9 Books and Resources to Shape Your Leadership as An Executive Director
Leadership is a journey of continuous growth and learning, especially for executive directors navigating complex organizational landscapes. This article presents a curated collection of books and resources that offer invaluable insights from seasoned experts in the field. From cultivating strategic vision to fostering trust and making tough decisions, these tools will equip leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in their roles and drive their organizations forward.
- 7 Habits Shape Strategic Leadership Vision
- Navigating Tough Decisions with Transparency
- Fostering Trust Through Empathetic Leadership
- Giving Back Drives Business Success
- Disciplined Leadership Through Four Key Habits
- Recovery Principles Guide Authentic Leadership
- Focusing on What Matters Most
- Five Practices for Effective Leadership
- Organizational Health as Leadership Foundation
7 Habits Shape Strategic Leadership Vision
The foundational text that profoundly shaped my leadership journey, particularly in my transition to an Executive Director role, was Stephen R. Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Early in my career at a multinational US-based EPC Corporation with a major global execution center in the Philippines, I had the privilege of attending a transformative seminar based on this seminal work. It proved to be an indispensable guide, influencing my development not just as a leader and project manager, but ultimately as a C-Suite level executive and Executive Project Director.
Among the seven habits, "Habit #2: Begin with the End in Mind" resonated with me most deeply, fostering a truly meaningful and lasting change in my approach. This habit delves into the essence of personal leadership—the vital act of looking inward to cultivate the best version of oneself. It's about discerning and consistently pursuing "the right things," which is the very hallmark of effective leadership.
I was particularly struck by the quote preceding this habit, attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." This powerful statement became a guiding principle, compelling me to focus intently on developing my inner core as a leader. It prompted profound self-reflection: "Who have I become, and who have others become because of me?" This continuous internal audit has been central to my leadership style, ensuring that my actions are always aligned with a clear vision of purpose, both for myself and for those I lead. It has instilled in me the discipline to define desired outcomes before embarking on any initiative, fostering a strategic, purpose-driven, and impact-oriented leadership approach.
Navigating Tough Decisions with Transparency
One book that really stuck with me is "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz. It doesn't sugarcoat the chaos that comes with leadership, especially in high-growth or high-stakes environments. There's a chapter where he talks about having to fire a close friend—brutal, but honest. That tension between empathy and decisiveness hit me hard.
Early on at Spectup, I had to make a call on a partnership that wasn't aligned anymore. It wasn't dramatic, but it was one of those decisions where being "nice" would've slowed down our momentum. What Horowitz got right is that leadership isn't about always having the answer—it's about navigating through the unknown and making tough decisions when nobody else wants to.
That shaped how I lead: being transparent, direct, and making sure my team knows I'll have their back, even if the conversation is uncomfortable. I'm also more comfortable now admitting I don't know everything—something I used to overcompensate for in my earlier roles. There's power in saying, "Let's figure this out together."
Fostering Trust Through Empathetic Leadership
One book that really made an impact on me is "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek. It completely changed my perspective on leadership, not as a privilege, but as a duty to foster a safe and empowering environment for my team at eStorytellers.
The idea that great leaders put their people's well-being first really resonated with me. It taught me to lead with empathy and set an example rather than just relying on authority. I began to hold more one-on-one meetings, really listen, and promote psychological safety, which completely transformed how my team interacted and worked together.
What really shaped my leadership style was realizing that trust and loyalty aren't built on KPIs. They come from being consistent, showing care, and being present.
If you're in a position where you're leading people and not just managing projects, this book is a must-read. It guides you to lead from within.
Giving Back Drives Business Success
I am a big fan of the book "The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea" by Bob Burg. It had a major impact on how I live my life and run my business. Success is more about making personal connections and having a social impact than about financial gain; it's about using your resources and talents to give back whenever possible and fully contribute to the world we all share. I designed my business to help other small and medium-sized businesses seize new opportunities by assisting their teams with grants, bids, and government contract awards. The organizations I have worked with include companies dedicated to improving the lives of others. I've helped businesses that support other workplaces in reaching DE&I goals, assisted individuals in the prison system, and advocated for children and families. I like to think that by helping small businesses focused on benefiting society as a whole, I am, in a small way, a link in a chain that will ultimately create a meaningful impact on the quality of life of hundreds of people.
