Summer is the perfect time to refresh and recharge, but it’s also a great opportunity to dive into some insightful reading that can elevate your team leadership skills. I love using this time away from work to do some reading and deep thinking that I don't always have time for during the rest of the year. So as we enter summer, I thought I'd share my curated list of books to help you understand the intricacies of teamwork, enhance your leadership capabilities, and boost team performance.
In this summer reading list, I’ve handpicked books that fall into three distinct categories, each offering unique perspectives and valuable takeaways:
- New Research I'm Excited About: These books provide deep dives into specific topics relevant to team leadership, backed by the latest research. They offer fresh insights and in-depth knowledge that can add a new dimension to your leadership approach.
- My Mt. Rushmore of Team Books: These classic books have stood the test of time and are filled with timeless wisdom. If you haven’t read them yet, they are essential additions to your leadership library, providing foundational knowledge that every team leader should have.
- Practical Toolkits for Immediate Impact: These books are your go-to guides for actionable strategies and practical advice. They walk you through the steps to build high-performing teams, offering tools and exercises that you can implement right away.
No matter what aspect of team leadership you’re looking to improve, this curated list has something for everyone. So grab a book, relax, and get ready to take your team’s performance to the next level.
New Research I'm Excited About
1) Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides (Geoffrey L. Cohen)
- Description - "Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides" by Geoffrey L. Cohen explores the psychological and social mechanisms that foster feelings of inclusion and belonging. Using empirical research, Cohen delves into how to create environments that bridge divides and cultivate genuine connections. The book offers practical insights into overcoming bias, building inclusive communities, and enhancing social cohesion, making it an essential read for anyone interested in creating a more inclusive and connected world.
- Why I'm Recommending It - There's been increasing pushback on DEI concepts, with many focusing too narrowly on diversity as a recruitment exercise. I believe we need to place more emphasis on belonging and inclusion. At my current company, we've shifted our DEI strategy away from just demographics to fostering inclusion for all differences—neuro-diversity, mental health, sexuality, economic background, and more. "Belonging" by Geoffrey L. Cohen delves into creating environments where everyone feels included and valued. Having read the first few chapters, I'm excited about its potential to help my company foster a true sense of belonging. This book is crucial for anyone looking to evolve their DEI strategy towards genuine inclusion and belonging.
2) You're Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging (Jon Levy)
- Description - "You're Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging" by Jon Levy examines the art and science behind forming meaningful connections and fostering a sense of belonging. Levy combines social science research with practical strategies to build trust and connection in both personal and professional contexts. The book emphasizes the importance of genuine engagement and shared experiences in cultivating strong, supportive relationships, making it a valuable resource for leaders and anyone looking to enhance their social influence and foster a sense of community.
- Why I'm Recommending It - "You're Invited" is a book that complements the the previous "Belonging" book. Building relationships is crucial for any team, especially as your company grows and brings in new team members. This book addresses the core concept of fostering connections in a structured way, beyond the organic encounters and coffee machine chats. With teams often dispersed and awaiting the next conference to bond, "You're Invited" offers practical actions for creating a sense of teamwork and belonging. It provides actionable strategies that any team leader can use to cultivate an environment where people feel connected and valued, making it an excellent companion to "Belonging."
My Mt Rushmore of Team Books
3) 5 Dysfunctions of a Team (Patrick Lencioni)
- Description - "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni outlines the root causes of dysfunction in teams and provides a model and actionable steps to overcome these common hurdles. The five dysfunctions are: absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. Lencioni uses a fictional narrative to make the principles relatable and engaging, offering readers practical tools to foster effective teamwork and enhance team performance.
- Why I'm Recommending It - I believe "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" is a masterpiece in its simplicity and effectiveness. Lencioni's ability to break down complex team dynamics into an easy-to-understand model is unmatched. This book is a must-read for any leader, offering immediate insights into improving team cohesion and performance. I recommend it to every new team leader because it sparks curiosity and provides a solid foundation for understanding and addressing team challenges.
4) The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups (Daniel Coyle)
- Description - "The Culture Code" by Daniel Coyle delves into the secrets of highly successful groups, identifying three key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation: building safety, sharing vulnerability, and establishing purpose. Through case studies from various fields, including sports, business, and the military, Coyle illustrates how these elements contribute to high-performing cultures. The book emphasizes the importance of psychological safety in creating a productive team environment.
