This episode marks the launch of our new release schedule. Just 12 books are being featured this year, and the first of those 12 comes from an author who has made three previous appearances on the show.






Her name is Dr. Margie Warrell. She isn’t just a bestselling author—she’s a globally respected speaker, coach, and advocate for courageous action.



Her newest book is called The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action, and I’m thrilled you’re about to hear her wisdom on how to tackle self-doubt, take more meaningful risks, and step boldly into the life you’ve always imagined.



Margie’s perspective on living bravely couldn’t be more timely, and I know you’re going to walk away from this episode feeling challenged and inspired to close your own courage gap.



Do you sometimes hold back when you know you need to speak up or step forward?Fear creates the gap. Courage closes it.



Margie’s powerful guide cuts through the hype to connect the ‘why’ of courage to the ‘how’ of courage.



Drawing on cutting-edge research woven together with stories that compel head and heart, The Courage Gap will help you bridge the think/do gap between what you’ve been doing and what you can do; between where you are and where you want to be—in your career, relationships, leadership, and life.



Distilling theory and hard-won wisdom spanning from Margie’s childhood in rural Australia to her decades of living around the world and coaching ‘insecure overachievers’ in Fortune 500 organizations, Margie shares a powerful 5-step roadmap to reprogram the self-protective patterns of thought and behavior that sabotage success to bring your bravest self to your biggest challenges and boldest vision.



At a time when courage seems in short supply, in a culture continually stoking insecurity and anxiety, this book will transform your deepest fears into a catalyst for your highest growth and the greatest good.



Applying the five steps will:




* Ignite passion and unlock the potential fear holds dormant



* Rewrite the scripts that have kept you stuck, stressed, and living too safely



* Reset your ‘nervous’ system and embody courage in critical moments



* Transform discomfort as a cue to step forward and expand your bandwidth for bold action



* Reset your relationship to failure and make peace with the part of you that wimps out




For leaders, The Courage Gap provides a guide to operationalize and scale the courage mindset across your team and organization to deepen trust, dismantle silos, foster innovation, accelerate learning, and unleash collective courage toward a more secure and rewarding future.



I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Margie and her new book.



Join in on our chat below







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In today’s episode,

Hey there, and welcome to another episode of Read to Lead! I’m Jeff, your host, and I am so glad you’re here. Today’s episode is going to be a little different—no special guests, just me, talking about some pretty major changes coming to the podcast in 2025.






For the last eleven years we’ve had a consistent, once-a-week format.



Every Tuesday, like clockwork, you’d get a fresh episode featuring a new book and usually a conversation with that book’s author. That’s a lot of new books: 52 every year, in fact. Over time, it’s allowed us to cover hundreds and hundreds of amazing titles!



But as exciting as it’s been, I’ve been hearing from many of you that—though you appreciate hearing about so many great books—it’s tough to keep up with everything. And, if I’m honest, it’s become difficult for me to give each book the focused attention and deep dive I think it truly deserves.



So, starting now—in 2025—the Read to Lead Podcast will shift to a once-a-month interview format. That means we’ll have 12 main episodes for the year, each featuring an author whose brand-new book I believe is among the most significant or impactful of 2025.



For more on this, keep scrolling or click the “play” button below.



Join in on the chat below







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There might also be a surprise solo episode or a special edition from time to time—because you know me, I can’t help but pop in and share more of what I’m learning. But the cornerstone of this new schedule will be those 12 deep-dive conversations: one powerful book and author each month.



So, why the shift?




* Deeper Focus – With fewer books, we can explore each title more thoroughly and really give the author room to share their insights.



* Easier for You – Rather than racing through 52 recommendations a year, you can take your time exploring a single new book every month—chances are, it’ll be easier on your wallet too!



* Higher Quality – By limiting the roster of featured books, I can cherry-pick the absolute best reads for the year, ensuring each monthly interview is truly something special.




Ultimately, my mission is to help you discover reading habits that transform your life and career. The new format, I believe, will enable me to serve you at an even higher level.



Each new episode will continue to feature in-depth, no-holds-barred interviews. We’ll unpack each author’s best ideas, break down the book’s key lessons, and look at real-life ways to apply those lessons to your own life.



We’ll still drop occasional bonus episodes—maybe I’ll share a personal reading list update, a Q&A from the Read to Lead Community, or something timely that I just can’t wait a full month to talk about. But for the most part, plan on one meaty interview episode per month.



I can’t wait for you to hear the first interview of 2025. I’m super excited about this author and the book they’ve written.

In this two part, year-ending series, I unpack the eleven book that should be a part of every leader’s library. If there are any books on this list you haven’t yet made time for, I suggest you carve out time in 2025 for each of them.






In last week’s episode, I covered books #11 through #6. This week, I walk through the top #5.



In that there are 11 books on the list, you can dedicate a month to each, giving yourself a bit of extra time to get through the last of them as the holidays get under way in November and December.



