Book Summaries

Human knowledge of the world is continuously advancing. A common perception is that innate talent and hard work are required to be truly great at something. Colvin argues that even if innate talent exists, it may not be as important as we think. It turns out that anyone can become a great performer in any field by engaging in deliberate practice.

In Procrastinate on Purpose, author Rory Vaden proposes a practical prescription to an increasingly complex and busy world. In our lives today, distraction is even more tempting, and “burnout” is more Googled than ever. The many options for how we spend our time and even the tools we use to help us can feel like too much to manage.

Netflix has defied tradition for decades with a rich culture unlike any other. This book focuses on how to lead a company with freedom and responsibility, while inspiring trust and creativity from top to bottom. Co-authored by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, No Rules Rules explores the ideologies of Netflix and the philosophy behind one of the world’s most iconic companies.

General James N. Mattis, the 26th United States Secretary of Defense, recounts the lessons learned during his many years in the Marine Corps and illustrates how his service at all levels shaped his leadership style. His mentorship style has two main components.

Stephen Schwarzman intertwines stories from his early life, tenure at Lehman Brothers, rise as the founder of The Blackstone Group, and time spent as an advisor to several world leaders, while sharing his lessons learned in the pursuit of excellence.

atters, Doerr explains the importance and effectiveness of a protocol which he calls OKRs (Objectives and Key Results).

In his second book, Ben Horowitz, a household name among Silicon Valley buffs, discusses the importance of corporate culture based both on his own experience and historical examples.

We may not always have complete control over the outcomes, but we can learn to excel at the decision-making process. In her book Thinking in Bets, Annie Duke draws from her years as a world champion poker player to describe a thoughtful, objective strategy for decision-making.

Trillion Dollar Coach captures Bill Campbell’s stories and behaviors that played an instrumental role in the growth of several prominent Silicon Valley visionaries.

While reflecting on his career and the path to becoming CEO of Disney, Robert Iger outlines the process of learning and leading in the media industry.

In Range, science writer and reporter David Epstein argues that breadth and flexibility are vital differentiating drivers of breakthrough individual and team performance in the complex, unpredictable environments that define the modern world.

Author Simon Sinek asserts that approaching leadership with an infinite mindset equips us to create safety for internal stakeholders, pursue unique and compelling causes, and inspire ourselves and those around us.

Author Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater, breaks down his principles of success.

After objectively identifying the world’s most accomplished teams in sports history, the founding editor of The Wall Street Journal’s sports section proposed a lofty theory about the driving force behind a team’s ability to achieve and sustain historic greatness.