Books for executive clients
I am off to the International Coach Federation annual conference this week.
Inevitably, I shall return with more of the latest books.
I thought you might like suggestions for a basic reference list for executive coaching clients.
- Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey, is my recommendation as a starter text for anybody. It is particularly relevant for a new coaching client as it covers all practical aspects of personal development. First published 20 years ago, it has established itself as a classic.
- NLP at Work by Sue Knight has just been republished in its third and further extended edition. This book was the first quality NLP book by an English author. It is a simple, straightforward read, with the benefit of its direct application into the world of work.
- Built to Last – successful habits of visionary companies by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras is another classic. Unlike many business books, this book is based on practical research, identifying the definitive characteristics of companies that have survived for more than 50 years. It has been followed by Good to Great, which explains how to build such a company, but I prefer to go to first principles first and discover what it takes.
- Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play is the first of series of time management books by Mark Foster, all of which are highly individualistic and recommended.
- Any of the One Minute Manager series is worth recommending; they are an easy read, accessible and powerful.
- I have recently read The World is Flat by Thomas L Friedman. This is an excellent review of globalisation, setting the business and political world in context. I found it fascinating, and strongly recommend it as background reading.
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni is a leadership fable. I find that, for many business and leadership lessons, such stories are a most effective approach. The lessons in this book provide an excellent analysis of team building – and most people are either in a team, or leading a team.
- As you probably know, I am a master practitioner of Wealth Dynamics. Roger Hamilton’s book Your Life Your Legacy explains the different ways in which some of the world’s most successful business people have achieved their success. It is valuable to individuals, and also explains the basis for successful teams.
- For personal success, I recommend T Harv Eker’s little book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.
- Finally, for people interested in a different approach to coaching, I recommend Tim Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Work. Not only does this book apply Gallwey’s inner game theories to the workplace, but it also includes a personal analysis tool in which he suggests that you think like the CEO of your own life. How many shares have you given away?
- One more! If you have any interest in consulting, then you must study Peter Block’s Flawless Consulting. You might discover that you are not a consultant at all. However, it gives you an excellent structure for managing a consulting project. Peter Block is a keynote speaker at the ICF conference this week.
