Reading List

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 delivers a step-by-step program for increasing your EQ via four, core EQ skills that enable you to achieve your fullest potential:
1) Self-Awareness
2) Self-Management
3) Social Awareness
4) Relationship Management

The foundation for this book involved research from more than 500,000 responses. And the really cool thing is you can use the pass code in the back of the book to take the internet online EQ test for free.

This new edition of the test will:
— Pinpoint which of the book’s 66 EM strategies will increase your EQ the most.
— Reveal the specific behaviors responsible for your EQ scores.
— Allow second test to measure how much your EQ has increased from your efforts.

____________________________________

The authors, management consultants and partners of JeffersonLarsonSmith, offer a fascinating look at corporate tribes—groups of 20–150 people within a company that come together on their own rather than through management decisions—and how executives can use tribes to maximize productivity and profit.

Drawing upon research from a 10-year study of more than 24,000 people in two dozen organizations, they argue that tribes have the greatest influence in determining how much and what quality work gets done. Particularly useful is the Tribal Leader's Cheat Sheet, which helps determine and assess success indicators.

____________________________________

This book outlines over 100 leadership competencies, career stallers, and performance dimensions, and specific information on each to help leaders improve performance.

Each of the over 100 competency and other sections outlined begins with an examination and list of likely symptoms and behavioral results that may occur with an individual who is skilled, unskilled, or is overusing the skill. Each section then lays out some possible causes, and gives some remedies which are pretty detailed and actionable, and provides a comprehensive list of suggested readings for further study.

____________________________________

Story telling is a powerful communications tool that is becoming more and more recognized in the business community. These stories are not the usual speech openers or ice breakers, but stories that will influence others to trust the storyteller and shape decisions and actions that are important to both individuals and organizations.

This book teaches readers how to tell six kinds of stories. Readers can also make journal entries to capture and develop story ideas. The book is - naturally - full of inspiring stories (some very funny). The style is lively and personal, yet eloquent and sophisticated.

____________________________________

Building upon the fundamental principles devised by Coach John Wooden, Brian D. Biro presents an accessible system for leadership development. With anecdotes, excercises, and Wooden's philosophy, the author captures the essence of Wooden's Pyramid of Success and the secrets behind each of the pyramid's building blocks.

____________________________________

Talent is "often overrated and frequently misunderstood," observes leadership expert Maxwell who advises readers on building their strengths to become a "Talent-plus person."

Synthesizing the work of business gurus like Marcus Buckingham and Peter Drucker with inspiring anecdotes from the lives of famous athletes and coaches, Christian leaders, writers and artists, Maxwell engages the reader with his enthusiasm for his subject matter and clear insights.

____________________________________

With the basic principle that creative expression is the natural direction of life, Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan lead you through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover your creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity.This book links creativity to spirituality by showing how to connect with the creative energies of the universe, and has, in the four years since its publication, spawned a remarkable number of support groups for artists dedicated to practicing the exercises it contains. 

____________________________________

Who you are today is a result of certain characteristics that have emerged from your life experiences, plus the genetics with which you were born. This interplay between nature and nurture is the foundation of Emergenetics^®, a brain-based approach to personality profiling that gives you the keys you need to discover not only your own natural strengths and talents, but also those of others.

You will discover your thinking style (Conceptual, Social, Analytical, or Structural) and your behavioral set points (your degree of Expressiveness, Assertiveness, and Flexibility). These insights will help you recognize how you approach new situations, how you get things done, how others see you, how to enhance relationships, and how to communicate with people who are not like you.

____________________________________

Tired of arguing with your spouse over the same old issues?
Longing for a marriage with less conflict and more intimacy?
Struggling under a load of resentment?

Identify the source of missteps in your marriage–and learn exactly what you can do about it!

In How We Love, relationship experts Milan and Kay Yerkovich draw on the powerful tool of attachment theory to show how your early life experiences created an “intimacy imprint”–an underlying blueprint that shapes your behavior, beliefs, and expectations of all relationships, especially your marriage. They identify four types of injured imprints that combine in marriage to trap couples in a repetitive dance of pain.

____________________________________

Marriage should be based on love, right? But does it seem as though you and your spouse are speaking two different languages? New York Times bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman guides couples in identifying, understanding, and speaking their spouse’s primary love language—quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, or physical touch.

By learning the five love languages, you and your spouse will discover your unique love languages and learn practical steps in truly loving each other. Chapters are categorized by love language for easy reference, and each one ends with specific, simple steps to express a specific language to your spouse and guide your marriage in the right direction. A newly designed love languages assessment will help you understand and strengthen your relationship. You can build a lasting, loving marriage together.

____________________________________

Leadership expert John Maxwell believes attitude is one thing that can make all the difference in your life---and now shows you how you can make it your best asset.

____________________________________

Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan–there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times.

Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, The 4-Hour Workweek is the blueprint.

____________________________________

Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

In its latest national bestseller, Strengths Finder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much more (see below for details). While you can read this book in one sitting, you'll use it as a reference for decades.

Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself -- and the world around you -- forever.

