One of the greatest benefits of #GirlsClub is our bonus activities that allow our community to connect and build relationships with people they might never have met otherwise.
One of our thought leaders, Elena Hesse, is helping to make this happen by leading the #NoTimeToRead Book Club. We asked Elena to share her top 10 books for women to read. She delivered AND gave us 2 must-have podcasts.
So, read on and get ready to add these to your book list.
I feel aspirational as I stare into the face of the beginning of another new year. I feel I can get this done. I feel drunk with motivation… and I better write it all down now, before I have the “I am a full-time mother, full-time worker bee, full-time spouse and full-time human with stuff to do, I can’t read too!” moment.
It’s these exact moments that inspired the #NoTimeToRead Book Club. Who really gets to take the time to read like they want to? Not me. Not many of you. #NoTimeToRead resonates with so many of us because we all aspire to have a reading schedule like Warren Buffett.
So, in the vein balancing our aspirations with reality, I’ve condensed my must-read book for 2019 into a list of 10 books and a couple of podcasts that are worth committing to. I also snuck a non-work book in there because let’s be honest, sometimes it’s just good to change it up.
Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating by Ariana Huffington
This book was recommended to me by Margaret Weniger, Executive Director of #GirlsClub. If that wasn’t enough, I host a quarterly book club for #GirlsClub and we vote on which book we’ll read next. This book beat out 10 others for our next year. Ok universe, I got the message. . .
Growth IQ by Tiffani Bova
I am accountable to grow my division. This book was on a recommendation list associated with the Warren Buffett article I mentioned earlier. ‘Nuf said. Reviews are strong. Looking forward to the insights.
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
One of my favorite sales leaders, Rob Beattie, recommended this book to me. I was intrigued by learning about leadership in a role that is completely different from mine. It’s good sometimes to look outside the business world for perspective and this one fits the bill. Thanks for the recommendation, Rob!
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss – Kim Scott
This book sounds like one that provides practical tips on the balancing act that managers must master. Build trust, deliver on transparency. Care about your people while giving critical feedback.
Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter by Scott Adams
“Win Bigly is a book for those who are interested in politics, psychology, marketing, and most of all, persuasion.” Scott Adams is the author behind the Dilbert comic strip author – who can resist?! Scott gives his take on the strategies used that ultimately got the most unexpected candidate elected as our president. If anything, this book may just help me understand how the heck we got here.
What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed Reading People by Joe Navarro and Marvin Karlins
Okay, admit it. As soon as you read this title it sounded interesting. Like maybe I can tell who is telling me a story, and who is the real deal. I find people fascinating and love the idea of learning more about understanding body language. Imagine walking into a room full of people and knowing how to read the room just by observing their body language. That’s a winner for me.
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
My business coach and friend Barb Koenig recommended this book to me. I’ve seen Brene Brown’s TED talk and love her perspective on vulnerability. The idea of vulnerability in leadership is still intimidating which is why I knew this was a must read. What’s the saying “if it doesn’t scare you then you aren’t dreaming big enough” 🙂
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
This one makes the list because this is the perfect book to start the year with. What’s better than tackling habits at the start of the year? Heck, every book on this list makes for a better year but this one strikes me as one to start with.
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
Life is a balance and I do not want to take my relationships for granted. So, I am making a conscious choice this year to invest in my relationships to ensure I cherish the people who matter to me the most.
The Alice Network: A Novel by Kate Quinn
My list of books is a combination of personal referrals and cultivating an interesting list from other people’s book recommendations. Shameless, I know. This book is from Reese Witherspoon’s list of recommended reads. I didn’t even know that was a thing until I found it. I am a sucker for good historical fiction novels, and this one seems to fit the bill. Nice way to round out my list of books.
2 Must-Have Podcasts
As I was writing out this book list, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts. I love podcasts. They keep me company AND fill me up with ideas. My two favs are Hidden Brain and How I Built This. Both are from NPR.
You never know what you are going to learn on Hidden Brain. Subjects are varied and that just feeds my curious mind. Love it. And for How I Built This, you really get inspired by stories of people from all walks of life who believe in something bigger than themselves and make it happen. That inspires me.
So, there you have it. How many will make your reading list? Got a favorite that you think is deserving of our list? We want to hear it! Comment with your recommendations or shout it out on LinkedIn and tag #GirlsClub to get the conversation started.
Loving Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek and a fav fiction is I let you go by Clare Mackintosh