Bibliotherapy: A Few Books to Help Humble Leaders

A reading list from Hunter Gatewood and Rebecca Bromberg from the mindful leadership course Human.Being.Leader

In my social work masters program, one of my professors used the word “bibliotherapy” to refer to self-help books. 

That phrase stuck with me. Because few things are more helpful than writing that addresses directly what the reader needs, at that moment, clearly and practically. 

I have a set of books that I refer to again and again, for myself in my work, and for the courses and coaching I do with others. 

At the end of the most recent cohort of Human.Being.Leader, a reading list incorporating both leadership books and books on mindfulness was one response to our offer of “one more thing” that would help students carry their work forward. So Rebecca and I put our lists together, and here you have it. In a few categories, and in no particular order.

You probably know a few of these already, and may be inspired to pick these up already. And I hope some of these are new for you, and you decide to pick them up. Enjoy! 

Leadership and culture

  • The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth; Amy Edmondson (Wiley, 2019)

Dr. Edmundson popularized the idea of humble leadership for the 21st century. Her earlier books on “teaming” are also great. 

  • The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels; Michael Watkins (Harvard Business School Press, 2003)

A clear-eyed and strategic look at the challenges and opportunities of a new leadership role, when someone is new to an organization or gets a promotion. Useful insights even when you aren’t new. 

  • Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard; Chip Heath and Dan Heath (Broadway, 2010)

A fun read all about change management. It was this book that popularized Jonathan Haidt’s metaphor of the elephant and rider and path that we use in the course. The Heath brothers’ other book, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, is also a good one.

  • Humbitious: The Power of Low-Ego, High-Drive Leadership; Amer Kaissi (Page Two, 2021) A good primer on humble leadership that includes many case examples using the lives of famous leaders, from a guy that Hunter met in a public speaking course.

  • The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom; Don Miguel Ruiz (Amber Allen, 1997) More a self-help book than a leadership book per se, but don’t let the woo woo stop you.. If you haven’t heard of the Four Agreements, look them up. Now, right now. 

Mindfulness books recommended by Rebecca Bromberg

These books support mindfulness as a foundational capacity for leadership, healing, and clarity. They offer tools for cultivating awareness, presence, and compassion—skills that deepen both personal and professional practice.

  • Mindfulness in Plain English; Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (Wisdom, 1994) 

A clear, practical, and accessible guide to meditation practice. Explains how to cultivate mindfulness through insight meditation (vipassana) in a way that is approachable for beginners and grounding for longtime practitioners. A classic for good reason.

  • 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works—a True Story; Dan Harris (HarperOne, 2014) 

Written by a skeptical, self-described "fidgety news guy," this memoir is hilarious and unexpectedly wise. Harris demystifies meditation through real-life interviews and hard-earned insights—perfect for folks who roll their eyes at mindfulness but still need it.

  • Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book; Dan Harris with Jeff Warren and Carlye Adler (Spiegel & Grau, 2017) 

A companion to 10% Happier, this book offers a playful, irreverent, and super practical guide to actually starting a mindfulness practice—even if you’re busy, restless, or unconvinced. Filled with tips, stories, and guided approaches that meet people where they are.

  • Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom; Rick Hanson, PhD with Richard Mendius, MD (New Harbinger, 2009)

Blending neuroscience with contemplative practice, this book explains how mindfulness and compassion literally change the brain. Practical, research-backed, and highly readable.

  • Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life; Jon Kabat-Zinn (Hyperion, 1994) 

Written by the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), this book is full of short, digestible chapters that make mindfulness feel accessible, non-dogmatic, and relevant to daily life—whether or not you ever sit on a cushion.

  • Search Inside Yourself: The Unexpected Path to Achieving Success, Happiness (and World Peace); Chade-Meng Tan (HarperOne, 2012) 

Originally developed at Google, this mindfulness-based emotional intelligence curriculum is playful and accessible, especially for leaders and people working in tech or business.

  • The Mindful Leader: Ten Principles for Bringing Out the Best in Ourselves and Others; Michael Carroll (Shambhala, 2007) 

A practical guide to integrating mindfulness into leadership and organizational culture. Written by a former exec and meditation teacher, this book is wise and grounded in both worlds.

