Three Books Every Leader Should Keep Within Reach

There are three books that I believe every leader, coach, mentor, and Learning & Development professional should have available at a moment’s notice.

📘 Good to Great by Jim Collins taught me that greatness isn’t accidental. It’s built through disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. It has been a cornerstone in how I think about leadership and organizational excellence.

📙 The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell changed the way I think about ideas, influence, and how small actions can create extraordinary change. I had the opportunity to hear Malcolm deliver a keynote years ago at what was then ASTD (now ATD), and his insights have stayed with me ever since.

Over the years, I’ve encouraged many of my team members to read both books as part of my coaching and mentoring. They generate great conversations about leadership, culture, and personal growth.

Now, I’m adding a third book to that list.

📕 When Did You Stop Caring? by Natalie Beckerman.

I’m just getting into it, but one thing already stands out: leadership isn’t just about strategy, metrics, or results. It’s about people. It’s about choosing to care, even when it’s difficult. That message resonates deeply with me.

When I have the opportunity to lead, coach, and mentor teams again, I plan to give each leader these three books. And if I can get a signed copy of Natalie’s book, even better.

The best leaders never stop learning.

And they never stop caring.

When Did You Stop Caring? The Power of a Movement

My copy of When Did You Stop Caring? by Natalie Beckerman arrived, and after starting to dig in, all I can say is: wow.

I’ve also been watching some of Natalie’s promotional shorts, and one word keeps standing out to me: movement.

Movements have the power to change people, communities, and sometimes even humanity itself.

Think about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The goal wasn’t getting drenched with a bucket of ice water. The goal was awareness, conversation, and funding research to help stop ALS from devastating more lives.

Think about the Jesus Movement and the impact it had on countless people seeking purpose, faith, and connection.

Think about Pay It Forward. While fictional, the story showed how one person’s actions could inspire others and create a ripple effect of kindness and generosity.

What all of these examples have in common is simple: they started with people who cared enough to act.

Real change doesn’t happen overnight. Habits are built over time. Momentum is built over time. Success is built over time.

That’s something I remind myself of often. I keep pushing. I keep putting one foot in front of the other. I keep looking for opportunities to score a win, no matter how small.

If Natalie’s message inspires even a fraction of that mindset, then it’s a conversation worth having.

If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, you’re missing out.

📚 Amazon: https://a.co/d/0e252vBz

📚 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-did-you-stop-caring-natalie-beckerman/1150028729?ean=9781969508448

Available now in hardcover, paperback, and digital formats.

The question isn’t whether we can change the world overnight.

The question is: What can we do today to show that we still care?

Empathy or Automation? The $1,000,000 Nextdoor Question

I recently received what appears to be a familiar, canned response from Nextdoor Support after posting on X. The message said they were sorry to hear about my issue and wanted to investigate, asking me to send my email address so someone from the Support Team could reach out directly.

So I replied.

I explained that I no longer have an account, but I have an unanswered question regarding Nextdoor's Terms and Conditions, and I invited them to contact me by email.

Now comes the $1,000,000 question:

Will someone actually follow through?

It's easy to express empathy with a template. It's much harder to demonstrate it through action. The appearance of caring and actually caring are two very different things.

That reminds me of Natalie Beckerman's new book, When Did You Stop Caring?, now available June 23, 2026, through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I'm also looking forward to her presentation at Customer Contact Week (CCW) in Las Vegas, June 22–25, 2026, where I hope the conference delivers an enormous conversation around empathy, leadership, and customer experience.

The title makes me wonder:

When did Nextdoor stop caring enough to see conversations through to completion?

I'll gladly update everyone if an email arrives.