corporate culture and the status quo conspire to defeat change.

  • Authentic Leadership, by Robert W. Terry:  The author contends that the core principle of leadership is authenticity and that leadership is essential to success. The book begins by introducing the reader to concepts of leadership and is complete with resources and techniques that one can use to further everyday leadership actions.

  • Getting Things Done When You Are Not In Charge, by Geoffrey M. Bellman:  Bellman's book is intended as a guide for those who want to successfully bring about change in their organization without the advantage of formal power. It offers practical approaches for effectively enlisting key players and earning the respect of management. Bellman presents insights on leadership, teamwork, empowerment, and organizational politics.

  • Influence Without Authority, by Allan R. Cohen and David R. Bradford:  The authors present a very readable, practical method for creating change and partnership in contemporary organizations. Their book demonstrates how to skillfully form mutually advantageous relationships.

  • Discovering Common Ground, by Marvin R. Weisbord:  The author explains a highly successful new way for organizations of all types to apply global thinking and democratic values to achieve rapid whole systems improvement. "Future searches" bring people with diverse interests together to create shared vision and collaborative action.

  • Working Ethics, by Martin T. Brown:  Ethics can be a powerful tool for better decision-making and can create conditions that foster greater organizational effectiveness. The author explores components of an ethical decision-making process, addresses how to handle arguments constructively, and explains how to help create and develop organizations that make morally and socially responsible decisions.

  • A Rock and A Hard Place: How to Make Ethical Business Decisions When the Choices are Tough, by Kent Hodgson:  Decision-making is arguably the most critical task in the current business environment, and Hodgson provides a system for making decisions that are responsible, practical, and defensible - decisions that are both ethical and better for business. The book offers illustrations, examples, and exercises that bring the process sharply into focus.

  • Beyond the Trust Gap, by Thomas R. Horton and Peter C. Reid:  The authors suggest that downsizing, mergers, and acquisitions have ruptured relations between managers and their employees and created a "trust gap." This book offers guidelines for regaining credibility with middle managers in order to develop the speed and productivity needed to succeed in the competitive world economy.

  • Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner:  In this book Kouzes and Posner, the leadership experts, show why leadership is fundamentally a relationship with credibility as the cornerstone. By providing rich examples, they show how leaders can encourage greater initiative, risk taking, and productivity by demonstrating trust in employees and resolving conflicts on the basis of principles, not positions.

  • Managers Talk Ethics, by Barbara Ley Toffler:  The author presents techniques for enhancing an organization's ethical consciousness through the discussion of real-life ethical case studies that managers, ranging from the shop foreman to the chief executive officer, have faced on the job.

  • Self-Defeating Behaviors, by Milton R. Cudney and Robert E. Hardy:  The authors provide proven methods for understanding and eliminating habitual destructive behaviors. The book examines the source and pattern of destructive, self-defeating behaviors and provides practical solutions for overcoming and abandoning these destructive cycles.

  • A Change of Heart: Converting Your Stresses to Strengths, by Robert S. Eliot:  Dr. Eliot and his colleagues at the Institute of Stress Medicine have identified the prime stressors that affect people today. This book offers practical, time-tested techniques to turn stresses to strengths by attitude adjustment, having values, practicing good time management, eating well, and exercising. It also involves channeling your energy more productively.

  • Controlling Stress in the Workplace, by Tex P. Gatto:  Gatto provides a handbook on how to anticipate workplace stress and then move beyond it with specific techniques that will relieve the stress. In addition, the book will show you how to turn stress into a positive, productive force you can use.

  • Transitions: Positive Change in Your Life and Work, by Barrie Hopson and Mike Scally:  This workbook presents ideas of transition and change for your own self-development and will give you the tools to identify and cope with changes as they happen. It will enable you to identify the two types and seven stages of transition and to better understand the effect they have on your life.

  • Mastering the Winds of Change, by Erik Olesen:  This author, consultant, and therapist witnessed how stressful change is for most people and organizations, yet recognized that some extraordinary people seem to thrive on it. He surveyed high achievers and prominent people to define the specific strategies they use to deal with change and learned that coping skills help you overcome obstacles, discover new opportunities, build confidence, and learn from mistakes.

