It’s that time of year when no matter our role or company, we reflect on our goals and, more than likely, our performance.

We all love data these days, maybe because Spotify wrapped or Peloton’s Annual challenge. And while I look forward to my listening habits and seeing how much I dedicated to fitness for the year, I enjoy my homemade data log of books read. You have more control over your analysis and trends when you do it yourself.

So, like many other well-intentioned people each year, I set a reading goal. Some years, it’s wildly audacious (throwback to the 2016 goal of 100), but I’m realistic with the time I have these days. After all, I still have Spotify to listen to and my Peloton to ride. This year’s reading goal was 50, and I finished that goal yesterday and started book 51. *Disclaimer I don’t count audiobooks as reads, but no judgment if you do!

And what better way to celebrate the success of a goal than to be introspective on the benefits?

I’ve decided to break down my top 3 books from the year and believe me; it was hard to pick… In no particular order, we have:

• Legacy 15 Lessons in Leadership by James Kerr
• Jony Ive by Leander Kahney
• Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

Legacy 15 Lessons in Leadership by James Kerr

I’ll admit I’ve read this book before, and yes, it still counts.

This book was a gift from my boss in 2016, the infamous year of 100 books, which by the way, I completed, and so did he! But, the first time I read it, I was a fresh senior designer and wasn’t necessarily in an active leadership role. I still learned a lot, but I absorbed so much in my second read, and now it’s one of my favorite books to gift.

It’s broken out into, you guessed it, 15 lessons. It centered around the All Blacks, the world-renowned national rugby team of New Zealand. Something I found refreshing is the approach this team takes to legacy, and while they are representing their nation, it is also their job. That’s a parallel we don’t get in your average leadership book. I read recently that we spend more than a 3rd of our lives at work, meaning a big part of our legacy lies in what we do each workday.

There is a chapter about expectations, and I often flip here and reread where I left flags.

“Successful leaders have high internal benchmarks. They set their expectations high and try to exceed them.”

Plenty of times as a leader, now of a team of direct reports and project teams, I have to remind myself that my internal benchmarks are for me to exceed. And at the same time, it is my job to push those under my leadership to set their benchmarks beyond what I have planned for us as a collective. As I set goals in 2023, I want to build on a legacy of high expectations for myself in every facet of my work.

Here’s the thing, if you like sports and you’re looking for a leadership book that isn’t your standard sports leadership book, this one is worth a read. If you don’t like sports but are looking for a unique story of how culture is built in an organization, not from the top but from the unit and for the unit, this book is for you.

Jony Ive by Leander Kahney

It’s safe to say I’m brand loyal to my Apple devices, and the fundamental reason is Jony Ive. As you read this, you probably don’t realize he’s the reason you’re probably loyal too.

In case you don’t know, Jony Ive was the head of design during some of the most pivotal years in Apple’s history, heck the queen even knighted him in his native land of the United Kingdom. For my fellow designers, that would probably be the ultimate card to pull when anyone says but could you make this pretty for me… Sir Ive I hope isn’t asked this question ever, so please don’t ask your design colleagues.

This book isn’t just for the designers who aspire to build products or experiences that will delight end users. It’s also for people who love the behind-the-scenes of how great companies invest in innovation. A hot topic is how design is finally at this point where companies aren’t just viewing it as a nice to have. It’s a core part of adding value to the overall bottom line. Here we get a peek behind the curtain as to how Jony Ive was the best bet Steve Jobs ever made and how a company leader choosing to elevate design changed how we interact with the world and each other.

Kahney takes us from Ive’s childhood curiosity into the interworkings of building the first iPhone, the iPod, and the iPad. What was even more relevant in a time where it isn’t simply about designers (or frankly any specific unit or team) singing their praises, but how the people who are not experts in your area advocate for you in other parts of your company.

The decisive factor is fanatical care beyond the obvious stuff; the obsessive attention to details that are often overlooked.

Until I read these words from Ive, I tended to question, am I caring too much about details that no one else noticed or cared about. But, it changed my perspective and reminded me part of the craft is caring about the details that no one else gives a second thought to.

And if none of these things intrigue you enough to read, you’ll learn what the first song played on the first iPod prototype capable of listening with headphones happened to be.

Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

You’re probably thinking, this sure is a pivot, Lauren. But with book 47 of the year, it’s still fresh in my mind, and it’s lingered in a way that great books often do.

I’d also be remised if I didn’t say I enjoyed my alma mater representation in Ann Friedman, shouts the Mizzou J School Mafia.

This book had been on my shelf, and I hadn’t quite gotten around to getting into it. Then I was at a wedding of my design better half in Mexico (props to Steph and Sunny for getting married in a warm place in the winter), and in a speech, a fellow co-worker shouted out this book and then proceeded to gift it to the bride. When I got home, I thought it was time I cracked it open, and then I read it in under 2 days.

The real reason it rounds out my top 3, though, is because as I begin to settle into the fact that I am going to be an adult for the rest of my time, investing in friendships is important, but it’s also hard. Sow and Friedman nail this point, and let me tell you. They are two incredible storytellers.

You might recognize their names from the popular podcast, Call Your Girlfriend, and if you were a fan, you’d get some behind-the-scenes of what recording their first episode was like.

It’s hard enough to express one person’s version of stories but to reflect two is a feat. The unique perspective and overlap make not only the contents of this book interesting but also the style of writing impressive.

I was struck by what they came up with, which together they call the Shine Theory.

We came to define Shine Theory as an investment, over the long term, in helping a friend be their best — and relying on their help in return. It is a conscious decision to bring our full selves to our friendship and to not let insecurity or envy ravage them.

I’ve found myself in work and life since I finished this book pushing myself to invest in my friendships and not being afraid to rely on others when I need help, remembering I can be even better, especially if I’m not going it alone. And no amount of books alone can help me be better. No matter how many I read a year, I have to learn and depend on my friends just as much.

This is a good read if you want a masterclass in storytelling or a good laugh. But, I’d also recommend if, on this side of the pandemic if you find yourself evaluating how to spend your time and with whom, it just might give you a perspective you weren’t expecting.

If you’ve made it this far, hopefully, you’ve put a few new books on your list, maybe some you never expected in the first place.

I’ll leave you with a few data points and an urge to read before bed instead of watching a new show. Those 50 books accounted for 16,445 pages read, with an average page count per book of 328.9. I’d say it was time well spent.