While there’s no shortage of books on leadership, career management and the executive selection process; I've found that some of the best lessons learned come from inspirational stories told from various perspectives. Listed below are a few of my top picks.
Deception in Selection: Interviews and the Psychology of Deceit
Author: Max A. Eggert
This book delves into its examination with broad perspective and focused inquiry. Long before coining the Liars Index® concept, I became progressively alert to the degree of deception imbedded in the process of employment selection. Throughout my career, I have stumbled enough along the way that I have applied increasing discipline to the process, both in my own work and that of my clients. The often undetected risk is in missing a candidate's self-deception...where an honest falsehood results from one's inaccurate sense of who he/she truly is. Digging into this book can help both the screener and the candidate in keeping each other honest.
Golf is Not a Game of Perfect Author: Dr. Bob Rotella
You may not think of the game of golf as a testing ground for lessons in leadership, but Dr. Bob Rotella will change your mind. Bob Rotella, or "Doc," as most pro golfers refer to him, goes beyond just the usual mental aspects of the game. In addition the importance of positive, intentional self-talk other take-away messages from the book include: aiming precisely, ignoring the hazards and choosing your trajectory.
Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance Author: Bob Buford
In Halftime, Buford focuses on the time when, as he says, a person moves beyond the first half of the game of life into halftime-- a time of revitalization and for catching a new vision for living the second half, the half where life can be lived at its most rewarding. Bob Buford provides encouragement and insight to propel your life on a new course away from mere success to true significance---and the best years of your life. Bottom line: choose your life’s work based on your personal life path.
Networking is a Contact Sport Author: Joe Sweeney
Master networker Joe Sweeney shares his networking secrets from a long and successful career as a business owner, sports agent and executive and investment banking consultant. His first secret: master networkers are focused on giving, not getting—and that’s what “friend-making” is all about.
Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 million+ Author: John Lucht
Every year since it first appeared in 1988, John Lucht's Rites of Passage at $100,000+ has been America's bestselling executive career guide. In this revised version of the book, Lucht takes his revered classic to a twenty-first century level. Lucht's latest edition merges his handling of top executive recruiters with the incredible communicating power of the Internet. This book offers all you need to learn about search/recruiter/staffing professionals.
Synchronicity:The Inner Path of Leadership Author: Joseph Jaworski There are no coincidences and life doesn’t play out by accident or luck. Synchronicity can be a powerful force for those who are paying attention. Joseph Jaworski discusses the mindset of “tuning in” in order to discern your path, and the importance of paying attention to the helpers that surround you.
The Noticer: Sometimes All a Person Needs is a Little Perspective Author: Andy Andrews
We all can benefit from a “noticer”. When he was 19 years old, Andy Andrews' mother died from cancer and his father was killed in a car accident. After a series of bad decisions, he took to living under a pier and in garages. Homeless and hopeless, Andrews was noticed and counseled by an old man who inspired him to change his life. Andrews' semi-autobiographical tale teaches about the power of perspective and the positive change that hope and integrity can inspire.
What Should I Do With My Life? Author: Po Bronson
It’s easy to panic when pondering the question proposed in this book’s title. Learning from the experiences of others can help defuse these anxieties. Po Bronson recounts inspirational, true stories of people who have found meaningful answers to this ubiquitous question. Bronson writes of remarkable individuals—from young to old, from those just starting out to those in a second career—who have overcome fear and confusion to find a larger truth about their lives and, in doing so, have been transformed by the experience.
