7 Noteworthy Reads and Listens for Business Transformation
A Year-End Review and 2024 Preview
As the start of a new year is upon us (ready or not…here it is!) many of us find ourselves entangled in the annual ritual of making resolutions—a laundry list of intentions promising radical self-improvement and transformative change. In fact, just this morning I was in the Notes app of my iPhone and guiltily encountered my list from the start of the previous year:
“This year, I’m living my best life because I…”
(Note: I tried to be clever and called my list something other than a resolution list so that I wouldn’t put so much pressure on myself and because I wanted to acknowledge that many of these things were rather small on their own…but let’s just call a spade a spade!)
prioritize my family
get at least 7 hours of sleep each night
track my food intake on my fitness app and stay on track
work out at least 3 days a week on my Peloton bike
do at least 3 strength workouts per week
don’t stay up late working because I make it a habit to get up early to do so when necessary
stay on top of my board committee tasks with proactive delegation and short and snappy communication check-ins
drink a glass of water when I wake up and frequently throughout the day
make plans well in advance with different friend groups
plan bigger vacations at least 5 months in advance
declutter at least one small area of the house every week
plan family dinners for weeknights
make time to play more with the kids
prioritize having a date with my husband every month
make time to enjoy reading books and magazines
make time to connect with someone from my professional network every weekday
put care into my style and beauty routine
prep my work lunches and breakfast smoothies the night before
plan my work outfit the night before
plan my weekday workouts the night before
Yet, as I sifted through the digital debris of my (yikes…twenty!) 2023 resolutions, I couldn't help but acknowledge the irony: my aspirational list hadn’t been viewed on my phone for at least eight months.
Sure, I did still work on many of these things at different times of the year even without looking at the list all the time…but never consistently, and never in a way that made me feel truly accomplished in a remarkable way. In fact it dawned on me that, in our zealous pursuit of prolific self-reinvention, we often overlook the power of simplicity and the possibility of just honing in on our core strengths.
Make space for intentionality
It’s not rocket science, but we do need to be reminded that the path to genuine transformation–whether it be in your personal life or in your organization–lies not in the quest to overhaul every facet of existence, but in the deliberate cultivation of our natural strengths.
It's a valuable lesson re-learned from the quiet neglect of my own resolution scroll—each unchecked box telling a tale of good intentions left by the wayside. This year, I will endeavor a departure from my typical detailed blueprints of radical change. Instead, I challenge all of us to explore the art of leading with our strengths, embracing the small, deliberate actions that resonate with our true essence.
And what better companions for this simplified journey than the insights gleaned from the pages of transformative books and the candid voices within our favorite podcasts?
As you dive into 2024, consider my curated collection of seven gems that have fueled my own journey and also promise to illuminate the path ahead. And considering that my number one CliftonStrengths strength is “communication,” the process of me sharing these titles with you seems like just the right step for me heading into the new year.
See a preview for each of these titles below!
What I’ve read in the past year…
The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over
Written by Jack Schafer and Marvin Karlins
Focus: Mastering the art of building rapport and influencing others positively.
Author's Perspective: Drawing from his experiences as an ex-FBI agent, Schafer shares insights from real-life situations, including inducing foreign spies to become double agents and eliciting information effectively.
Key Insights:
Friendship Formula: Uncover the science behind instantly connecting with others.
Nonverbal Cues: Understand the power of body language and nonverbal communication.
Trust Development: Learn strategies to establish trust and credibility.
Adaptability: Apply techniques for adjusting your approach to various personalities.
Why I liked it so much: Because the life I live is so different than that of an FBI agent in terms of what comprises a typical work day, I thought it was super interesting to see how tactics used in espionage could be thoughtfully applied in a different context for good…through such small adjustments in what you say or what you notice.
Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World
Written by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall
Focus: Debunking common misconceptions about work and leadership.
Author's Perspective: Buckingham, a renowned expert on strengths-based leadership, challenges conventional wisdom, offering a freethinking perspective on leadership and work.
Key Insights:
Individual Strengths: Embrace the uniqueness of individual strengths and talents.
Performance Metrics: Rethink traditional performance measurement models.
Leadership: Challenge traditional notions of what makes a great leader.
Feedback: Explore effective ways to provide feedback that fosters growth.
Why I liked it so much: Books about workplace dynamics and culture are certainly not new, but this book “flips the script” on a lot of conventional wisdom…and it does so with valid data. I had an opportunity to see Marcus Buckingham speak at the 2023 HR Indiana Conference, and while I had seen him previously and read a handful of his other books, his combination of research, data analysis and heart make his content a perennial favorite in thought leadership for me.
Know What You're FOR: A Growth Strategy for Work, An Even Better Strategy for Life
Written by Jeff Henderson
Focus: Developing a growth strategy that applies both to work and life.
Author's Perspective: Henderson encourages individuals and organizations to define what they stand for, emphasizing the impact of a clear sense of purpose.
