Top 10 books of 2018
Great books give us energy, reflection, and perspective. In my recent article My Journey to Transform the Grey Space, I promised to share my top 10 reads of 2018. These books surprised me, challenged my assumptions, and taught me a great deal. I hope this list inspires you to build your 2019 reading wish list. Please make sure to share your standouts from last year in the comments!
How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
This was by far my favourite book of 2018. When much of political discourse trends towards emotion-based opinion, this book provided objective reflection. Two Harvard professors outline the decline of democracies globally and what societal factors take place that lead to the death of democracy. Challenging and tremendously enlightening: a must read!
2. Team of Teams, by General Stanley McChrystal, with Tantum Collins, David Silverman, Chris Fussell
This book is a combination of two of my favourite topics: military history and business strategy, specifically human capital optimization. The book beautifully weaves through stories of General McChrystal’s journey to change the way Task Force was operationalized and managed with multiple real life examples of creating a shared consciousness, and breaking down silos. Highlighting winning scenarios we’re all trying to move towards: small, agile groups with decentralized decision making, empowered to innovate, move fast, and impact change.
3. The Generals, by Thomas E. Ricks
In The Generals, Ricks chronicles a decline in accountability of the US’s top military leaders and the repercussions we saw as a military and nation. “Ricks has made a close study of America’s military leaders for three decades, and in his hands this story resounds with larger meaning: about the transmission of values, about strategic thinking, and about the difference between an organization that learns and one that fails” (Goodreads) I also read Churchill and Orwell from Ricks this year but The Generals was my top out of the two.
4. Quiet, by Susan Cain
A must read for people-leaders. As an introvert constantly labeled an extrovert due to my lack of shyness, I would love this book to be read in every school and workplace. Not only did this book help me articulate introversion, it helped me understand how I can work more effectively with my team, clients, and colleagues. Deeply steeped in academic research, this book is a great mix of introspective and pragmatic.
5. Creativity Inc, by Ed Catmull
I often work with clients that are leading Innovation labs, practices, or enterprise initiatives. This book offered the highs and lows of such endeavors, particularly highlighting the cultural evolution Pixar went through to maintain and mature its mission and values through successes, failures, and mergers. I appreciated his insights into leaders owning their vision, results, and commitment to their teams.
6. Thrive, by Arianna Huffington
After being a fan of theThrive Global newsletter, I dove into this book. It was a quick, enjoyable read. It was much more business-focused than I thought it would be. It offered real strategies to bring more balance into your day. She frames the book by discussing the two pillars of current success — money and power. She offers there should be a third — wellbeing. I appreciated her candid stories of struggle and personal evolution. Great weekend read!
7. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, by Adam Grant
Full disclosure, I often say I want to be Adam Grant when I grow up. I’m a huge fan! If you’re not familiar with Adam Grant, you’ll want to be! His tweets and LinkedIn posts are packed with insight. His podcast WorkLife is one of my favourites. He is humble, inquisitive, and not afraid to ask challenging questions. In his book, Originals, he profiles different people who have changed the world by delving into the decisions, behaviours, and trends it took to get there. Inspiring and thought-provoking!
8. Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress, By Steven Pinker
Any book list Bill Gates puts out, I consider required reading. In January 2018, Gates called this book his ‘new favourite book of all time.’ Pinker tackles the perception of progress versus actual progress, and why the differences matter. The expanse of topics covered in this book I found somewhat overwhelming but I thoroughly enjoyed how it challenged my assumptions and peaked my interest in new areas of study.
9. Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House, by Alyssa Mastromonaco
This was a quick read that I found surprisingly engaging, honest, and funny (like actually LOL’d a few times). No matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on, this read highlights the reality of being a young female professional in a high-stress, high-stakes role. Alyssa shares detailed strategies of what brought her success, is candid regarding failures, and provides hilarious anecdotes we can all relate to.
10. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, by Eric Metaxas
Almost a decade after its publishing, I made time for this long but awe-inspiring read and I’m so glad I did. Regardless of your religious affiliation, the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is something we can all learn from and be inspired by. Bonhoeffer was a German Christian from a fascinating prominent family. His journey to become a towering theologian is paralleled with his resistance to the Nazis, his fight to keep the Church on the right side of history, and his crucial role in transforming the Christian faith even decades after his death. This book provides a look at the complex history of the Christian church during the Third Reich and the harrowing resistance by people like Bonhoeffer to fight for the lives of those outside their faith.