A curated collection of Leadership Books, recommend by current and former members of the Worcester State University community. Many of these books can be borrowed from the OSILD Leadership Library. Stop by OSILD on the second floor of the Student Center if any of these titles interest you!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Business<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Give and Take For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But in today\u2019s dramatically reconfigured world, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. In Give and Take, Adam Grant, an award-winning researcher and Wharton\u2019s highest-rated professor, examines the surprising forces that shape why some people rise to the top of the success ladder while others sink to the bottom. Praised by social scientists, business theorists, and corporate leaders, Give and Take opens up an approach to work, interactions, and productivity that is nothing short of revolutionary. The 5 C’s: Common Sense Tips for Bringing Uncommon Success to Entrepreneurs and Leaders<\/strong> Running a prosperous, resilient company is the goal of every entrepreneur, but there are essential steps to success that most people miss. This step-by-step handbook will help you better serve your business, clients, employees, and community with a quintet of common-sense practices every business person should master. When you lead, inspire, and give back to others, you can reap unparalleled rewards. The 5 C’s are the tools you\u2019ll need.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Start Something That Matters<\/strong> In\u00a0Start Something That Matters,\u00a0<\/em>Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, one of the fastest-growing shoe companies in the world, and combines it with lessons learned from such other innovative organizations such as Method Products, charity: water, FEED Projects, and TerraCycle. Blake presents the six simple keys for creating or transforming your own life and business, from discovering your core story to being resourceful without resources; from overcoming fear and doubt to incorporating giving into every aspect of your life. Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements<\/em>\u00a0provides you with a holistic view of what contributes to your wellbeing over a lifetime. Written in a conversational style, this book is filled with fascinating research and innovative ideas for boosting your wellbeing in each of these five areas. By the time you finish reading this book, you\u2019ll have a better understanding of what makes life worthwhile. This will enable you to enjoy each day and get more out of your life \u2014 while boosting the wellbeing of your friends, family members, colleagues and others in your community. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action<\/strong> In studying the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way\u2014and it’s the complete opposite of what everyone else does. Drawing on a wide range of real-life stories, Sinek weaves together a clear vision of what it truly takes to lead and inspire. This book is for anyone who wants to inspire others or who wants to find someone to inspire them. Children<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Miss Rumphius<\/strong> Barbara Cooney’s story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem In this stirring, much-anticipated picture book by presidential inaugural poet and activist Amanda Gorman, anything is possible when our voices join together. As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes\u2014big or small\u2014in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves. All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything Jennifer Keelan was determined to make a change\u2014even if she was just a kid. She never thought her wheelchair could slow her down, but the way the world around her was built made it hard to do even simple things. Like going to school, or eating lunch in the cafeteria. <\/span>Jennifer knew that everyone deserves a voice! Then the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that would make public spaces much more accessible to people with disabilities, was proposed to Congress. And to make sure it passed, Jennifer went to the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC to convince them. The Dot Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can\u2019t draw – she\u2019s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. “There!” she says. <\/span>That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti\u2019s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds\u2019s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us. Oh, The Places You’ll Go<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n From soaring to high heights and seeing great sights to being left in a lurch on a prickle-ly perch, Dr. Seuss addresses life\u2019s ups and downs with his trademark humorous verse and illustrations, while encouraging readers to find the success that lies within. In a starred review, Booklist notes, \u201cSeuss\u2019s message is simple but never sappy: life may be a \u2018Great Balancing Act,\u2019 but through it all \u2018There\u2019s fun to be done.\u2019\u201d A perennial favorite and a perfect gift for anyone starting a new phase in their life! The Monster at the End of This Book Lovable, furry old Grover is distressed to learn that there’s a monster at the end of this book! He begs readers not to turn the pages, but of course kids feel they just have to see this monster for themselves. Grover is astonished–and toddlers will be delighted–to discover who is really the monster at the end of the book! Classics<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Trial<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n The Trial<\/em>\u00a0is the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the madness of totalitarianism,\u00a0The Trial<\/em>\u00a0has resonated with chilling truth for generations of readers. The Razor’s Edge<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham’s most brilliant characters – his fianc\u00e9e Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. Moby-Dick: or, The Whale<\/strong> Moby-Dick<\/em>\u00a0is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself. But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopedia of whaling lore and legend, the book can be seen as part of its author’s lifelong meditation on America. Written with wonderfully redemptive humor,\u00a0Moby-Dick\u00a0is also a profound inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn<\/strong> The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness — in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience. Cultural<\/em> Awareness<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness In a time when nearly every institution claims <\/span>to value diversity in its mission