  • Managing the Unknowable, by Ralph D. Stacey:  Defying conventional management norms, the author contends that accepting and welcoming instability inspires creativity and can result in successful outcomes. The book provides strategies and techniques for making companies ready and able to benefit from unstable situations.

  • Principle-Centered Leadership, by Stephen R. Covey:  The author describes how the goals of excellence and total quality express an innate human need for personal, interpersonal, and organizational improvement. Covey discusses the key to managing expectations, the six conditions of effectiveness, how to understand people's potential rather than just their behavior, and the patterns of organizational excellence.

  • The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey:  Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. His principles provide the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

  • Competing Against Time, by George Stalk Jr and Thomas M. Hout:  The authors contend that time is the equivalent of money, productivity, and quality. With many detailed examples from companies that have put time-based strategies in place, the authors describe exactly how reducing production time can make the critical difference between success and failure.

  • The Confident Decision Maker, by Roger Dawson:  Dawson's book explains the core of confident, effective, systematic decision making. Practice his methods for identifying, analyzing, and responding to problems and opportunities and achieve success through confident choices.

  • Rules for Reaching Consensus, by Steven Saint and James R. Lawson:  With the increased use of teams and collaborative work groups, a new method of decision making called collective decision-making or consensus has emerged. This guide focuses on the steps to follow in order for a group to reach full agreement. Provided is a step-by-step approach to mastering consensus decision making which includes discussions on: common concerns about consensus, the consensus meeting, the pre-consensus process, the rules of the consensus process, and tips for facilitators.

  • How to Meet, Think, and Work to Consensus, by Daniel A. Tagliere:  Small groups and teams are essential to an organization's decision-making process. This book presents a method which makes meetings a productive and integral part of the work process. The author provides tools for improving the quality of decisions, solving problems, furthering creativity, and achieving reliable solutions through a collaborative team process.

  • You've Got to Be Believed to Be Heard, by Bert Decker:  In this book, Decker shows you what he has learned through experience and extensive research - how to effectively and confidently reach, persuade, and motivate with the spoken word. The key to personal impact is to win the emotional trust of your audience. This book gives examples and specific how-to exercises to help you build a foundation that will transform the way you speak and listen.

  • Conversational Speaking, by Alan Garner:  Garner's practical, concise book outlines strategies that teach the reader to start conversations, ask the kind of questions that promote conversation, avoid behavior that invites rejection, issue invitations that are likely to be accepted, achieve deeper levels of understanding, handle criticism constructively, resist manipulation, become more confident in social situations, and listen so that others will be encouraged to talk.

  • How To Think On Your Feet, by Marian K. Woodall:  This concise book provides techniques for improving the quickness and quality of responses to difficult questions. The author also provides guidance on how to quickly and clearly formulate answers, as well as improve the delivery of the communication.

  • People Smarts, by Tony Alessandra and Michael J. O'Conner:  The authors introduce the "Platinum rule": treat others the way you want to be treated and both parties win. Since everyone is unique, your goal is to adapt your approach to meet the different needs and priorities of the people you deal with. This book is helpful in identifying behavioral styles and learning how to adjust your behavior to increase trust, credibility, and cooperation.

  • The Human Touch, by William W. Arnold and Jeanne M. Plas:  Arnold, the president of a leading medical center, stresses the crucial role of each individual in the organization and uses basic values, common sense, accessibility, and respect to increase productivity and profits. This account of providing person-centered leadership shows how to combine touch performance standards with the courage to be human.

  • I Wish I'd Said That, by Linda McCallister:  The author describes in detail the six major styles of communication: Nobel, Socratic, Reflective, Candidate, and Senator. By identifying and recognizing these communication styles, you will learn how to control interactions without building resentment. Also provided is a Communication Style Profile test so you can identify your communication style and learn how to communicate more effectively.

  • Listen to Win, by Curt Bechler and Richard L. Weaver:  Listening can be one of management's least expensive and most effective tools, according to the authors. Their powerful, people-oriented book will help you learn to live with others, connect with them, get the best from them, and empower them.

