Of the fourteen books in the stack,

• Twelve were non-fiction, two were fiction.
• Two were paperback
• Twelve were on the Kindle
• Two were audiobooks from Audible
• One was both Audible and Kindle
• One was both paperback and Kindle

And now for the list, in the order consumed:

1. Freedom: A Novel
   — Jonathon Franzen
   Interesting, but I don’t understand what all the buzz was about surrounding this book.
   Rating: * * * (out of 5) | Fiction | Kindle
2. The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles
   for Breakthrough Success
   — Carmine Gallo
   Great insights into making your dent in the universe.
   Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
3. The Lincoln Lawyer: A Novel
   — Michael Connelly
   A delightful page-turner.
   Rating: * * * * | Fiction | Kindle
4. What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There: How Successful People
   Become Even More Successful
   — Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter
   Important book for leaders and executive coaches. Learn from the master.
   Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
5. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
   — Michael Lewis
   The better of the two books I read on the financial meltdown. Michael Lewis is brilliant at weaving a narrative. Malcolm Gladwell says that Lewis is the best story teller writing today. I couldn’t agree more.
   Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
6. The 4-Hour Workweek
   — Timothy Ferriss
   Important concepts for earning a livelihood in the 21st century. Overlook the fact that the author can be less than appealing at times.
   Rating: * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
7. Green for Life
   — Victoria Boutenko and A. William Menzin M.D
   Trying to eat healthier. This blend of science, passion, philosophy, and recipes is a great help.
   Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Paperback / Kindle
8. Under the Tuscan Sun
   — Frances Mayes
   Wonderfully written with vivid images that appeal to all the senses. Do not see the movie of the same name — the book and the movie bear almost no resemblance to one another.
   Rating: * * * * | Non-Fiction | Paperback
9. All The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis
   — Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera
   A well-written account of the near apocalypse created by the recklessness in the financial industry.
   Rating: * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
10. Steve Jobs
    — Walter Isaacson
    Jobs was an iconoclast and a personal hero. Recommended.
    Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
11. Crush It!: Why Now Is The Time To Cash In On Your Passion
    — Gary Vaynerchuck
    Gary is an Internet sensation who has worked hard for his success. He is also an extrovert who has played very well to his strengths. Good insights but not as universally applicable as he would like to believe.
    Rating: * * * | Non-Fiction | Audible
12. One Page Talent Management: Eliminating Complexity, Adding Value
    — Marc Effron and Miriam Ort
    An important book for human resource leaders and organizational change agents.
    Rating: * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
13. The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms To Fail
    — Clayton M. Christensen
    Blew my mind! Best book of the year. Very important concepts for people in business, those aspiring to be, and anyone who wants to make sense of the rapidly shifting landscape in our lives.
    Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Kindle
14. The Sociopath Next Door
    — Martha Stout
    Four percent of the population (1 in 25 people) lack a conscience. This very well-written book helps you understand where they come from, how they work, and how to deal with them. Martha Stout sculpts with characters and stories the make a potentially dark and technical topic extremely interesting and understandable.
    Rating: * * * * * | Non-Fiction | Audible / Kindle

ur•gen•cy
1. importance requiring swift action
2. an earnest and persistent quality; insistence

The difference between a productive day and a non-productive day is a sense of urgency. Today was a good day.

… in the last ten years or so, there’s been a major economic resurgence for introversion—the “geek” economy. The prototypical geek is really good at thinking, has superb powers of concentration (which tends to be an introvert trait), and works very well independently. They’re often pretty awesomely brilliant people, and they’re fairly defiant about being geeks. They’ve turned this word “geek” into a term that’s almost romantic in some ways, and through the Silicon economy, they’ve been massively innovative and economically important. A lot of them are running circles around the extroverts who are selling shoes. So I think part of what’s happened lately is that the digital economy is giving introverts a new place in the sun.

In 2003 Jonathan Rauch wrote a short essay for The Atlantic called Caring for Your Introvert: The habits and needs of a little understood group. The reaction was overwhelming.

In 2006, The Atlantic followed up with Jonathan in an article and interview titled Introverts of theWorld, Unite!

In 2011 it is as true as ever. It’s a good time to be an introvert.

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward.

And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.

This is from an Apple ad shortly after Steve Jobs returned to Apple in the mid 90′s. It always brings a tear to my eye. Adweek has paid homage by adding Steve Jobs to his rightful place amongst these crazy ones.

