2021-22 Executive Leadership Book Recommendations

Another year brings another valuable list of book recommendations from executive leaders around the industry! Each executive leader has their own profile with recommendations from 2021-22 as well as any past recommendations.


Click the drop down menu below to find each leader’s recommendation.


If you’re an AD or Commissioner who has yet to respond with the best book(s) you read last year, please email anthony@driveandcompany.com.


Val Ackerman Rob Acunto Mark Alnutt Wren Baker Brian Baptiste Brady Barke Jared Benko Thorr Bjorn Dave Blank Jill Bodensteiner Marco Born Bob Bowlsby Josh Brooks Mike Buddie Tom Burnett Dan Butterly Scott Carr Elliott Charles Bill Chaves Greg Christopher Vicky Chun Sherard Clinkscales Chris Clunie Charlie Cobb Barry Collier Janet Cone Chasse Conque Scott Corley Mike Cragg Bubba Cunningham Joe D’Antonio Beth DeBauche Jason Donnelly Tom Douple James Downer Tim Duncan Darren Dunn Earl Edwards Joel Erdmann Phil Esten Andy Fee Daniel Feig Bryan Felt Sean Frazier Alecia Gadson Scott Garrett Jon Gilbert Keith Gill Beth Goetz Chris Grant Simon Gray Ted Gumbart Tim Hall Brian Hardin John Hardt David Harris Robin Harris John Hartwell Kent Haslam Dave Heeke Shawn Heilbron Jennifer Heppel David Herbster Mike Hill Tom Holmoe Ryan Ivey Mark Jackson Tim Johnson Kyle Kallander Joe Karlgaard Chris King George Kliavkoff Jeff Konya Doug Knuth Ed Kull Mark LaBarbera Matt Larsen Zack Lassiter Candice Lee Robert Lineburg Janet Lucas Bryan Maggard Joe Manhertz Brian Mann Warde Manuel Tyler Mariucci Ian McCaw John McCutcheon Bernadette McGlade Mario Moccia Steve Moniaci Nicki Moore Bob Moosbrugger Noreen Morris Bernard Muir Rob Mullens Martin Newton Eddie Nuñez Don Oberhelman DeWayne Peevy Roderick Perry Peter Pilling Craig Pintens Jamie Pollard Ken Ralph Lee Reed Desiree Reed-Francois Chris Reynolds Randale Richmond Julie Roe Lach Kevin Saal Jim Schaus Paul Schlickmann Greg Seitz Wood Selig Jim Senter Jon Steinbrecher Todd Stewart Neil Sullivan Jack Swarbrick Brad Teague Jermaine Truax Tanya Vogel Steve Waterfield Stephen Watson Melody Webb Scott Wetherbee Brian White Ingrid Wicker McCree John Wildhack Mark Wilson Tom Wistrcill Eric Wood





Book Spotlights

Two titles received three recommendations from executive leaders, the most of this year’s list.

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson also received three recommendations last year. The following three ADs selected this book.

Buy Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Candice Lee

Jill Bodensteiner

Tanya Vogel

The New York Times bestseller, How The Word Is Passed, also earned three recommendations.

Buy How The Word Is Passed

Chris Clunie

Bernadette McGlade

Nicki Moore

Last year’s most recommended book, No Time for Spectators earned another pair of recommendations in 2021.

Buy No Time for Spectators

Dave Heeke

Brian White

The most recommended author this year was Jon Gordon, with five recommendations for four different titles.

Bob Moosbrugger

David Herbster

Scott Carr

Earl Edwards

Daniel Feig