statement, Austin writes in breathtaking detail about her journey to self-worth and the pitfalls that kill our attempts at racial justice. Her stories bear witness to the complexity of America\u2019s social fabric\u2014from Black Cleveland neighborhoods to private schools in the middle-class suburbs, from prison walls to the boardrooms at majority-white organizations. <\/span>For readers who have engaged with America\u2019s legacy on race through the writing of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Michael Eric Dyson, I\u2019m Still Here is an illuminating look at how white, middle-class, Evangelicalism has participated in an era of rising racial hostility, inviting the reader to confront apathy, recognize God\u2019s ongoing work in the world, and discover how blackness\u2014if we let it\u2014can save us all. 35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say: Surprising Things We Say That Widen the Diversity Gap<\/strong> Even well-intended people can cause harm. Have you ever heard yourself or someone else say: “Some of my best friends are… (Black, White, Asian, etc.)”? “I don’t think of you as… (Gay, Disabled, Jewish, etc.)”? “I don’t see color, I’m colorblind”? These statements and dozens like them can build a divide between us and the people we interact with. Though well-intended, they often widen the diversity gap sometimes causing irreparable harm personally and professionally. If you’ve ever wanted to be more effective in your communication with others, or have been afraid of saying the wrong thing, then this concise guide is essential to becoming more inclusive and diversity-smart. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism In this \u201cvital, necessary, and beautiful book\u201d (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and \u201callows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to \u2018bad people\u2019 (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively. Invisible Man<\/strong> A first novel by an unknown writer, it remained on the bestseller list for sixteen weeks, won the National Book Award for fiction, and established Ralph Ellison as one of the key writers of the century. The nameless narrator of the novel describes growing up in a black community in the South, attending a Negro college from which he is expelled, moving to New York and becoming the chief spokesman of the Harlem branch of “the Brotherhood”, and retreating amid violence and confusion to the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be. Pedagogy of the Oppressed<\/strong> First published in Portuguese in 1968,\u00a0Pedagogy of the Oppressed<\/em>\u00a0was translated and published in English in 1970. Paulo Freire’s work has helped to empower countless people throughout the world and has taken on special urgency in the United States and Western Europe, where the creation of a permanent underclass among the underprivileged and minorities in cities and urban centers is ongoing. The Politics of Reality:\u00a0\u00a0Essays in Feminist Theory<\/strong> Politics of Reality\u00a0includes essays that examine sexism, the exploitation of women, the gay rights movement and other topics from a feminist perspective. Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot Today’s feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others? How to Be an Antiracist Antiracism is a transformative concept that reorients and reenergizes the conversation about racism\u2014and, even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. At its core, racism is a powerful system that creates false hierarchies of human value; its warped logic extends beyond race, from the way we regard people of different ethnicities or skin colors to the way we treat people of different sexes, gender identities, and body types. Racism intersects with class and culture and geography and even changes the way we see and value ourselves. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas\u2014from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilities\u2014that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves. So You Want to Talk About Race Protests against racial injustice and white <\/span>supremacy have galvanized millions around the world. The stakes for transformative conversations about race could not be higher. Still, the task ahead seems daunting, and it\u2019s hard to know where to start. In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from police brutality and cultural appropriation to the model minority myth in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race, and about how racism infects every aspect of American life. Night<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n Born in the town of Sighet, Transylvania, ElieWiesel was a teenager when he and his family were taken from their home in 1944 to Auschwitz concentration camp, and then to Buchenwald.\u00a0Night\u00a0is the terrifying record of Elie Wiesel’s memories of the death of his family, the death of his own innocence, and his despair as a deeply observant Jew confronting the absolute evil of man. History<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics<\/strong> Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. The History and Sociology of Genocide<\/strong> Genocide is not an invention of the twentieth-century, says Frank Chalk and Kurt Jonassohn in this absorbing book, but has occurred throughout history in all parts of the world. This study\u2014the first comprehensive survey of the history and sociology of genocide\u2014presents over two dozen examples of the one-sided mass slaughter of peoples, spanning the centuries from antiquity to the present. The Wretched of the Earth<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n The Wretched of the Earth\u00a0is a brilliant analysis of the psychology of the colonized and their path to liberation. Bearing singular insight into the rage and frustration of colonized peoples, and the role of violence in effecting historical change, the book incisively attacks the twin perils of post-independence colonial politics: the disenfranchisement of the masses by the elites on the one hand, and inter-tribal and interfaith animosities on the other. