Fans pick 41 books like Bringing Out the Best in People

In diving into this book, I couldn't help but draw parallels between Maxwell's teachings and our foundational principles of Organizational Behavior Management (OBM). Although Maxwell isn't exactly a card-carrying behavior scientist, his wisdom on topics like vision, influence, and commitment resonates deeply with OBM practices I've come to advocate for.

He's revamped the book with modern examples, making it all the more relevant in today's business world. Yet, the core truths—those unshakeable leadership tenets—remain. Through my lens, blending Maxwell's insights with OBM's evidence-based strategies can empower anyone navigating the complex world of leadership.

This isn't just another leadership book; it's a bridge between traditional leadership wisdom and the pragmatic, results-driven approach of OBM. Highly recommended for those with a passion for melding theory with real-world solutions.

This book helped me stop thinking about singular problems and solutions and taught me to think in terms of relationships. 

I read it at a time when I believed the electric car to be a solution to oil dependence and the greenhouse effect. Electric cars do not directly produce CO2 and are more energy efficient. What I missed was the fact that cars are much more than oil-burning CO2-emitters. They limit our street life and kill more than a million people in traffic each year.

By solving one problem without looking at the big picture, we enlarge other problems and create new ones. Will cobalt wars follow after the oil wars? Reading this book felt like walking around with a flashlight in my head and then a construction lamp switching on.

Navigating the pages of this book, I felt an unexpected yet deep kinship, not just as someone well-versed in Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), but as a mixed martial arts and boxing coach.

John Wooden's timeless coaching ethos struck a chord. Much of what Wooden espoused—extracting every ounce of effort, maximizing performance, and championing his revered Pyramid of Success—mirrors the principles that drive both OBM and the rigorous discipline of combat sports. Isn't it fascinating how the delicate balance of mental fortitude, emotional resilience, and physical prowess is as crucial in a boardroom as it is in the boxing ring?

For those who wear many hats, like me, this book offers more than leadership insights. It's a beacon, illuminating the interconnectedness of diverse realms—from the corporate maze to the fight cage. After all, isn't the ultimate goal always about achieving excellence, be it in leadership or a championship bout? Wooden’s insights?… show more.

Upon immersing myself in this book, it felt like connecting with a mentor, especially considering my deep respect for Daniels's earlier work, Bringing Out the Best in People. But make no mistake, this isn't your typical leadership guide. Through the Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) prism, Daniels reframes leadership by emphasizing not merely the actions of leaders but the consequential behaviors of their followers.

Sound familiar? It should. In both my experiences as a mixed martial arts and boxing coach and my endeavors in the educational sector, I've seen a consistent truth: The effectiveness of a leader or coach is mirrored in the performance of their team or students. Much like how a coach's strategy is made manifest in a fighter's execution, a school leader's influence is visible in the engagement and outcomes of their students.

Navigating through education, there's a clear intersection with Daniels's insights. As we endeavor to mold… show more.

No one’s voice is fully formed from the beginning. It takes work to refine it, and that’s where this book is invaluable.

Even though I had practiced piano for more than 20 years when I read Practice Perfect, I still found helpful insights for improving. My favorite rule is number 31: normalize error. “Failure is normal and not the indicator of a lack of skill.”

This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to get better at anything. That probably includes you.

The work of Anders Ericsson changed my life. In this book, he describes his research into how certain people become really good at what they do. They all use one particular approach to achieving excellence. First, through a teacher, they learn the specific skills they need for their chosen activity. Then, they devote large amounts of time to practicing each skill to the point of mastery. Finally, with more practice, they learn to put all the skills together.

This way of learning is familiar to anyone who’s played a sport or a musical instrument. But it had never been applied to writing. Inspired by Ericsson’s work, that’s what I did, first with my own writing, then in classes I taught, and finally in my book listed above.

Knowing yourself can be difficult, but essential for success as a founder. Instead of focusing on our weaknesses, Rath argues that we should double down on what makes us unique and he provides us with the tools to discover those strengths. We wear many hats as startup founders, so by understanding our own strengths, we can be more effective leaders and build a more balanced team.

Few books on popular music history include analysis of the evolving conditions of live concerts. Most inventory the top shows and offer quirky anecdotes, but Steve Waksman’s Live Music in America: A History from Jenny Lind to Beyoncé refuses to separate the actual performance from the numerous behind-the-scene individuals that shaped the shows. Readers will come to appreciate diverse influences over a turbulent 170-year history that have led to today’s modern music festival.

As they move up, executives become more and more responsible for strategy and building the capacity of the organization. But one thing never changes: they are still responsible for making sure that strategic plans get implemented.

Their dilemma, given all the other responsibilities they take on, is how to manage execution without getting bogged down at too low a level of detail. Bossidy is a retired CEO and Charan is a well-respected consultant. They lay out a roadmap for ensuring implementation and simultaneously building organization capacity.

The objective of a minimalist, anti-materialist, simple life is to open ourselves up to whatever “something greater” the universe has in store for us. Drawing on rigorous science and historical evidence, Alex Pang helps us understand how the act of slowing down helps bring us closer to that something greater. As a farm kid, I was raised in a culture that embraced overwork and shunned slowing down. So learning to have a simpler life meant I had to buck that culture and develop an understanding of how rest benefited my brain and well-being. 

This book helped me move my business to a place where all owners and employees enjoyed more freedom and lower stress, and where greater fun and creativity unfolded.