You have two ways to engage with this week’s content. You can simply scroll down and read through the list. Or, if you prefer, click the play button below and allow me to present them to you.



Join in on the chat below







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5: Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath (2007)



Why do some ideas thrive while others die? The Heath brothers tackle this crucial question by breaking down the anatomy of ideas that stick. Through their SUCCESs framework – Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories – they reveal the key elements that make ideas memorable and impactful.



Let’s break down each element of the framework:



Simple: The brothers emphasize finding the core of any idea – what they call “finding the lead.” They share the brilliant example of Southwest Airlines’ core message: “We are THE low-fare airline.” This simple idea guided every decision, from which routes to fly to which planes to buy.



Unexpected: Our brains are wired to notice change and novelty. The book shows how breaking patterns and creating surprise helps ideas stick. They cite the example of a flight attendant who turned the routine safety announcement into a comedy routine – passengers not only paid attention but remembered the safety instructions.



Concrete: Abstract ideas don’t stick. The authors show how turning concepts into concrete images makes them memorable. They share the story of NASA’s “man on the moon” goal – a perfectly concrete vision that inspired thousands of people to solve countless technical challenges.



Credible: Ideas need to be believable. The book shows various ways to establish credibility, from statistics to sincerity to external validation. They share fascinating examples of “testable credentials” – like how Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas would personally visit restaurants and check the thickness of tomato slices.



Emotional: For people to take action, they need to care. The authors show how tapping into emotions makes ideas sticky. They explore how charity organizations like World Vision switched from sharing statistics about poverty to sharing stories about individual children, dramatically increasing donations.



Stories: The book demonstrates how narratives drive action by providing mental simulation and inspirat...

In this two part, year-ending series, I unpack the eleven book that should be a part of every leader’s library. If there are any books on this list you haven’t yet made time for, I suggest you carve out time in 2025 for each of them.






In that there are 11 books on the list, you can dedicate a month to each, giving yourself a bit of extra time to get through the last of them as the holidays get under way in November and December.



You have two ways to engage with this week’s content. You can simply scroll down and read through the list. Or, if you prefer, click the play button below and allow me to present them to you.



Join in on the chat below







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#11: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (2011)



Our journey begins with Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman’s masterpiece on decision-making and behavioral economics. This book revolutionizes our understanding of how we think by introducing two systems that drive our thought processes: System 1, which is fast, intuitive, and emotional; and System 2, which is slower, more deliberative, and logical.



Let me share a fascinating experiment from the book that demonstrates how these systems work. Kahneman asks readers to solve this simple problem: “A bat and ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs one dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?” Your immediate response – courtesy of System 1 – is probably 10 cents. But take a moment to think it through with System 2, and you’ll realize that can’t be right. If the ball costs 10 cents and the bat costs one dollar more, the bat would cost $1.10, making the total $1.20. The correct answer is 5 cents for the ball and $1.05 for the bat.



This example illustrates how our intuitive thinking can lead us astray, even in simple mathematics. Kahneman explores dozens of such cognitive biases, including:



The Anchoring Effect: How the first piece of information we receive disproportionately influences our decisions. In salary negotiations, for instance, whoever makes the first offer tends to anchor the entire discussion.



Loss Aversion: We feel losses about twice as intensely as equivalent gains. This explains why many leaders resist necessary changes – the potential losses loom larger than the potential gains.



The Planning Fallacy: Our tendency to underestimate how long projects will take, even when we have experience with similar projects running over schedule. This insight is particularly valuable for project management and strategic planning.



What makes this book essential for leaders is its practical applications. Understanding these biases helps us design better decision-making processes. For instance, knowing about confirmation bias – our tendency to seek information that confirms our existing beliefs – can lead us to delibera...

I first met Mike Kim at the first-ever Podcast Movement conference in 2014, and I liked him immediately. Unassuming, humble, but incredibly smart and well-spoken. My kinda guy.






But that ain’t the half of it, as they say.



Mike is someone I have so much respect for. Everything he does, he does with absolute class. He’s an amazing teacher and a fantastic and confident public speaker.



And I love the fact that after meeting him nearly 8 years ago at that “little” conference, he’s finally coming out with a book (just one month before me), making it possible for me to have him on Read to Lead.



Mike’s new book, releasing next week, is called You Are the Brand: The 8-Step Blueprint to Showcase Your Unique Expertise and Build a Highly Profitable, Personally Fulfilling Business.



I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Mike and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.



Join in on our chat below







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In today’s episode, Mike and I chat about:




* What he means by “don’t build your brand, become your brand.”



* What he’s learned over the years about launching a product into the marketplace



* How to charge what your worth, and value-pricing your projects




Pre-Order Mike’s New Book



You can order your copy of You Are the Brand: The 8-Step Blueprint to Showcase Your Unique Expertise and Build a Highly Profitable, Personally Fulfilling Business right now.



Consider Pre-Ordering My New Book Too!



Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career by Jeff Brown and Jesse Wisnewski, coming August 31, 2021!



