Kip Tindell's Book Recommendations (Updated for 2021)

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

Conscious Capitalism

Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business

John Mackey, Rajendra Sisodia, Bill George | 4.14

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller

In this book, Whole Foods Market cofounder John Mackey and professor and Conscious Capitalism, Inc. cofounder Raj Sisodia argue for the inherent good of both business and capitalism. Featuring some of today’s best-known companies, they illustrate how these two forces can—and do—work most powerfully to create value for all stakeholders: including customers, employees, suppliers, investors, society, and the environment.

These "�Conscious Capitalism" companies include Whole Foods Market, Southwest Airlines, Costco, Google, Patagonia, The...

Recommended by Kip Tindell, Virginia LeBlanc, and 2 others.

Kip TindellTindell is actually close friends with Mackey, who is the co-author of this book and co-CEO of Whole Foods Market. According to Tindell, both men believe in conscious capitalism. They say that when everyone wins, the business is most profitable and there should be no losses. (Source)

Virginia LeBlancI guess I would choose Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey and Raj Sisodia for the brilliant, reachable, utopian view of free-enterprise capitalism with a mind toward higher purpose and humanistic virtues in business. (Source)

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Everybody Matters

The Only Business Idea with Truly Unlimited Potential

Bob Chapman, Raj Sisodia | 4.30

Much studied CEO Bob Chapman and bestselling author Raj Sisodia take on one of the greatest misconceptions of modern business—that leadership starts with getting the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off). Real leader enable the people already on the bus to achieve extraordinary things.

Too many companies focus only on producing the best products; Bob Chapman says we should put our efforts into bringing out the best in the people who produce them. Over the past few decades, he has transformed Barry-Wehmiller from a broken one-hundred-year-old manufacturing business into a thriving global firm, by acquiring challenged companies and leading them in creating a better future.

However, instead of using cost cuts, cosmetic changes, financial hijinks and major layoffs, Chapman did it by inspiring the people within the business around a shared vision of a better tomorrow. When he looks into a challenged company, he usually sees disenfranchised team members, undeveloped value, unheard complaints, and a lack of inspiration. As he frequently points out, seven out of eight people believe the company they work for does not care about them. Chapman advocates creating environments teeming with care, compassion, and human connection to bring out the best in the employees. When that happens, both the business and its people flourish.

In this book, Chapman and Sisodia challenge traditional thinking about how to run a business and, above all, how to be an inspirational leader. Through actual stories and proven how-to techniques, you’ll see how the cultural transformation Chapman championed throughout Barry-Wehmiller became the fuel for its robust growth and created meaningful work and personal fulfillment for its team members. From the establishment of an organizational vision to adopting continuous improvement processes to drive that vision deep to empowering employees through education, recognition, collaboration, communication, and more, you’ll get simple, straightforward, practical techniques to create thriving work environments grounded in people-first leadership. You’ll be inspired and equipped with actionable build a better organization and a better world. less

Recommended by Simon Sinek, Doug McMillon, Kip Tindell, and 4 others.

Simon SinekBob Chapman's new book just came out! He is a remarkable example of how a company SHOULD run: putting people first. (Source)

Doug McMillonRead some wonderful and enlightening books this year. (Source)

Kip TindellBob and Raj beautifully illustrate the important intersection of business and the true essence of the human spirit. One company, one employee at a time, Barry-Wehmiller is changing the world—and the world of business! If this model can be successful in manufacturing, it can be successful anywhere. (Source)

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Permission to Screw Up

How I Learned to Lead by Doing (Almost) Everything Wrong

Kristen Hadeed, Simon Sinek | 4.54

The inspiring, unlikely, laugh-out-loud story of how one woman learned to lead–and how she ultimately succeeded, not despite her many mistakes, but because of them.

This is the story of how Kristen Hadeed built Student Maid, a cleaning company where people are happy, loyal, productive, and empowered, even while they’re mopping floors and scrubbing toilets. It’s the story of how she went from being an almost comically inept leader to a sought-after CEO who teaches others how to lead.

Hadeed unintentionally launched Student Maid while attending college ten years... more

Recommended by Susan Cain, Seth Godin, Kip Tindell, and 3 others.

Susan CainIf you’re looking for the sunshine and rainbows version of success, this isn’t the story for you. If you’re looking for the down-to-earth, nitty-gritty, honest journey of a leader, proceed to chapter 1. (Source)

Seth GodinA brave and generous book, the ideal antidote to the perfection and invulnerability we pretend are essential to succeed. (Source)

Kip TindellPermission to Screw Up pulls back the curtains and reveals what it’s really like to be a leader—a must read for anyone who wants to start a company. Kristen isn’t afraid to own up to the mistakes she’s made along the way, and encourages us to do the same. (Source)

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Kip Tindell's Top Book Recommendations

Conscious Capitalism

Everybody Matters

Permission to Screw Up

Don't have time to read Kip Tindell's favorite books? Read Shortform summaries.