Summer Reading for the Business Professional? Ask Madeleine

July 1, 2017 Madeleine Homan Blanchard

Dear Madeleine,

There are always recommendations for best summer reading and the lists usually point to fiction best-sellers.

Any suggestions for top business books?

I love a good novel but I also want to keep developing my skills.

Business Minded

Dear Business Minded,

There are so many great development focused books out there. I wrote a series of four blog posts earlier this year identifying some of the best in four categories. Take a look at the links below. I know you’ll find a title that will pique your interest and keep you growing!

9 Books About Coaching, Chosen by Coaches

I asked a select group of coaches their picks for the best books about coaching.

12 Books NOT About Coaching, Chosen by Coaches

I went out to my network again and asked people what books—not about coaching—have made the biggest difference for them as a coach.

8 Top Leadership Books, Chosen by Madeleine

My son was an intern at The Ken Blanchard Companies last summer when he asked me “What do you think is the best book on leadership?” Here’s the list that came out of that question.

7 Best Books on Neuroscience, Chosen by Madeleine

Neuroscience has entered the coaching and leadership development conversation in a big way. This is a short list of books that will help you get up to speed.

I think these great reads should get you through the summer! Please let me know your favorites!

Love, Madeleine

Got a question for Madeleine? Email Madeleine and look for your response here next week!

About the Author

Madeleine Homan Blanchard is a Master Certified Coach and cofounder of Blanchard Coaching Services. She is coauthor of Blanchard’s Coaching Essentials training program, and several books including Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest, Coaching in Organizations, and Coaching for Leadership.
Follow on Twitter More Content by Madeleine Homan Blanchard

Previous Resource

The Leader as Coach – 4 Ways to Develop a Coaching Mindset

Learning new skills can be awkward and uncomfortable. Think back to the first time you interviewed for a jo...

Next Resource

Keep it REAL – 4 Ways to Establish an Authentic Leadership Presence

If you’re a leader, particularly in a large organization, the chances are your people don’t see you as a re...

Subscribe Today

Return to Research & Insights

Summer Reading for the Business Professional? Ask Madeleine

About the Author

Previous Resource

Next Resource

Resources in this Stream

Receive a free copy of survey results by participating in Blanchard's 6th annual HR / L&D Trends Survey.

Dear Madeleine, I am the COO and founder of what is now being called a “mature” startup. We have been around for 12 years but have not yet exceeded 100 employees or reached our revenue or...

Performance expert Ellie Haskins explores best careers for work-life balance and how your preferences and aptitudes can match up.

Leadership these days is not for the faint of heart. Leaders need to be much more flexible and agile in today's environment says Randy Conley.

Dear Madeleine, I think I know the answer to this, but I thought I would just check my thinking. I work in the arts and have been an assistant to many executive directors. My experience is that...

Middle managers are central to success. They are the heart of the house—the ones who turn strategy into reality, says Research Round-up editor Doug Glener.

There are no tricks or treats to being a trusted servant leader says leadership expert Randy Conley.

Dear Madeleine, I was made supervisor for a team at a software company about six months ago. I like the job and the people on my team, and I’m slowly figuring out how to be a decent manager. I...

Dear Madeleine, I manage a large team of accounting professionals for a company of about 4800 employees. I have worked very hard to create a great team, and I have excellent, dedicated people. My...

Hello Madeleine, I have read your articles, and I wanted to reach out to you. I have an equal business partner with whom I have successfully run a restaurant for six years. While I have 30 years...

Dear Madeleine, I am the founder and CEO of a specialty investment services company, which I started—for fun—after retiring from my first career in investment banking. My executive team is...

Program Director David Witt shares an early look at key insights emerging from Blanchard Leadership Summit session rehearsals.

Dear Madeleine, I am at a crossroads and don’t know which way to go. During Covid, I got a great idea and started a very cool online business. I did so well that a few people invested in my little...

Dear Madeleine, I have been managing people for decades. With the advent of Covid, I put a lot of focus on getting better at managing hybrid teams. (This blog really helped me.) I have some people...

True learning is a journey from knowing to doing says Ken Blanchard.

Dear Madeleine, I work for a giant real estate company and have been selling houses in a big metropolitan city for a long time. Over the years, I’ve been heavily recruited and this is my third...

Dear Madeleine, I am an executive coach. An interesting thing came up in a coaching session today: one of my clients has been tasked with defining the difference between a manager and a leader....

“To be successful with learning journeys, you have to leverage what we know about the ways people learn best,” says Blanchard solutions architect April O’Malley.

Dear Intern, I’ve appreciated watching the interns in our company work on different projects in different departments. I’m always amazed by how fast the interns work, how well they collaborate as...

Is this the right time to attend that in-person conference? Scott Blanchard shares five questions to ask yourself.