  • Assertiveness: A Positive Process, by Barrie Hopson and Mike Scally:  This workbook describes what assertiveness means and teaches you how to become assertive. It also provides examples of the main types of behavior: assertive, aggressive, and unassertive. The author contends that becoming more assertive will help you succeed.

  • Managing with Power, by Jeffrey Pfeffer:  The author contends that power is the means, which allows managers to set agendas and influence others to achieve results. This book examines the use and misuse of power and provides specific examples of how the effective use of power can result in success without building resentment.

  • Human Relations in Organizations (5th ed.), by Dan L. Costley and Ralph Todd:  This book focuses on the behavior of individuals in organizations. Its emphasis is on the skills needed for effective leadership including the abilities to communicate, understand human needs, cope with conflict and frustration, motivate others, use authority, and increase group productivity.

  • Cultural Diversity in Organizations, by Taylor Cox Jr:  The author presents a framework for understanding multiple group identities that shape each person's self-concept. All employees bring their diversity with them into the workplace where they interact with the needs and motivations of other group members and with the goals and processes of the organization. Understanding this complexity affects how well it is managed, both for accomplishing the goals of the individuals and the whole organization.

  • Differences That Work, by Mary C. Gentile:  This book is a discussion about issues of diversity in the workplace and establishes a framework in which diversity can be constructively debated. The focus of this book is that diversity is not a problem, but rather it can be a resource that makes companies more productive and successful.

  • Learning to Manage Conflict, by Dean Tjosvold:  The author holds that not only is conflict inevitable, but it is beneficial. Learning how to manage conflict is essential for success in both personal and business relationships. The author introduces a technique called "cooperative conflict" where the parties in conflict learn to look for common goals and then work together to achieve those goals.

  • Tips for Teams, by Kimball Fisher, Steven Rayner, and William Belgard:  Designed by a team, this book is a guide for overcoming obstacles and achieving success with teams on a day-to-day basis. Specific strategies are provided to: overcome resistance; resolve disagreements among team members; handle strong personalities; gain support of management, customers, and suppliers; and establish a winning strategy from day one.

  • The Wisdom of Teams, by J.R. Katzenbach and D.K. Smith:  The authors show that the team approach to business organization is key to achieving high performance and organizing proper and effective teams. By using thought-provoking examples, the authors give recommendations and techniques that will allow your company to utilize team building to best suit its needs.

  • Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up: A Maverick's Guide to Motivating Yourself and Your Team, by Frank Pacetta and Roger Gittness:  The authors, drawing on successful experience at a Xerox district office, show how to build and motivate an organization to increase productivity and sales. The book shows how to build trust, create loyalty, and generate enthusiasm in order to create a successful business team.

  • Bringing Out the Best in People, by Aubrey C. Daniels:  This book teaches the principles of positive reinforcement that can help managers get top performance from their people. It shows precisely how to pinpoint, measure, and provide feedback on the specific behaviors and results that you want. Daniels' book guides you toward continuous quality improvement by using positive consequences.

  • Patterns of High Performance, by Jerry L. Fletcher:  A High Performance Pattern is the distinctive sequence of steps people naturally follow when they are at their best. Each individual has a distinctive pattern and this book seeks to help the reader discover what that pattern is and how to best utilize it. Included are techniques on how to revitalize tasks, find new ways of working in difficult situations, change the focus of a group for better efficiency, and get critical projects back on track. These various High Performance Patterns are described and examined through sixteen case studies.

  • 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, by Bob Nelson:  Nelson reminds us of an essential management principle: the people who work for you are motivated by recognition. His book offers rewards of every conceivable type for every conceivable situation.

  • Reaching the Peak Performance Zone, by Gerald Kushel:  This book contends that the difference between outstanding and average work is an internal drive to achieve peak performance. Managers who are peak performers can encourage and teach others how to reach the peak performance zone. Peak performers are self-motivated people who freely accept the blame when things go wrong and who work energetically simply because they want to. The author provides a step-by-step method for motivating others to become peak performers.

  • The Art of Advice: How to Give It and How to Take It, by Jeswald W. Salacuse:  Giving and taking advice is an essential task in modern life, and in fact, few companies make significant decisions without consulting an advisor. The author contends that giving advice is an art and provides techniques for effectively communicating your knowledge when you are called upon to give advice.

