Bridging Leadership Lessons from the Workplace and Those Experiences Shaping Today's Youth and Tomorrow's Leaders
 So far in 2022, I have read or listened to 17 books, with only 4 of them being books I actually read. For those who struggle finding the time to read, I highly recommend trying out Audiobook or some other form of listening. I am able to do this while getting in my steps by walking outside or on the treadmill. That being said, I must warn you that there can be a safety risk if you attempt to take notes while you continue to walk… or there might be an issue… I really don’t know that from first-hand experience of walking off a sidewalk or into another walker…
I have included the entire list of books later in this post for reference but will try to highlight a few of the ones that I highly recommend. Biographies Viktor Frankl’s Man Search for Meaning is an interesting roller coaster of emotion as he uses his experience as a survivor of Auschwitz to give way to his theory of logotherapy that the primary motivational force of an individual is to find a meaning in life. Killing the Killers by Bill O’Reilly is the second book of his I have listened to and thoroughly enjoyed. The amount of research that goes into his books becomes very apparent in audiobooks as they reference every footnote. It is the blunt and direct style of presenting history and sharing the documented recordings that tends to connect you emotionally to his writing. Leadership & Growth Liz Wiseman’s books Impact Players and Multipliers are very powerful is assessing yourself and your team. These are must reads and you need to be prepared to open up and critically evaluate where you are as a leader. Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott can serve as a kick in the gut and cause some feelings of guilt. But also, helped to drive to action for some situations in which I was standing and watching instead of helping. Books for Non-Readers For those who find it difficult to read leadership and self-help books, you need to start with books by Jon Gordon. This best-selling author typically writes his books in story form, almost like parables that demonstrate the importance of strong character in being successful and a person of impact. They are short reads and many times, he will write these books with other writers, helping them to get their experiences out in front of people. His writings are entertaining, motivating, relatable, and impactful. This year I read Stick Together and Row the Boat and have previously read 11 other books he wrote. The Way of the Shepherd is another must read. It is a short and easy read, in a story form that delivers an important message on servant leadership. My Guilty Pleasures I don’t spend much time anymore reading the fun books like I did in my early years. I used to enjoy reading Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Louis L’Amore, Tolkien, and Dean Koontz. But those have given way to books on leadership, growth, positivity, and faith. However, on Audiobook, I have found some authors that not only write stories that are easy to get lost in, but the narrators they use for the audiobooks, are gifted in how they tell the story and capture your attention. I listened to Dreadgod by Will Wight this year, which was the latest in one of his series, but 19 last year! Rhett Bruno and Jaimie Castle teamed up on a western supernatural story, Cold as Hell, that was a sequel of a book I listened to earlier. The original books from last year were free on Audiobooks as the authors became established, they then had to be purchased. I have always enjoyed reading, but as I have gotten older and hopefully wiser, I now read with a purpose. My purpose is to expand my knowledge and experiences - not by the words of others, but by adding perspectives so that I can question my own beliefs as well as those of others. I choose to take the thoughts and experiences of others, combine them with my own, and put them into practice to be a better leader and person Beyond Today. Jan - July 2022 Reading List The Master Coach by Zackary Turner Dreadgod by Will Wight Cold as Hell by Rhett Bruno & Jaime Castle Stick Together by Jon Gordon & Kate Leavell Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl Row the Boat by Jon Gordon & P.J. Fleck Killing the Killers by Bill O'Reilly Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott Multipliers by Liz Wiseman Sidney Crosby by Sidney Crosby Finding Your Best by Dr. Michael Gervais & Pete Carroll The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford The Leader's Mind by Dr. Jim Afremow The Way of the Shepherd by Dr. Kevin Leman & Bill Pentak The Sidelines by Alan Stein Jr. Impact Players by Liz Wiseman
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 When you finally realize that you don’t know everything, that is when your ability to have an impact on others in a positive manner dramatically increases. Whether engaging mentors - directly or indirectly - or continuing your lifelong learning through classes, experiences or reading posts like this, the desire to learn, grow and be better is fundamental to happiness. I have written two posts recently, A Coach Getting Coached and Tough Conversations are a Part of Coaching, that highlight the advantage of continuing to grow.
Recently, I received a newsletter from Coach Mac at Basketball for Coaches that I felt was a good one to share as it really hit home for me on what you are seeing in the game of basketball today. It also can be applicable to the business solace as well. Maybe not in the same physical way, but in the emotional way that people check-out or distance themselves from others. I feel my post on Expect Excellence the 2nd Pillar of Impact ties in well with Coach Mac’s reference to the “next play” mentality. The article below has been copied from Coach Mac’s newsletter with his permission. Be sure to visit his website at www.basketballforcoaches.com to expand your perspective and to continue your learning Beyond Today. Selfish players create 4-on-5 disadvantages Thursday July 7, 2022 Something that really grinds my gears: When a player falls to the ground (without injury), and it takes them 5+ seconds to get back to their feet and get back in the play. An example: This happens ALL THE TIME when a player drives and doesn't get a foul call. The offensive player ends up on the deck after flailing their body looking for a foul, and instead of springing back to their feet, they just sit there... Throw their arms up. Stare at the referee. Shake their head. After about 5 seconds of making sure everyone in the gym knows they were ROBBED of two free throws, they slowly get to their feet. Oblivious to the fact that they just forced their teammates to defend a possession 4-on-5, which likely resulted in two easy points. Selfish play if you ask me. And that's why I believe every coach should have a policy similar to Shaka Smart. (Current head coach of Marquette) His rule is simple: "If you're down, you have one second to get up." That seems like an easy-to-understand, straightforward rule to me. A rule that "forces" players to have a *next play* mentality instead of allowing them to whine and sook about a call that the referee isn't going to go back in time and change their mind about. So, once you have that rule in place, here's a great drill to practice getting back on D after a player goes down and springs back to their feet: It's called "Corner Recovery," and you'll find full instructions for how it works on pages 27 - 28 in my "22 Small-Sided Games" booklet. Which is downloadable here: Championship Coaching Course - Coach Mac |
AuthorTom Brown - a husband and a father who is simply trying to make a difference. Using my experience as a Manufacturing Executive to connect leadership from the boardroom to the hardwood to help teams grow and develop to make a difference in the lives of others. 
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