  • The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living; Russ Harris (Trumpeter, 2008) 

Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this book shows how mindfulness can help us stop fighting reality and start living with more clarity and ease. Particularly good for overthinkers.

  • Real-World Mindfulness for Beginners: Navigate Daily Life One Practice at a Time; Brenda Salgado (New Harbinger, 2020)

Short, accessible practices you can do anywhere—great for those who want to dip a toe into mindfulness without needing a full practice right away.

  • Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness; Sharon Salzberg (Shambhala, 1995) 

A deep dive into the practice of metta, or lovingkindness meditation. Salzberg writes with heart and clarity, making this book a go-to for cultivating compassion and emotional resilience.

  • Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life; Thich Nhat Hanh (Bantam, 1992) 

A gentle and powerful book by one of the great mindfulness teachers of our  time. Full of short teachings and simple practices that make everyday life—from brushing your teeth to facing conflict—a place for peace.

  • Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness; Jon Kabat-Zinn (Bantam, revised edition 2013) 

The foundational text of MBSR. It’s long but comprehensive, blending science, story, and practices for using mindfulness to navigate stress and chronic conditions. Great for practitioners and healers.

  • Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment—and Your Life; Jon Kabat-Zinn (Sounds True, 2006) 

A slim, simple, and direct introduction to mindfulness from the master of MBSR. Excellent as a first read or to return to when your practice feels complicated.

Mindfulness and leadership, managing oneself in the anxious world

  • How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim Your Sanity, and Embrace the Daily Grind; Leah Weiss, PhD (Harper Wave, 2018)

Learn what a Buddhist-trained mindfulness expert teaches students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

  • Perfect Attendance: Being Present for Life; Harriet Stein (2023)

This is a handy guide with short lessons that you can pick up and start anywhere for a succinct story and dose of accessible wisdom, with tips to try in your day. It’s for life generally, in and outside of work. I count it as a leadership + mindfulness book because I (Hunter) am lucky to be a friend of Harriet’s and I know her work in these overlapping domains.

  • Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose; Martha Beck (The Open Field, 2025)

The it-book from the it-self-help-person of 2025, Beck’s writing is fun as she encourages us to use our creativity to combat anxiety, where our natural wiring often means the anxiety prevents creativity. 

  • How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy; Jenny Odell (Melville House, 2019)

An artist writes about how we spend our attention, and the result was the book that most helped me navigate the COVID pandemic. Among other things, Odell inspired me to put down my phone and get outside more, with intention.

  • Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds; Adrienne Marie Brown (AK Press, 2017)

A mindful approach to change that addresses our individual relationship to change of all kinds, starting from the assumption that we all know but can find hard to accept: change is constant. Peaceful warrior vibes, as the kids might say.

Communication

The first two are classics. Pick one at random because they are both excellent and share similar advice, or look up a summary of each to see which sounds better based on your personality and communication style. Or, do what Hunter did in putting his curriculum together, and get both to do a side by side analysis. Feedback that Works is a very short book, like a fat booklet, that goes into the Situation-Behavior-Impact feedback model in detail. And who doesn’t love a short book.

  • Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most; Stone, Patton, and Heen (Penguin, 1999)

  • Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when the Stakes are High; Patterson, Granny, McMillan, Switzler (McGraw Hill, 2012)

  • Feedback that Works: How to Build and Deliver Your Message; (Center for Creative Leadership, 2000, second edition 2019)

Other related helpful reads

  • The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures; Dan Roam (Portfolio-Penguin, 2008)

If you have been in a session with Hunter, or seen a blog, you know that visual communication is a passion and a joy for him. This book is a practical guide to drawing your way to collaboration and success.  

  • Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life; Bill Burnett and Dave Evans (Knopf, 2019)

There is this book, and also a spiral-bound workbook. Turn to these ideas and exercises from the world of design thinking, aka human-centered design, to “build your life, brick by brick” as the authors say, instead of thinking endlessly before starting to try stuff.

Hunter Gatewood