Read Like Our Leadership Month Speakers!
Becoming a leader is a continuous journey. We asked our speakers to share their pick for a MUST READ book in your continued growth as a leader. Check out our 2020 Leadership Month Book List below.
Designing Your Work Life: How to Thrive and Change and Find Happiness at Work
Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Recommended by Branden Grimmett EdD ’20, Associate Provost, Loyola Marymount University and Featured speaker from Navigating the Job Search in Uncertain Times
Minding the Obligation Gap in Community Colleges and Beyond
Jeremiah J. Sims, Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Lasana O. Hotep, Jeramy Wallace & Tabitha Conaway
Recommended by Marisa Herrera EdD ’09, Vice President, Students, Equity & Success, Shoreline Community College and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Community College Leaders
Big Potential: How Transforming the Pursuit of Success Raises Our Achievement, Happiness and Well-Being
Shawn Achor
Recommended by David Cash EdD ’08, Professor of Education, USC Rossier School of Education and Featured speaker from Follow Up: What’s Next for Education in California?
Cash notes that this book is “Cutting edge research and case studies about how the individual, the team and the organization all contribute to the successful implementation of continuous improvement.”
Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life
Eugene O’Kelly
Recommended by Christopher Riddick EdD ’17, Change Management Analyst, Fannie Mae and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Organizational Change & Leadership
Riddick frames his selection by saying that this book is “Not specifically about leadership, but focuses on how to prioritize those things that really matter to endeavor for balance in life.”
Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation
Linda A. Hill, Greg Brandeau, Emily Truelove & Kent Lineback
Recommended by Georgia Lorenz PhD ’02, President, Seminole State College of Florida and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Community College Leaders
Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable
Patrick Lencioni
Recommended by Manny Burciaga EdD ’17, Principal, Northview High School and Featured speaker from Back to School in the Shadow of a Pandemic
Burciaga recommends this book because it provides “Great insight on the importance of productive communication with your staff.”
Excellence Through Equity: Five Principles of Courageous Leadership to Guide Achievement for Every Student
Alan M. Blankstein & Pedro Noguera with Lorena Kelly
Recommended by Patricia Brent-Sanco, EdD ’16, Director of Equity, Access & Instructional Services, Lynwood Unified School District and Featured speaker from Your Curriculum Is Irrelevant
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
Roger Fisher and William Ury
Recommended by John Roach EdD ’88, Executive Director, School Employers Association of California and Featured speaker from The Daily Leadership Challenge
Roach states that he “learned to separate the people from the problem and to focus on interests, not positions.”
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t
Jim Collins
Recommended by Jannette Flores EdD ’13, Dean, Curriculum and Assessment, Dallas County Community College District and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Community College Leaders
How to Be an Antiracist
How to Be an AntiracistIbram X. Kendi
Recommended by Julie Troletti EdD ’18, Principal, Our Community School and Featured speaker from Back to School in the Shadow of a Pandemic
Troletti states that “Dr. Kendi provides historical reference and social implications of racism, privilege, and what it means to be a racist or an antiracist. Its depth and relevance has changed how I view racism, assimilation, and antiracsim. The whole book was an “aha!” moment.”
How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back From Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job
Sally Helgeson & Marshall Goldsmith
Recommended by Melissa Moore EdD ’14, Superintendent, El Segundo Unified School District and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Women in Leadership
Moore notes that “As women, we can sometimes unconsciously limit ourselves. This is an excellent book for any woman who wants to identify behaviors that are holding her back from taking the next best step in her career. Becoming more self-aware can lead to keen insights and opportunities!”
Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change
Stacey Abrams
Recommended by Airies Davis EdD ’16, Executive in Residence and Adjunct Professor, Dominican University, Brennan School of Business and Featured speaker from Navigating the Job Search in Uncertain Times
Davis suggest that this book is a “Guide to harnessing leadership strengths to ‘make real change’ and build your future despite being considered an ‘outsider'”
Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times
Donald T. Phillips
Recommended by Greg Franklin BA ’83, EdD ’97, Superintendent, Tustin Unified School District and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: District & School Site Leaders
Franklin frames his selection by noting that “Lincoln led the nation through its most difficult period and provides excellent examples of leadership lessons that work.”