Here’s the original ad:

• professional traders
• automated computer programs
• institutional investors
• hedge fund managers

This tight-knit circle trades amongst itself with very little relevance to what we think of as ”the economy.” In contrast to this closed group, the economy is the vast sum of the creation and delivery of the goods and services we want and need.

It seems to me that the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 bears little connection to these things these days.

Don’t be afraid. Now is the time to be bold. If you don’t like the economy, let’s go out and make one of our own.

2010 was a good year for reading. I read 14 great books (well actually, 13 great books and one that wasn’t so great). The year was filled with a wide variety of insights on coaching, executive development, and building strong organizations.

(A note: I don’t actually “read” non-fiction books. I devour them. I engage with a book as if it’s the backbone of a graduate-level independent-study course and I am preparing for an oral defense. I create a note in Evernote for each chapter. I highlight. I transcribe my highlights into Evernote. I make notes. I memorize. I capture the outline and the best ideas and I interweave them with my own ideas and reactions. I don’t just “read” books. I make them my own and integrate the models and the ideas into the services that I provide for clients. Books are good stuff.)

And now, for the 2010 book list . . .
in the order of completion

1. The March: A Novel — E. L. Doctorow

Rating: * * * * * (out of 5)

The previous year (2009) was a full year of studying the American Civil War. The March, the first book I finished in 2010, is the final seal on that wonderful year of learning. It is the story of General Sherman’s march across Georgia and up through the Carolinas, bringing the South to its knees and ultimately an end to the Civil War. As a testament to how much I enjoyed this book, even a year after I finished it, I can still conjure in my mind, image after vivid image of the scenes that Doctorow painted. Highly recommended for anyone with even a vague interest in the Civil War or a nostalgic appreciation for Gone With The Wind.

2. The Elephant and the Flea: Reflections of a Reluctant Capitalist — Charles Handey

Rating: * * * * *

Charles Handey is a role model, an inspiration, and a man ahead of his time. In this autobiographical exploration of the future of work he makes a living case for a model that balances free agents with large corporations. We need them both in their own way. As he says on the back cover, “This is not another ‘how to start your own business’ book, but rather one man’s struggle to find meaning and fulfillment in work, latching onto elephants (big corporations) when needed, but mostly flying solo without a net.” Recommended for other aspiring free agents and reluctant capitalists.

3. Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time — Keith Ferrazzi

Rating * * * * *

This is one of the seminal books that shaped the rebirth of my career several years ago. (You can read my full review over at Rizers.) I re-read this book every couple of years and this time I tried something new. Instead of reading it alone, I lead a group through a “virtual book club.” Since Never Eat Alone is so neatly structured with 31 short chapters, almost a dozen of us read a chapter a day for each of the 31 days in January. Concurrently, I posted discussion questions in a private LinkedIn group and we actively discussed, debated, and digested Ferazzi’s ideas. It was great fun and great learning. Look forward to more virtual book clubs in 2011.

4. Your Next Move: The Leader’s Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions — Michael Watkins

Rating: * * * * *

This book is a perfect follow up to Watkins’ previous gem, The First 90 Days. Your Next Move offers a very good framework for the different environments in which a new leader might find himself. Are you in a start-up organization? Rapid-growth? Or sustaining success? Watkins offers a wealth of information on everything from eight classic career moves to five conversations to have with your new boss.

This is an important book for any executive coach. Also critical for any ambitious professional working their way up the corporate ranks.

5. Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life — Steve Martin

Rating: * * * * *

Steve Martin is amazing. He is smart, funny (d’oh), and has my deep respect for the way he follows his passions. He has managed his career with aplomb, from stand-up comic, to actor, to writer, and now to tweeter par excellence. (He likens Twitter to old time radio in which he can tell a story to a broad audience.) Born Standing Up is a short, easy-to-read, and inspiring book. I am sure that you will be moved, as I was, by the thousands of hours he trudged through smokey clubs, polishing his act, until he found his voice and his audience found him. Persistence FTW!

6. The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company — Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel

Rating: * * * * *

I’d give it 10 stars if my scale went that far. The is the most valuable leadership book I’ve read in years, and one of the triple-crown of great books that I read in 2010. According to the authors’ model, there are six major “turns” in the corporate ladder. At each level of leadership, success comes from embodying the appropriate values, executing with the right skills, and managing your time appropriately for that level. Read this book if you are an aspiring corporate leader, an organizational development expert, or an executive coach.

