Happy Anniversary & Thank You!
I remember watching Conan O’Brien’s farewell speech last year and something he said always stuck with me: “Try and do what you love with people you love. And if you can manage that, it’s the definition of heaven on earth.”
Last week Leadership Enthusiast celebrated its one year anniversary! It’s been a year filled with amazing clients and great learnings, and to say I am filled with gratitude is an understatement. I am extremely grateful to have found a little slice of professional heaven on earth. So, please pardon the mushy sentiments, but some serious thank you’s are in order.
To my awesome clients – it has been an absolute honor to serve you. Thank you for your partnership and your dedication to continuous improvement (for yourself and that of your people). The connections we have made continue to make work worthwhile and meaningful.
To my dear friends – you have been my coaches, cheerleaders, and champions. Thank you for your unwavering love and support, spontaneous dance parties, long walks and talks, and great big hugs.
To my family – feeling your pride has been a constant source of motivation. Thank you for believing in me and I can’t wait to celebrate properly (poolside with plenty of games, guacamole, and carne asada).
To Jim – you never cease to make me laugh. Thank you for being my biggest champion and for pushing me to keep taking risks. This journey we are on is full of love, laughter, and adventure and I would not have it any other way.
Below are 10 of my favorite leadership development books and podcasts. Some fall on the traditional side of leadership development and others less so. For all of them, I like what they make me think about. Sharing them is my way of saying a final thank you – to all of YOU who read my occasional musings. I hope they bring you new insights, inspiration, and enrichment.
Positive Intelligence – there are a lot of gems in this book for those wanting help minimizing a harsh inner critic. Beyond the book, you can take a free assessment that highlights your “saboteurs”. Exploring the results has been a great unlock for a lot of my coaching clients.
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever – easy to read and full of practicality. Great coaching questions to ask as a leader.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – I’m late to the party on this one. It came out in 2019. Each page is full of touching words, beautiful illustrations, and lessons we all need to hear.
The Moth – Storytelling is such a powerful tool in a leader’s toolbox, but it is often underutilized. Hearing these stories never ceases to inspire me and I hope it might inspire you to craft your own story.
Dare to Lead– Brene Brown’s podcast on the challenges of leading. A few favorite episodes include:
Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need – I finally got around to reading this one and enjoyed it a lot. Great takeaways for those leading creative teams.
From Start-Up to Grown-Up: Grow Your Leadership to Grow Your Business – Ok, truth be told, I just started reading this book, but so far, I really like it. Lots of useful ideas and strategies specific to the start-up space. Think of it like a guidebook for managing yourself and your business.
How I Built This – Guy Raz is a great host, and this podcast focuses on the origin stories of how people created their business. A recent favorite episode features Jason Citron and how Discord was born.
Freakonomics Radio – Steve Dubner’s voice is so soothing to me. I feel like I get smarter just by listening to him. It’s fun exploring various ideas that I wouldn’t normally be exposed to.
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard – another great avenue to hear people’s stories, understand what makes them tick, and learn about their craft.
If you have other favorites, please drop me a note or leave your recommendation in the comments of whatever social media channel I used to share this. I love the idea of sharing our “finds” so that others can benefit. Until next time, happy learning and leading!