What exciting plans do you have this summer? A trip to France, Australia, or somewhere closer to home? If you plan to catch up on your reading, add these 11 non-fiction books to your “to-be-read” pile – brief highlights appear in this post in no specific order. Without a doubt, they will provide food for thought whether you read them at home or on vacation!
LEADERSHIP LESSONS: IN LIFE AND THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS by Bill Shumard
I met Bill Shumard while in high school and served as an intern in the Community Services Department at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, when he served as Director. We re-connected 10 years ago (which was 30 years later!) when we were both working for Los Angeles nonprofits with aligned missions. If you’re a Dodgers fan, you’ll appreciate Bill’s “13-Year Doctoral Degree” detailed in his book that showcased the Dodgers as an enviable employer brand that understands the importance of positive employee experiences.
My two favorite memories of working for Bill showcased his omniscient leadership: (1) when he assigned me the task of interviewing a famous Dodgers pitcher while sitting in the dugout during batting practice one summer afternoon, and (2) when he assigned me the task of accompanying two players to a “meet and greet” at a department store in Hollywood. During both assignments, Bill had confidence in my abilities and sent me on my way toward success.
As he stated in his book, “Manage relationships in all directions – UP (your supervisor and senior leadership); ACROSS (with your colleagues and the customer); and DOWN (when you’re fortunate to manage other people). Your integrity, willingness to lead AND serve, and ability to be a good teammate will help you grow as a leader.” Bill’s teachings have served me well during my career.
SHARE THIS: Integrity, willingness to lead AND serve, and ability to be a good teammate will help you grow as a leader. ~Bill Shumard #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog
EMPLOYEE UNDERSTANDING: A THREE-PILLAR FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGNING A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND DRIVING BUSINESS SUCCESS by Annette Franz
Known as a customer experience expert, Annette Franz tackles the employee experience in this, her third book. As the book description says, “Companies invest heavily in understanding their customers – but what about their employees? When organizations fail to listen, engage, and support their workforce, they risk high turnover, low morale, and disengagement. But when they prioritize Employee Understanding, they unlock higher performance, stronger retention, and better customer experiences.”
My favorite part of the book addressed how employees, not leaders, can make a difference to fix a toxic culture. Since most people (leaders included) think culture can only be changed from the top down, this was an important mantra: “lead by example, open and honest communication, advocate for change, mentorship and support, encourage respect and inclusivity, seek training and development, promote work-life balance, self-care and resilience, support leadership initiatives, and if needed, look for a new job.”
SHARE THIS: Culture is how employees’ hearts and stomachs feel about Monday morning on Sunday night. ~Bill Marklein via @AnnetteFranz #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog
ATTACK FROM WITHIN: HOW DISINFORMATION IS SABOTAGING AMERICA by Barbara McQuade
According to the author’s website, “Disinformation is designed to evoke a strong emotional response to push us toward more extreme views, unable to find common ground with others. The false claims that led to the breathtaking attack on our Capitol in 2020 may have been only a dress rehearsal. Attack from Within shows us how to prevent it from happening again.”
When I asked Barbara here on my blog in September 2024 what three take-aways she hoped readers would have, she responded as follows:
“First, I hope to raise awareness that certain tactics have been used throughout history to manipulate the public: blaming scapegoats, undermining critics, using fear, and more. Once we can recognize these tactics, we are less likely to be manipulated by them.
Second, I hope that readers will see the real harms caused to American society by disinformation. Lies and misleading claims are eroding democracy, public safety, and the rule of law. For example, false claims of a stolen election have led to laws in many states making it more difficult to vote. I expect we will see false content generated by AI in the upcoming election. I worry that claims that prosecutors are "weaponizing" the criminal justice system will lead to a loss of confidence in the legitimacy of law enforcement and the courts, leading to vigilante violence, just as we saw on January 6th.
