I’ve prided myself on passing Calculus I and II without opening the books in high school, which was the culminating moment of me owning my lack of desire to read. I think the only 2 books I read cover to cover before college had to do with dogs and both made me cry. Subconsciously, I decided to vow to never finish a book again because of the tears that hit the pages of Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows.

Well, since college I’ve broken that vow and have slowly become a self-improvement and leadership book fanboy. I have developed an addiction to buying books on Amazon and Audible. I continually draw strength, knowledge, and inspiration from others expertise knowing that part of being a great leader is sharing your stories, successes and mistakes to create other great leaders in the world.

I’ve learned that my favorite leadership books aren’t actually leadership books, but they are the best leadership books… If that makes any sense.

 

1) Love Does

It seemed like Bob Goff was speaking right to my heart at the exact time I needed to hear every single word in his book Love Does. I was recovering from my heart surgery physically, mentally, and emotionally. At the same time I was spiritually longing for a relationship with something bigger than myself. This book quenched that thirst and taught me about what a loving life with Jesus really meant, while teaching me a ton about servant leadership at the same time.

Prior to reading Love Does I tell people I was “spiritually curious”. After reading Love Does I decided to go from curious to doing a full out faith cannon ball. It’s funny, the subtitle is Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. I almost took that as a challenge. Bring it on Bob!

In the book, Bob Goff takes you through his life and what he learned through acting out in love. This is where I first started to learn that leadership looks a lot like loving people. I also learned that love isn’t just a word that is said as you say to your mom as your leaving the house, it’s an action that you can live out on a daily basis.

Leadership begins and ends with love.

Best Quotes from Love Does:

“I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes.”

“That’s what love does – it pursues blindly, unflinchingly, and without end. When you go after something you love, you’ll do anything it takes to get it, even if it costs everything.”

“I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”

“I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them.”

“Most people need love and acceptance a lot more than they need advice.”

 

2) The Traveler’s Gift

My sister gave me this Andy Andrews book right after my college graduation and right before my heart surgery. I’m not sure she even knew the impact that it would have on my mindset and life.

The Traveler’s Gift is a story about David Ponder who is dealing with chaos and crisis in his life. From hitting what seems like rock bottom he goes through a series of dreams where he meets with a historical figure dealing with their own version of adversity, chaos and crisis.

Through personal story and experience, each historical figure gives him one secret and decision that will determine personal success. With an enhanced perspective and ability to live in their present moment they are able to lead through some of the toughest times in their lives.

The fourth decision is a personal favorite of mine. I have a decided heart.

When my sister gave it to me she inscribed “I am so proud of you Zachy!” To me I made a 8th decision—to continually make her proud of not just who I was, but who I was becoming.

Best Quotes from The Traveler’s Gift:

“I will not waste time on second thoughts. My life will not be an apology. It will be a statement.”

“The bad news is that the past was in your hands, but the good news is that the future, my friend, is also in your hands.”

“First we make a choice. Then our choices make us.”

“A wise man will cultivate a servant’s spirit, for that particular attribute attracts people like no other. As I humbly serve others, their wisdom will be freely shared with me. Often, the person who develops a servant’s spirit becomes wealthy beyond measure.”

“A committed heart does not wait for conditions to be exactly right. Why? Because conditions are never exactly right. Indecision limits the Almighty and His ability to perform miracles in your life. He has put the vision in you—proceed!”

 

3) Present Over Perfect

In Present Over Perfect, Shauna Niequist talks about how exhausting and isolated her ultra productive life she longed for had become. I related so much to what she was speaking through her personal stories. My feeling of imagined pressure to perform, push hard, make progress, and working towards perfection but never getting there. I was only achieving a busy, crazy, hectic, and frantic paced life.

Through this book I learned that I needed to be different as a leader, knowing that people’s imperfections make them perfect for their purpose. It slowed me down, helped me come to peace with my weaknesses, made me recalibrate how I was measuring success, and inspired me to intentional focus on being rather than just becoming.

Best Quotes from Present Over Perfect:

“The snow is only meant, created, commanded to fall. The rain is only meant, created, commanded to pour down. You were only meant, created, commanded to be who you are, weird and wonderful, imperfect and messy and lovely.”

“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and look back and realize that the best thing about me was I was organized.”

“How we live matters, and what you choose to own will shape your life, whether you choose to admit it or not. Let’s live lightly, freely, courageously, surrounded only by what brings joy, simplicity, and beauty.”

“But this is what I’ve learned the hard way: what people think about you means nothing in comparison to what you believe about yourself.”

 

4) Everybody Always

Bob Goff makes his second appearance on my Best Leadership Books Aren’t Actually Leadership Books list for good reason with another best seller. Bob again challenged me with the subtile Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People.

I simply equated this to becoming love = becoming a leader

In Everybody Always, Bob shares personal essays about what he has learned with Jesus at the center of each situation, especially when the situations were challenging. I found so many stories of failure turning into fulfillment, hard times turning into heroic faith, and unexpected moments turning into unconditional love.

Everybody Always didn’t just teach me how great leaders love others. It taught me how great leaders love themselves, love Jesus, and understand His love for us.

Best Quotes from Everybody Always:

“We’re all rough drafts of the people we’re still becoming.”

“Jesus talked to His friends a lot about how we should identify ourselves. He said it wouldn’t be what we said we believed or all the good we hoped to do someday. Nope, He said we would identify ourselves simply by how we loved people. It’s tempting to think there is more to it, but there’s not. Love isn’t something we fall into; love is some
one we become.”

“No one is remembered for what they only planned to do.”

“What’s crazy is when we’re not afraid and engage the world with a childlike faith, the people around us won’t be afraid either. Hope and courage do the same things. When we let them, they’ll spread like a cold. A really good kind of cold.”

“He knows that without risk we can’t grow. God didn’t promise us a safe life. Instead, He said He would give us a dangerous, courageous, and purposeful one if we take Him at His word and stay engaged.”