I love books, but, sadly, I don’t have time to read. With two kids and two stores, I’m too tired. When I start reading, I fall asleep before finishing a couple of pages, or I get distracted and have to read the same sentence a million times before moving on. So now, for fiction I head straight to the movie theater because it’s easy and there is popcorn. And for non-fiction, I head straight to audio books.Audio books are great because I can listen while I struggle to get in my 10,000 steps a day or cook dinner or shower. Since embracing audio books I’ve been binge listening to all the books I can, easily finishing a book that would take me months to read in less than a week.Because summer is a big reading season with all the beach vacations, I thought I’d share a few of the books I have enjoyed lately. Now, I warn you, these may be boring to most, but they have been revelatory to me. Combined, they have all spoken to me. I hope they speak to you, too. 

Dare to Lead, by Brené Brown

I’m new to Brené Brown, but I have become a big fan. In fact, I think she has done as much for me as my therapist. She explains to her readers what it means to be vulnerable and why it’s so important. A strong leader needs to lean into their vulnerability and create a safe place for others to do it, as well. That is extremely powerful. If you have Netflix, then check out her special, The Call to Courage. If you don’t, then check out the TED Talk that started it all. Both are good introductions to her important work. 

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking,by Susan Cain

I’m an introvert and so are both of my children, particularly my daughter. This book I listened to for her. It was very eye opening. We live in a world filled with charismatic leaders who are loud and extroverted. This book reminded me of the importance of introverts and their work. And, that introverts make good leaders, sometimes even better leaders than their more boisterous brethren. (Check out Susan Cain’s TED Talk about the subject, too; it’s amazing!). It made me feel valued and seen. And, it helps me help my children understand that they are valuable and that they can lead effectively while being true to themselves. 

Good to Great, by Jim Collins

This book was a perfect companion to Quiet and Dare to Lead. In it, Jim Collins reveals his findings of a five-year research project that asks the question: “can a good company become a great company, and if so, how?” The leaders of the companies he profiles may not technically be introverts, but they sure aren’t loud and they don’t feed their egos with celebrity. Instead, they are empathetic, which is something Brené Brown writes about, as does Susan Cain. 

This is Marketing, by Seth Godin

My friend Rashmi Pappu turned me onto Seth Godin’s work. His newest book is amazing. The best takeaway from it is that people want to do business with companies who are like them. As a company, we need to first determine definitively who we are and why we do what we do. Then we need to find the people who are like us. We don’t need to contort into something we are not to please people who aren’t our customers – or friends, if this is a life lesson. Check out this clip from an interview Seth did with Marie Forleo. It’s a good primer for the book.

---

What all these books have taught me is that you don’t have to be loud to lead, that taking care of your people is essential to their success and yours, that creating a safe place for people to be seen and heard is important for all, and that we aren’t for everyone and instead of being one-size-fits-all, we need to find those folks that need and want what we have to offer. All those things are good lessons for life. Enjoy!