Welcome to the PMI-OC Book Club! On this page, you will find a wealth of information. First, you will find takeaways (provided by Book Club participants) from books that the Book Club has already read and discussed. Second, you will find rankings of those books. Books are ranked from "1" to "5" where "1" is the worst and "5" is the best. For each book, the initial ranking is a survey of initial thoughts about the book. The final ranking is a post-discussion ranking to discern opinions after discussion in case the opinions have changed. Finally, you will find information for the book to read for the next Book Club meeting.

Books Read

Book Information and Takeaways	Initial Rank	Final Rank
"Dare to Lead" by Brene Brown Vulnerability is an asset and not a weakness. The most successful and courageous leaders are risk takers who are not afraid of failing. In fact, failures often lead to creativity and great opportunities. Perfectionism can be unhealthy due to the constant need for approval and fear of criticism and failure. This leads to missed opportunities and mental paralysis, which hinders creativity. Be clear as to what you value and live those values. Be curious about what you don't know. Walk in other persons' shoes before judging. Think empathy in place of shame, even if you fail; don't fear failure. Embrace it as a learning opportunity.	4.45	4.32
"The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni Most people are conflict averse, but conflict is healthy for teams to perform at a higher level. The greatest dysfunction of a team is a lack of trust ‐ without it, the other dysfunctions cannot be managed/corrected and nothing can get accomplished.	4.63	4.71
"Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman EQ (Emotional Intelligence) can be improved. Our emotional health not only affects our interactions with others, but has just as much power over our individual successes and growth potential. With emotions being such a driving force, it behooves us to understand how emotions function physiologically, socially, and directly in our professional lives.	3.8	4
"Atomic Habits" by James Clear Does a thorough job in explaining the tools of engineering desired habits and eliminating unrewarding ones. For discussing the book in a professional business environment, I wish that there were more relevant examples from commerce and enterprise settings. The author's anecdotal examples were rather simple (e.g. losing weight, waking up early and improving athletic performance). The book focuses on one's habits, but, in the context of business, it's about developing and orchestrating the habits of your customers, employees, and other stakeholders.	3.83	3.18
"The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace" by Gary Chapman and Paul White Authenticity matters! Sincere appreciation is a powerful motivator. Everyone has a different appreciation language (e.g. words, acts, quality time, tangible gifts, and physical touch.) Understanding and speaking the right appreciation language to colleagues and direct reports is important. Mismatched expressions of appreciation can lead to misunderstandings and even worse, workplace dissatisfaction. I recognize and encourage appreciation at workplace. But the book attempts to tackle this topic with an engineered formula. In some ways, I feel that getting along with coworkers is a lot like "Be a good person..." so sometimes a lot of stuff in the book felt like common sense. All in all, I didn't find this helpful or satisfying as the original 5 Love Languages was for personal relationships[...] I am remote in my job and the book felt like so much of it was related to people you work with in person.	3.2	3.2
"Accidental Agile Project Manager" by Ray Frohnhoefer Provides a good summary of a wide variety of agile methods. Explains why agile methods are useful to use on certain projects. Full of practical tips and easy to follow. I really enjoyed Ray talking about his recommendation of starting with a small team of the best people — who work together, then build up credbility and roll it (the project/solution) out, bug free. That is the approach I beleive in and have found to be successful.	4.2	4.7
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey One of my favorites as well. "Begin with the end in mind" is one of my go-to strategies. That book club session was so much fun! In both my professional life and personal life, I jump from deadline to deadline and focus too much on urgency that often I neglect what’s important. Time to “sharpen the saw” in 2024 and remind myself to set aside time for people or causes that are important to me. The richness of the discussion highlighted the relevance of Covey’s principles to the challenges project managers face. The discussion on empathetic listening was a cornerstone on improving communication with others.	4.5	4.82
"The Jelly Effect" by Andy Bounds My understanding of the book could be summed as, "Poor communication is like throwing jelly at a wall - it does not stick." "People do not care about what you say. They only care about what they are left with AFTER you’ve said it." I loved the author’s explanation of AFTER. It is like determining the effect you want your communication to have before the conversation starts. The communication tips within this book are great because they apply to a wide variety of situations, like how to network to promote professional development and specific strategies regarding it, how to give a presentation to a team or executives, or how to think about and understand the needs of stakeholders. "The Big Fish Concept : The people you are itching to meet (decision makers in organizations & influencers), once you identify them, you will see that they are everywhere." Although I have always known this, reading it in the book was very profound for me.	4	4.5
"How to Measure Anything" (Chapters 1 -7) by Douglas W. Hubbard My understanding of the reading could be summed as, "You can measure anything you want, as long as you know what you are measuring in a very concrete way." The section in the book on calibrating estimates was very exciting as it presents a very visceral way of understanding choices in the context of what it means to have a confidence interval of any given amount. Would you rather take a given chance to be right with your decision or answer or would you leave it up to spinning a wheel of the equivalent chance? I liked the discussion on risk management as it goes against traditional methods of risk assessment and reveals what those issues are and ways to rectify the shortcomings.	4.2	4.5
"How to Measure Anything" (Chapters 8 - 14) by Douglas W. Hubbard One of my takeaways is learning the skill Bayesian reasoning with the intent to integrate new information into decisions." A part I liked was the discussion on how, while correlation does not prove causation (which is something everyone says), the book makes the point that correlation is evidence of causation.	3.25	3.4
"Business Acumen For Project Managers" by Steven Haines I enjoyed learning about the importance of establishing relationships throughout an organization and not limiting myself to just my department in order to understand how everyone fits into the organization's overall goals. A part I liked was the discussion on the interaction between business strategy (how to get there), business goals (where to go), and the makeup of the business (where we are now).	3.7	4
"The 360 Degree Leader" by John C. Maxwell It was interesting to learn about the author's point that leadership is about influence and not position and the various methods available to lead up, across, and down an organization. The discussion on leading down was very illuminating because that's an area where I do not have much experience because I typically am in lower positions within an organization. The book provided valuable takeaways for me, including the importance of leadership as a practice of influence, strategies for leading in all directions, and practical tools to strengthen relationships and inspire others.	4.14	4.87
"Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek It makes me reflect on better ways to lead the team. I liked the way Simon Sinek talks about being a servant leader. Regardless of where you are, help make your team feel human and have empathy! Reinforces the idea that we're all people who are just helping each other! Do what is under your power to do and allow your credbility to influence those above you in the pecking order.	4.5	4.64

