The Best Leadership Reading List - August 2024
As the saying goes, read, read, read. Here are some of my favorites from August to help with your business leadership learning.
Welcome to September 2024!
"If it’s wisdom you are after, you are going to spend a lot of time sitting on your ass and reading.” - Charlie Munger
Here are some insightful articles and books I came across last month.
Around the Web
Why the road to greatness is paved with “emotional connection” - what have leaders learned over the last five years working in a remote world?
Gavin Baker - AI, Semiconductors, and the Robotic Frontier - a deep dive podcast into why all the AI infrastructure investment and what it could mean for the future. It is a bit technical at times, but it is a fascinating (and sometimes scary) look at what will happen over the next 3-5 years.
10 leadership lessons every new manager should pin to their wall - moving into a new leadership role is hard and getting good at being a leader is hard. This is a good list to review no matter where you are in the journey.
The Importance of Knowing Your Team - understanding emotional dynamics among your team can help improve performance.
Is Your Team Playing It Too Safe? - signs your team is afraid of taking risks.
My Tech Promotion Algorithm - a look at how planning to address your gaps can help you get that next promotion.
Microsoft Volume II - a very in-depth recap of what happened at Microsoft during the DOJ wars and the steps Satya Nadella took to revive the company. Outstanding research and backstories make this a delightful podcast - you won’t even notice it is close to five hours long!
Swizzle: The Way of the Change Agent - are you willing to stir the pot to help drive impactful change?
The Most Important Question of Your Life - will leave you with this deep-thinking post for the last one. From a leadership perspective, it isn’t easy to drive change, and you have to be willing to overcome (suffer) through all the challenges.
Books
The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power - a sobering look at the rise of Amazon and its quest to dominate all markets.
On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything - from gambling to crypto to venture capitalists, what lessons can you learn about taking risks? It isn’t just about knowing when to fold and when to raise.
Right Thing, Right Now: Good Values. Good Character. Good Deeds - a historical look at leaders trying to do the right thing, along with several examples of those who failed to live up to their calling. Highly recommended.
Looking for more to read? Here are my lists from 2024: July, June, May, April, March, February, January, and 2023.