For those of us who love to support the underdogs, here are some less-known branding books that are definitely worth reading.
If you’re reading this blog soon after it was originally published, you’re approaching that most wonderful time of year when many healthcare leaders and others reflect on the year that’s ending—and set goals and resolutions for the year to come. Sometimes, in the quiet moments—whether it’s the holidays or not—you may find yourself reflecting on your vision of what the world could be and how you could better move your vision forward. Whenever you do that, you’re laying the foundation for creating, refining or adding polishing touches to your executive personal brand.
With the commitment that Revealing Genius has to the underdogs among us, we’re dedicating this blog to the authors of six books we love—and that we recommend to you. Each has the potential to inspire your executive personal brand development efforts in a big way. To further support underdogs, we’re intentionally linking, wherever possible, to the authors’ websites or to bookshop.org, which supports local bookstores with each purchase.
Please let me know what you think of these!
1. Steven Cope: The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling
Cope dedicated this book to his mentors, people who “demonstrated in their lives the nobility of work.” The Great Work of Your Life inspires readers to pursue their authentic work in the world. That’s the game we are playing, right? In addition, the stories in this book are so moving, compelling and real, that it is hard to put down. Notably, this is the inspiration for The Great Work of Your Life™ interview series by Revealing Genius.
2. Kevin W. McCarthy: The On-Purpose Person: Making Your Life Make Sense
What I love about the On-Purpose Person is McCarthy’s conviction that “being on-purpose is the difference in people who make a difference.” I wholeheartedly agree. The book is written in a lively, highly relatable parable format. Without spoiling the plot, the story underscores how much joy can be found in “paying it forward” with wisdom. McCarthy also is the creator of the onpurpose.me tool that clients of Revealing Genius use (we are a proud licensee) to help them excavate their executive personal brands.
3. Sheelagh Mawe: Dandelion: The Extraordinary Life of a Misfit
You can read this amazing book in one sitting and have the message about spirit stay with you forever. Just about anyone reading the book will think that Dandelion, an Irish farm horse, is a metaphor written just for them. Of Irish descent and a farm girl myself, I was drawn to the lilting Irish storytelling style this book used. It made me pause and think, laugh out loud, and reach for the tissues. I read it on a short airplane ride, and I often refer to the author as one of the best-ever raconteurs, a person who tells anecdotes skillfully and powerfully. Take a deep breath and jump into this one. The story is an emotional rollercoaster, and the ending will have a significant impact.
4. Olivia Fox Cabane and Judah Pollack: The Net & the Butterfly: The Art and Practice of Breakthrough Thinking
Based on neuroscience discoveries, this book helped me understand the creative and executive modes of our brains; the metaphor of the net and the butterfly really sticks for me when I think about acting on “aha” moments. The creative mode is like a butterfly. It’s beautiful and erratic, hard to catch sometimes and highly valued as a result. But it needs a net. The executive mode of our brain is the task-oriented network. It needs to discern the right action to take. Using both modes proactively, we can induce breakthrough moments, create eureka insights and proactively solve tough puzzles. I’ve done this consistently using the practices in this book, and it’s so energizing. Try it and let me know how it goes.
5. Julia DiGangi, Ph.D.: Energy Rising: The Neuroscience of Leading with Emotional Power
This author is so on brand and her new book (published in October 2023) was so intriguing that I featured it in my monthly digital magazine, Keystone Brands. As I help people develop their executive personal brands, I’m a big fan of talking about energy management rather than time management. (What you say yes to says volumes about your brand!) Energy Rising offers a path to finding impact and fulfillment, no matter what life-changing experiences you face. Dr. DiGangi shares eight neurogenetic codes that help people unlock the energy that powers our brains to live a more fulfilling life. It’s a keeper for any leader, like me, who has survived unspeakable tragedy and now finds themselves driving transformational change. The book is all about how to access and rely on their true North to navigate.
6. Deborah M. Shlian, M.D., Editor: Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Leaders in STEM
Each of the 30 stories in this book is unique, exceptional, humorous and honest. No matter where you start reading, you are going to be inspired. The profiles illustrate the variety in women’s paths to personal fulfillment, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math, yet all are grounded in a strong sense of the kind of purpose that is fundamental to the Revealing Genius Excavate–Tell–Affirm™ process. A board-certified family practitioner, Dr. Shlian also published Lessons Learned: Stories from Women Physician Leaders andhas won awards for her medical mystery thrillers.
The famous and inspiring children’s author Dr. Seuss once said: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” I hope these books help you get inspiration for doing executive personal branding—and that you’ll soon find yourself doing the great work of your life and more effectively changing the world for the better.
If you’d like more executive personal branding assistance from Revealing Genius, consider signing up for our complimentary Excavate Your Brand webinar or investing in our flagship online course or Brand Leadership Summit. We provide 1:1 executive coaching options too.