Current Book to Read:

“The Mensch Method: Achieving Success Through Character in Life and Business” by Todd Zive

Synopsis from Amazon

Lead with Character, Live with Purpose

Through engaging real-life stories and actionable insights, seasoned executive Todd Zive reveals how to lead as a mensch, a person of integrity and honor. Drawing from his extraordinary journey—shaped by the murder of his father at age four—Todd illustrates how resilience, self-belief, and the support of others inspire personal and professional growth.

The Mensch Method presents a transformative roadmap for achieving success in life and business through integrity, resilience, and meaningful relationships. Success isn’t just about achieving goals or accumulating wealth—it’s about the legacy you leave, the lives you touch, and how you get there—by lifting others up and rising together.

In this powerful book, you’ll discover:

Engaging stories and practical lessons that bring to life core principles like resilience, confidence, and the importance of nurturing meaningful relationships.
Insights into taking responsibility, knowing your strengths, and putting in the necessary effort to achieve personal and professional growth.
Guidance on staying focused on your goals, trusting the process, and navigating challenges with clarity and purpose.
Actionable steps to help you apply these principles, empowering you to lead with confidence.

Whether you are a business leader, entrepreneur, or someone seeking to lead a fulfilled life, The Mensch Method offers a practical and inspiring framework for creating success rooted in authenticity and driven by values.

Todd Zive’s book is a must-read for anyone ready to lead with heart and character.

Reviews

"Inspirational! Motivational! Powerful! Transformational! Educational! Just some of the words that come to mind when reading Todd Zive's The Mensch Method. A must read!"

- Andrew Terry, Founder and CEO, Terry Associates

"The Mensch Method offers a refreshing perspective on leadership, emphasizing humility, ethics, and leading by example—a novel approach I've never seen explained this way. I'm excited for the impact it will have on those seeking personal and professional growth across the globe!"

- Derek Herrera, Founder and CEO, Bright Uro

"Todd Zive's The Mensch Method is a powerful reminder that success is measured by the legacy we leave and the lives we touch. Truly a transformative read for us all. Ethical behavior and meaningful connections are key to truly embracing the world we live in today!"

- Kathy Dawson, CEO and President, Dawson & Dawson

"Todd Zive's The Mensch Method provides a powerful reminder that integrity and empathy are the cornerstones of genuine success, and that true achievement lies in the positive impact we have on others."

- Aron Rofer, CEO, Bradley Rofer Foundation & General Counsel, Champions Funding

"The Mensch Method is an essential resource for transforming adversity into personal and professional growth, an imperative in our turbulent White Water World. With engaging real-life stories and proven practical insights, Zive guides readers to overcome challenges and lead with character."

- Leonard Lane, Professor of Strategy, UC Irvine & Corporate Board Member

"The Mensch Method is a powerful guide to authentic leadership. Todd explores the true meaning of resilience, emphasizing grace, character, and doing what's right. A must-read for aspiring and established leaders alike."

- Mickey Gubman, Business Coach & Managing Director (Retired), Tennant Company

"The Mensch Method offers simple, yet practical leadership principles that have the power to change lives and make the world a better place for everyone. Todd Zive 'inspires and uplifts us through his own life story that began in tragedy but is modeled in integrity, generosity, and respect. This insightful and practical guide to becoming a mensch is a model for success every leader should strive for."

- Lisa Thomas, Founder and CEO, Main Street Marketing Partners

"Through examples of resilience, determination, and achievement, The Mensch Method illustrates how we can lead with integrity, kindness, and purpose—even in challenging times. It proves that success and goodness can and should coexist, showing that it's possible to lead with heart and find fulfillment in both business and life."

- John Merlino, Fractional COO and Former Division President, Lennar