7. Oprah, A Biography – Kitty Kelly

Rating: * * * *

Reading this book was more than a guilty pleasure. I am by no means an Oprah fan. However, Oprah is extremely successful and has been for years. This well-written and easy-to-read book gives you a peak behind the curtain. Oprah’s drive and extreme self confidence have been evident since she was a toddler. Once again, persistence FTW!

8. Blackberry: Inside the Story of Research in Motion — Rod McQueen

Rating * *

I am living in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada this year — the corporate headquarters for Research in Motion and the home of the birthplace of the BlackBerry. Understanding RIM was required reading.

9. Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime — John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

Rating: * * * *

Game Change was my vacation read this summer. This page-turner helped while away the hours as I ambled across Canada from Vancouver to Toronto on the Trans Canada Railway. Game Change deserves all the accolades it has received. It is a delight to get the inside scoop on the campaigns and “the race of a lifetime.” Read this book if you’ve ever wondered how a nation-wide American political campaign really works.

10. The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger — Marc Levinson

Rating: * * * * *

I have a confession: I absolutely love logistics. If you share my fascination with the complexity of supply chains and moving stuff around the globe then you will love this book. Venkat Rao has written an excellent review of this book on his blog at Ribbonfarm.

11. Bonfire of the Vanities: A Novel – Tom Wolfe

Rating: *

Apparently this book defined a generation back in the 80′s. I understand Wall Street and the whole “greed is good” delusion. However, looking back over 20+ years and reading Bonfire of the Vanities now, I am not sure that Wolfe captured it all that well.

12. Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, and How to Get It Back When You Need It — Marshall Goldsmith

Rating: * * *

Marshall Goldsmith is the king of executive coaches. He’s very good. I aspire to his ranks.

This is his latest book on leadership and coaching, imbued with his experience and his research. Mojo has some good ideas, particularly around owning your identity and building your reputation. While I only gave it three stars, it was good enough to make me want to read his previous book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. The best thing I learned from Mojo is that, by reading between the lines, I have all the makings of a top-notch executive coach.

Recommended if you’ve lost your Mojo, or if you’re a coach.

13: Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable – Patrick Lencioni

Rating: * * * * *

This is the second book in the leadership triple-crown that I read this year. It expanded my coaching perspective to include helping leaders build strong organizations.

In a nutshell: healthy organizations are built on a foundation of Trust. If they have trust, they are free to have healthy dialogues and, when necessary, Healthy Conflict. With healthy dialogue, everyone is heard. When everyone feels heard — even if they don’t completely agree — Commitment to a common agenda is possible.  With commitment to a common agenda people hold each other Accountable. And when peers, as well as leaders, are holding each other accountable extraordinary Results are achieved. These are the five functions of a strong organization. It is a beautiful model and a powerful lens to strengthen an organization.

14: Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t — Jeffrey Pfeffer

Rating: * * * * *

This is the third leg of the triple-crown of great books in 2010. Jeffrey Pfeffer is my idol. He has been speaking the truth about power for decades. Unfortunately, the word “power” has negative connotations for too many people. According to Pfeffer, get over it. Power is simply the ability to influence … and influence is the way things get done. The box you occupy on the organization chart doesn’t matter near as much as your ability to influence.

The precursor, and powerful complement, to Power is Pfeffer’s previous masterpiece Managing with Power. Together they deliver a one-two punch —  understanding how power works in large organizations (Managing With Power), followed by building and maintaining personal power (Power).

I am proposing this book for a virtual book club in 2011. There are 13 great chapters. Reading and discussing one chapter per week would take us through in a calendar quarter. Let me know if you are interested in participating. In the meantime, don’t wait. Get this book and read it now!

What’s Next?

It is interesting to note that all but two of 2010′s books were on the Kindle, and now even one of those is now available on the Kindle. It’s a great way to read.

The queue for 2011 looks equally as rich as the 2010 list. I am in the final pages of Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom at the moment. And the first few chapters of The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs is spurring me to think about leadership on new and different planes. Next up also includes a great biography of Winston Churchill and All The Devils Are Here by Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera.

I’ve said enough. I gotta go, my Kindle is calling . . .

1. Do the important stuff first

Where does the time go? Can it really be noon on a Sunday morning and I am still surfing aimlessly? When I sit down to a new day — or catch myself drifting throughout the day — I return to this simple mantra. What is important? What is important today? What could I be doing right now that is more important that what I am currently doing?

