Why am I passionate about this?

For over 35 years I’ve worked with managers and leaders who are trying to foster change – in their organizations and in themselves. Leading change is a messy business; it can discourage the best leaders. But in today’s disruptive environment, we have no choice. Change is an imperative, not an option. I’ve been fortunate in helping many leaders and groups – in government, business, and the nonprofit world – manage change successfully. There is no “secret sauce,” but there are proven methods and attitudes that can significantly improve our chances. I’m delighted to share them with you.


I wrote

Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change

By Russell Linden,

Book cover of Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change

What is my book about?

This book offers guidance to professional and lay leaders on how to lead change during disruptive times. It explores Torah…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World

Russell Linden Why did I love this book?

Who would have thought that some of the world’s most original thinkers are procrastinators? Fail more often than most?  Aren’t highly motivated to achieve? Aren’t usually risk-takers?

Adam Grant dispels numerous myths about creative people. They aren’t usually high-wire risk-takers. Rather, they reduce their risk by observing those who are the first to produce something new, learn from their mistakes, and then offer their own, better version. What about procrastinating? A better word might be “incubating.” They ponder an idea and put it on the back burner of their minds, allowing the idea to develop over time. And, Grant points out, the fact that they don’t have high needs for continual achievement fosters creativity. How? A high achievement motivation is often accompanied by a fear of failure, which can dampen our creativity.

I’ve long been intrigued by people who look at the world through a different lens. Steve Jobs saw computers not only as powerful tools but also as great design opportunities. I love Adam Grant’s book because he shows that none of us needs to be a Steve Jobs (thank God!) to be original thinkers. I highly recommend this book because it demystifies what innovation is all about. We can all be “original” in our own ways.

By Adam Grant,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Originals as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller that examines how people can champion new ideas in their careers and everyday life-and how leaders can fight groupthink, from the author of Think Again and co-author of Option B

"Filled with fresh insights on a broad array of topics that are important to our personal and professional lives."-The New York Times DealBook

"Originals is one of the most important and captivating books I have ever read, full of surprising and powerful ideas. It will not only change the way you see the world; it might just change the way you live your life.…


Book cover of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Russell Linden Why did I love this book?

Imagine someone riding atop an elephant. What comes to mind: Fun? Disaster? A circus? For the Heath brothers, the “rider and elephant” is a metaphor for how two parts of our brains work. The rider is the rational side – it gathers data, analyzes situations, exercises judgment. The elephant is the emotional side – it sizes up opportunities and threats, shapes our reactions to change, stores memories and makes predictions. 

The authors show us how to use this knowledge to lead change in our organizations and in our own lives. When a change effort fails – say, we don’t follow through on our commitment to exercise – it’s usually the elephant’s fault. But the elephant has enormous strengths which can be tapped to ensure changes work. And our rider can help us figure out how to exploit the elephant’s gifts.

I’m interested in books that help us understand complex issues. And I can testify that leading change is complex with a capital C. The authors give us a model to lead change that’s easy to understand. For instance; our elephant is lazy and needs quick reinforcement. Big changes rarely provide immediate rewards. So, the Heath brothers emphasize the need to “shrink the change.” Break it into small chunks and celebrate when we achieve each one. The book is an easy read, with memorable stories and wise advice.

By Dan Heath, Chip Heath,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Switch as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

___________________________________
Change is hard. It doesn't have to be.

We all know that change is hard. It's unsettling, it's time-consuming, and all too often we give up at the first sign of a setback.

But why do we insist on seeing the obstacles rather than the goal? This is the question that bestselling authors Chip and Dan Heath tackle in their compelling and insightful book. They argue that we need only understand how our minds function in order to unlock shortcuts to switches in behaviour.

Illustrating their ideas with scientific studies and remarkable real-life turnarounds - from the secrets of…


Book cover of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Russell Linden Why did I love this book?

When famed tennis pro and coach Pancho Segura was asked why he chose to coach Jimmy Connors when he was a teenager (Connors wasn’t one of the top junior players), Segura said that Connors had more desire than any of the others. While he didn’t use the word “grit,” that’s what he meant. Grit, which Duckworth defines as a combination of passion and perseverance, is usually what separates high achievers from others in the same field. That’s based on her research with thousands of people, including school kids, pro football players, West Point cadets, and National Spelling Bee finalists. She includes numerous examples, advice on improving your grit (and that of your kids), and an assessment that shows how gritty you are. This book gives me hope. Success isn’t confined to those born with great genes and natural talent. Those help, as do loving parents and good fortune. But we can all push ourselves. And when we’re pushing in a field that we love, Duckworth shows how we can exceed in ways that will amaze us.

By Angela Duckworth,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Grit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

UNLOCK THE KEY TO SUCCESS

In this must-read for anyone seeking to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth takes us on an eye-opening journey to discover the true qualities that lead to outstanding achievement. Winningly personal, insightful and powerful, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that - not talent or luck - makes all the difference.

