I am addicted to learning—and therefore to books, podcasts, and Ted Talks. Here are a few of my current favorites...
“Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Intuition.”
Michael Maboussin
Harvard Business Press, 2013
This book is a great resource for leaders who want to enhance their decision-making skills. Maboussin is chief investment strategist at Legg Mason Capital Management. He is also an adjunct professor of finance at Columbia Business School. In this succinct book, he shares eight common decision-making mistakes and reveals strategies to help you avoid your particular tendencies in repeating these mistakes. It’s an important book to read whenever you are in the midst of making a complex decision.
“Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Force that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration.”
Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
Random House, 2014
Ever wondered how Pixar creates blockbuster movies like Toy Story? Author Ed Catmull, the co-founder and President of Pixar Animation Studios, gives readers the backstory of the creative process as well as how Pixar cultivates the culture and leadership necessary to promote the talents of all employees.
Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series Podcast
Stanford Ventures Technology Program
You don’t have to be an entrepreneur or in tech to appreciate the content in these podcasts. Various entrepreneurs return to the university to talk to students about the businesses they built, mistakes they made, how they put together effective teams, and what they learned about themselves the way. Each podcast shares nuggets of learning about leadership, risk-taking, partnerships, developing people, and innovation.
Harvard Business Review IdeaCast
I just discovered this podcast that shares the latest business trends and leadership. Contributors include leadership experts, professors, researchers, celebrities, entrepreneurs and other successful business leaders. The most recent interviewee was Brian Grazer, the Oscar winning producer, who talked about why a love of learning has been the key to his success.
Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
TEDGlobal 2012
Amy Cuddy is a professor of Social Psychology at Harvard Business School. She studies how nonverbal behavior and snap judgments affect people from the classroom to the boardroom. Her research on body language reveals that we can change other people’s perceptions — and even our own body chemistry — simply by changing body positions.
Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts
TED2012
Susan Cain is an author of “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won’t Stop Talking.” In this talk, Cain speaks about the extraordinary talents and abilities introverts bring to the world and suggests they should be encouraged and celebrated. If you’re an introvert, how does this affect your leadership? Do you adjust your leadership style when you work with introverts?