Discussion Thread

  • 1.  Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 08-21-2020 03:32 PM
    Hi All,

    Given the current situation with COVID-19 I have found more time on my hands and begun reading again. That being said, I wanted to solicite any leadership book recommendations that have shaped/changed your leadership style or you gained the most out of.

    I'll start kick things off with a book I read in March called 'The Infinite Game' by SImon SInek. This book really changed the way I look at aspects of my life rather than in wins and losses but in ahead or behind. Life, Business, Friendship and Marriage are not finite games to be won. The art of the infinite game is to keep playing and constantly improving. In the book Simon highlights examples of when traditional metrics do not tell the full story and only show the ability to hit arbitrary targets. As opposed to professional growth, moral and other factors often omitted when evaluating teams and individuals. The point of the infinite game is to look beyond the immediate finite game that can be won (who has highest sales this quarter) and instead focus on a long-term cause that can make the world a better place.

    Look forward to hearing your recommendation!

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    Kush Vashee PE, CAPM, ENV SP, M. ASCE
    Associate Engineer
    RK&K
    Fairfax, VA
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  • 2.  RE: Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 08-24-2020 12:50 PM

    A book: The Leadership Mystique – a user's manual for the human enterprise by MK de Vries (Prentice Hall 2001) is a fascinating read. I have a piece: Leadership and Management.

    Also, there were multiple discussions on Engineering Leadership posted in 2017 (March – July). They were quite interesting – have a look.

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    Dr. Dilip K Barua, PhD, PEng, M.ASCE
    Vancouver BC Canada
    Website
    ORCID ID
    Google Scholar



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    Dr. Dilip Barua, Ph.D, P.Eng, M. ASCE
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Website: https://widecanvas.weebly.com
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  • 3.  RE: Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 08-25-2020 05:26 PM
    Hi Kush! 

    How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie has been one of my favorite leadership books I have read so far! It swings heavily on historical examples, but I really like this aspect of the book. There is also a list of principles at the end of each section if you want a succinct list! 

    Sincerely,
    Dani

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    Danielle Schroeder EIT, A.M.ASCE (She/her)
    Associate Engineer
    Pennoni Associates
    Philadelphia PA
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  • 4.  RE: Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 08-26-2020 11:46 AM
    I recommend the series of books on leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin - Extreme Ownership and The Dichotomy of Leadership.  Most of what I've seen in nearly every other leadership or management class has been more effectively summarized in those two books than any other location.  While they may seem military-focused or not applicable to everyday life or the like, they're written with a military case study, business case study, then a clear explanation of the concept that doesn't worry about trying to sound high-minded.  They read quickly and are easy to understand and apply immediately.  Both are NY Times best sellers for quite some time.

    https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250183863/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3D0OD9KG3KAH3&dchild=1&keywords=extreme+ownership&qid=1598450874&sprefix=Extreme+O%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-3

    https://www.amazon.com/Dichotomy-Leadership-Balancing-Challenges-Ownership/dp/1250195772/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/132-7038009-1556011?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1250195772&pd_rd_r=8e94b208-3923-454a-8f31-998ddf347e58&pd_rd_w=OzEVv&pd_rd_wg=JQyJA&pf_rd_p=ce6c479b-ef53-49a6-845b-bbbf35c28dd3&pf_rd_r=FJTR0NXH9HGM78VS5MZT&psc=1&refRID=FJTR0NXH9HGM78VS5MZT


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    Chris Enright P.E.,M.ASCE
    Engineer-in-Training II
    Colorado Department of Transportation
    Golden CO
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  • 5.  RE: Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 01-06-2021 08:49 AM
    I kindly recommend that enhance your leadership soft skills.

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    Wahidullah Safi Aff.M.ASCE
    Membership
    New Delhi ND
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  • 6.  RE: Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 01-06-2021 02:58 PM

    In my reckoning, there are plenty of books and websites on leadership (the recommendations of Kush and Chris are some of them). One has to glean from them what are right and worthy. Further to my discussion posted earlier, in my Leadership and Management piece, I came up with the recommendations of five attributes (HI CAPtain) required of a good leader.

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    Dilip

    Website

    ORCID ID

    Google Scholar



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    Dr. Dilip Barua, Ph.D, P.Eng, M. ASCE
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    https://widecanvas.weebly.com
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  • 7.  RE: Leadership Book Recommendations for Younger Members

    Posted 07-12-2021 02:18 PM
    When I was accepted into the National Society of Leadership at Ohio State, NSLS sent me four books designed to help me unlearn or realize precisely how leaders need to operate or what holds leaders back.


    The fourth book especially is a very long read, but clearly they are all worth the extra work put into it.

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    Alexander Granato A.M.ASCE
    Student
    Bexley OH
    granato.3@...
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