Experts > Dan Rockwell

Dan Rockwell's Top Book Recommendations

Want to know what books Dan Rockwell recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Dan Rockwell's favorite book recommendations of all time.

1
Build a world-class team culture with proven principles from renowned "Follow My Lead" podcaster and business leader John Eades

***Ranked #1 Best New Management Book to Read in 2019 by Book Authority***

Organizational culture has undergone a seismic shift in the 21st century--and with it, the requirements of leadership. In Building the Best, LearnLoft CEO John Eades takes you on a journey of transformation that will equip you with the tools you need to become the kind of cutting-edge leader today's workplace so urgently needs.
more
Recommended by Dan Rockwell, and 1 others.

Dan RockwellLove John's book!! https://t.co/uZGj6XfAtT (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

2
Recommended by Jim Massey, Dan Rockwell, and 2 others.

Jim MasseyAmy Jen Su's helpful frameworks apply to the complicated issues we all grapple with as leaders. The Leader You Want to Be enables readers to show up as their best selves at work, at home, and as they go out into the world. (Source)

Dan RockwellLove Amy's book. I received a pre-pub version. It rocks. https://t.co/CTde78XZ22 (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

3
For a Better Life, Close the Gaps!
We all want to make a difference. But just as you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping other passengers on an airplane, getting your own life together is the first step to making a positive impact in the world. Franklin Covey cofounder Hyrum Smith shows that what stops us are gaps between where we are and where we want to be. The first is the Beliefs Gap, between what we believe to be true and what is actually true. The second is the Values Gap, between what we value most in life and what we actually spend our life doing. The third is the...
more
Recommended by Dan Rockwell, and 1 others.

See more recommendations for this book...

4
Caring Is a Competitive Advantage
Suffering in the workplace can rob our colleagues and coworkers of humanity, dignity, and motivation and is an unrecognized and costly drain on organizational potential. Marshaling evidence from two decades of field research, scholars and consultants Monica Worline and Jane Dutton show that alleviating such suffering confers measurable competitive advantages in areas like innovation, collaboration, service quality, and talent attraction and retention. They outline four steps for meeting suffering with compassion and show how to build a capacity for...
more
Recommended by Dan Rockwell, and 1 others.

See more recommendations for this book...

5
As a serial entrepreneur, Kevin Kruse has seen time and again that the leadership practices that actually work are the opposite of what is commonly taught and implemented. Close Your Open Door Policy shows how a contrarian approach can be a better, faster, and easier way to succeed as a leader.

Chapter by chapter, Kruse focuses on a piece of popular wisdom, then shows with real-world case studies and quantitative research that the opposite approach will lead to better results, encouraging leaders to play favorites, stay out of meetings, and, of course, close their open doors.
less
Recommended by Dan Rockwell, and 1 others.

Dan RockwellGotta love Kevin Kruse's new book, GREAT LEADERS HAVE NO RULES. @Kruse Close your open door policy Play favorites Lead with love https://t.co/J7LXBSZJcL #leadership #books (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

6

Leaders Eat Last

The highly anticipated follow-up to Simon Sinek’s global bestseller Start with Why Simon Sinek is an optimist, a visionary thinker, and a leader of the cultural revolution of WHY. His second book is the natural extension of Start with Why, expanding his ideas at the organizational level. Determining a company’s WHY is crucial, but only the beginning. The next step is how do you get people on board with your WHY? How do you inspire deep trust and commitment to the company and one another? He cites the Marine Corps for having found a way to build a culture in which men and... more

Intern JohnMy parents got me this book, love it, and suggest you read! #leadership #leader https://t.co/AI4Yr5Szqi (Source)

AnneMarie SchindlerI picked up Leaders Eat Last when I was going through a lot of transition at work. Our organization had experienced a significant scandal; the leadership team which I really respected was turning over; my direct boss and mentor was leaving; And I was still charged with managing one of the bigger teams in the organization. I would read this quote over and over again to guide my everyday,"the true... (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

7
Do people see you as the kind of leader you want to be? Are your strongest leadership qualities getting in the way of your greatness?

After decades of advising and inspiring some of the most eminent chief executives in the world, Lolly Daskal has uncovered a startling pattern: within each leader are powerful abilities that are also hidden impediments to greatness. She's witnessed many highly driven, overachieving leaders rise to prominence fueled by well-honed skill sets, only to falter when the shadow sides of the same skills emerge.