Third, I hope that readers will choose to put truth over tribe. Today, it seems that some people don't care about the facts. They care only about winning. But blind allegiance to a political party is not democracy. We need to encourage independent thinking over the idea that our political system is us-versus-them. As Americans, parties are rivals, but not enemies. We are all in this together.”
SHARE THIS: Too often, people think of leadership as rock star adulation. Instead, leadership means doing the quiet little things necessary to empower others. ~@BarbMcQuade #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog
48 DAYS TO THE WORK AND LIFE YOU LOVE – FIND IT OR CREATE IT by DAN MILLER
This book was recommended by Joseph Lalonde, who’s appeared on my blog four times and whose interesting interpretations of leadership have been at the core of two of my blog series.
As the book began, the author asked, “Do you do your work only because of its paycheck? Do you long to leave for something more enjoyable? Have you tried another path only to return to what is more familiar? A job should not define who or what you are…Your calling is a much larger concept than what you do daily to create income. Work opportunities come and go. The direction of your life should remain constant.”
SHARE THIS: Playing it safe is like body surfing in two feet of water. You may not drown, but you’re also not deep enough to catch any waves.” ~Robert Kriegel via Dan Miller #DebbieLaskeysBlog
WHO IS GOVERNMENT – THE UNTOLD STORY OF PUBLIC SERVICE by MICHAEL LEWIS
If you’re a graduate of political science (like me) or simply a political observer (and let’s face it, during these crazy political times, who isn’t?), then this is the book for you! Since I don’t want to spoil the stories told in this book, instead, I’ll share the synopsis from the book flap, “The vivid profiles in this book blow up the stereotype of the irrelevant bureaucrat. They show how the essential business of government makes our lives possible, and how much it matters…The stories inside this book are unexpected, riveting, and inspiring, including a former coal miner devoted to making mine roofs less likely to collapse, saving thousands of lives; an IRS agent straight out of a crime thriller; and the manager who made the National Cemetery Administration the best-run organization, public or private, in the entire country.” Now, doesn’t this sound like a book you want to read?
SHARE THIS: Writers write the words, but readers decide their meaning. ~Michael Lewis #writing #reading #inspiration #DebbieLaskeysBlog
WE THE MEN – HOW FORGETTING WOMEN’S STRUGGLES FOR EQUALITY PERPETUATES INEQUALITY by JILL ELAINE HASDAY
According to this book’s flap, this is the first book “to explore how forgetting women’s struggles for equality – and forgetting the work America still has to do – perpetuates injustice, promotes complacency, and denies how generations of women have had to come together to fight for reform against regression…The stories in this book highlight the persistence of women’s inequality and make clear that real progress has always required women to disrupt the status quo, demand change, and duel with determined opponents.”
As Hasday asked readers, did you know that a 2021 survey of federal courthouses found that, more than 165 were named after men, and only four were named after a woman? She elaborated, “Commemorations are not just decorative flourishes or scenery. They shape the vision of America that we carry around with us, which is why generations of women have fought to reconstruct the commemorative landscape and why they have faced such persistent resistance.” In addition, “a 2019 count found that a woman’s name was on less than twelve percent of the post offices honoring individuals – just 98 out of 823.” And lastly, “a 2017 survey found that only nine out of the 411 national park sites (2.2 percent) commemorated women’s history.”
Hasday also shared this disappointing fact, “Congress has never designated a public holiday to celebrate an important woman in American history or to recognize women’s struggles against sex discrimination.” By contrast, how many times have you had work holidays on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day and President’s Day?
In addition, another problem is the pay gap between men and women. In 2003, a woman earned 75.5 cents per each dollar a man earned. In 2023, the amount has barely increased and was 82.7 cents for each dollar a man earned.
And as Hasday wrote in her ending, “Pursuing justice for women has always required sustained mobilization against entrenched resistance…Feminists still have many battles to win as we work to transform a nation whose promises of empowering WE THE PEOPLE have too often been limited to WE THE MEN.”