____________________________________

The Age of Speed, Vince Poscente

In The Age of Speed, Vince Poscente challenges the notion that our lives are too frenetic by illustrating why the ability to harness the power of speed is, in fact, the solution for those who seek a less stressful, less busy, and more balanced life.

The author believes it is because we do not use the extra time we gain for rewarding activities. Speed is not just a way to get more work done; it is the secret to having more time to do what we want to do. To get the benefit of speed, we have to detach the idea of busy from fast. We can then use speed to focus on those things in our lives that are truly aligned with our authentic purpose, simplify our path, and achieve our goals at a remarkable pace.

____________________________________

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker

Many people would dismiss Secrets of the Millionaire Mind as useless. There’s not a lot of concrete information here about how to improve the details of your financial life. (Though the scant advice presented is sound). Instead, this book encourages readers to adopt mental attitudes that facilitate wealth. It’s about changing your psychological approach to money, success, and happiness.

The author believes that we each possess a “financial blueprint”, an internal script that dictates how we relate to money. This blueprint is created through lifelong exposure to money messages from friends, current events, entertainment programs, and, especially, our family. Unfortunately, our blueprints usually contain errors that prevent us from achieving our dreams.

____________________________________

What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

What’s holding you back?

Your hard work is paying off. You are doing well in your field. But there is something standing between you and the next level of achievement. That something may just be one of your own annoying habits. Perhaps one small flaw—a behavior you barely even recognize — is the only thing that’s keeping you from where you want to be. It may be that the very characteristic that you believe got you to where you are — like the drive to win at all costs — is the one that is holding you back.

The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle -- and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference.

____________________________________

The Ant and the Elephant by Vince Poscente

Harnessing the power of the subconscious is an experience commonly fraught with frustration, for even the most competent amongst us battles the subconscious fears, habits and attitudes that obstruct authentic leadership. In fact, adjusting our own behavior as a means to motivate others is not unlike an ant trying to convince an elephant to change its ways.

The author shows us how to focus on and redirect the subconscious mind in order to accomplish the goals we consciously strive to achieve. This empowering story illustrates that understanding the dynamic relationship between conscious and subconscious thought is the first step toward becoming a leader who can transform workplace performance.

____________________________________

Think and Grow Rich! by Napoleon Hill

Since Think And Grow Rich was first published in 1937, it has been used as a roadmap to achievement by countless individuals. (Incidentally, Melvin Powers initially built the Wilshire Book Company by getting the paperback publishing rights to Think And Grow Rich and making it a best seller.)

As you may gather from the title, a premise of Think And Grow Rich is the starting place for wealth is in a person's thoughts.

The source for most of today's motivational speakers remains Think And Grow Rich. So why not go back to the source yourself? Be sure to include Think And Grow Rich on your reading list.

____________________________________

FIRST, BREAK ALL THE RULES by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Collman

The authors, two consultants for the Gallup Organization, collected over 80,000 interviews to find out what makes a great manager. What they concluded is that most organizations spend much of their time and energy trying to get employees to improve their weaknesses where as great managers fined the right fit for their employees. They focus on strengths of employees, defining the right results, and selecting staff for talent--not just knowledge and skills.

____________________________________

NOW DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton

The authors analyzed results of interviews conducted by Gallup of over 1.7 million employees from 101 companies and representing 63 countries. When asked, only 20 percent of these employees stated that they were using their strengths everyday. Most original and potentially most revealing, however, is a Web-based interactive component that allows you to complete a questionnaire developed by the Gallup Organization and instantly discover your own top-five inborn talents. The primary focus of Strengthfinders is to help people identify and focus on enhancing their strengths rather than eliminating their weaknesses.

____________________________________

Leadership and Self Deception by Arbinger Institute

It's not what you do that matters but why you do it. Latching onto the latest leadership trend won't make people follow you if your motives are selfish--people can smell a rat, even one that says it's trying to empower them. The authors use examples from the characters' private as well as professional lives to show how self-deception skews our view of ourselves and the world and ruins our interactions with people, despite what we sincerely believe are our best intentions. Without discounting the value of strong managerial direction, the story reasserts something we know but don't practice--that people are more likely to be enthusiastic and effective when they know we care about them.

____________________________________

The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell

The bottom line of this book is that little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world. Though loaded with statistics, the numbers are presented in a way that makes the book read like an exciting novel. The author also gives several examples in history, where one small change in behavior created a bigger change on a national level. He also studies the type of person or group that it takes to make that change.

____________________________________

Blink by Malcom Gladwell

Have you ever looked back on a situation and realized later that the decision you made didn’t turn out well and as you think about it more you become aware that something inside you was saying from the very beginning “don’t do it!”? If you want to develop a better understanding of that voice inside you and then learn techniques on how to discipline yourself to be comfortable with snap judgments, read Blink. Gladwell includes caveats about leaping to conclusions: marketers can manipulate our first impressions, high arousal moments make us "mind blind,". The key is to rely on our "adaptive unconscious"--a 24/7 mental valet--that provides us with instant and sophisticated information to warn of danger, read a stranger, or react to a new idea.