Key Insights:
Clarity of Purpose: Articulate a clear purpose for both personal and professional endeavors.
Impactful Leadership: Foster leadership that creates a positive impact on others.
Organizational Growth: Implement strategies for growth that align with your core values.
Life Integration: Explore how personal values can align with professional success.
Why I liked it so much: This book has a bold idea about approaching your customers (whether they be internal or external) from a different perspective. As the Goodreads description for this book puts it: “Thriving organizations will be more concerned with becoming raving fans of their customers than they are trying to convince customers to become raving fans of the organization.” With that focus in mind, Henderson’s content is a playbook for how you might adjust your marketing and communications approach so that it appeals to who you are serving in a way that celebrates them–not you or your own organization.
What I’ve listened to for growth…
Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast
Hosted by Amy Porterfield
Focus: Practical insights and strategies for online marketing.
Host's Perspective: Porterfield, a leading online marketing expert, shares actionable tips and strategies to simplify and enhance the online marketing journey.
Key Insights:
Content Marketing: Learn effective content creation and marketing techniques.
List Building: Strategies for building and nurturing email lists.
Digital Courses: Guidance on creating and launching successful online courses.
Social Media Marketing: Tips for leveraging social media platforms to grow your business.
Why I liked it so much: I’ve been listening to this podcast for multiple years, and I keep coming back to it because of the approachable way in which Amy Porterfield systemizes different marketing tactics. She breaks them down into easily-understood concepts and then gives real-world examples of how she and her network have used them. Plus, I personally relate to her life experiences as a female entrepreneur and she occasionally creates content related to building her business as well.
Rocket Fuel Podcast
Hosted by Mark C. Winters
Focus: Exploring the dynamic partnership between Visionaries and Integrators in business.
Host's Perspective: Winters, co-author of "Rocket Fuel," dives into the symbiotic relationship between Visionaries and Integrators, exploring how their collaboration fuels business success.
Key Insights:
Visionaries: Understanding the role of creative and strategic thinkers.
Integrators: Insights into the tactical and operational side of business.
Collaboration: Strategies for fostering effective partnerships between Visionaries and Integrators.
Business Growth: Real-world examples and case studies of successful partnerships.
Why I liked it so much: I first heard about this podcast after reading the book by the same name, and as a natural Integrator, I find it fascinating to follow the actual stories of other Visionary/Integrator senior leader relationships in organizations that follow the EOS framework. Especially for organizations that need to make a change to fix sluggish or broken operational processes, this podcast helps to dig into how a senior leadership team must also account for the ancillary soft skills and leadership skills that must accompany any technical change.
What’s on my reading list for 2024…
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
Written by Adam Grant
Focus: Encouraging a mindset shift towards embracing the power of rethinking and adapting.
Author's Perspective: Grant, a renowned organizational psychologist, explores the transformative potential of challenging assumptions, promoting intellectual humility, and fostering continuous learning.
Key Anticipated Insights:
Rethinking: Strategies for challenging and reframing preconceptions.
Intellectual Humility: Embracing a mindset open to diverse perspectives.
Adaptability: Applying newfound knowledge to drive personal and professional growth.
Real-World Application: Anticipated takeaways and applications in the context of approachable change management.
Why I want to read this book: While my own “want to read” Goodreads list is perpetually too long, this book has climbed to the top of my list for a few reasons: 1) I have really enjoyed other Adam Grant books and have also seen him speak in person a couple of times; 2) it has a respectable 4.23 star rating (at the time of this article publishing) on Goodreads; and 3) I welcome any content that considers how we can leverage vulnerability to nurture a growth mindset.
10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less
Written by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin P. Hardy
Focus: Exploring a paradigm shift in entrepreneurial success, suggesting that achieving remarkable outcomes may be more manageable than incremental gains.
Author's Perspective: The authors, known for their insights into entrepreneurship, challenge conventional wisdom by advocating for strategic approaches that prioritize impact over effort.
Key Anticipated Insights:
Strategic Prioritization: Methods for identifying and focusing on high-impact initiatives.
Leveraging Effort: Understanding how to achieve outsized results with less conventional effort.
Entrepreneurial Wisdom: Extracting valuable lessons applicable to your approach to change management.
Practical Applications: Anticipated applications of insights in the context of entrepreneurial strategies for change.
Why I want to read this book: I’m up for any opportunity to learn how to work smarter and not harder, and one of my other entrepreneurial friends highly recommends this book after having picked it up herself the past year.
Keep it simple
As I reflect on my content consumption journey from the past year, I'm reminded that resolutions often find their footing not in exhaustive lists but in the simplicity of focusing on what truly matters. The insights gained from these noteworthy reads and listens have helped shape my professional and personal growth. Here's to the perpetual pursuit of growth, the joy of discovery, and the unwritten chapters that lie ahead.
Happy New Year!
-Jessica