Disciplined Leadership Through Four Key Habits
The book: "BE 2.0 - Beyond Entrepreneurship" by Jim Collins.
Collins distills growth into four key habits:
1. Level-5 leadership: fierce resolve wrapped in quiet humility.
2. The Flywheel: push the wheel a quarter-turn every day; momentum does the rest.
3. Hedgehog clarity: know what you can be best at, what drives your economic engine, and what ignites passion in your people.
4. Preserve the core, stimulate progress: values remain firmly anchored while tactics continue to evolve.
It isn't a pep talk; it's an operating manual for discipline.
How these ideas manifest in my leadership:
- Humility first, spotlight last. I replaced "hero speeches" with pointed questions and allowed the team to own the answers. Their speed increased the day my voice diminished.
- Lead indicators over lagging applause. Weekly scorecards track the actions that generate results, not the results themselves: a direct application of the Flywheel logic.
- One core bet at a time. When new projects arise, I run them through Collins' three hedgehog questions: does it align with our genius, fuel our economics, and ignite our passion? If the answer isn't three affirmatives, it's a rejection.
- Values as guardrails. Strategy shifts, but our purpose and cultural rules remain constant, a practice I share with clients whenever we discuss where to place significant bets.
The net effect is a Stoic style of leadership: steady hands, clear metrics, and relentless focus on what we can control.
Recovery Principles Guide Authentic Leadership
For me, the most influential resource wasn't a traditional leadership book; it was the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. I know that might sound unconventional for an Executive Director, but it taught me more about integrity, humility, and service-based leadership than any MBA program ever could.
When I got sober over 11 years ago, I had to learn how to lead myself first: how to show up honestly, take ownership of my past, and be of service to others without expecting anything in return. That process completely changed the way I see leadership. It's not about titles or performance metrics. It's about building trust, listening with empathy, and walking with people through their hardest moments.
In my role, I work with athletes, artists, executives, people who've lived in the spotlight but still struggle in silence. The Big Book taught me how to create space for truth, not perfection. It taught me that leadership means being real, not being right. That's the standard I hold myself to: be the kind of leader who leads with lived experience, not just job experience.
So while I respect the great leadership authors out there, my personal blueprint for leadership came from a recovery room, not a boardroom. And honestly, I think that's what's allowed me to connect, to mentor, and to help build a business that's changing lives.
Focusing on What Matters Most
"The One Thing" by Gary Keller has been one of the most impactful resources in my journey.
As an entrepreneur, it's easy to get pulled in a hundred directions. This book helped me zero in on what truly matters—the one thing that makes everything else easier or unnecessary.
It reshaped how I lead. Instead of chasing every urgent task, I now focus on what moves the needle—for me and for the team. It's the 80/20 principle in action, and it's influenced how I prioritize, delegate, and make decisions.
Leadership isn't about doing more—it's about doing what matters most. This book taught me that, and it's become a core part of how I operate.
Five Practices for Effective Leadership
I was influenced significantly by the book "The Leadership Challenge" by James Kouzes and Barry Posner in my development. This book clearly emphasizes that leadership isn't about titles or positions but about behaviors and actions.
It presents five key practices: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart.
I took these principles to heart and applied them, which resulted in changing my leadership style. For example, by "modeling the way," I made sure to align my actions with our organization's values, which sets a clear standard for the rest of the team.
It's an effective book for anyone in a leadership role looking to develop a more authentic and effective leadership style.
Organizational Health as Leadership Foundation
One book that has been particularly influential in my development as an Executive Director is "The Advantage" by Patrick Lencioni. Unlike other business books that focus solely on strategy, marketing, or finances, this book emphasizes the power of organizational health as the foundation for success. It encouraged me to take a hard look at how well my team was functioning, how clearly we were communicating, and whether we were truly aligned on purpose.
The principles in "The Advantage" fundamentally changed how I lead. I became more intentional about fostering a transparent and cohesive culture, eliminating silos, and creating a unified leadership team. The impact has been profound; our operations became smoother, decision-making more efficient, and overall morale significantly improved. This shift not only strengthened internal dynamics but also led to more focused execution and better results across the board.
