The Ultimate List of Book Recommendations from Local Leaders

Book recommendations can be hit or miss. But if you want to read more this year and don’t know where to start, this is a great list! We asked a few local leaders across different industries to tell us the 3-5 most impactful books they’ve read in their lives, and this is what they shared.

It’s a great mixture of nonfiction and fiction options, and some of them have nothing to do with leadership…they’re simply good, impactful reads.

Scroll to read the full list, but first, check out the top-rated book!

Top-Rated Book

TRACTION by Gino Wickman

Out of all of the responses, this was the most repeated recommendation. Traction helps you from the ground up with an accountability chart (replacing the organizational chart), setting goals (rocks), and actually getting some traction when it comes to growing your business.

Active8 Communications’ Current Read

BUILDING A STORYBRAND by Donald Miller

If there’s one book that’s reshaping the way we think about marketing it’s Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. One of the main tenets of this book is that the customer is the hero…not your own brand. This changes everything when it comes to clarifying your message and reaching your target audience.

Book Recommendations from Local Leaders

Bill Neiland, Managing Partner at Active8 Communications

TRACTION by Gino Wickman – I read this for the 3rd or 4th time in 2022. This book outlines a very simple, super-effective model for building and measuring your organizational strategy. Since I help a few different clients with their annual strategy process, it helps to brush up on my Traction at the end of the year.

ROCKET FUEL by Gino Wickman – Gino Wickman pays little attention to the traditional titles most of us are used to (President, CEO, VPs, etc.) and describes 2 important roles every company needs for explosive growth: The Visionary & The Integrator.

THE JUDGES LIST by John Grisham – I used to be able to read every book John Grisham wrote as they were published. I don’t have the time now, and he’s writing faster than I can read. This is a good one though.

THE LAST ENCORE by Bobbie “Norton” Thompson – This is a book of stories written by a roadie that worked with Glenn Frey and the Eagles. Glenn Frey was a great writer and performer, but what I think separated him from others was his vision and leadership.

KILLING THE MOB by Bill O’Reilly – This is an easy-to-read book about the history of organized crime…with a little Frank Sinatra sprinkled in.