A million years ago, a colleague admonished a group of us that "YOU MUST READ TO LEAD." I put that in all caps because he was a really big guy with a powerful presence. In any event, I took his comment to heart and remember it all these years later.
I get asked the question regularly, "So, what are you reading Vince?" And, while I comment about books here and there, I've never done a "Top 5", so here you go:
1. "15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success." Okay. I read this one a long time ago (2016) but it continues to guide the way I think and approach life every day. The idea of continually shifting to a place of maturity, curiosity, openness, candor, and 100% responsibility is simply foundational to my life. You can learn more at www.conscious.is. Buy the book though.
2. "The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity" A really good read (maybe the individual case studies are a bit long). The Big Idea is to decouple ourselves from the conventional three-stage life (childhood, work, retirement) and embrace a much broader definition of the tangible and intangible assets we hope to derive and deploy during our stay here. A cool diagnostic is available at the 100-Year Life website.
3. "Waking Up: 8 Questions That Will Shift Your Life (Or Help You Do Nothing)" Someone shared the story once of being reluctant to vote for themselves in an elementary school student council election. The teacher admonished that is was perfectly appropriate to vote for yourself! And, the individual won by one vote. In any event, you likely know that I wrote this one. Think of it as a three-hour coffee together. AND, I think "Unpacking Anything" and "Getting to a Conscious Commitment" is solid and worth having in your toolbelt.
4. "The 80/80 Marriage: A New Model for a Happier, Stronger Relationship" This one was actually published in 2021. Nate and Kaley open up all kinds of great territory to move from a doctrine of fairness in relationship to one of radical generosity. I did a blog post a few months ago when it came out. Get it.
5. Anything by Simon Sinek or Brene Brown. Simon's "Leaders Eat Last" pairs well with any of his videos on the "Circle of Safety", "Start with Why" or any of his other big ideas. And Brene' continues to knock it out of the park with her podcasts and published books.
Is there more? Sure. Drop me a note at vince@corsarodevelopment.com with any specific genre request or question. Happy to share.
Onward!
V
