Today, I’m featuring one of the 9 books I’m most looking forward to in 2024.
This marks the fourth author (or authors, in this case) of the nine I’ve manage to showcase so far. Who knows, maybe I’ll eventually interview all nine!
Today’s guests are the coauthors of the book MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big Impact. I believe it to be the handbook that everyone who wants to be successful in their career needs to read.
The promise of this book is simple: if you buy this book on Friday, you will be better at your job by Monday.MicroSkills is built on one core, easy-to-learn principle: every big goal, complicated task, healthy habit, and, yes, even what we think of as character traits, can be broken down into small, learnable, skills that can be practiced, and incorporated real-time. The doctors call these: MicroSkills.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Dr. Landry and Dr. Lewis and there work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
In today’s episode, I ask Drs. Landry and Lewiss about:
* How to limit the time you spend in meetings
* The art of learning to pause before saying “yes” to new opportunities
* What leaders need to know about giving useful feedback
* And lots more!
Order Adaira and Resa’s Book
You can order your copy of MicroSkills: Small Actions, Big Impact right now!
Consider Ordering My Book Too!
Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career. There, you can also download the introduction and first chapter for free!
Note-Making Mastery Cohort AND the Read to Lead Community
Note-Making Mastery Cohort is now available as a self-paced course! Check it out.
Also, consider giving ReadtoLead+ a try free for two weeks!
Books They Recommends
Write Useful Books by Rob Fitzpatrick
<a href="https://amzn.
Apr 15
40 min
Today’s episode is a milestone episode in so many ways. It’s episode 400, of course, but several other “yours, mine, and ours” type milestones are also at play. To hear about each one of them, click the play button below.
Today’s guest, Liz Wiseman, has been one of my favorite leadership authors for the better part of fifteen years, ever since I first learned of her work with her first book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter.
But Multipliers needs to now move over and make room on the shelf for her latest, as I feel it’s a book every employee, regardless of their title, should read.
It’s called Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact.
Drawing on insights from leaders at top companies, Liz explains what the most influential players are doing differently, how small and seemingly insignificant differences in how we think and act can make an enormous impact, and why—with a little coaching—this mindset is available to everyone who wants to contribute at their highest level.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Liz and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS
In today’s episode, Liz and I chat about:
* The key differences in how Impact Players think and work
* Why it’s important to look beyond your ideal job and, instead, do the job that needs to be done
* Examples of how top contributors deal with pressure and high-demand situations
* And lots more!
Order Liz’s Book
You can order your copy of Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact right now!
Consider Ordering My New Book Too!
Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career. There, you can also download the introduction and first chapter for free!
Liz in Action
Check Out These Additional Resources
Grab a copy of Liz’s book now.
Apr 8
48 min
While technically today’s featured book was released in 2019 (December 31 to be exact), I’ve dubbed it my favorite book of 2020!
Upon reading it, I immediately wanted to share it and attempt to teach its concepts to others. That, to me, is the mark of a great book.
What is this amazing book?
Well, it’s the New York Times bestseller Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by Dr. BJ Fogg. Or, as BJ would now call it if he could rename it, Tiny Habits: The Future of Behavior Design.
The book sleeve on the front cover says confidently, “This book will change your life.” Just yesterday, my wife saw the book on my desk and asked if the claim was true. I answered with a resounding “YES!”
With breakthrough discoveries in every chapter, you’ll learn the simplest proven ways to transform your life. Whether you want to lose weight, de-stress, sleep better, or be more productive each day, Tiny Habits makes it easy to achieve.
Click the play button below to join our conversation now, or keep scrolling for a summary.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS
In today’s episode, Dr. Fogg and I explore:
* How tiny can be transformative
* His e=mc2-level behavior model
* How to use the model not just to create good habits but how to adjust the model to bring an end to bad habits
* And lots more!
Dr. Fogg in Action
Dr. Fogg’s Book
You can order Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything right now!
Books Dr. Fogg Recommends
Don’t Shoot the Dog: The Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
Social Learning and Imitation by Neal E. Miller
The Principles of Psychology Vol. 1 & 2 by William James
Check Out These Additional Resources
Visit Dr. Fogg’s website for more on him and his work.
Grab a copy of Fogg’s book now.
Invite Dr. Fogg to keynote your next event.
Connect with Dr. Fogg on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Don’t miss this super-secret resource BJ shared during out interview.
Apr 1
37 min
What an honor it is to be asked to participate in the launch of the 30th Anniversary Edition of the #1 business book of the 20th century!
And what a treat it is to talk to the son and namesake of the author himself, Mr. Stephen M. R. Covey.
I can honestly say, if the Read to Lead Podcast were to come to an end after today, I would be at complete peace with that.
Why? Because today I am privileged to conduct what is arguably the single most important interview of my 30+ year career.
Not only is Stephen M. R. Covey an accomplished author in his own right (with a New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling book under his belt), but he’s agreed to field questions from a handful of those impacted by his father’s book over the years.
