“The most notable trait of great leaders, certainly of great change leaders… is their quest for learning.”

Leader to Leader,
Frances Hesselbein &
Paul M. Cohen
 
“Leading for execution is not rocket science. It’s very straightforward stuff. The main requirement is that you as a leader have to be deeply and passionately engaged in your organization and honest about its realities with others and yourself.”

Execution: The Discipline of
Getting Things Done,
Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan
 
“…an employee may join a company because of its prestige and reputation, but his relationship with his immediate manager determines how long he stays and how productive he is while he is there.”

First, Break All the Rules,
Marcus Buckingham
& Curt Coffman
 

GOVERNANCE
Harvard Business Review on Corporate Governance
A collection of articles on the difficult leadership, strategy and policy questions within an organization.

Corporate Boards: New Strategies For Adding Value at the Top
Conger, Lawler & Finegold
A discussion of the roles boards should play in the twenty-first century organization. Presents a framework that focuses on the factors that influence effective governance behavior – information, knowledge, power, rewards and opportunity.

Corporate Boards That Create Value
John Carver & Caroline Oliver
Serious reading for people who are serious about changing corporate governance. The authors outline a broader set of duties for a responsible, more effective board, including the practice of setting management expectations and evaluating performance.
LEADERSHIP
First, Break All of the Rules
Buckingham & Coffman
The Gallup Organization conducted over 80,000 interviews to identify what great managers do differently. These managers excel at turning each employee’s talents into performance.

Now, Discover Your Strengths
Buckingham & Clifton
A follow-up to First, Break All of the Rules, this book helps to identify individual strengths and talents using a web interview. Provides insights into leveraging them for individual development, as a manager and for your organization.

The Cycle of Leadership: How Great Leaders Teach Their Companies to Win
Tichy & Cardwell
Leading companies develop interactive teaching and learning strategies to encourage the creation and sharing of knowledge. Details how successful organizations foster knowledge exchange and develop smart, aligned and energetic workforces.
EXECUTION
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
Bossidy & Charan
The discipline of execution links people, strategy and operations. Leading these processes is the real job of running a business. Leaders need to be deeply engaged in an organization and encourage robust dialogue.

Business @ the Speed of Stupid: How to Avoid Technology Disasters
Burke & Morrison
Technology offers limitless possibilities for business application yet countless executives are blindsided by costly mistakes. This book examines past practices and presents a framework for survival.