Now Daskal reveals her...
more
Recommended by Dan Rockwell, Susan Suehr, and 2 others.

Susan SuehrExcellent book. Full of leadership insights! A must in your library. Originally bought on kindle & had to buy a hard copy. https://t.co/3eI7NidboR (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

8
Coaching is an essential skill for leaders. But for most busy, overworked managers, coaching employees is done badly, or not at all.  They’re just too busy, and it’s too hard to change.

But what if managers could coach their people in 10 minutes or less?

In Michael Bungay Stanier’s The Coaching Habit, coaching becomes a regular, informal part of your day so managers and their teams can work less hard and have more impact.

Coaching is an art and it’s far easier said than done. It takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, provide an answer,...
more

Scott PerryMichael Bungay-Stanier’s The Coaching Habit was the first book I read when I received the altMBA6 “care package.” It delivers a system for developing worthwhile habits and engagements that I found compelling and effective. I use the seven question system Michael teaches in my work as a guitar teacher, life coach, and musical collaborator. (Source)

Brene BrownCoaching is an art and it's far easier said than done. It takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, provide and answer, or unleash a solution. giving another person the opportunity to find their own way, make their own mistakes, and create their own wisdom is both brave and vulnerable. In this practical and inspiring book, Michael shares seven transformative questions that can... (Source)

Armina SirbuThe Coaching Habit by M. Stanier - for people who need to coach their teams. (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

9
“Most people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving. . . . Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.”
 
The Go-Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be. Desperate to land a key sale at the end of a bad quarter, he seeks advice from the enigmatic Pindar, a legendary consultant referred to by his many devotees sim­ply as the Chairman.
...
more

Dave Ramsey[Dave Ramsey recommended this book on his website.] (Source)

Nick LoperThe one I refer people to the most is probably The Go-Giver, which is about being genuinely helpful first without any expectation of reward. I started my first real business for the noble goal of making money, and by luck, it worked out. Afterward I started several others that flopped. Why? They just weren't that helpful. When I read this, it really solidified a shift in thinking to an attitude... (Source)

Tim FargoThe Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea. https://t.co/1N9nCvQ6lG via @BobBurg #book #leadership #business https://t.co/j23Hfka0yQ (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

10

Steve Jobs

From the author of the bestselling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, this is the exclusive, New York Times bestselling biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal...
more

Elon MuskQuite interesting. (Source)

Bill Gates[On Bill Gates's reading list in 2012.] (Source)

Gary VaynerchukI've read 3 business books in my life. If you call [this book] a business book. (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read Dan Rockwell's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11
Great ideas don't matter if you can't execute--bestselling leadership expert Mark Miller offers a proven, research-based method for creating workplaces where everyone performs at the highest level.

All high performance organizations have one thing in common: execution. The men and women who work there sustain performance at seemingly otherworldly levels of precision, accuracy, and consistency. In the fifth and final book of Mark Miller's High Performance series, he uses his trademark business fable format to show how any organization can cultivate the kind of everyday habits...
more
Recommended by Becky Robinson, Dan Rockwell, and 2 others.

Becky RobinsonLooking for a great resource on strategy #execution? Check out @LeadersServe's new book, #WinEveryDay: Proven Practices for Extraordinary Results. Pre-order on @Amazon >>> https://t.co/2H3DZd8B06 https://t.co/WUrzCZNnVI (Source)

Dan RockwellToday is your last chance to win Mark Miller's latest book. Win Every Day 20 copies available!! I'm betting you'll love it. Thanks to @weaveinfluence for help with this #bookgiveaway https://t.co/PdmD2U6yXB #leadership #bookgiveaway https://t.co/w7aQOXDI14 (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

12

Grit

In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, students, and business people both seasoned and new that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit.

Why do some people succeed and others fail? Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. Rather, other factors can be even more crucial such as identifying our passions and following through on our commitments.

Drawing on...
more

Benjamin Spall[Question: What five books would you recommend to youngsters interested in your professional path?] [...] Grit by Angela Duckworth (Source)

Bogdan LucaciuGrit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - it was frustrating to read: “Where was this book 20 years ago!?” (Source)

Stephen LewWhen asked what books he would recommend to youngsters interested in his professional path, Stephen mentioned Grit. (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

Don't have time to read Dan Rockwell's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.