By “those impacted” I’m talking about you! That’s right. Every question I’m posing to Stephen was submitted by a listener to the podcast.
Of course, the book I’m referring to is called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition.
This is a ‘can’t miss’ conversation!
Click the play button below to join our conversation now, or keep scrolling for a summary.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS
In today’s episode, Stephen and I explore your questions around:
* Beginning with the End in Mind
* Thinking Win-Win
* Being Proactive rather than Reactive
* And lots more!
30th Anniversary Edition Out Now
You can order The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition right now!
Stephen in Action
Books Stephen Recommends
The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildy Important Goals by Sean Covey, Chris McChesney, and Jim Huling
The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M. R. Covey
Check Out These Additional Resources
Visit Stephen’s website for more on him and his work.
Find out more about Stephen’s services.
Connect with Stephen on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Click to Tweet
Leave Us Your Feedback
Comment and Share
Please consider rating the podc...
Mar 25
50 min
519: The Practice and Shipping Creative Work with Seth Godin (an Encore Presentation of Episode 344)
If I had to make the difficult choice of selecting just 20 books to access for the remainder of my life, I could do a lot worse than the 20 written so far by today’s special guest.
Seth Godin is special to me for a lot of reasons; not the least of which is he is almost singlehandedly responsible for helping rekindle my love of reading.
Seth Godin image credit Darius Bashar and Archangel
In fact, you could go so far as to say that, without Seth Godin, there’s a real good chance the last seven-plus years of my life would have been spent doing something else.
But thanks to his book Purple Cow, I’m here instead. And the beauty of that is, so are you.
Seth’s latest book, released last week, is called The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, and I am thrilled to dive into it in this episode with Seth and with you.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to join our conversation now. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS
In today’s episode, I ask Seth about:
* Trusting yourself enough to do what you were made to do
* Why he believes that seeking reassurance is futile
* Why he feels authenticity is a trap
* And lots more!
Seth’s New Book
You can order a copy of The Practice: Shipping Creative Work right now.
Seth in Action
Books Seth Recommends
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
Just Kids by Patti Smith
Check Out These Resources
Visit Seth’s website for more on him and his work.
Grab a copy of Seth’s book now.
Inquiring about inviting Seth to keynote your next event? <a href="seth@sethgodin.
Mar 18
22 min
If there’s a topic not talked about all that much, it’s the topic of silence. The kind that says why speak up if you know that it won’t be received well and often makes things worse?
Today’s guest, Elaine Lin Hering, explores how we’ve learned to be silent, how we’ve benefited from silence, how we’ve silenced other people—and how we might choose another way.
She teaches ways to recognize and unlearn unconscious patterns so we can make more intentional choices about how we want to show up. Only by unlearning silence can we more fully unleash talent, speak our minds, and be more complete versions of ourselves…and help other people do the same.
Elaine’s new book releases next week on March 19 and you can pre-order it right now. It’s called Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Elaine and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
In today’s episode, I ask Elaine about:
* How peer pressure and our valuing sameness over uniqueness play a role in how we silence ourselves
* Some of the ways that we, often unintentionally, we silence others
* What she means when she says that unlearning silence isn’t always about speaking up
* And lots more!
Order Elaine’s Book
You can order your copy of Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully right now!
Consider Ordering My Book Too!
Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career. There, you can also download the introduction and first chapter for free!
Note-Making Mastery Cohort AND the Read to Lead Community
Note-Making Mastery Cohort is now available as a self-paced course! Check it out.
Also, consider giving ReadtoLead+ a try free for two weeks!
Books Elaine Recommends
Micro Activism by Omkari Williams
Check Out These Additional Resources
Mar 11
38 min
As I say in today’s podcast, I buy this author’s books before I even know what they’re about.
There are only a few of these kinds of authors on my list, but Michael Hyatt is one of them.
His latest effort is a book called The Vision Driven Leader: 10 Question to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team, and Scale Your Business.
It is, in my estimation, a book that EVERY leader needs to read, especially now, what with all that is going on in our world today (I’m looking at you COVID-19).
As Michael writes in the book, “…a mission defines what a business is, a vision describes where it’s going. Mission is here; vision is still out there. Mission is now; vision is next.”
The Vision Driven Leader takes you step-by-step from why to what and then how.
Your business will never be the same.
Click the play button below to join our conversation now, or keep scrolling for a summary.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | RSS
In today’s episode, Michael and I explore:
* How his company chose to address the coronavirus crisis and what you as a leader can learn from it
* Understanding what characteristics make for an inspiring vision
* How your vision plays into your strategy and even your productivity
* And lots more!
Michael’s New Book
You can order The Vision-Driven Leader: 10 Questions to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team, and Scale Your Business right now!
Michael in Action
Books Michael Recommends
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
Why Are We Yelling: The Art of Productive Disagreement by Buster Benson
Becoming a Professional Life Coach: Lessons From the Institute of Life Coach Training by Patrick Williams and Diane Menendez
Check Out These Additional Resources
Visit Michael’s website here for more about him and his work.
