The Edge for July/August 2023
It’s summer reading season, so we asked business executives to share with us the books that have motivated and inspired them, along with the lessons they gained. Here is what they said.
Get to the Top Without Cutting Others Down
I read Adam Grant’s Give and Take 10 years ago. Grant’s stories are compelling enough to read on the beach – which I did – and his core lessons still resonate. Grant says of successful “givers”: “They get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the pie that benefit themselves and the people around them. Whereas success is zero-sum in a group of takers, in groups of givers, it may be true that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” It is a great reminder that by giving, we can do good and achieve extraordinary results.
– Kristin D. Sostowski, Director, Employment & Labor Law Group, Gibbons P.C.
Recognize the Leaders Who Lift Us
I like to carry around a book that I can pull out on business trips. Right now, that book is The Wind at My Back, by acclaimed ballerina Misty Copeland. It tells the story of two Black ballerinas and friends, and how they changed the dance world forever. What does dance have to do with business? What I love about the book is that it captures the importance of mentorship and recognizing leaders who lifted us as we climb. Misty celebrates the connection she made with her mentor, the only teacher who could truly understand the obstacles she faced.
– Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, CEO & Executive Director, New Jersey Society of CPAs (NJCPA)
Our Brains Are Limitless
I recommend Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life, by Jim Kwik. I once set limits on what I pursued. I would say, ‘I’m too busy. It’s too difficult to learn. My brain is at capacity.’ Kwik focuses on four concepts that dismisses those myths. He challenges self-limiting beliefs and replaces them with empowering ones. The book grounded me, and motivates me to learn and achieve. The bottom line: Our brains are limitless, not predetermined by genes.
– Alberto Garofalo, President, Bank of America New Jersey
Vulnerability Fosters Empathy, Encourages Open Communication, and Fuels Collaboration
In Lead to Win, Carla Harris offers a guide to effective leadership in times of crisis. Leaders must display visibility, transparency, decisiveness, and vulnerability to inspire trust during critical moments. Harris’ insights highlight the pivotal role that leaders play in guiding teams through uncertainty while fostering innovation and adaptability. The book has enlightened me about how vulnerability fosters empathy, encourages open communication, and fuels collaboration. It serves as a powerful reminder that exceptional leadership enables organizations to flourish amid challenges, paving the way for growth, stability, and success, while cultivating a cohesive and empowered workforce.
– Diane Recinos, EdD, President, Berkeley College
