9 Books Educational Leaders Should Be Familiar With

Jan 31

#1

The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth

If you don’t want to read an entire book, perhaps start with Google’s research on what makes an effective, Project Aristotle. Psychological Safety is the number one attribute of highly effective teams.

#2

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know

This makes for a great audiobook. In the audiobook version, you'll hear the voices of people he interviewed--scientists, criminologists, military psychologists. Every leader needs to learn how to better ‘read’ members of their community, and not just to protect the community, but to also develop the potential of aspiring leaders.

#3

The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now

It is critical that educational leaders know how to develop younger teachers entering the profession, as that is a leader’s number one job. I think this book also sets a good tone for what are schools should be preparing our students to achieve beyond formal education.

#4

Nuance: Why Some Leaders Succeed and Others Fail

It’s been a long time coming, finally the top education researchers and influencers are getting on board with what corporate leadership development researchers have been writing about for decades.

#5

Leadership and Self-Deception

One of the most transformative books about communication and setting a good example as a leader that I have ever read. It is timeless and will cast a reflection on you that you might not like.

#6

Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters

If only schools knew what strategy really was, we would be preparing students for the future and not forcing them through a centuries-old time table.

#7

Measure What Matters

Once you have a good strategy you then need to operationalize it and hold people accountable for achieving tangible results. Read Good Strategy Bad Strategy first and then read this.