I’m a freaking nutcase! I think of what I am feeding my future leaders on the regular.
Typically, I read at least a book a week, or am at least in three to four books at a time.
All of my employees have the potential to rule the world. Yet, they need to see their potential and know what I know.
Ask yourself, “what am I feeding my future leaders?”
What you feed them will determine their future. Business and leadership books can create giants in the entrepreneurial world.
Had someone been willing to invest in me at the ripe old age of 25, I would have been retired by now. My dream of living on a private island and not wearing pants would have came to fruition. I have several people on my leadership team that are in their mid twenties. Shasta’s Blog titled “I’m Not Where I’m Supposed To Be” Shasta has a very different take on what the automotive world should be.
Leadership Books or Business Books?
I’m always looking for THE leadership book that will open someone else’s eyes to their own dreams and their locked-up, unrealized capabilities.
Most Baby Boomers are famous for having the best work ethic. We think, “If I just work hard enough, I can have whatever I want.” However, as one of the last Baby Boomers (I was born in 1964), I’m also a woman. When I was a child, protests and marches were going on so that I might have a shot at careers that were then mostly held by men.
However, fast-forward to 2020. Here I am a woman serving the automotive industry. Although we’ve come a million miles with “The Women’s Movement”, the needle has not moved tremendously in the automotive sphere. Do I care? NO! What matters the most to me is delivering the best team of social media rock stars to serve dealerships daily.
Nevertheless, back to my initial point: how do I invest in my people and get them out of their own way? Can I help them realize their own strength and overcome their weaknesses?
My goal is to keep reading books and looking for words that may help them. If I can’t get them to read, I make sure I relay the message of the book until they hear me.
One of my favorite places to begin is with business fiction books. They’re easy reads for people who have not been readers in the past. However, I never want to set my people up for failure, so I start where we can make the most headway. Here are five of my favorites:
“The Travelers Gift”, by Andy Andrews.
A book about the journey of David Ponder, whose life choices have taken him to a horribly dark place. Places where he is unable to even support his family. But an icy road and a potentially fatal accident take him on a journey through history. He meets some great leaders that teach him important lessons he will take to heart.
Find this amazing book Here
“Atomic Habits” and/or “The Power of Habit”
Either one of these books will help you understand the Cue-Routine-Reward cycle. Once it is understood, you can take action to reprogram your mind to develop new habits and overwrite existing habits.
Get Atomic Habits Here
Or The Power of Habit Here
“Lean In”, by Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook
This one is for my female employees. In this book I discovered things that women do to push back from the table, even when they shouldn’t. The table can be a metaphor for many things – business, the boardroom, etc.
Find Lean In Here
“A Happy Pocket Full of Money” by David Patrick Gikandi
The Law of Attraction runs our daily lives, whether you believe it or not. This is a great book that will help you wrap your head around attracting money and eliminating limiting beliefs. It is one of my favorite books, I read it several times per year. Get yours Here
“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”, by Patrick Lencioni
This business fable walks through an executive team and the dysfunctions that never get talked about. We read this book every year and remember the tools that help keep us on track. I have taken several teams through this BOOK and we aren’t stopping any time soon.
My team and I are always looking for books to help our team grow and reach their full potential. I had a goal to give away 100 books this year. By the looks of my Amazon account, I’ve nearly succeeded. It makes me happy to share books that have meant the world to me. Above all, I’m looking for exactly the right book for the specific leader I am looking to grow.
I pay particular attention to the emotional maturity of my team and never give them a book that will be too difficult to absorb. However I do want them to get as much as they can from every piece of knowledge that I hand to them. Whether it is a podcast or an article, a video, or a book. If I take the time to hand-select something for them, they had better consume it. I will ask for feedback, and I expect them to have retained some nuggets from the offering.
All of this goes back to creating a team of giants that can lead others down the same path. Moreover, they forge a better path than they have been escorted down. We want to develop future leaders with critical thinking skills and who realize that knowledge can be powerful.
The Leadership Growth Plan.
So many, in this generation, have never had somebody invest in them and show them the path to business excellence. Above all, it’s my personal challenge to grab their hands and show them they have much more potential than they knew. In this age of entitlement, teaching the next generation how to earn their way in this world is my personal goal. Furthermore, the best way to do that is by educating them. Show them that there’s so much potential inside of them and that there’s no trophy for just showing up.
In a world where average is celebrated, I want to create business leaders who create more business leaders. It all comes down to what you feed them. So pick their educational diet with care and feed them all the good stuff.
My YouTube channel has a great video about this topic also, check it out!
In conclusion, I would love some feedback on the books I’ve suggested. If you have some that you share with your team on a regular basis, feel free to message me and let me know what they are. I’d love to give those to my team. I’m always looking for their next great read.
