I’m one of those folks who reads every night before bed, and lately I’ve been consuming various books written for women leaders. Not just leadership books in general, of which there are plenty, but books written by women, for women. I’m grateful to have absorbed pieces of each of them into my own life, and have brought those same insights back to my consultation practice supporting fellow therapists. So why not share them here with you too?!
1. Radical Candor by Kim Scott. An emphasis on being an authentic leader without ruinous empathy (being nice to keep the peace) is definitely a message that resonates with a lot of women leaders trying to find balance between clear communication and boundaries! I’m a huge fan of quadrants so to explore four types of leadership in this way worked for my brain.
2. The Plan by Kendra Adachi. Her naming the stat that 93% of time management books are written by men is now stuck in my head forever. And she’s one of the first to talk about women’s cycles as it relates to energy, productivity, and the ebbs and flows of motivation. Although I don’t struggle with time management myself, I appreciated the view of seasons and the flow energetically between seasons when thinking of when to build projects, launch projects, or rest!
3. Playing Big by Tara Mohr. I loved the exploration of the inner critic versus the inner mentor. What wisdom can your Self twenty years from now give you? I even put my own spin on this exercise when facilitating a visualization amidst women mental health leaders last month in Sedona, Arizona!
4. How to Love Your Business by Nicole Lewis-Keeber. A respected colleague of mine and leadership facilitator, I love the ah-has about our relational patterns from childhood being recreated then placed on our businesses. This concept feels like a mic drop when exploring perfectionism, workaholism, and over-functioning for many women. A fast read, check out the reflection prompts of how you feel about your business and what you believe your business feels about you!
4. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Although at first glance this doesn’t feel like a leadership book, the emphasis of embracing inspiration and creativity resonates with a lot of entrepreneurial spirits and leaders, myself included. I loved how Liz personifies inspiration as a guest that we want to welcome into our space, while also recognizing that it may exit and find someone else to partner with on a new book or creative endeavor. In other words, it serves as a message for us control freaks to hear it’s out of our hands but we can be open to receive! As a writer and published author now for eight years, this book feels like permission to stay curious about future projects and interests that come across the radar, and to lean into creativity without chasing it.
Have you read any of these books? What did you like about them? How have they impacted your work as a therapist or as a leader?
What should I read next?!