Favorite Books

A few books that I've really enjoyed and that have made the biggest impact on how I view the world.  I'll add to this list periodically.

How Will You Measure Your Life?

By Clayton Christensen

This is the best book I've read around finding your own personal purpose for life.  Christensen doesn't prescribe a "one-size-fits-all" answer to that question, but instead identifies key concepts and frameworks that should be helpful to anyone trying to think through their own life.  Can't recommend this book enough!

The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life

By David Brooks

I admittedly didn't make it through this entire book, but I thought the core concept and how Brooks articulated it was excellent.  As someone who's put a lot of energy into success and accomplishment (the first mountain), this book served as a good reminder of the more important things in life.

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company

One of the best biographies I can recall reading.  This book provides both entertainment and education.  Iger provides countless leadership lessons and projects an aura of humility and being down-to-earth that I think are critical when leading a large organization.  Fast-paced read too!

By Robert Iger

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World

By General Stanley McChrystal

No book has come closer to articulating a practical leadership approach for a fast paced and ever changing world that really resonates with me than this book.  General McChrystal's examples from his military career are humbling as well and show what real pressure looks like.  I first read this book several years ago and still reflect on and apply the core concepts of "shared consciousness" and "empowered execution" on a regular basis.