During the workshops that I facilitate, a common question that I get from business and HR leaders is to give recommendations on business books that they can gift to their team members either during a team offsite or post an intervention. Here is a list of twenty books that I recommend. Needless to add, this is by no means exhaustive. You of course know your team best and hence would be the best judge of what fits well in their context.
Why Books Make Great Gifts for Your Team
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In a corporate world that is constantly evolving, fostering a culture of continuous learning is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Gifting books to your team is a powerful way to invest in their personal and professional growth. A well chosen book can spark new ideas, provide fresh perspectives, and equip your team with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace. It is a thoughtful gesture that shows you are committed to their development beyond their immediate roles.
Books can serve as catalysts for important conversations, inspire innovation, and strengthen team bonds. When a team reads and discusses a book together, it creates a shared experience that can lead to deeper connections and a more collaborative work environment. Whether you are looking to enhance leadership skills, promote personal growth, or foster a culture of creativity, the right book can be a transformative tool.
Here is a curated list of 20 must read books, categorized to help you find the perfect gift for your team.
Leadership & Management
For those in leadership roles or aspiring to be, these books offer invaluable insights into what it takes to be an effective and inspiring leader.
1. Good to Great by Jim Collins
An all time classic, this is one of our favorite recommendations to leaders who want to motivate their teams to take a leap forward in performance. Based on painstaking research done across many industries, the book identifies common elements that are an integral part of successful organizations in making the transition to greatness. Concepts of Level 5 Leadership and hedgehog behavior from the book are now part of management folklore.
- Key Takeaway: Sustainable success comes from disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action.
- Quote: “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”
Also Read: Why is it important to follow your passion?
2. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
For a team struggling with trust issues and artificial harmony, Patrick Lencioni’s seminal classic offers excellent guidance. We have used the 5-D framework during the debrief of many a team workshop for articulating the importance of trust and accountability in teams. The book presents a powerful model for building a cohesive and effective team.
- Key Takeaway: Trust is the foundation of a functional team, and all other dysfunctions stem from its absence.
- Quote: “Remember, teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”
3. Lead with a Story by Paul Smith
Once a skill that used to be the domain of so called “creative types”, storytelling has emerged as one of the skills for leaders across the globe. Paul Smith’s “Lead with a Story” is an excellent to gift for senior management teams who have to craft their own stories on a daily basis. Our blog on storytelling for leaders has some of the examples and concepts from the book in a bit more detail.
- Key Takeaway: Storytelling is a powerful tool for leaders to inspire, influence, and communicate their vision.
- Quote: “A story is how we construct our reality, and that’s why it’s so powerful.”
4. The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
It is often said that the first 90 days are the most crucial for anyone stepping into a new role. If your team is going through a restructuring with responsibilities being realigned or new members being added, this book is a great option to gift to them. Filled with examples and useful tips on how to transition to a new role, the author touches upon topics of relevance for executives in those first few days, including accelerating learning and negotiating early wins.
- Key Takeaway: A structured approach to the first 90 days in a new role can dramatically increase the chances of success.
- Quote: “The actions you take during your first few months in a new role will largely determine whether you succeed or fail.”
5. Shackleton’s Way by Morrel & Capparell
Shackleton’s phenomenal story is one of a leader who saves the lives of 27 of his men against seemingly insurmountable odds in an Antarctic exploration when their ship is stranded on an ice floe. Arguably one of the best stories on inspirational leadership, it is a good gifting option if the team is going through a difficult period and the leader is looking to reenergize them with positive spirit.
- Key Takeaway: True leadership is about inspiring hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
- Quote: “Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all.”
Personal Growth & Development
These books are designed to help individuals unlock their potential, build better habits, and achieve personal and professional growth.
6. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
Written by Tony Hsieh, the founder of Zappos, Delivering Happiness is a sure shot winner if you are looking to reinforce the importance of core values with your team. It chronicles the journey of Zappos from being a fledgling start-up to a multibillion dollar sale to Amazon while being rooted in their core values as an organization. We use many of the inspiring stories from the book in our Values workshops to showcase the importance of culture and values.
- Key Takeaway: A strong company culture and a commitment to customer happiness are key drivers of business success.
- Quote: “For individuals, character is destiny. For organizations, culture is destiny.”
7. Drive by Dan Pink
If you are looking to gift your team a book on motivation and inner purpose, Drive is one of the front runners. In his inimitable provocative style, Dan Pink debunks many myths on employee motivation through stories from research and social experiments. Dividing the reasons for motivation into three distinct elements (autonomy, mastery and purpose), the book is a refreshing relook at the science behind what drives each one of us to greater productivity.
- Key Takeaway: True motivation comes from autonomy, mastery, and purpose, not external rewards.
- Quote: “The secret to high performance and satisfaction is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.”
8. Influence by Robert Cialdini
In recent times, organizational structures have become global and more complex. Senior leaders, especially need to influence a multitude of stakeholders who are separated by geography, culture and seniority and many more such factors. Robert Cialdini’s pioneering work, lists 6 principles of influence which still remain as valid today as the day they were initially published. We have this found this book one of the best options to gift to senior and middle management teams, whose business leaders want to showcase the importance of the skill of influence.
- Key Takeaway: Understanding the principles of persuasion can make you a more effective influencer in all aspects of life.
- Quote: “The obligation to give, the obligation to receive, and the obligation to repay.”
9. Atomic Habits by James Clear
This book is a masterclass in habit formation. Clear provides a practical framework for making small, incremental changes that lead to remarkable results over time. It is an excellent resource for anyone looking to build better habits and break bad ones.
