Ken’s Top 4 Books for Team Building

When it comes to team building, the best books are those that focus on the team itself. However, one of the most effective ways to create a cohesive team is continuous work on the keys to effective leadership: communication, delegation, motivation, recruiting, collaboration, and development.

Why is this so important? When leaders consider working with me, they often describe frustrations rooted in those six elements. Most successful leaders attribute their success to their unique ideas, approach, and work ethic. So much of our work is getting their unique genius out of their head and into the company ethos in the form of mission, purpose, and values brought to life through predictable, repeatable processes.

#1 Look Inward First (Positive Intelligence by Shizard Chamine)

Leaders expect a lot from themselves, but sometimes, it can be skewed by sabotaging habits we’ve learned over a lifetime. In his New York Times bestselling book, Shirzad Chamine helps us unpack what he calls the saboteurs – learned behaviors rooted in our past that we use in our adult lives, frequently to our detriment. By taking his online quiz and then reading the book that backgrounds his work, you will become aware of how to shift, modernize, and grow beyond habits you may not have even realized existed but were impacting every relationship, including those with your team.

You’ll be able to use your awareness immediately. By inviting team members on this journey with you, you will all come to understand one another better than before. Understanding becomes trust, and trust leads to open, vulnerable communication.

#2 Understanding High Achievement (Clutch by Paul Sullivan)

Have you ever wondered why some take the winning shot and make it when others reliably choke? Is this some innate skill, or is it something that can be learned? In this book, Paul Sullivan brilliantly guides you through successfully navigating high-performance outcomes in high-pressure situations. 

As a highly successful leader, you likely know what has worked for you, but can you explain it to your team? Can you coach them to the same level of clutch you possess? After you read Clutch, you will be better prepared to do so.

#3 Take A Pause (Thank You for Being Late by Thomas L. Friedman)

In 2016, when the book was released, it was a timely treatise on the noisy, busy, intense world we live in. Fast forward, and the concepts he discussed have intensified. 

You and your team live in a fast-paced universe that bombards us with information, much of which is self-inflicted with newsletters, podcasts, books, and social media alerts. Could you connect with your team, help them break through clutter, and help them create the habit of pausing? This book will help you do just that.  

#4 Less is More (Essentialism by Greg McKeown)

This book came to mind while working with a client to design their annual leadership retreat. We often celebrate the volume of work, building agendas to put as much as possible into a fixed amount of time, assuming more is better. In that example, the feedback you’re likely to get is that your team is deluged with information, was mentally exhausted from all you threw at them, and would have liked time to connect in a social setting. 

This book will help you and your team understand the art of what the author calls the disciplined pursuit of less. Imagine what you could accomplish if you role-modeled essentialism. Your team could prioritize, focus, and execute.   

If you are wondering how the principles of these four books come together to build independent, accountable teams, schedule a meet & greet so we can see if we connect.

If you’re ready to kick the tires, schedule our signature Breakthrough Strategy Session and experience a complimentary coaching experience with Ken.

Finally, sign up to receive his free e-book, The Six Silver Bullets You Need to Grow Any Business Fast. This 23-minute read is full of valuable tips, templates, and tools. You can use the links in the book to schedule a call with Ken anytime.

Are you a CEO? Check out these four book recommendations for you!