Books in the Ballard Center Library
· Start With Why by Simon Sinek- a self-help book for business leaders that explains how leaders and organizations can inspire others to take action by clearly communicating their purpose, cause, or belief.
· Crucial Conversations- a guide for navigating high-stakes conversations without escalating tension or becoming defensive. The book focuses on human relationships and how people can build and maintain bonds through communication. It suggests that knowing how to talk to people and handle difficult conversations is key to success and personal health.
· Leadership and Self Deception- Through a relatable story about a man facing challenges on the job and in his family, Leadership and Self-Deception exposes the fascinating ways we can blind ourselves to our true motivations and unwittingly sabotage the effectiveness of our own efforts at success and happiness. It then illuminates the counterintuitive ways you can dramatically improve both your results and your relationships.
· The Unspoken Rules by Gorick NG- A guide for early-career professionals, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, on how to navigate the transition from school to work and advance to leadership positions. The book is based on research and over 500 interviews with professionals from different industries, job types, and geographies.
· Impact Players by Liz Wiseman- A leadership book that explores what makes some people high-performing team members and how to develop those traits in others.
BYU Leadership Book list:
· Collaborative Intelligence: Thinking with People Who Think Differently by Dawna Markova- a guide to developing your own personal form of intelligence by utilizing your unique ways of thinking. These blinks will teach you how to identify and build on your strengths as well as those of others, while adjusting your communication accordingly.
· Cracked It!: How to Solve Big Problems and Sell Solutions Like Top Strategy Consultants, Bernard Garrette by Corey Phelps and Olivier Sibony - A book that teaches problem-solving techniques. It presents four steps to tackle complex problems, combining analytical and creative thinking. It provides practical tools for individuals and teams to become more effective problem solvers.
· Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves- Helps you build your EQ skills through the development of four key pillars: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. These pillars will help you process your emotions, manage your triggers, develop healthy habits, and succeed in your career path.
· Extreme Ownership How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink- A leadership guide that teaches readers how to take full responsibility for their actions and achieve success through discipline and teamwork.
· Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth- New York Times bestseller that explores the idea that grit, a combination of passion and perseverance, is the key to success, not talent or intelligence.
· Innovating: A Doer’s Manifesto for Starting from a Hunch, Prototyping Problems, Scaling Up, and Learning to Be Productively Wrong by Luis Perez-Breva - a guide to a "doer's approach" to innovation developed at MIT over a decade. The book is based on workshops at MIT and outlines a process for innovation that can be used by individuals or teams.
· Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success by David Livermore- Shows how leaders can connect across national, cultural, and ethnic differences.
· Mastering Collaboration: Make Working Together Less Painful and More Productive by Gretchen Anderson- A practical book that explains how collaboration can help organizations solve problems and achieve goals.
· Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck- Claims that it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success-but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset.
· Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown- Examines the difference between good leaders, known as Multipliers, who can join any team and make it flourish, and bad leaders, known as Diminishers, who can drain any team of its energy and drive.
· Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell- A collection of stories, each exploring a variety of external factors that contribute to success.
· Quiet by Susan Cain- explores the value of introversion and how society undervalues introverts. Cain argues that Western culture's favoritism of extroversion leads to a waste of introverts' talents, energy, and happiness.
· The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by Arbinger Institute- Explores how our mindset can lead to conflict and how we can resolve it. The book uses a fictional narrative to show how people can contribute to problems they blame on others, and how to solve them. It also offers practical tools to help readers create peace and transform their relationships and communities.
· The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business by Erin Meyer- Examines the range of cultural differences in communication, leadership, decision-making, and giving feedback.
· The Five Dysfunction of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni- Helps us identify and overcome the five root causes that lead to a team's failure.
· The Outward Mindset by Arbinger Institute- Explains how changing your perspective can transform the world. These blinks discuss how a focus on personal needs obscures the needs of others and how, by identifying collective goals, people can make powerful collective changes in society.
· The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace by Cy Wakeman- A self-help book that aims to help people understand how to be successful and satisfied in their careers. T
· The 10 Faces of Innovation by Tom Kelley with Jonathan Littmam- This book provides insights into the IDEO methodology in the form of descriptions of 10 working styles that contribute to innovation.
Other Books
· The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey - A transformative guide for personal and professional success. It emphasizes proactive thinking, prioritization, effective communication, collaboration, and personal growth. Covey’s seven habits— being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win- win, seeking to understand before being understood, synergizing, and sharpening the saw—empower individuals to take control of their lives, align their actions with their values, and build meaningful relationships. By practicing these habits, readers can enhance their effectiveness, achieve their goals, and experience greater fulfillment in all aspects of life.
· The Dichotomy of Leadership - Jocko Willink and Leif Babin share real-life combat and training experiences highlighting the ultimate dichotomy of caring deeply for team members while holding them accountable. During a mission in Iraq, a SEAL team was tasked with capturing a High-value Target (HVT). The operation was risky, and the team leader made a difficult decision to proceed, knowing that it could put his team members in danger. The team leader demonstrated the ultimate dichotomy by caring deeply for his team members and understanding that he had to put them at risk to accomplish the mission. He understood the importance of achieving the objective and ensured his team was well-prepared and supported throughout the mission, clearly showing his care and concern for their well-being.
· How to Win Friends and Influence People - The book emphasizes the importance of showing genuine interest in others, listening actively, and making others feel important and appreciated. It also suggests that to influence others, one should avoid arguments, admit mistakes, and let others take credit for ideas or work.
Speeches/Presentations to Watch/Read
· Lynn G. Robbins 100 Percent Responsible - In summary, being 100 percent responsible is accepting yourself as the person in control of your life. If others are at fault and need to change before further progress is made, then you are at their mercy and they are in control over the positive outcomes or desired results in your life. Agency and responsibility are inseparably connected. You cannot avoid responsibility without also diminishing agency.
Be 100 Percent Responsible
· Simon Sinek Ted Talk How Great Leaders Inspire Action- Simon breaks down why certain figures go further than the rest, even if their motivations, circumstances, and resources are similar to others’. He describes this phenomenon as “The Golden Circle,” at the center of which is the “Why?” that drives successful leaders.
· Celeste Headlee Ted Talk 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation- 10 valuable pieces of advice to help leaders have a conversation with anyone, even if the discussion turns difficult. With points like admitting when you don’t know something, avoiding pontification, and practicing active listening, Celeste encourages leaders to be open-minded, brief, and engaged. This talk is a worthwhile listen for anyone who hopes to have better conversations and leaders who want tips for navigating tense moments.