Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglass Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen. Step-by-step approach on how to have tough conversations with success.

The Fifth Discipline by Peter M. Senge. The blueprints of organizational change, people expanding, and how to get the results.

Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. Using Emotional Intelligence concepts to change leadership styles as the situation demands.

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith. 20 bad habits that stifle already successful careers (as well as personal goals like succeeding in marriage or as a parent) and how to stop doing them.

The Transparency Edge by Elizabeth Pagano. This book is a timely and instructional guidebook for organizational leaders who must establish and maintain credibility.

Coaching for Leadership: How the World’s Greatest Coaches Help Leaders Learn edited by Marshall Goldsmith, Laurence Lyons, and Alyssa Freas. How and why coaching works and how leaders can best use the coaching process.

The Handbook of Coaching: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for Managers, Executives, Consultants, and HR by Frederic M. Hudson. A guide to building, developing, and strengthening skills needed to transform and empower organizations.

The Center for Creative Leadership Handbook of Leadership Development edited by McCauley, Moxley, and Van Velsor. An explanation of elements of leadership development.

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton. Methods for negotiating disputes.

How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow. Why people behave the way they do and how to transform their thinking.

The Mindful Coach: Seven Roles for Facilitating Leader Development by Douglas K. Silsbee. Leaders of all kinds can benefit from Silsbee’s clear and caring process for bringing out the best in people. This is a must-read book for anyone who wants to jump-start themselves and others on their journey to their potential.

The Art of Speedreading People by Paul D Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger. Shows how to identify personalities and how to use this information to communicate effectively and achieve faster results.

The Coaching Handbook: An Action Kit for Trainers and Managers by Sara Thorpe and Jackie Clifford. How to harness the techniques of coaching professionals.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence: Why it can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman. The Western cultures esteem analytical skills measured by IQ tests: but there is clearly more to success and happiness, even in technological societies, than IQ alone. Goleman has written one of the best books on the nature and importance of other kinds of intelligence besides our perhaps overly beloved IQ.

The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace by Carry Cherniss and Daniel Goleman. The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace is an engaging attempt to connect fundamental research on emotions and human performance to day-to-day workplace challenges.

The Emotional Intelligent Quickbook: Everything you need to know by Dr. Travis Bradberry and Dr. Jean Greaves. This book introduces a highly important skill for personal and professional success–and it is excellent.

From now on With Passion: A Guide to Emotional Intelligence by Christine Mockler Casper.

Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis, and Annie McKee. This book centers on the idea that the main task of leaders is to prime good feeling in those that they lead. With this in mind, individuals must gain a strong understanding of emotional intelligence in order to be better leaders.

Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. Unlike IQ, emotional intelligence can keep growing–it continues to develop with life experiences. Understanding and raising your emotional intelligence is essential to your success and leadership potential.

Assessments (See also: MBTI)

The Art of Speedreading People by Paul D Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger. Shows how to identify personalities and how to use this information to communicate effectively and achieve faster results.

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. The inside flap of the book’s jacket includes a unique identification number that allows you access to the StrengthsFinder Profile on the Internet. This web-based assessment analyzes your instinctive reactions and immediately presents you with your five most powerful signature themes.

Managing People

Training in Interpersonal Skills: Tips for Managing People at Work by Stephen P. Robbins and Phillip L. Hunsaker.

Skills for New Managers by Morey Stettner. Discusses how to succeed and flourish as a manager using this short, highly focused model for effective management. Includes topics such as hiring, criticism and discipline, and leadership.

Management Skills for New Managers by Carol W. Ellis. An introduction to everything you need to make the jump to management smoothly and be effective right from your first day. This practical guide helps you:* define your role: What does a manager do, and how do you create the environment that will help those things get done?* communicate effectively: Interact with your staff and with your own manager, using the right approach and most appropriate methods* manage staff performance: Identify challenges, set objectives, and give your people what they need to do their jobs well. Plus you’ll learn how to delegate for maximum productivity, motivate individuals and teams, and much more. Filled with practical techniques and specific action plans for applying the approaches in your new role.

Peer Learning

TEC International, www.teconline.com

Leadership Network, www.leadershiplouisville.org

Greater Louisville, Inc.’s Roundtables, www.greaterlouisville.com

YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization), www.ypo.org

GE Women’s Network, http://www.ge.com/company/culture/people/womensnetwork.html

Make Up Your Mind by Ann Graham Ehringer, Ph.D. This book takes apart the process of entrepreneurial decision-making and analyzes what separates the good from the bad.

Can Peer Groups Supply the Expertise You Lack?, Jeff Bailey, staff reporter of The Wall Street Journal.

How to Find a CEO Peer Group That’s Worth Your Time – and Money, by Donna Fenn, Inc. Magazine.

Share and Tell, by Pam Withers, BCBusiness

Executive Coaching

From Changing Times