While this is a simplistic, and painfully obvious, personal mantra, it helps me to set priorities every moment and fend off the curse of procrastination and the demon of dilly-dallying.

2. If I want to read more, read more

I have an insatiable desire for input … but not just any input. Life is too short to spend meandering through Facebook or an endless stream of RSS feeds. What I crave most is well-thought-out, well-researched, and well-written ideas. This explains my ever-expanding reading list of books. And yet, even with an insatiable desire to digest more books, I never seem to have enough time to read. How can that be? I know I want to read more … and yet I don’t.

Funny, though, how I always seem to find time to check my Google home page, or follow the weather, or check the latest updates on Twitter. We spend time on the things we deem important. Actions speak louder than words. If reading is important to me then I intend to make it important. See #1.

3. Pay attention

Look with a photographer’s eye. As a newly reborn amateur photographer, I find that looking at the world with a photographer’s eye draws me into reality with a level of intensity that I love. With a camera nearby I am not just looking out the window, I am looking out the window to see the way that light is catching objects. I am looking for a scene or a composition that would make a great shot. As I move about my day I am not just in a room or in a public space. I am looking intensely and listening and smelling and feeling and asking myself, “what is the essence of this moment?”  And, “how could I capture it in a photo?” Living with a camera nearby is to live with a heightened sense of awareness.

4. Listen to my own voice

As far as dysfunctions go, the family of my childhood could rank up there with the best. It took my 20′s to break free of the dysfunction of my youth. In my 30′s I invested heavily to get myself on the path I wanted to follow. I did the hard work. Now is the time to trust my inner voice. I know where I want to go and I know what I want to do. There is a new brand of hard work ahead. This is my year. I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and, doggone it, people like me.

5. Relationships matter

Success is communal. Successful individuals occur only in the context of a community. And in the 21st century our communities are virtual. The good news is that with a little effort and a few tools I can build and maintain a rich web of professional relationships. As a recovering introvert™ I sometimes have to remind myself to invest the energy in strengthening and maintaining the relationships that are important to me, to my growth, and to my friends’ success.

I am not one for New Years’ resolutions, per se. (Whenever I decide to change a behavior I start that day. As mom always says, “there’s no time like the present.”) So these aren’t really “New Years’ Resolutions.” But they are the way I operate. And they reflect how I want to focus my energy for the coming year.

What are your guiding principles? I would love to hear what guides you and drives you. I will tweet the best responses.

Life is what you make it. Let’s all have a great year!

That is, until Internet came along. My pace of reading dropped to a trickle in the last few years. Between 2004 and 2008 I read less than three books per year, and one year I read only one book. Ouch!

I am proud to report that in 2009 I got my reading mojo back. I read a dozen books this year. I don’t think it is a coincidence that 2009 was also the year that I got a Kindle (even though only half of the books I read were available in Kindle format). In the age of gadgets and electronics, the Kindle has made reading fun again. After almost a decade of wandering aimlessly in the Internet wasteland of too many RSS subscriptions I have rediscovered the depth and quality of well-written books.

Here are the books I read in 2009:

• The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga
• Flawless Consulting, Peter Block
• Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell
• Confederates in the Attic, Tony Horwitz
• Million Dollar Consulting, Alan Weiss
• Co-Active Coaching, Laura Whitworth, et. al.
• The Bigger Game, Rick Tamlyn, et. al.
• Paranoia, Joseph Finder
• Escape from Cubicle Nation, Pamela Slim
• The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
• Back Sense, Siegel, Urgang, Johnson
• Leadership and Self-Deception, The Arbinger Institute

With the exception of The Lost Symbol, I would highly recommend each book on the list. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Outliers. Wow! The the ideas in that book turned my head inside out. An excellent read.

I am already three-fourths of the way into two books and it is only January 04. If all goes well, 2010 promises to be a rich year for reading as well.

Huh? Madonna was important? That was music?

</ tongue-in-cheek>

That is true about all art. The conflict is to try and take what is inside of you and put it inside somebody else.

This is such a wonderful idea. It has made my day.

I am reminded of a wonderful story of a modern dancer who gave a very expressive, very moving performance. When she had finished, a member of the audience approached her, asking what she was trying to communicate with her dance.

She replied, “Well sir, if I could explain it, I would not have needed to dance.”