____________________________________

Quiet Leadership by David Rock

If you're tired of buying and reading leadership books that are more of just the same, you really should consider this book. There is very little here you've ever seen before. The book presents six steps to leading people. When you want to lead someone, you are attempting to get them to think in a way that will cause/allow them to act as you want them to. This book reveals the most recent discoveries in neuroscience and applies them to the domain of leadership.

____________________________________

The E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

Provides facts on why most small businesses don't work and then he takes you through the logical process of what to do about it. This book is a bestseller that has given thousands of business owners control over their businesses. A must read for any small business entrepreneur!

____________________________________

The 21 Irrefutable LAWS of Leadership by John Maxwell

Known as America’s expert on leadership, John shows you how to maximize your personal and leadership potential. Apply these laws and people will follow you and the good news, every one of the 21 laws of leadership can be learned.

____________________________________

Take Time for Your Life by Cheryl Richardson

Through this 7-step program you will learn how to step back, regain control, and make conscious decisions about the future you’d like to create. This book is packed with useful exercises, checklists, personal stories, and a wealth of resources.

____________________________________

What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Bolles

Required reading for anyone who wants to successfully carve out their own career niche. This book encourages you to take chances, gaining confidence, and making changes in your career and life. A great career guide!

____________________________________

Growing Your Business by Mark LeBlanc

This is a “quick read” book that is stuffed full of practical, down-to-earth, information that can be instantly applied in starting and growing a business. In these few pages you will find insights and tools that are anchored in proven growth strategies.

____________________________________

The Worlds Best Known Marketing Secret by Ivan Misner

A resource on the art of word-of-mouth marketing by the expert on the topic of business networking and marketing. If you are responsible for getting business in your organization or your own business this book is for you.

____________________________________

Cracking the Networking Code by Dean Lindsay

If you want to understand how to “blow the roof off” on connecting, collaborating and communicating for the common good to you and the people you network with this book is a must read. The how to on meeting and developing long-term relationships with others.

____________________________________

Self Matters by Phillip McGraw

If you want to learn how to evaluate your life by only the facts and learn how to use those facts to get beyond the excuses and fears that have masked the person you have always wanted to be this book is a must read. We get only one chance in this world so why not make the most of it.

____________________________________

The Portable Coach – 28 Surefire Strategies for Business and Personal Success by Thomas J. Leonard

The 28-step Principles of Attraction program that systematically takes you through a process that will transform your life. Through this process you will redefine your approach to life and attract success, happiness, and fulfillment automatically. Read and follow the steps and see your life change in ways you can now only imagine and hope for.

____________________________________

Feeling Good by David Burns

A guide on how to get rid of the woulda, shoulda, couldas or the gottas which create anziety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self-esteem and other forms of depression without having to use drugs. You will learn how to lift your spirits and help yourself develop a positive outlook on life.

____________________________________

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day “spiritual” journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for? This book will challenge and guide you to understanding your purpose for your life and help you understand the big picture.

____________________________________

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

John writes from his experiences and from his heart; that will challenge you to take personal responsibility for gaining back your heart. The journey, if you should choose to take it, is definitely not for the faint of heart. John wrote this book for men but women have found their heart in these pages also.

____________________________________

Working Wisdom by Thomas Leonard

Packed full of “Top 10 Lists”; this book is loaded with practical and valuable information that will help you take your business to the next level. Designed for people who have little time to wade through today’s ceaseless flow of information it offers quick nuggets of practical and easy-to-use ideas for improving business effectiveness.

____________________________________

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges.

This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey.

____________________________________

Heart-Centered Leadership by Susan Steinbrecher & Joel B. Bennett, Ph.D.

Providing a counterpoint to the ethical bankruptcy of contemporary business, Heart-Centered Leadership champions the message that sound ethical practices must begin from within. This kind of leadership is a personal choice and involves the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.

Through the application of seven underlying principles and virtues, the authors describe a clear path: from the moment you are inspired to be a heart-centered leader through the process of developing the healthy attitudes and responsive actions needed to convert your inspiration into reality. This focus- an inward, mindful striving to do the right thing and become the best person you can be - sets this path to leadership apart from other strategies.

____________________________________

9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed at Life and Love by Dr. Henry Cloud

Have you ever wondered about the difference between those who win at love and live, and those who fail? By carefully observing people who gave him a certain "deja vu" feeling when he first met them, Dr. Henry Cloud made a remarkable discovery. No, he hadn't actually met these people before, but he had encountered their particular ways of handling life. And the common denominator with these individuals who practiced these "ways" was they were all successful!

If you follow these nine principles, you can achieve great results in y our work, your relationships, and other areas of your life. Best of all, these principles are not limited to the chose few who are born with money, brains, or great talent. They're available to anyone who wants to transform average relationships and uncertain hopes into vibrant and achievable dreams.

____________________________________

Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi

Do you want to get ahead in life? Climb the ladder to personal success?

The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins.

In Never Eat Alone, Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps—and inner mindset—he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.

____________________________________