Dr. Michael J. Martirano’s Reading List

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of An Incurable Optimist – Michael J. Fox

“Always Looking Up is a memoir of this last decade, told through the critical themes of Michael J. Fox's life: work, politics, faith, and family. The book is a journey of self-discovery and reinvention, and a testament to the consolations that protect him from the ravages of Parkinson's. With the humor and wit that captivated fans of his first book, Lucky Man, Michael describes how he became a happier, more satisfied person by recognizing the gifts of everday life.”

Good to Great – Jim Collins

“Based on a five-year research project, Good to Great answers the question: ‘Can a good company become a great company, and, if so, how?’ True to the rigorous research methodology and invigorating teaching style of Jim Collins, Good to Great teaches how even the dowdiest of companies can make the leap to outperform market leaders the likes of Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck.”

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey

“In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey shows us that by changing the way we look at ourselves and the world around us, we can become more successful both personally and professionally. He defines the ‘habits’ as ‘the intersection of knowledge, skill and desire’ and states that the ‘Seven Habits’ of the title are not mutually exclusive, but rather when developed together, help to form a well-rounded, sensitive, confident and effective human being.”

Leading in a Culture of Change – Michael Fullan

“Business, nonprofit, and public sector leaders are facing new and daunting challenges -- rapid-paced developments in technology, sudden shifts in the marketplace, and crisis and contention in the public arena. If they are to survive in this chaotic environment, leaders must develop the skills they need to lead effectively no matter how fast the world around them is changing. Leading in a Culture of Change offers new and seasoned leaders insights into the dynamics of change and presents a unique and imaginative approach for navigating the intricacies of the change process.”

Transformational Leadership – Bernard M. Bass and Ronald E. Riggio 

“Transformational Leadership is intended for both the scholars and serious students of leadership. It is a comprehensive review of theorizing and an empirical research that can serve as a reference and starting point for additional research on the theory. It can be used as a supplementary textbook in an intense course on leadership -- or as a primary text in a course or seminar focusing on transformational leadership.”

Encouraging the Heart – James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner 

“Leadership authorities James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner say employees perform best when their contributions are genuinely appreciated. Unfortunately, the two contend, most executives have not mastered the decidedly soft-management skill of encouragement that fosters such behavior. In Encouraging the Heart, they examine how this type of compassionate supervision is becoming a critical part of successful management today, and through example and suggestion they describe how readers can establish the process in their own businesses.”

The Speed of Trust  – Stephen M. R. Covey

“From Stephen R. Covey's eldest son comes a revolutionary new path towards productivity and satisfaction. Trust, says Stephen M. R. Covey, is the very basis of the new global economy, and he shows how trust—and the speed at which it is established with clients, employees and constituents—is the essential ingredient for any high-performance, successful organization. For business leaders and public figures in any arena, The Speed of Trust offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in our every transaction and relationship—from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction—and how to establish trust immediately so that you and your organization can forego the time-killing, bureaucratic check-and-balance processes so often deployed in lieu of actual trust.”

Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman

“In Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman argues that human competencies like self-awareness, self-discipline, persistence, and empathy are of greater consequence than IQ in much of life, that we ignore the decline in these competencies at our peril, and that children can -- and should -- be taught these abilities.”

A Whole New Mind – Daniel H. Pink

“A Whole New Mind charts the rise of right-brain thinking in modern economies and explains the six abilities individuals and organizations must master in an outsourced and automated world. Reviewers have described the book as ‘an audacious and powerful work,’ ‘a profound read,’ ‘right on the money,’ and ‘a miracle.’ Several publications named it one of the best business books of the year. A Whole New Mind has sold more than 100,000 copies in the U.S. and has been translated into 12 languages.”

Blink – Malcolm Gladwell

“Blink is about rapid cognition, about the kind of thinking that happens in a blink of an eye. When you meet someone for the first time, or walk into a house you are thinking of buying, or read the first few sentences of a book, your mind takes about two seconds to jump to a series of conclusions. This book is about those two seconds which Malcolm Gladwell believes are really powerful and really important.”

The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell

“The Tipping Point is an intellectual adventure story written with an infectious enthusiasm for the power and joy of new ideas. Most of all, it is a road map to change, with a profoundly hopeful message -- that one imaginative person applying a well-placed lever can move the world.”

Outliers: The Story of Success – Malcolm Gladwell

“In this book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of 'outliers' -- the best and the brightest, the most famous, and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band. Brilliant and entertaining, Outliers is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.”

Fish! – Steven Lundin

“Here's another management parable that draws its lesson from an unlikely source -- this time it's the fun-loving fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Market. Fish! aims to help employees find their way to a fun and happy workplace.”

Who Moved My Cheese? – Spencer Johnson

“Change can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective. The message of Who Moved My Cheese? is that all can come to see it as a blessing, if they understand the nature of cheese and the role it plays in their lives.”

Results Now – Michael J. Schmoker

“What would make a good school even better and great schools the norm? School improvement expert Michael J. Schmoker answers that question and describes a sure and fast route to immensely better schools in any kind of community. Using research evidence, case studies, and anecdotes from all kinds of schools, this book identifies the most pervasive obstacles to school improvement.”

What Great Principals Do Differently – Todd Whittaker

“What are the specific qualities and practices of great principals which elevate them above the rest? This book reveals things that most successful principals do and that other principals do not. It shows why these practices are effective and it also demonstrates how to implement each of them in your school.”

Classroom Instruction That Works – Robert J. Marzano

“What works in education? How do we know? How can teachers find out? How can educational research find its way into the classroom? How can we apply it to help our individual students? Questions like these arise in most schools, and busy educators often don't have time to find the answers. Robert J. Marzano, Debra J. Pickering, and Jane E. Pollock have examined decades of research findings to distill the results into nine broad teaching strategies that have positive effects on student learning: * Identifying similarities and differences. * Summarizing and note taking. * Reinforcing effort and providing recognition. * Homework and practice. * Nonlinguistic representations. * Cooperative learning. * Setting objectives and providing feedback. * Generating and testing hypotheses. * Questions, cues, and advance organizers. This list is not new. But what is surprising is finding out what a big difference it makes, for example, when students learn how to take good notes, work in groups, and use graphic organizers.”

On Common Ground – DuFour, Eaker & DuFour

“The authors explore the multi-faceted landscape of education from the perspective of decades of research and practical application, sorting out the trends and ineffectual approaches. While each of the writers has a unique perspective, the consensus of all is the importance of professional learning communities as the means to authentic, sustained school reform.”

The World is Flat – Thomas Friedman

“Thomas Friedman looks at the interconnectedness of the modern world and changes brought on by improvements in communication and technology. That interconnectedness, he argues, has leveled the economic playing field around the world, making the world flat.”