Recommended Reading 2023
Recommended Reading 2023
2023 was a big reading year. I dove deep into leadership, company building, and the future of AI. Here’s what shaped my thinking:
The Great CEO Within
by Matt Mochary, Alex MacCaw, and Misha Talavera
The tactical guide to company building. Matt Mochary coaches some of Silicon Valley’s best CEOs, and this book distills his frameworks. From running effective meetings to managing your energy, it’s a playbook for scaling yourself as a leader. Required reading for any founder past product-market fit.
Amp It Up
by Frank Slootman
Frank took three companies from startup to multi-billion dollar success (Data Domain, ServiceNow, Snowflake). His philosophy: raise the bar relentlessly. Increase expectations, increase urgency, increase intensity. Not for the faint of heart, but incredibly effective.
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
by Nick Bostrom
With AI advancing rapidly, this book is more relevant than ever. Bostrom methodically explores what happens when machines surpass human intelligence. Dense and philosophical, but essential for understanding the stakes of the AI race we’re in.
David and Goliath
by Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell challenges our assumptions about advantages and disadvantages. What looks like weakness can be strength. What looks like strength can be weakness. A good reminder for any startup going against incumbents.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
by Daniel H. Pink
The science of motivation. Pink argues that autonomy, mastery, and purpose drive performance more than carrots and sticks. Changed how I think about building teams and creating environments where people do their best work.
Death by Meeting
by Patrick Lencioni
A leadership fable about fixing the most painful problem in business: bad meetings. Lencioni’s solution is counterintuitive — have more meetings, not fewer, but make them purposeful and distinct. Daily check-ins, weekly tacticals, monthly strategics, quarterly off-sites.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
by Patrick Lencioni
Another Lencioni classic. The pyramid of team dysfunction: absence of trust → fear of conflict → lack of commitment → avoidance of accountability → inattention to results. Simple framework, hard to implement, essential to understand.
Mastering the Rockefeller Habits
by Verne Harnish
The operating system for scaling companies. Priorities, data, and rhythm. What got Rockefeller to build Standard Oil can help you build your company. Practical frameworks for alignment and execution.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
The classic. Published in 1936, still relevant today. Don’t criticize. Give honest appreciation. Arouse an eager want. Become genuinely interested in others. Some books are timeless for a reason.
The Art of War
by Sun Tzu
2,500 years old and still the foundation of strategic thinking. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” Every page has quotable wisdom.
The Art of Selling Your Business
by John Warrillow
Practical guide from the author of Built to Sell. How to position your company, find buyers, negotiate terms, and maximize value. Even if you’re not selling soon, understanding what acquirers want helps you build a better business.
Courage Is Calling
by Ryan Holiday
Part of Holiday’s Stoic Virtues series. Fear is the enemy. Courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s action despite fear. Historical examples from Florence Nightingale to Charles de Gaulle. A good reminder when facing hard decisions.
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