“Multiplication is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children
Lisa Delpit
Recommended by Martin Gamboa, PhD candidate, USC Rossier School of Education and Featured speaker from Your Curriculum Is Irrelevant
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
Keith Ferrazzi
Recommended by Matt DeGrushe ME ’04, Director of Alumni Engagement, USC Rossier School of Education and Organizer of the inaugural virtual USC Rossier Leadership Month.
On Leadership
John W. Gardner
Recommended by Roger Thompson EdD ’98, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management, University of Oregon and Featured speaker from Planning for the Fall Semester in Uncertain Times
Thompson states that “Over the course of my career, this has always been the book about leadership I recommend. I would also add any of the leadership books written by former USC Faculty member, Warren Bennis.”
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Simon Sinek
Recommended by Anna Becker MAT ’18, Curator of Community Conservation, Los Angeles Zoo and Featured speaker from Diverse Pathways in Educational Leadership
Becker notes that “Simon Sinek greatly articulates the meanings behind “why” and challenged me to think about how we work with others. Sharing our whys is an important leadership component that I have seen empower and include others in the work we all do. Inspiration lives in that.”
Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well*
*even when it is off base, unfair, poorly delivered, and, frankly, you’re not in the mood
Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
Recommended by Victoria Bhavsar, Director, Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and Featured speaker from Distance Learning: Is this the New “Normal”?
Bhavsar suggests that her selection “Will transform the way you both receive and give feedback. No one ever trains us to TAKE feedback productively, and that’s just as important as giving it.”
That’s Not How We Do It Here!: A Story About How Organizations Rise and Fall – and Can Rise Again
John Kotter & Holger Rathgeber
Recommended by Christopher Downing EdD ’19, Superintendent, Anaheim Elementary School District and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Superintendents
Downing states that “This book helps leaders turn their biggest challenges into opportunities for change.”
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Alex Haley
Recommended by Michele Turner BS ’81, EdD ’14, Executive Director, USC Black Alumni Association and Featured speaker from Removing Racism From Our Campus Communities
Turner states “I read this book while very young. It inspired me with a confidence that there was nation changing leadership as a part of my own legacy. Even if you are not a Black reader, this narrative will cause you to think differently about the value and power of cultural perspective in leadership.”
The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations
James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
Recommended by Georgia Steele EdD ’19, Chief Performance Officer, Georgia Department of Revenue and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Women in Leadership
Steele suggest that “Leaders can be found at all levels of an organization and this book highlights each persons ability to lead regardless of position. This book also helps leaders to align with 5 practices for exemplary leadership – Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act and Encourage the Heart.”
Think, Learn, Succeed: Understanding and Using Your Mind to Thrive at School, the Workplace and Life
Caroline Leaf
Recommended by Yulonn Harris EdD ’15, Bilingual Virtual Supervising Teacher, Compass Charter Schools and Featured speaker from Distance Learning: Is this the New “Normal”?
Will to Lead, the Skill to Teach: Transforming Schools at Every Level
Anthony Muhammad & Sharroky Holli
Recommended by Maria Martinez-Poullin EdD ’17, Superintendent, Whittier City School District and Featured speaker from Lunch with Leaders: Superintendents
Martinez-Poullin frames her choice by saying that “Muhammad and Hallie provide tools for school improvement that begins with self reflection and analysis of the structural and sociological issues about bias, discrimination, and cultural insensitivity. They offer strategies to contribute to building a healthier school culture that supports an increase in literacy and school connectedness.”
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Bryan Stevenson
Recommended by Bruce Smith MS ’98, Vice President, Dean of Students, Whittier College and Featured speaker from Removing Racism From Our Campus Communities
Smith poses that “This is not your typical leadership book, but Stevenson delivers messages about the power of empathy, grace, compassion, and building relationships that every leader should know and live.”