Books

Finding the Coaching in Criticism by Sheila Heen and Douglas Stone (authors of the book Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well)
Have difficult conversations with your athletes now to build a culture of giving and receiving feedback that is crucial to team improvement

Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Not just a trope from Silicon Valley, this is actually a really useful framework to when considering how to be forthright and honest without being a jerk

Leadership Reckoning by Thomas Kolditz, Libby Gill, and Ryan Brown
Seminal work, an evidence-based analysis of leader development in a collegiate setting – what works, and what doesn’t

The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
Great insight into building team culture and the critical elements for success

Legacy by James Kerr
Exceptional perspective on building a player-led culture within a team; pairs well with The Culture Code and can be a great team read

The Culture System by JP Nerbun
Even more culture; an excellent, systematic approach (including the specific tools and methods) that many top teams tend to use to create their culture

Drive by Daniel Pink
Motivation is key, for this generation of athletes more than ever; this book helps to answer the question “how do I get people to follow me?”

Belonging by Owen Eastwood
Great discussion on why creating a sense of belonging on a team is essential to that team’s success, and the role that everyone (especially leaders) should play in doing so; pairs well with The Boys in the Boat

The Last Place on Earth by Roland Huntford
Excellent account of the race to the South Pole with compare-and-contrast leadership styles; imagine if Coach K and Bobby Knight were early 20th century explorers instead of basketball coaches

Give and Take by Adam Grant
A good perspective on minimizing the self in leadership and instead prioritizing others in a way that is authentic, and that will ultimately benefit everyone