2026 Summer Reading Recommendations From the Nebo Team

"We go to school to learn what books to read for the rest of our lives." 

~ Robert Frost

Summer is a wonderful time to recharge, connect with one's passions and to discover new things. Our team has put together some books and podcasts to help you do all of that as you take some time to get away this summer.

Embracing a Human-centered Approach

• Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
  Many writers have chronicled the habits of superstars who accomplish great things. This book reveals how anyone can rise to achieve greater things. The true measure of your potential is not the height of the peak you’ve reached, but how far you’ve climbed to get there.
  
  
• Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
  If we want to find the way back to ourselves and one another, we need language and the grounded confidence to both tell our stories and to be stewards of the stories that we hear. In Atlas of the Heart, we explore eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human and walk through a new framework for cultivating meaningful connection.
  
  
• Human Brands Win: The Anti-Playbook for Growth in an AI World - Lindsay Tjepkema as guest on The Force & Friction Podcast
  After raising $30 million and scaling Casted to a 50-plus person team, Lindsay had a powerful realization: the industry's obsession with growth hacks and playbooks is a trap. Listen to this discussion of the challenges of being a visionary founder, the importance of a human-centric approach in an AI world, and the practical steps that brands can take to build a more human identity.
  
  
• Actually, I Can by Lindsay Tjepkema by Lindsay Tjepkema
  Actually, I Can. is a video podcast that celebrates the bold choices, courageous journeys, and the deeply personal stories of founders, visionaries, and leaders who dared to defy the doubters and choose "yes" even when the world kept saying "no."

Your Growth as a Leader

• Holding Space: A Guide to Mindful Facilitation by Kate Ebner and Izzy Martens
  Holding Space was written to make it easier for coaches, facilitators, and leaders to step forward with confidence.The book is based on the insight that becoming a great convener of people requires a willingness to look within, including an examination of one’s own beliefs and biases, presence, unique traits and trigger points. Discover how to tap into the practice of mindfulness to “hold space” for others and create extraordinary —even transformational– experiences and outcomes.

• Leading the Emergence by Kate Ebner
  How do we navigate as leaders when we can’t see the future? This podcast poses the question of what it means for leaders in 2021 and beyond. We’ve learned that, while we can’t forecast the future with certainty, there are powerful strategies that enable better, more confident navigation. Leading the Emergence, is a six-part series of conversations with thought leaders who can help us discern what’s coming. Host Kate Ebner will invite perspectives from futurists, analysts, innovators and visionaries whose insights and methods can illuminate useful strategies for all.
  
  

• Energy Leadership: Transforming Your Workplace and Your Life from the Core by Bruce D. Schneider
  This book introduces a transformative coaching framework known as the Energy Leadership Index (ELI). The central premise of the book is that true leadership is not defined by a title, position, or specific corporate skill set; rather, it is determined by the form of energy a person projects and uses to react to the world around them. Schneider argues that our perceptions shape our thoughts, our thoughts drive our emotions, and our emotions ultimately dictate our behavior and leadership effectiveness. By altering our internal energy, we radically shift how we interact with others and lead organizations.

• Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
  The former co-owner and General Manager of Eleven Madison Park (EMP)—shares his philosophy on how intentional, radical generosity transformed a struggling New York City brasserie into the #1 restaurant in the world. While rooted in fine dining, Guidara's core thesis is universal: in an automated, product-obsessed world, the ultimate competitive advantage is making people feel seen, valued, and welcome.

Inspired by Nature

• The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
  From the author of The Joy Luck Club comes a gorgeous and witty exploration of birding and nature. This inspiring work cultivates hope and connection, revealing the rhythms of our world and uncovering its beauty hidden in plain sight.

• The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone’s Underdog by Rick McIntyre
  This is the incredible true story of one of the wolves reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park from Canada in 1995. Wolf 8 struggles at first—he is smaller than the other pups, and often bullied—but soon he bonds with an alpha female whose mate was shot. An unusually young alpha male, barely a teenager in human years, Wolf 8 rises to the occasion, hunting skillfully, and even defending his family from the wolf who killed his father. Written by a former park ranger, McIntyre’s observations are a wonderful example of how much we can learn from animals in terms of our own emotional intelligence.

• Wisdom from the Wild by Julie Henry
  This book shares how nature is and excellent teacher to prepare us for the challenges of leadership. A former senior leader in zoos and aquariums, the author encourages leaders to learn from and be inspired by the wildlife and wild places all around you.

Stories of Resilience

• Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
  In this book,  the authors explain that we are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. Rather, it resilience is a muscle that we can build. After the sudden death of her husband, Sheryl Sandberg felt that she and her children would never feel pure joy again. Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, shared with her the concrete steps people can take to recover and rebound from life-shattering experiences.
  
  

• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
  This is a story of resilience, showcasing how the author and his mother survived apartheid-era South Africa. Literally born a "crime" due to his mixed-race heritage, Noah utilized education, language, and humor to overcome systemic oppression and poverty.

• The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
  This book of historical fiction tells the story of a female-led World War I underground spy ring. It is a powerful story of courageous women and touches on themes of mentorship and resilience in extreme adversity. The reader is reminded that whatever role we play, we are always in a position to step up, to lead and make significant contributions.