Starting the year, one page at a time

I once attended a seminar led by retired General Jeff Foley, who offered a “Leaders are Readers” presentation centered around a stack of his favorite books and the insights he gained from each one. In a blog post on the subject, he encourages us to take ownership of our pursuit of knowledge and reminds us that leading people, like any other part of one’s job, must be practiced over time.

Even if your job does not formally require you to lead others, you can develop essential interpersonal skills from reading content geared towards personal growth. As 2026 approaches, this is an ideal time to consider new books to help gain new ideas.

Reading offers benefits that extend beyond improved work performance. A Psychology Today Article explains that “bibliotherapy” supports our mental health and “enhances our sense of wellbeing.” Lauren Bigham, MD, Director of the Psycho-Social Oncology Program at the Georgia Cancer Center, agrees that reading is a good idea for self-care as well as self-improvement, and shared her favorite book for our list. Research on mental health and reading bears out that spending time with books reduces stress and encourages empathy for others, making this resolution ideal for anyone, especially those who may be directly or indirectly impacted by cancer.

But which books to choose? There are countless leadership and personal growth books on the market, so if you find it overwhelming to decide, consider seeking a recommendation from someone you admire. I was inspired by David Hess, MD, the Dean of the Medical College of Georgia, who recently mentioned his favorite book Good to Great by James C. Collins.

I reached out to other leaders seeking suggestions, and was delighted to receive replies from Nancy Young, DMD, Teresa Waters, PhD, Yvonne Turner, Ralph Turner, DBA, Klaus Ley, MD, Domingo Valpuesta, Betty Pace, PhD, John Henson, MD, Kristina Baggott, Barbara McFarland, and many others. Steffen Meiler, MD, for example, sent in three book ideas. Atomic Habits by James Clear was suggested by Jeffrey Snow, who described it as “a wonderful guide to incrementally establishing good habits.” Our GCC Librarian, Emily C. Harris, echoed his recommendation and agreed that it aligns well with approaching the new year. For all book recommendations so far, see the full list below.

Harris also mentioned that both AU Library locations can help find almost any book you are seeking via InterLibrary Loan for AU affiliates (for free). If they do not own a copy, they simply borrow it from another library (often from other USG libraries, but sometimes further than that). This is the same for the local libraries in our community. With the range and interest of recommended books, and ease of accessing them, our new year goals are within reach.

A final reminder: books are like art–one never knows what will strike a chord– so if you start one that does not inspire you, keep trying! I look forward to hearing your feedback, and we will update the list as suggestions come in. So, be sure to check back when you need more inspiration. Good luck, happy reading, and happy new year!

• Good to Great by James C Collins – Dr. David Hess, Dean of the Medical College of Georgia and Dr. Lisa Middleton, Director of Scientific Affairs at the Georgia Cancer Center
• Suited for Leadership: How to show up with purpose to have a lasting impact by Dennis W. Pullin – Ralph D. Turner, Hospital President, Wellstar MCG
• Atomic Habits by James Clear – Jeffrey Snow, Executive VP of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Augusta University and Emily Harris, Dental Medicine & Cancer Librarian Chair
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler – Yvonne Turner, Finance and Administration Chief Business Officer
• The College Administrator’s Survival Guide by C K Gunsalus – Dr. Teresa Waters, Professor and Dean at Augusta University School of Public Health
• The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon – Dr. Nancy Young, Dean of the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University
• The Leadership Challenge by Barry Posner and James Kouzes – Dr. Klaus Ley, Director of the Immunology Center of Georgia at Augusta University
• Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson – Al Dallas, Administrator & Chief of Staff at the Georgia Cancer Center
• Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership by Brene Brown – Dr. Betty Pace, PRIDE Program Director
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler –  Dr. Lauren Bigham, Director of Psycho-Social Oncology Program at the Georgia Cancer Center
• Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest by William Vanderbloemen – Kristina Baggott, Interim Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Economic Development at Augusta University
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie – Domingo Valpuesta, Associate Vice President, Cancer Services at Wellstar MCG Health
• Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship by Keith Ferrazzi – Angela Hornsby, Clinical Director of Outpatient Oncology at the Georgia Cancer Center
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain – Barbara McFarland, Director of Cancer Center Outpatient Services
• The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale – Jane Barrett, Director of Philanthropy at the Georgia Cancer Center
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig – Dr. John Henson, Director of the Hereditary Cancer Clinic at the Georgia Cancer Center
• Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen – Dr. Alicia Arnold, Breast Program Director at the Georgia Cancer Center
• The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias: How to Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection and Create High-Performing Teams by Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, and Anne Chow – Dr. Chris Middleton, Director of Laboratory Operations at the Georgia Cancer Center
• The Servant by James C. Hunter – Dr. Steffen E. Meiler, Director of the Program for Molecular Perioperative Medicine and Genomics
• Simone’s Maxims by Joseph Simone – Dr. Locke Bryan, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek – Karen Ryan, Nurse & Patient Navigator Manager at the Georgia Cancer Center
• The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz – Dr. Ahmed Chadli, Director of Experimental Therapeutics Program at the Georgia Cancer Center
• What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith – Jeff Foley, President of Loral Mountain Solutions, LLC