Eggnog, holly, and the latest books on leadership and good governance

As 2018 approaches, we’ve put together a list of 12 great new reads that will prepare you and your team for another year of good governance.

Books on leadership

The Captain Class: The Hidden Force That Creates the World’s Greatest Teams (2017)

• Sam Walker, former global sports editor of The Wall Street Journal, tells the surprising story of what makes teams exceptional and identifies the seven core qualities that make the Captain Class stand apart.

Leading with Vision: The Leader’s Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce (2017)

• Using real-world examples and data drawn from research on more than 400 companies, Bonnie Hagemann,‎ Simon Vetter,‎ and John Maketa look at the things leaders must do to connect with employees on an emotional, rather than a cognitive, level.

Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (2016)

• Adam Grant, the bestselling author of Give and Take, describes how anyone can champion new ideas and how leaders can fight groupthink.

Blue Ocean Shift: Beyond Competing – Proven Steps to Inspire Confidence and Seize New Growth (2017)

• Professors W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, authors of Blue Ocean Strategy), offer new research and step-by-step guidance for taking your organization from a red ocean crowded with competition to a blue ocean of uncontested market space.

Insight on corporate governance

Dear Chairman: Boardroom Battles and the Rise of Shareholder Activism (2016)

• Using case studies and original letters, Jeff Gramm traces disputes between shareholders and corporations and analyzes the factors that cause them to collide.

The Handbook of Board Governance: A Comprehensive Guide for Public, Private, and Not-for-Profit Board Members (2016)

• Richard Leblanc provides a practical, expert, and complete how-to for building and maintaining a well-functioning board.

Management must-haves

Principles: Life and Work (2017)

• Ray Dalio, who has been called “the Steve Jobs of investing” and “the philosopher king of the financial universe” (CIO magazine), shares the unique principles that he believes have led to his success.

The Relationship Engine: Connecting with the People Who Power Your Business (2016)

• Ed Wallace explains that although leaders tend to prioritize potential relationships, established ones often prove more vital. He describes the tools you need to be an intentional, masterful relationship-builder.

Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work (2017)

• Steven Kotler (The Rise of Superman) and Jamie Wheal look at trailblazers who are harnessing rare and controversial states of consciousness to solve problems and outperform the competition.

Biographies of leaders

Hoover: An Extraordinary Life in Extraordinary Times (2017)

• In this definitive biography, Kenneth Whyte recreates the complex life of Herbert Hoover, highlighting his contradictions—modesty and ambition, ruthlessness and generosity—as well as his profound political legacy.

Grant (2017)

• Best-selling biographer Ron Chernow sheds new light on Ulysses S. Grant, the man Walt Whitman described as “nothing heroic… and yet the greatest hero.”

Finally, if your stack of books is too high, the 2017 Directors’ Alert from Deloitte

Courage Under Fire: Embracing Disruption

• Business leaders and independent non-executive directors of global organizations share their unique insights on how boards can prepare for and leverage disruption.