Good Leaders: Is the Intelligent Optimist on your summer reading list?

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A cynical society recovering from a meltdown of public trust may be tempted to consider the two words: “Intelligent Optimist” an oxymoron. Or at least incompatible. But even the “equal opportunity skeptics” in our client base have thanked me for introducing them to magazine/online community of The Intelligent Optimist.

You can get a complimentary one-month subscription here.

Every issue reinforces our point of view with specific articles and stunning photographs supporting the themes of rewarding excellence, living generously, promoting fairness and spreading positivity.  In less than one year of reading, The Intelligent Optimist replaced Harvard Business Review as my “must-read” magazine.

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The Nov/Dec 2013 issue is my most-highlighted and scribbled-upon – with dog ears on articles about:

• Localism as an ethical investment strategy
• Embracing company culture as a living organism
• The pursuit of “play” in the workplace to increase productivity

The last topic lured me in to learning about Lego’s “Serious Play” strategy for using the colored building bricks to make business planning more compelling in the corporate world.

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Most importantly, a specific article in this publication caused me to be more aware of the people around me…which resulted in my favorite blog.  It’s the one about the 80-something-year-old woman I helped board an airplane in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.  You can re-read that blog here, or by downloading my new eBook: Good Leadership Today.  It’s Chapter Two.

Good leaders make a habit of returning to inspiring sources of intelligent reading.  And they recognize leaders today need positive reminders to believe “intelligent optimist” is not only possible…but the most sensible way to lead.

Please share with us: what do you think is a good addition to our summer reading list?

Next week, I’ll introduce you to “A Peace of My Mind,” by John Noltner – he explores the meaning of peace one story at at time with stunning photography and clarity of purpose.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]