'Impressively fresh and original' Susan Cain


Book cover of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

Russell Linden Why did I love this book?

Why a book about timing? Consider: If you need to have surgery, schedule it in the morning, because anesthesiologists are four times more likely to make mistakes at 4 p.m. than at 9 a.m. And you’re more likely to get infected in hospitals in the afternoon, in part because docs and nurses wash their hands less frequently in the afternoons. The author describes the “hidden pattern of everyday life,” and why beginnings and endings (of days, work projects, even life) tend to be more focused and positive, while midpoints often lack energy and focus. He also helps us learn how to use that knowledge to do everything from scheduling certain activities (and when to take breaks), to improving our relationships.

I’m fascinated by Daniel Pink’s book because he takes something that we sense – timing matters – and gives us a simple structure that helps us make important decisions in which timing is a critical factor. 

By Daniel H. Pink,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked When as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Timing is everything. But we don't know much about timing itself. Timing, it's often assumed, is an art; in When, Pink shows that timing is in fact a science.

Drawing on a rich trove of research from psychology, biology and economics, Pink reveals how best to live, work and succeed. How can we use the hidden patterns of the day to build the ideal schedule? Why do certain breaks dramatically improve student test scores? How can we turn a stumbling beginning into a fresh start? When should you have your first coffee of the day? Why is singing in time…


Book cover of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Russell Linden Why did I love this book?

The author argues that some of us have “fixed mindsets” – we assume our abilities are established early on and can’t be changed or improved. Others have “growth mindsets,” and believe that abilities can be developed. Drawing from such fields as business, sports, the arts and education, she demonstrates how we can enhance our abilities and those of others. For instance:

Some years back a principal was named educator of the year. One of her innovations: she changed the grading system and replaced “Fs” with “Not yet.” It told the kids to keep trying because they could do better. Most of her school's struggling students - whose parents never finished high school - started to blossom. Many went on to college. The teachers focused on their potential for growth because they believed that kids’ abilities aren’t fixed. 

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we’re living in a tumultuous, disruptive world. One key to living with disruption is to become flexible and adaptive. I admire Dweck’s work because she shows us that our ability to adapt is related to our self concept. If we see ourselves as fixed – by genes, upbringing, etc. – we’ll have a helluva time adapting to change. We all need a growth mindset.

By Carol S. Dweck,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked Mindset as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the renowned psychologist who introduced the world to “growth mindset” comes this updated edition of the million-copy bestseller—featuring transformative insights into redefining success, building lifelong resilience, and supercharging self-improvement.

“Through clever research studies and engaging writing, Dweck illuminates how our beliefs about our capabilities exert tremendous influence on how we learn and which paths we take in life.”—Bill Gates, GatesNotes

“It’s not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.”

After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this…


Explore my book 😀

Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change

By Russell Linden,

Book cover of Loss and Discovery: What the Torah Can Teach Us about Leading Change

What is my book about?

This book offers guidance to professional and lay leaders on how to lead change during disruptive times. It explores Torah episodes, as well as numerous contemporary examples, all of which reveal important lessons on what to do and what not to do, when navigating today’s unpredictable and turbulent environment.

The book draws on biblical sources, leadership studies, neuropsychology, history, economics, and other fields that help leaders understand how to prepare for and implement change. It also includes insights from Abraham Lincoln, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Nelson Mandela, and Colin Powell, as well as change agents in religious communities, law enforcement, human services, and politics. The emphasis is on practical methods that leaders can begin using today.

You might also like...

What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

By Sharman Apt Russell,

Book cover of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

Sharman Apt Russell Author Of What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Explorer Runner Mother

Sharman's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

Nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife—mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice—near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. She guides readers through the basics of identifying tracks and signs, revealing a landscape filled with the marks left by browsing deer, predatory weasels, and inquisitive bears, skunks, and raccoons. Master tracker Kim A Cabrera provides photos and illustrations.

Winner of the prestigious John Burroughs Medal, Russell also writes about community, a sense of place, and a renewed connection with the nonhuman world. She explores the health of…

What Walks This Way: Discovering the Wildlife Around Us Through Their Tracks and Signs

By Sharman Apt Russell,

What is this book about?

Did a red fox pass this way? Could that be a bobcat print there in the dirt? Do those tracks belong to a domestic dog or a coyote? Combining lyrical memoir with an introduction to wildlife tracking, What Walks This Way explores the joys of learning to recognize the traces of the creatures with whom we share our world.

The nature writer Sharman Apt Russell tells stories of her experiences tracking wildlife-mostly mammals, from mountain lions to pocket mice-near her home in New Mexico, with lessons that hold true across North America. With wit and compassion, she guides readers through…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in change, entrepreneurs, and success in life?

Change 40 books
Entrepreneurs 306 books
Success In Life 262 books