  • Small Decencies, by John Dowan:  This book is a collection of essays on how to approach work and life from a more human perspective. Drawing on his vast work and life experiences, the author presents ways of incorporating "small decencies" into work and personal relationships, which will in turn make life more meaningful.

  • When Smart People Fail: Rebuilding Yourself for Success, by Carole Hyatt and Linda Gottlieb:  This book identifies the nine most common reasons people fail and the six stages of failure. The authors provide guidance for overcoming failure, "reinventing" yourself after failure, and harnessing your talents to achieve success in the future.

  • The Lessons of Experience, by Morgan W. McCall, Michael M. Lombardo, and Ann M. Morrison:  This book has two primary purposes: (1) to advise managers that it is their responsibility to take charge of their development, and (2) to direct organizations how to better provide for developmental experiences for managers.

  • The Creative Edge, by William C. Miller:  This book is both a practical handbook of techniques and an inspirational work designed to help the reader develop creative skills and promote creativity within the organization. The author explains his model of creativity and innovation, and also addresses overcoming blocks to creativity, developing creative business strategies, and encouraging a creative organizational climate.

  • The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, by Peter M. Senge:  Senge offers the concept of the learning organization as an alternative to the traditional authoritarian hierarchy. He argues that people are the only long-term competitive advantage today, and that their potential lies in the knowledge they bring to the enterprise. Their value is maximized by continuous opportunity for lifelong learning.

  • A Whack on the Side of the Head, by Roger Van Oech:  The author provides puzzles, exercises, metaphors, questions, stories, and tips to help you systematically break through your mental blocks and unlock your mind for creative thinking. This book will help you come up with new approaches to old problems.

  • The Courageous Follower: Standing Up To and For Our Leaders, by Ira Chaleff:  A guide to being an effective follower and relating to leaders in a positive and productive manner offers five methods to become and active follower-assume responsibility, serve well, challenge leaders, participate in transformation, and prepare to separate.

  • Managing From The Heart, by Hyler Bracey, Jack Rosenblum, Aubrey Sanford, and Roy Trueblood:  A leadership guide that asserts that traditional values do have a place in management. The authors advance five common-sense principles (whose initial letters spell out heart). Though simple, the principles can help any leader be more effective.

  • Frustration is Your Organization's Best Friend, by Larry Cole:  Harness the power of frustration in working relationships to improve them. This book shows you how to define, implement and measure the impact of team building strategies.

  • The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, by John C. Maxwell:  According to Maxwell, "character qualities" are what inspires others to follow our lead. He identifies these traits, and then defines them in ways that readers can absorb and use.

  • Jesus, Inc., by Laurie Beth Jones:  Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager says, "Laurie Beth Jones gives you many practical ideas on how to add love, inspiration, and goodwill into your organization." In this book, Jones presents Jesus not as a religious messiah but as an executive leader. It is practical, useful help for Christians and nonbelievers alike.

  • Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson, M.D.:  An amusing short story on dealing with change at work and in your life.

  • Motivating People, by Dayle M. Smith, Ph.D.:  This short book sums up the brightest and best ideas on motivation from academic research and corporate experience. But be warned: there's no one answer or motivation trick that will convert chuggers to chargers.

  • For God and Country, by Fisher DeBerry with Bob Schaller:  The lack of emphasis on family values has led society in a dangerous direction as children are forced to seek out their own sources of attention. In For God and Country, Air Force Academy Football Coach Fisher DeBerry explains what he's learned through his faith and family about being a role model. What DeBerry has learned about motivating and directing others can help parents and coaches positively influence young people. And, it'll work in any workplace environment, not just in sports.

  • Personal Accountability, by John G. Miller:  Procrastination - Blame - Victim Thinking John Miller reveals a practical method for eliminating these unhealthy patterns from our organizations and our lives. The solution is Personal Accountability - a concept that is lacking in the work place today.

Portions of this listing were taken from The Successful Manager's Handbook by Personnel Decisions International, 1996. If you have a favorite book on leadership to recommend, please send title, author, and short synopsis to tommy.roberts@leadershipdevelopmentnetwork.com

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