Mike in Action









Books Mike Recommends



The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell



Three Kingdoms by Guanzhong Luo



Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud



Check Out These Additional Resources



Grab a copy of Mike’s book now.



Visit Mike’s website to find out more abo...

How someone could create something called the Better Book Club and it not be on my radar is crazy. Especially considering they’re in my own backyard of Nashville, Tennessee!






Thankfully, I have friends. I know strange, right? One of them is a guy named Dave Delaney.



Thanks to Dave, I’m no longer a stranger to the Better Book Club. More importantly, I’m no longer a stranger to the man who created it. His name is Arnie Malham.



And now, thanks to the magic of technology, I get to make sure he’s someone who know as well. You’re welcome!



Arnie’s book, Worth Doing Wrong: The Quest to Build a Culture That Rocks was released in 2016 and is one of my all-time favorite books on the topic of culture.



In it, Arnie covers executable strategies and real-world tactics for creating a culture that will help you smash you business goals, achieve win-win relationships with your clients, generate buzz in your community, and cultivate a workplace that you and your team members will love.



I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Arnie and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.



Join in on our chat below







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In today’s episode, Arnie and I chat about:




* Culture is king, and even more important than execution and ideas



* The importance of top-down core values



* What an employee handbook filled with “dos” looks like



* And plenty more!




Arnie’s New Book



You can order your copy of Worth Doing Wrong: The Quest To Build a Culture That Rocs right now.



Consider Ordering My New Book Too!



Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career by Jeff Brown and Jesse Wisnewski!



Arnie in Action









Books Arnie Recommends



Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki



Swimmi...

Every single year, an estimated 1 billion people switch jobs worldwide. A lucky few stumble into the role of their dreams, but hundreds of millions are disappointed.






What if, when looking for a job, you could make more informed choices to better select the opportunity you seize? What if the power to move along your career paths lies with you, as opposed to hiring managers or the market?



According to the “Jobs to Be Done” theory of product design—customers don’t simply buy products; they recruit them to do specific jobs that solve a problem. 



Job Moves adopts this model to view jobs as positions we “hire” to help us make progress in our lives and careers.



Based on research conducted with over a thousand professionals at all stages of their careers, Ethan Bernstein, Michael B. Horn, and Bob Moesta find that this notion bears out no matter your age, stage, or trajectory.



Key to this new, universal approach is understanding our priorities at the specific moment when we make each move. This team has created a process to help individuals identify the current circumstances driving them to look for new opportunities, the experiences they hope to gain in a new job, what tradeoffs they’ll gladly make in return, and how to learn-before-switching if a new job will deliver.



The result encourages job seekers to look beyond a title or company for a more holistic view and ask not what you can do in a job, but what a potential job can do for you.



Full of useful activities and tools, Job Moves offers the timeless framework of our generation to help anyone create a career that will be happier and more fulfilling.



I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Ethan, Michael, Bob and their work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.



Join in on our chat below







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In today’s episode, I ask Michael and Bob about:




* How analyzing past job transitions can illuminate patterns and provide valuable insights for present and future job searches



* How to effectively leverage your existing network, including “weak ties,” to gain valuable insights into the realities of specific jobs and uncover hidden opportunities



* Tips on navigating the often delicate balance between self-promotion and humility during interviews



* And lots more!




Order Ethan, Michael, and Bob’s Book



You can order your copy of Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career right now!



Consider Ordering My Book Too!



Purchase a copy of my new book (written with Jesse Wisnewski) Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Ca...

I am extremely fond of today’s special guest for a lot of reasons, not the least of which he has the distinction of being one of my first ten guests ever.






G. Richard Shell first visited the show in episode #008 way back in August of 2013, almost 8 years ago.



We talked about his, then, new book Springboard. Today, we’re diving into his latest book called The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values, Advance Your Career.



It’s driven by dramatic, real-world examples from Richard’s classroom, today’s headlines, and classic cases of corporate wrong-doing. The book shows you how to create values-based workplaces where everyone can thrive.



Richard wrote the book, he says, to point to a better path; one that recognizes that conflicts are coming, learns to spot them, then follows a research-based, step-by-step approach for resolving them skillfully.



By committing to the Code, you can replace regret with long-term career success as a leader of conscience.



I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about Richard and his work. For a summary, just keep scrolling.



Join in on our chat below







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In today’s episode, Richard and I chat about:




* The four stage values-to-action process…



* The three emotions that play key roles in ethical conflicts…



* Some of the ten Conscience Code Rules…



* And lots more…




Order Richard’s New Book



You can order your copy of The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values, Advance Your Career right now!



Consider Pre-Ordering My New Book Too and get 40% off for a limited time!



Purchase a copy of my upcoming book Read to Lead: The Simple Habit That Expands Your Influence and Boosts Your Career before August 31, 2021, and you’ll receive $500 in pre-order bonuses!



Books Richard Recommends



The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday



Check Out These Additional Resources



Grab a copy of Richard’sShow more...