Resources & Tools
A curated collection of books, videos, podcasts, and tools to deepen your understanding of leadership and organizational change.
Recommended Reading
A curated collection of books on leadership, change, mindfulness, and organizational development that have shaped our thinking and practice.
The Transforming Leader: New Approaches to Leadership for the Twenty-first Century
Carol S. Pearson (Editor) (2012)
In her introduction, Pearson notes the gap between the heroic expectations of leaders and the enormity of the 21st-century challenges they face. What follows is a compendium of insightful essays that explore the nature of transformational leadership, an ability to "combine deep self-awareness with real-world savvy."
View on AmazonThe Key: How Corporations Succeed by Solving the World's Toughest Problems
Lynda Gratton (2014)
Based on her groundbreaking and ongoing research project, The Future of Work, Gratton reimagines leadership with a focus on corporate leadership. Both inspirational and practical, Gratton shows how corporations can use their intelligence and capabilities as a force for good and to build "resilience in a fragile world."
View on AmazonFacilitating Organization Change: Lessons from Complexity Science
Edwin E. Olson & Glenda H. Eoyang (2001)
Olson and Eoyang rethink the field of organizational development from the perspective of complexity theory. This book, written for practitioners, presents a comprehensive new model for organizational-change consultants. Chock full of tools, exercises, and ideas, it's an invaluable practical guide.
View on AmazonImages of Organization
Gareth Morgan (2006)
My international colleagues refer to this book as Morgan's Metaphors. Unfortunately, it's less known in the United States, where the machine metaphor reigns supreme. Morgan explores in depth eight different metaphors and how they shape mindsets and behaviors within organizations. It's interesting and enlightening.
View on AmazonBuilding the Bridge as You Walk on It: A Guide for Leading Change
Robert E. Quinn (2004)
Quinn uses another metaphor – building a bridge – to illustrate how change within organizations actually happens. Instead of building a bridge according to a plan, managers build the bridge with a group of people as they walk across it together. Quinn brings insight as well as sensible guidance to the practice of leading change.
View on AmazonThrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder
Arianna Huffington (2014)
No one has been a more ardent advocate for employee well-being than Arianna Huffington, who suffered her own collapse due to workplace exhaustion. Well researched and practical, this is a great guide for the new workplace.
View on AmazonThe Slow Fix: Solve Problems, Work Smarter, and Live Better in a World Addicted to Speed
Carl Honoré (2013)
Honoré says we are hooked on the quick fix – maximum return for minimum effort. He offers a practical alternative, which he calls the "slow fix."
View on AmazonStart Here: Master the Lifelong Habit of Wellbeing
Eric Langshur and Nate Klemp (2016)
I heard Eric Langshur speak at a recent conference on mindfulness in business. He was excellent, and the book is filled with great research and practice tools. As the publisher's website says, "Imagine being less stressed, more focused, and happier every day of your life. Start Here outlines a program designed to help you do just that by cross-training the skill of lifelong wellbeing."
View on AmazonThe Democratic Enterprise: Liberating Your Business with Freedom, Flexibility and Commitment
Lynda Gratton (2003)
I have long been a fan of Lynda Gratton and recommend anything she's published during her prolific career. In this book she looks at how organizations can benefit by embracing notions of citizenship and democracy. This is a wonderful and detailed exploration of how to create a shared-power organization.
View on AmazonThe Artist's Way at Work: Riding the Dragon
Mark Bryan with Julia Cameron and Catherine Allen (1999)
Want to master your "inner enemies," those destructive impulses that steal your energy and highjack your thinking? This book is a personal favorite, a guided journey toward self-awareness and personal freedom based on the work of famed creativity expert Julia Cameron.
View on AmazonBeyond the Wall of Resistance: Unconventional Strategies That Build Support for Change
Rick Maurer (1996)
Maurer's book is a practical guide that can help business leaders embrace and channel the energy of so-called resisters in organizations. Consistent with the notion of respectful struggle, Maurer sees opportunities where others see problems. One of my favorites.
View on AmazonHumble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling
E. H. Schein (2013)
After decades as a consultant, Ed Schein has written a real gem of a book – slim, readable, and practical. His conclusion: "We must become better at asking and do less telling in a culture that overvalues telling." I challenge all of us to become better at humble inquiry!
View on AmazonThe Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
Julia Cameron (1992)
A wonderful sourcebook for aspiring corporate mystics. Chock full of great exercises and ideas, the books will help you gain insights about yourself and about building self-awareness and resilience.
View on AmazonBeyond Measure: The Big Impact of Small Changes
Margaret Heffernan (2015)
As Heffernan says, "The paradox of organizational culture lies in the fact that, while it makes a big difference, it is comprised of small actions, habits, and choices." In this little book, she highlights how seemingly minor changes in many aspects of our work lives can build "just cultures" that "tap the ingenuity, initiative, and sheer cleverness of every single individual." I love this book!
View on AmazonDignity: The Essential Role It Plays in Resolving Conflict
Donna Hicks (2011)
If there's one constant in organizational life, it's that managers and teams struggle with conflict. Hicks, a leading expert in international conflict resolution, explores this issue through the lens of dignity – one of the most powerful of human instincts. This book will awaken you to the subtle ways in which we violate one another's dignity. It also will help you see conflict as an opportunity to build connection and strong relationships.
View on AmazonGrounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted in an Uncertain World
Robert Rosen (2013)
I don't know anyone who has spent more time with CEOs and top business leaders than Bob Rosen. Most, he observes, are "poorly served by the prevailing paradigm that obsessively focuses on . . . short term-results while sabotaging who [they] are as healthy human beings." This book combines Rosen's deep knowledge of today's business climate with his understanding of how to develop the resilience needed to lead in these challenging times.
View on AmazonThe Great Questions of Tomorrow
David Rothkopf (2017)
Who are we as a species? What kind of social contract will we need to survive? What kind of government, economic models, and markets will help our society thrive? These are among the powerful questions Rothkopf poses. His premise: We are in the midst of an epochal change, and our readiness to respond to that change depends on our ability to ask the right questions. A fast read about the future that will broaden your perspective on your daily challenges.
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