- Why I'm Recommending It - Psychological safety is a concept I was familiar with from my education in psychology, but it always felt somewhat abstract. "The Culture Code" by Daniel Coyle brought this concept to life for me. It clearly explains how to create an environment of psychological safety within teams, making it practical and actionable. I recommend this book to anyone struggling to cultivate a culture of safety and effectiveness within their team.
5) The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business (Erin Meyer)
- Description - "The Culture Map" by Erin Meyer provides a framework for understanding how cultural differences impact international business and communication. Meyer breaks down eight dimensions of culture and explains how these affect collaboration and management styles. The book offers practical advice for navigating these differences and improving cross-cultural interactions in a professional setting, making it an invaluable resource for anyone working in a global team.
- Why I'm Recommending It - I first read "The Culture Map" when I was inundated with requests for cross-cultural training. What I loved about this book is that it provides great dimensions for understanding how different cultures work. However, it sparked a deeper insight for me—while it’s written about different nationalities, I saw its potential for understanding individuals. Instead of seeing people as mere representatives of their culture, I began using these dimensions to understand individual differences. This approach has been invaluable in creating a toolkit for my current company to help teams be more inclusive. I recommend this book not just for learning about different cultures, but for gaining a framework to understand and collaborate with individuals better.
6) Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us (Daniel Pink)
- Description - "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink explores the science of motivation, debunking the traditional reward-punishment approach. Pink introduces the concept of "Motivation 3.0," which revolves around autonomy, mastery, and purpose as the key drivers of human motivation. Combining research findings with practical advice, the book provides insights into leveraging these elements to enhance motivation and performance in the workplace.
- Why I'm Recommending It - I think that "Drive" is pop psychology at its best. Pink takes great research and simplifies it into compelling narratives about why motivation is key. I remember it coming out a few years after I finished my master's in organizational psychology, and I immediately loved it for its research foundation and clear message. It's one of those books that made individual motivation a topic everyone wanted to talk about, which is fantastic for teams. I recommend it because it helps leaders understand what truly drives their team members, making it easier to foster a motivated and high-performing team.
Practical Toolkits for Immediate Impact
7) From Forming to Performing: Your Team Performance Playbook (Cary Bailey-Findley)
- Description - "From Forming to Performing: Your Team Performance Playbook" is a comprehensive guide that provides a step-by-step approach to building and managing high-performing teams. Drawing from extensive experience in HR and team management, the book offers practical strategies, tools, and exercises designed to enhance team dynamics and performance at every stage of development. It serves as a valuable resource for leaders looking to foster effective teamwork and achieve outstanding results.
- Why I'm Recommending It - Yes, it's a bit self-serving to include my own book, but I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't truly believe it belonged here. "From Forming to Performing: Your Team Performance Playbook" is the book I always thought should exist. Many team-building books either explain concepts without providing actionable steps or fill pages with fluff. I wrote this book to offer practical, no-nonsense guidance that managers and HR professionals can use immediately. While other books on this list will inspire you and provide great ideas, this is the book you'll turn to when you're ready to implement those ideas and build a high-performing team.
8) Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results (Charlie Gilkey)
- Description - "Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results" by Charlie Gilkey emphasizes the power of small, consistent actions in driving team success. The book presents a framework for developing effective team habits that enhance productivity, collaboration, and overall performance. It includes practical tips and real-world examples to help teams implement these habits and achieve extraordinary results. Gilkey's approach is practical and actionable, making it a great resource for leaders seeking to improve their team's performance incrementally.
- Why I'm Recommending It - "Team Habits" is a fantastic companion to my own book, "From Forming to Performing." While my book provides comprehensive strategies and larger exercises for team building, "Team Habits" focuses on the small, daily habits that drive team success. I love how it narrows down actionable steps into manageable increments, making it easy for teams to implement and sustain positive changes. This book is perfect for those looking to make incremental improvements that can lead to extraordinary results over time. It’s a practical and actionable guide that complements the broader strategies in my book, providing a well-rounded approach to team development.
I hope you enjoy these books... I know I did.
As you dive into these books, I’d love to hear your thoughts and insights. Which book are you most excited to read? Have you already read any of these and found them transformative? Let's connect and share our learnings!
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