Category Archives: Leadership

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508: The 9 Books I’m Most Looking Forward To In 2024

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Like any other year before, there are literally tens of thousands of books set to be released this year. Needless to say, it can be hard whittling down what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

I’ve attempted to take some of the guesswork out of it for you by selecting nine books I’m really looking forward to reading this year.

Here they are in order of their release date.

Note that my first selection is actually a book that came out last week—making it, technically, a 2023 release. But it makes the cut as, well, I was a little busy this past week and am just getting around to diving in.

Trust me when I say you’ll be glad I’m including it here.

1. Feel Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You by Ali Abdaal (December 26, 2023) 

Note: I’ll be interviewing Ali later this month and releasing our conversation in early February.

2. Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klass (January 23, 2024). 

3. The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao (January 30, 2024)

Note: My interview with coauthor Huggy Rao releases on January 30 to coincide with the book’s release.

4.  Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It by Malissa Clark (February 6, 2024) 

5. Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being by Sue Varma MD (February 20, 2024)

6. Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg (February 20, 2024) 

7. Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport (March 5, 2024) 

8. Microskills: Small Actions, Big Impact by Adaira Landry and Resa E. Lewiss (April 16, 2024) 

9. Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work by Mithu Storoni (September 17, 2024) 

In addition to the two authors and books on this list I’m already set to feature on the show, I’ll be working to invite as many of the other seven as I can. 

For more detail about each book, listen to the episode

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507: Creating a More Human Future in the Era of AI with Brian Evergreen

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These days, like you perhaps, I read just about everything I can get my hands on pertaining to artificial intelligence. Books on this topic a still few, but that’s beginning to change one year removed from the buzz that was the launch of ChatGPT.

brian evergreen

That’s why I was excited to learn about Autonomous Transformation, the new book by Brian Evergreen.

We are in the midst, Brian says, of an unprecedented degree of technology-driven change at the same time that society faces challenges more complex than our organizations and we as individuals have been prepared to handle.

We have all borne witness to the changes, for better and for worse, that technology has had on society, our nations, cities, the nature of work, and the human experience—but technology is neither the hero nor the villain of this story.

Brian’s book is for leaders who want to create a better future within this context of change and supplies a balance of historical and theoretical context with practical frameworks for beginning to create a more human future today.

The book provides a blueprint for leaders and managers who have aspired or attempted to harness artificial intelligence and its adjacent technologies for the betterment of their organization and the world, weaving strategy, management thinking, economics, systemic design, and philosophy into actionable steps with accompanying frameworks to create and sustain Profitable Good.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Brian and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

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506: Leading With Questions with Bob Tiede

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Easily the highlight of my career was the 13+ years I spent with WAY-FM Media Group from 2000 to 2013. My time there included having Dusty Rhodes as a colleague.

bob tiede

Dusty recently reached out and introduced me to author Bob Tiede. Bob is the man behind the blog Leading With Questions, inspired by the book we’re featuring today.

That book is indeed called Leading With Questions: How Leaders Discover Powerful Answers by Knowing How and What to Ask, written with Dr. Michael J. Marquardt.

In this newly revised third edition, Bob and Michael describe how to ask powerful questions that generate short-term and long-term results and success. They show you how effective leaders use questions to encourage participation and teamwork, foster creative thinking, empower others, create relationships with customers, and solve problems.

And, they offer step-by-step guidance on the process of learning the art of questioning and techniques―like active listening and follow-ups – you can use in myriad situations with individuals, teams, and entire organizations.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Bob and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

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504: Speak Up or Stay Stuck with Pam Marmon

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Today’s guest is making her second appearance on the podcast. Her first was back in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. That book, called No One’s Listening and It’s Your Fault was geared to leaders.

pam marmon

Her new book is intended for managers and employees. It’s all about navigating the inevitable periods of change within an organization. It’s called Speak Up or Stay Stuck: Get Your Voice Heard When Fast and Forced Change Happens In the Workplace.

Your company is changing, Pam says, whether you like it or not. As a manager, you are expected to make that transformation happen, yet you feel voiceless, unseen, and unrepresented.

Change is not the enemy. It’s inevitable and it could be the key to your success. In Speak Up or Stay Stuck, Pam unpacks a practical framework for implementing organizational change while ensuring your voice is heard. Finally: the key to amplifying your message without jeopardizing your job.

You’ll discover how to communicate with senior leaders while effectively advocating for yourself and your team. Reclaim control and ownership of your work, grow your organizational change resilience, and find new ways to thrive when fast and forced change hits your workplace.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Pam and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

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503: Leadership Lessons Drawn From the Wisdom of Mom with Valerie Cockerell

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Over 500 episodes in, and it’s still possible for there to be firsts. This episode brings with it a special milestone; one that includes having featured—for the first time—three members of the same family.

valerie cockerell

In previous episodes I’ve enjoyed having on Lee Cockerell and Dan Cockerell (father and son, respectively) to talk about their books.

Today, I’m pleased to welcome Lee’s daughter-in-law, and Dan’s wife, Valerie Cockerell.

Valerie’s new book is called Manage Like a Mother: Leadership Lessons Drawn From the Wisdom of Mom.

Leadership doesn’t have to be complicated, Valerie says. Mothers have known this all along as they practice their own no-nonsense form of leadership.

In Manage like a Mother, Valerie shares common-sense principles for anyone seeking to be an effective leader. She explains how raising children, nurturing their development, multitasking as only a mother does, managing conflicts, dealing with teenagers and being a great role model are some of the essential skills that leaders can easily apply to their professional working environments—with proven success. 

You don’t need to look much further than your own childhood to know what works and what doesn’t. Valerie’s book shows you how applying moms’ best practices can reap the best results for any organization.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Valerie and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.

Join in on our chat below

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