My Top Recommended Books in 2023

Another year has come and gone. I read fewer books this year (only 40) than I have since I first read 52 books in 2017. I blame some of this on some of my nephews who challenged me to read more fiction. On their recommendation I started The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas... well, I'm still going as it's quite large. .

People are always asking me for book recommendations, and often with my clients, I assign reading. Apart from my own new book, The Sports Parent Solution: Proven Strategies for Transforming Parents from Obstacles to Allies, these are the books I read this year that I went on to recommend the most to other leaders.

Best Book for Leadership Development

Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps: How to Thrive in Complexity by Jennifer Garvey Berger

Short, simple, and practical – this book was so exceptional that Nate and I discussed the five mind traps over five different episodes of the Coaching Culture Podcast.

Best Book for Culture Development

Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim Scott

If you struggle to give feedback and communicate truths in a way that lands well for people, this book is great because it doesn't just give you great tips; it presents a system for building the relationship, offering support, and leaning into these difficult conversations. Kim Scott joined us for episodes 312 and 313 of the podcast.

Best Book by a Sports Coach

The Book of Joe: Trying Not to Suck at Baseball and Life by Joe Maddon

If you are looking for a book from a coach, this is one of my favorites of all time. I'm not a baseball guy, so the backstory in the first few chapters was a little slow for me, but once Maddon gets into how his leadership philosophy developed into what it is today, the book is a grand slam.

Best Book for Parents

The Parents We Mean to Be: How Well-Intentioned Adults Undermine Children's Moral and Emotional Development by Richard Weissbourd

The book was written in 2010, but in many ways, it's even more relevant to the challenges of today's youth. It challenged some of my beliefs as a parent and a coach. Weissbourd was a fantastic guest on our podcast episodes 309 & 310.

Best Book for Curious Minds

Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel

Housel is the author of The Psychology of Money, which should be required reading in every school. While the timeless truths he shares in this book are great, it's the questions he poses for the reader that are most profound. Questions like: "Who has the right answers, but I ignore them because they are inarticulate?" And "Would I think about the world like you do if I experienced what you have?"