Recommended Reading

Recommendations from Gerry Seymour, president and founder of Quantum Point

As I have learned in my personal experience – both as a coach/mentor and as a businessman – success is fed by constant learning. Reading is a key component in this learning process. Below are a few of the books I recommend everyone read. Beyond this list, I frequently make specific recommendations to my clients, to best fit their personal growth needs.

• What to Say When You Talk to Yourself (Shad Helmstedder)
  This one is getting a bit dated, but the concepts are still sound. A good primer on how self-talk affects us.
• The Way of the Shepherd (Kevin Leman and Bill Pentak)
  This parable-style book is a quick read, and gives quick insight into 7 practices that build strong leadership that goes beyond the authority of position.
• Getting Things Done (David Allen)
  A perennial favorite for those looking for some structure in their approach to, well, getting things done. A bit over-specific, but the principles are spot-on and can be adapted to individual needs.
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (John Maxwell)
  Really, I had to argue with myself a bit about which Maxwell book to include. John does a great job of simplifying the profound, and I pretty much consider this a must-read for leaders.
• Big Little Change (Maria K. and Gerry Seymour)
  This one, obviously, is near and dear to my heart. My wife and I put this out (and later a sequel) to help people change the world around them.

I consider these a few essential books for anyone to read. I don’t expect everyone to agree with all of these. What I do know is that every successful leader and entrepreneur I know has their own favorite books, because they’re reading to improve their ability in the craft of leadership. I recommend everyone read at least 30 minutes a day for personal improvement. Interesting note: research suggests that people who read for pleasure (novels and such) are more skilled at empathy and communication.