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln<\/strong> Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln’s political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become president. We view the long, horrifying struggle from the vantage of the White House as Lincoln copes with incompetent generals, hostile congressmen, and his raucous cabinet. He overcomes these obstacles by winning the respect of his former competitors, and in the case of Seward, finds a loyal and crucial friend to see him through. The Muqaddimah:\u00a0\u00a0An Introduction to History<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n The Muqaddimah<\/em>, often translated as “Introduction” or “Prolegomenon,” is the most important Islamic history of the modern world. Written by the great fourteenth-century Arab scholar Ibn Khald\u00fbn (d. 1406), this monumental work established the foundations of several fields of knowledge, including the philosophy of history, sociology, ethnography, and economics. Hamilton: The Revolution Hamilton: The Revolution gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages — “since before this was even a show,” according to Miranda — traces its development from an improbable performance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. The book does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don’t throw away their shot. The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War<\/strong> \r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n After 30 years and with three million copies in print, Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War classic,\u00a0The Killer Angels, remains as vivid and powerful as the day it was originally published. July 1863. In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fight for two conflicting dreams. One dreams of freedom, the other of a way of life. More than rifles and bullets are carried into battle. The soldiers carry memories. Promises. Love. And more than men fall on those Pennsylvania fields. Bright futures, untested innocence, and pristine beauty are also the casualties of war. The Book Thief It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can\u2019t resist\u2013books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. Leadership<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dare to Lead<\/strong> Bren\u00e9 Brown teaches us what it means to dare greatly, rise strong and brave the wilderness. Leadership is not about titles, status and power over people. Leaders are people who hold themselves accountable for recognizing\u00a0the potential in people and ideas, and developing that potential. This is a book for everyone who is ready to choose courage over comfort, make a difference and lead. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t<\/strong>
<\/span><\/strong>Adam Grant<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Amma Marfo, Keynote Speaker<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Dr. Satya Mitra, PHD, EA, CFP<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
Blake Mycoskie<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Adrian Gage, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs\/Director of Residence Life and Housing<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Tom Rath<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Sarah Potrikus, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Simon Sinek<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Adrian Gage, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs\/Director of Residence Life\u00a0and Housing<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Barbara Cooney<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Linda Larrivee, Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Natural Sciences<\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Amanda Gorman & Loren Long<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Ari Giasson, Class of 2022<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Annette Bay Pimentel<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Ari Giasson, Class of 2022<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Peter Reynolds<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Dr. Alex Briesacher, Associate Professor of Sociology<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
Dr. Seuss<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Linda Larrivee, Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Natural Sciences<\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Jon Stone & Michael Smollin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Dr. Erika Briesacher, Associate Professor of History<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Franz Kafka<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Somerset Maugham<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Herman Melville<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Russ Pottle, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Betty Smith<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Linda Larrivee, Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Natural Sciences<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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<\/span><\/strong>Austin Channing Brown<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
Maura Cullen<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Robin DiAngelo<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
Ralph Ellison<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Nathan Angelo, Assistant Professor of History & Political Science<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Paulo Freire<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Roberta Kyle, Associate Vice President\/Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Marilyn Frye<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Mikki Kendall<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Ibram X. Kendi<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Ijeoma Olou<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
Elie Wiesel<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Linda Larrivee, Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Natural Sciences<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Daniel James Brown<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Sarah Potrikus, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Frank Chalk & Kurt Jonassohn<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Frantz Fanon<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Doris Kearns Goodwin<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Lois Wims, Provost of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Ibn Khaldun<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Henry Theriault, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Jeremy McCarter & Lin-Manuel Miranda<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Amma Marfo, Keynote Speaker<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
Michael Shaara<\/em><\/p>\r\n
Recommended by Dr. Lois Wims, Provost of Academic Affairs<\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span><\/strong>Markus Zusak<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n
<\/span>Recommended by Sarah Valois, LICSW, Counselor\/Sexual Violence Response and Prevention<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Brene Brown<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Recommended by Linzy Martinez, Assistant Director of Student Involvement & Leadership Development<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Simon Sinek<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n