- Key Takeaway: Small habits, compounded over time, can lead to massive change.
- Quote: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
10. Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
Dweck’s research on the power of mindset is groundbreaking. She explains the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset and how our beliefs about our abilities can profoundly impact our success. This book is a must read for anyone looking to cultivate a growth mindset.
- Key Takeaway: Adopting a growth mindset can unlock your potential and lead to greater achievement.
- Quote: “The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life.”
Teamwork & Collaboration
Building a strong, collaborative team is essential for success. These books provide valuable insights and practical advice for improving teamwork and communication.
11. Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter
Is your team/organization going through a phase of change? Looking to energize teams to react positively to changes at the personal and organizational level? If you answered in the affirmative to any of the questions, this book is definitely for you. Written in a simple fable format, the book uses the story of a colony of penguins struggling with a shift in their home (iceberg) to simplify difficult organizational change concepts. Kotter’s famous 8 Step Change model is also illustrated beautifully in a powerful story format.
- Key Takeaway: Successful change management requires a clear vision, strong communication, and a sense of urgency.
- Quote: “The only thing that is constant is change.”
12. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
This book provides a powerful framework for handling high stakes conversations. It teaches you how to create a safe space for dialogue, speak persuasively, and turn disagreements into opportunities for growth. It is an essential read for any team that wants to improve its communication and collaboration.
- Key Takeaway: Mastering crucial conversations is key to building strong relationships and achieving better results.
- Quote: “When stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong, you have three choices: Avoid a crucial conversation and suffer the consequences; handle the conversation badly and suffer the consequences; or handle it well and improve your relationships and results.”
13. The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
Coyle explores the secrets of highly successful groups and identifies three key skills that build a strong and cohesive culture: build safety, share vulnerability, and establish purpose. This book is a fascinating look at what makes great teams tick.
- Key Takeaway: A strong culture is built on a foundation of safety, vulnerability, and a shared sense of purpose.
- Quote: “The single most important ingredient in the recipe for success is a sense of belonging.”
14. Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury
This classic book on negotiation provides a practical framework for reaching mutually beneficial agreements. It teaches you how to separate the people from the problem, focus on interests rather than positions, and invent options for mutual gain. It is an essential read for any team that wants to improve its negotiation skills.
- Key Takeaway: Principled negotiation is a powerful tool for achieving win win outcomes.
- Quote: “The ability to see the situation as the other side sees it, as difficult as it may be, is one of the most important skills a negotiator can possess.”
15. The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
In this book, Lencioni identifies three essential virtues of an ideal team player: humble, hungry, and smart. He provides a practical framework for identifying, hiring, and developing team players who possess these virtues. It is a must read for any leader who wants to build a high performing team.
- Key Takeaway: The ideal team player is humble, hungry, and smart.
- Quote: “If you could get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.”
Creativity & Innovation
In today’s fast paced world, creativity and innovation are more important than ever. These books will inspire your team to think differently and come up with new ideas.
16. The Ten Faces of Innovation by Tom Kelley
If your objective is to give an exposure to your team about the different hats that innovators have to wear in the organization, this book is definitely one of the best options. Ten Faces of Innovation is an inspiring collection of examples and stories from within Ideo (the pioneers of design thinking and continuous innovation) and outside that can inspire a team to innovate relentlessly.
- Key Takeaway: Innovation is a team sport that requires a diverse range of perspectives and skills.
- Quote: “Innovation is not about solo genius, but about collective creativity.”
17. Originals by Adam Grant
Grant explores how to champion new ideas and fight groupthink. He provides a fascinating look at the habits of original thinkers and offers practical advice for how to become more creative and innovative. This book will inspire your team to challenge the status quo and come up with groundbreaking ideas.
- Key Takeaway: Originality is not a fixed trait, but a skill that can be developed.
- Quote: “The hallmark of originality is rejecting the default and exploring whether a better option exists.”
18. Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
Catmull, the co founder of Pixar Animation Studios, shares his insights on how to build a creative and innovative culture. He provides a behind the scenes look at how Pixar fosters creativity and collaboration and offers practical advice for how to create a workplace where new ideas can flourish.
- Key Takeaway: A culture of creativity is built on a foundation of trust, candor, and a willingness to embrace failure.
- Quote: “If you don’t try to be original, you’ll never be original.”
19. Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
Johnson explores the patterns of innovation and identifies the environments that are most conducive to creativity. He argues that good ideas are not the result of a single “eureka” moment, but rather a slow and gradual process of connecting different ideas. This book will change the way you think about creativity and innovation.
- Key Takeaway: Innovation is a process of connecting ideas, and the most creative environments are those that facilitate these connections.
- Quote: “Chance favors the connected mind.”
20. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups. He introduces the concept of validated learning and the build measure learn feedback loop, which can help companies iterate their way to a sustainable business model. This book is a must read for any team that wants to build and launch new products or services.
- Key Takeaway: The lean startup methodology is a powerful tool for building and launching new products and services.
- Quote: “The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.”
Clear Takeaway for Corporate Learning and Development:
In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, a “one and done” approach to training is no longer effective. The most successful organizations are those that cultivate a culture of continuous learning and development. By gifting books and encouraging your team to engage with new ideas, you can empower them to become more adaptable, innovative, and resilient. This not only benefits individual employees but also drives the entire organization forward, ensuring that you stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive world.
Ready to take your team’s learning and development to the next level? Explore the range of services offered by FocusU and discover how we can help you build a more engaged, innovative, and high performing team.
