📚 Wisdom that Inspires Life

According to John Metselaar ↴↴↴

In my quest to better understand, appreciate, live and love life over my 30+ years career, I have devoured books seeking wisdom on a range of topics including (personal) leadership, culture, balance, change, business, innovation, history. One of my leaders referred to me as “scholar”! 
I then find myself applying helpful and inspiring insights and concepts, as well as referring to them in my classes, lectures, and speeches. I increasingly get asked for reference of the books I talk about, and I have decided to pull them together for easier, and consistent, sharing.
Here you go – my list. I hope it will help you in your personal growth journey.

And remember: “Leaders are Readers” (which means, more fundamentally, “Learners”)!

(Personal) Leadership
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven Covey 
(Growth) Mindset, the New Psychology of Success - Carol Dweck 
The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life - Ben and Rosamund Zanders
The Gifts or Imperfection and Daring Greatly, and more - Brene Brown 
Thinking Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman 
Various, incl. “Servant Leadership” - Ken Blanchard 

Intrinsic Motivation and Engagement
Flow and Good Business - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi 
Drive (or watch the YouTube version) - Daniel Pink 

Balance
A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle 
The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz 
The Joy of Not Working - Ernie J. Zelinski (for your future)

Collaborative Culture, Structuring
The Fearless Organization - Amy Edmondson 
The Fifth Discipline - Peter Senge 
Team of Teams - Stanley McChrystal
Unlocking the Slices of Genius in Your Organization (HBR article) - Linda Hill et al. 
The Culture Map - Erin Meyer 

Innovation
Little Bets - Peter Sims 
The Innovator’s Solution (and “….. Dilemma”) - Clayton Christensen 
The Corporate Start Up - Tendayi Viki et al. 
Ten Types of Innovation - Larry Keeley 
Business Model Generation (w Canvas) - Alexander Osterwalder 
The Innovators (the history of Digital) - Walter Isaacson 
Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jared Diamond  

Purpose, Strategy
Start with Why - Simon Sinek 
Exploring Strategy - Gerry Johnson et al. 
Strategy Rules - David Yoffie, Michael Cusumano 

Happy reading :)

John Metselaar
Professor of Innovation at Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management
Leader Innovation & Digital Transformation Institute,
Speaker, Senior Advisor,
ex-Director P&G.

An all-round Innovation Expert with almost 30 years of global experience in the consumer goods industry (Procter & Gamble). A track record of innovation-driven results through leadership of programs and development of people and organizations across the globe. On the ground working experience in Europe, North America, and Asia. Built specific expertise in Innovation Leadership: how leaders assume accountability to build an organizational culture deep into their organizations – where each individual is in flow, growing amazing relationships in winning teams that produce breakthrough results. Recently directed experiences and expertise to help leaders connect with self and their people to make their organizations thrive in today’s VUCA times – as well as inspire juniors to aspire be such leaders.