Be sure and grab your copy of Michael’s book now.
Grab over $600 in additional resources from Michael FREE when you purchase a copy (or several).
Connect with Michael on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Click to Tweet
Leave Us Your Feedback
Comment and Share
Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on <a title="RTLP in Stitcher" href="http://www.stitcher.
Mar 4
36 min
One of my favorite people to watch over the years has been Scott Miller. He interviews tons of wonderful authors for his podcasts and other projects. I learn something new every time I watch him work.
I’m thrilled to be able to welcome him back for the second time to Read to Lead. The first time was back in 2019.
This time we’re chatting about his new book (surprise!). It’s called Career On Course: 10 Strategies to Take Your Career from Accidental to Intentional.
Most careers, Scott says, unfold accidentally, haphazardly, and with too much serendipity. That means lost traction, lost years, and lost opportunities. But your career doesn’t have to be that way! Career on Course unpacks the 10 steps that will take your career from accidental to intentional.Drawing upon insights and best practices from three decades in professional and leadership development, Scott shares his proven process for creating a plan that empowers you to take control of your career.
The most successful professionals are those who have clarity, have a plan, live in accordance with their values, and know how to pivot in the face of disruption. Whether you’re just starting your career or you’ve found yourself stuck somewhere in the middle, this book will help you get your career on course
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Scott and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
In today’s episode, I ask Scott about:
* The foundational skill that permeates all 10 of his strategies
* The importance of making a distinction between your personal and your professional values
* How being a generalist or a specialist can and should shape your career path
* And lots more!
Order Scott’s Book
You can order your copy of Career On Course: 10 Strategies to Take Your Career from Accidental to Intentional right now!
Consider Ordering My Book Too!
Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career. There, you can also download the introduction and first chapter for free!
Note-Making Mastery Cohort AND the Read to Lead Community
<a href="http://jeffbrown.
Feb 26
36 min
Inside my online community, ReadtoLead+ members get access to a wide range of personal and professional development resources, including articles I publish not available anywhere else.
One of those articles I published just yesterday and I’ve decided to share it here in audio form to help give you a sense of the kind of content you’ll find inside, should you desire to join us as a member.
By the way, you can try it free for two weeks. Just go here.
If you decide to stay after your trial is up, it’s just $9 a month.
The topic of today’s podcast episode is leadership. But not just any kind of leadership. I’m talking specifically about Servant Leadership.
What is Servant Leadership exactly?
I posed that question to ChatGPT. Here is its response:
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy where the primary goal of the leader is to serve others, prioritizing the growth and well-being of their team members and the communities to which they belong. It flips the traditional leadership model on its head, emphasizing the importance of humility, empathy, and the collective over the individual. Through traits like active listening, empathy, healing, awareness, and persuasion, servant leaders foster an environment of trust, collaboration, and mutual respect, driving organizational success from a foundation of shared values and goals.
Did you catch the Servant Leader traits ChatGPT referenced? Those traits are, in fact, the five I believe to be most important for Servant Leaders.
For the full rundown of my philosophy on each of these, just click the play button below.
Click the play button below to listen to the episode
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Comment and Share
Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others.
We encourage you to join the Read to Lead Nation on Facebook. It’s a community of like-minded leaders and leader-to-be, as well as fans of the Read to Lead Podcast.
You can tell your friends on Twitter about your love of reading and our new podcast by simply clicking this link and sharing the tweet you’ll find at the other end.
And, by all means, if you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page.
Finally,
Feb 19
22 min
For the second week in a row, I’m delighted to welcome a guest whose book made my list of the 9 books I’m most looking forward to this year.
That guest is the University of Georgia’s Malissa Clark. She’s written a new book, released just last week, called Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It.
Malissa says that many workers believe that, in order to compete with other top talent, they must embrace a culture that rewards long hours and a constant connection to work.
In fact, businesses and society endorse busyness, overwork, and extreme commitment as the most valued traits in workers. Sometimes that endorsement is explicit. More often it’s an implicit contract, a buildup of organizational and cultural norms and the adoption of new technologies that make it easy to tether people to work.
Either way, this workaholic behavior is unhealthy and counterproductive for workers and for organizations. And, according to Malissa, it’s time to fight back.
She shows you how to escape the trap of putting work at the center of everything and thus losing your well-being—or your company’s performance—in the process.
Her book is deeply researched and written for everyone from leaders to individual contributors. You might say Never Not Working is the essential guide to identifying workaholism in yourself and others and starting on the road to recovery.
I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Malissa and her work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.
Join in on our chat below
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
In today’s episode, I ask Malissa about:
* The telltale signs or characteristics of overworkers
* What science says about why workaholism is so detrimental, especially to people around the workaholic
* The tendencies of a workaholic and how to counteract them
* And lots more!
Order Malissa’s Book
You can order your copy of Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It right now!
Consider Ordering My Book Too!
Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Y...
Feb 12
40 min
Load more