We typically share a summer reading list, but this year we have compiled a listening list. Many people are back traveling to and from the office, jetting off for vacations, or popping on those soundproof headphones while continuing to work from home. We love podcasts because we can tune into learning throughout the day.

They offer easy access to topics that come curated for education and entertainment. Perspectives you may not otherwise have considered are packaged neatly to fit your morning commute or gym routine. It’s not all passive listening though. Cut down on screen time by focusing on an episode at home instead of plugging back into work.

The stories of successes and failures, and engaging conversations, can inform your own business journey, introduce new leadership techniques, and improve relationships in business. Great storytelling reminds us that we face similar obstacles, desires, wants, and needs and ultimately have a lot more to learn from each other than we may think.

These selections are the top choices straight from our Trajectify coaches. Some audiobooks, mostly podcasts, all chosen to support business success and your personal growth as a leader.

How I Built This

Episodes on La Colombe, Lush, and 1800GOTJUNK

Hosted by Guy Raz, host and editorial director of three NPR programs. Coach Russ and Mike recommend following Guy’s podcast to listen to the narrative journeys of some of the world’s best known companies and the cultures they built. Mike particularly enjoys the episodes covering Philly’s own La Colombe, ethical and fresh Lush Cosmetics, and nationwide junk removers 1800GOTJUNK.

Dare to Lead

Episode with Priya Parker: How We Return and Why It Matters

Hosted by Brenee Brown, research professor and author. Great guests, actionable advice, and always entertaining. This episode welcomes executive producer and host of the New York Times podcast, Together Apart, Priya Parker to talk about the challenges around the return to workspaces. Leadership coach Henna has derived team building workshops from Brown’s Dare to Lead book. Give the podcast a listen and explore how we can bring these ideas into group coaching opportunities for your team.

WorkLife

Episode with Esther Perel: Relationships At Work

Hosted by Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and bestselling author. He is joined by couples therapist Esther Perel to discuss work relationships. You bring your personal self to work and it impacts relationships with coworkers, and how we handle conflict, participate in power dynamics, and develop trust.

Against the Rules

Episode with Timothy Gallwey: The Coach in Your Head

Hosted by Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball. The whole second season of Against the Rules highlights coaching - athletic, business, musical, mental. We are all coaches (and coached) throughout life. Mike highly recommends Episode Five with Timothy Gallwey, author of The Inner Game of Tennis, all about mental skills coaching.

Elevate

Episode with Dandapani: Living a More Focused, Freer Life

Hosted by Robert Glazer, CEO of Acceleration Partners and ranked #2 US Small Business CEO by Glassdoor. In this episode, he interviews Hindu priest and entrepreneur, Dandapani, who has insight on how to avoid “practicing distraction” and ultimately improve focus and balance in your personal and professional life.

Dealmakers

Episode with Francis Davidson: Building a $2.2 Billion Business By Turning Apartments into Hotels

Hosted by Alejandro Cremades, investment banker and author of The Art of Fundraising. Coach and CFO Jim recommends Dealmakers which features entrepreneurs that have been successful in raising capital and with M&A transactions. In his most recent episode, he interviews Francis Davison, co-founder and CEO of Sonder, whose company is going public through a SPAC deal.

Impact Theory

Episode with Sarah Robb O’Hagan: How to Kick Ass and Achieve Your Full Potential

Hosted by Tom Bilyeu, co-founder of Quest Nutrition. Trajectify coordinator Ralph recommends a standout episode with Sarah Robb O’Hagan who Forbes named among the “Most Powerful Women in Sports.” She’s held leadership roles at Nike, Equinox FItness, Flywheel Sports, and Gatorade. O’Hagan talks about leading with humility, developing resilient employees, and pushing your team by owning failure.

Team of Teams

(audiobook) Coach and expert product officer Joe Cotellese has been on an audiobook kick this year. “In a world of rapid change, the best organizations think and act like a team of teams, embracing small groups that combine the freedom to experiment with a relentless drive to share what they've learned. McChrystal and his colleagues explain their process for helping organizations embrace this model.“

3 Signs of a Miserable Job

(audiobook) “Through the story of a CEO turned pizzeria manager, Lencioni reveals the three elements that make work miserable: irrelevance, immeasurability, and anonymity. And he gives managers and their employees the keys to make any job more fulfilling.”

Good to Great

(audiobook) “Over five years, Jim Collins and his research team have analyzed the histories of 28 companies, discovering why some companies make the leap and others don't.”

Final Thoughts

Let these suggestions serve as new additions to your listening queue. As recommendations pop up throughout our conversations and meetings, we keep a running list of books, podcasts, and other media pertinent to issues we hear a number of clients face. Subscribe to our newsletter where you’ll get access to new recommendations throughout the year. Don’t miss out on what your fellow founders and CEOs are listening to.