SHARE THIS: Real progress has always required women to disrupt the status quo, demand change, and duel with determined opponents. ~Jill Elaine Hasday #WomensEquality #equalpayforequalwork #DebbieLaskeysBlog
AMERICAN WOMAN – THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE MODERN FIRST LADY FROM HILLARY CLINTON TO JILL BIDEN by KATIE ROGERS
As a lifelong bibliophile, I appreciated how author Katie Rogers described Jill Biden, the only First Lady who continued to work – as a community college teacher – while living in the White House, “Jill, a teacher, is always reading – and when she is not reading, she is often grading papers…despite her love of the beach, she is not a fan of beach reads, gravitating instead toward heftier works of fiction or volumes of poetry.”
And when Rogers asked Biden what prepared her for the sort of life she’s lived including as First Lady, Biden replied, “Because you have to. They want you to be strong. Because a lot of times they can’t…But if they can look at their First Lady as someone who is strong and can help them through a struggle, whether it’s depression, whether they’re suffering from an illness, whether their child has been shot at a school, you have to be strong.”
How many other First Ladies have this core belief?
SHARE THIS: Jill Biden, a teacher, is always reading. ~Katie Rogers #readingopensminds #JillBiden #DebbieLaskeysBlog
WHEN WOMEN LEAD – WHAT THEY ACHIEVE, WHY THEY SUCCEED, AND HOW WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM by JULIA BOORSTIN
Fellow blogger and leadership expert Eric Jacobson shared a review about this book earlier this year, and it intrigued me.
Eric wrote, “Boorstin shares that whether you’re a woman looking to rise in your organization or taking on a new leadership position, or a male leader looking to empower women in your organization, this book is for you. It's essential to see the data about the financial benefit of having women in leadership roles – there are a range of studies that have found that having diversity in gender and race in the C-suite and in boards improves corporate performance, that female founders yield higher returns to investors, and that having diversity among investors improves their performance as well. Boorstin’s book will resonate with women and inspire them to unlock their strengths, but it may be even more important for men to read, to help them to succeed in this fast-changing business world. [Lastly,] it’s also important for men to understand the challenges women face around stereotypes. If men can see how much unconscious bias is holding women back, [hopefully] the more they’ll be able to unlock the opportunity by investing in women.”
SHARE THIS: If men can see how much unconscious bias is holding women back, the more they’ll be able to unlock the opportunity by investing in women. ~Julia Boorstin via @EricJacobsonKC #equalityforwomen #DebbieLaskeysBlog
YOU’RE THE BOSS – BECOME THE MANAGER YOU WANT TO BE (AND OTHERS NEED) by SABINA NAWAZ
As Nawaz states in her introduction, “Whether you’re a new manager or have been in the C-suite for years, this book is a guide to empower you with a wealth of tactics and strategies essential for thriving in every stage of your career. By unearthing and meeting all the unknown forces head-on, you will have the clarity and confidence at your disposal to show up in every interaction as a world-class boss.”
When Nawaz first arrived in the United States, she was confused by things that she had not experienced in her home country. Some examples included a water fountain at Boston’s airport and also wondering if a fire hydrant were actually a mailbox (it was not). She shared those instances of disorientation to demonstrate how difficult it can be as a new boss when propelled into a position of authority.
According to Nawaz, “The takeaway for you as a manager is that you can and should continue to be the best in your role – you just don’t have to be the ONLY best. You don’t have to outdo your team. Each team member has their own role. In an abundance mindset, there’s plenty of space in the talent pool to invite those who work for you to join you.”
SHARE THIS: In an abundance mindset, there’s plenty of space in the talent pool to invite those who work for you to join you. ~Sabina Nawaz #Manager #Leadership #DebbieLaskeysBlog
HOW BRANDS BECOME ICONS – THE PRINCIPLES OF CULTURAL BRANDING by DOUGLAS B. HOLT
Due to ever-changing technology and instant news coverage, it’s always a good idea for individuals (with personal brands) and corporate brands to take stock of their brand identities, brand messaging, brand strategies, brand storytelling, and brand experiences. This is a good book for such an exercise.
As the author explains, “The Oxford English Dictionary defines a cultural icon as “a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol, especially of a culture or a movement; a person or an institution considered worthy of admiration or respect. More generally, cultural icons are exemplary symbols that people accept as a shorthand to represent important ideas.”
He ended the book, “The greatest opportunity for brands today is to deliver not entertainment, but rather myths that their customers can use to manage the exigencies of a world that increasingly threatens their identities. To do so, companies would do well to follow the lead of the most successful brands of the last half-century rather than throw their marketing budgets at Hollywood. Brands become cultural icons by performing myths that address society’s most vexing contradictions.”
SHARE THIS: Brand managers must act as composers of a brand’s myth. ~Douglas B. Holt #iconicbrands #brand experience #DebbieLaskeysBlog
SHARE THIS: Brands become cultural icons by performing myths that address society’s most vexing contradictions. ~Douglas B. Holt #iconicbrands #brand experience #DebbieLaskeysBlog
THE NEW OLD: CRAFTING YOUR BEST LATER LIFE by ERIKA ANDERSEN
I met Erika Andersen 15 years ago on Twitter/X, and since then, I’ve read all of her leadership books and gained a wealth of leadership and business secrets that lead to success. She’s appeared here on my blog in Q&A’s plus book reviews a total of 13 times! And one of her Forbes articles served as inspiration for my recent Spring Leadership Series of 2025, which featured 25 thought leaders.
Erika’s newest book “reimagines aging as the most liberating chapter yet.” In her 70’s, Erika (and her husband) moved to Spain, learned Spanish – and even read the Harry Potter series in Spanish! In this new book, she looks at aging and proposes ways to “craft your best later life.”
Erika wrote, “In my mid-60s, when I started thinking about eventually retiring from work, I began getting anxious about that idea. As soon as I noticed my anxiety, I made the effort to name my fear (step 1). And what I saw after some self-reflection was that I didn’t know who I would be if I wasn’t working many hours a week as “the founder and CEO of Proteus.” I had spent decades with that as a big and important (to me) part of my identity – and the idea of not having that was scary. I asked myself what was the worst thing that could happen to me in this situation (step 2), and I realized that it was the possibility of not having a clear sense of identity and not having impact or influence, that is, not making any positive difference in the world. I then thought about how I could make that outcome less likely, and I understood that I needed to clarify what I wanted my post-work identity to be (step 3).
I started by summarizing my curiosity about my later-life identity into a simple question. That question was, “How can I become what comes after the butterfly?” Here’s how I came to that: up to that point, I had been thinking of my life as being like the evolution of a caterpillar to a butterfly. I saw my childhood and youth as the caterpillar stage, and it seemed to me that the deeply self-reflective time I spent in a spiritual community in my twenties was “being in the cocoon.” I saw being the mother of my children and founder and CEO of my company as my butterfly stage. However, unlike an actual butterfly, I was now seeing that stage wasn’t the end for me: I had to discover and build my next stage of evolution.”
So, as Erika asks, "What comes after the butterfly stage in your life?" A very good question for all of us to consider – when we still have the ability to take action.
SHARE THIS: Being the boss of your life is a powerful antidote to society’s limiting and limited expectations of old people. ~@erikaandersen #TheNewOld #DebbieLaskeysBlog
Lastly, if you’d like some recommendations for recently-published works of fiction, check out the following by some of my favorite fiction authors:
THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLLETTE MARCEAU by KRISTIN HARMEL
DON’T OPEN YOUR EYES by LIV CONSTANTINE
KING OF ASHES by S.A. COSBY
DON’T LET HIM IN by LISA JEWELL
VERA WONG’S GUIDE TO SNOOPING (ON A DEAD MAN) by JESSE Q. SUTANTO
Have a great summer – and HAPPY READING!
Image Credit: Debbie Laskey’s Library.
Read Eric Jacobson’s review of WHEN WOMEN LEAD:
https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2024/12/when-women-lead.html
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