One of the most exciting parts of my Better Me: Better World project was the opportunity to immerse myself in Intellectual Pursuits and use that learning to serve others. At the start, I set a clear goal: read at least ten books related to leadership, management, or self-help; write articles based on those books; and publish them on this website. I also intended to submit one of those articles to a professional magazine to help broaden my professional background.
This leg of the journey turned out to be far more impactful than I expected. Not just because of what I read—but because of how I processed it, shared it, and discussed it with others.
Learning Through Reading (and Re-reading)
Books have always been a source of inspiration for me, but approaching them with a purpose—reading not just to consume, but to analyze and apply—took things to another level. I read over a dozen books throughout the project, including:
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (part 1)
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (part 2)
- Managing Up
- The Four Agreements
- The Three Signs of a Miserable Job (part 1)
- The Three Signs of a Miserable Job (part 2)
- Silos, Politics and Turf Wars
- How to Let Things Go
- The Obstacle is the Way
- Getting Naked
- The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family
- The 6 Types of Working Genius
Each of these books offered a unique lens on leadership and personal growth, but some resonated more deeply depending on what I was facing at the time. For example, The Obstacle is the Way took on new meaning after the loss of my mother. The central message—that adversity can become an advantage—landed differently when I was living through it in real time.
Another standout from this list was The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. This book helped me better understand the importance of vulnerability and trust within leadership. As I worked on other parts of the project, particularly the DEI training and emotional care components, I found myself reflecting on how often people (myself included) avoid honest dialogue because we fear conflict or exposure. That book became a mental touchstone for how I wanted to show up—both for myself and for others.
Writing as a Way of Thinking
Reading is one thing, but writing about what I read turned out to be just as transformative. After finishing each book, I challenged myself to write a review or a self-reflection article and post it to this website. Each of the titles above contain the link(s) to those articles for easy reference. This wasn’t just a way to meet a goal—it was a practice in distilling key ideas and making them available and useful to others.
Putting my thoughts into writing helped clarify what I had learned. It forced me to pause and ask: What did this book really teach me? How can I apply it? Would this resonate with someone else in my shoes? Writing helped me digest and process the material more deeply—and that, in turn, helped me grow as a thinker and communicator.
Even more, it became a bridge to other people. I began promoting the articles on my social media channels and was pleasantly surprised by the engagement I received. Colleagues commented, friends reached out, and some told me they would begin reading the books for themselves. The content sparked real conversations, not just online but in team meetings and even during my one-on-ones with my manager. In several cases, I found myself referencing book lessons during work discussions, using them as tools for coaching or conflict resolution.
Service to Others Through Shared Learning
While the articles were technically part of the Service to Others category of my project, I began to see them more as conversations than assignments. Each post was a way to share—not to preach, but to connect. I wasn’t claiming to be an expert, just someone trying to grow and bring others along for the ride.
One thing I hadn’t expected was how vulnerable this would feel. Publishing content, especially personal reflections, always carries a risk of judgment. But as I kept posting, I noticed that the more honest I was, the more people seemed to resonate. I intentionally left the comments area open on each of the posts to help bolster and promote conversation between myself and any readers. There’s power in transparency, and I think that’s a lesson leaders too often forget.
It’s also worth noting what didn’t go according to plan: I had hoped to submit an article to a professional magazine. Unfortunately, with the time it took to read the books, write the articles, and keep up with other areas of the project – and life – I ran out of time to properly prepare a submission. While I didn’t check that particular box, I still count this part of the project as a success—because the real goal wasn’t publication, it was impact.
Key Takeaways
This part of the project taught me a few big things:
- Leadership is a learning journey. The best leaders are students first—of books, of people, and of themselves.
- Sharing your growth helps others grow. You never know who needs to hear what you’re learning or struggling through.
- Consistency beats perfection. Publishing 12 articles across the course of this project took discipline, but not every piece had to be perfect. The act of writing and reflecting consistently was what mattered most.
- Courage builds connection. The more open I was in my writing, the more others engaged. Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s leadership in its most human form.
Looking Forward
I’m walking away from this part of the project with a renewed commitment to lifelong learning. I don’t plan to stop reading or writing. In fact, I’m currently building a list of new books to dive into this year. I’m also exploring new ways to expand my platform and increase the reach of what I share, possibly even revisiting that original goal of submitting work to a professional outlet or do some public speaking.
Most importantly, I now see how powerful it is to turn personal development into shared value. Learning doesn’t have to happen in isolation. When we read, reflect, and write with intention—and then share it—we not only grow ourselves, we invite others to do the same.
In my third and final blog post, I will explore the ethical and leadership dimensions of the Better Me: Better World project, including what I learned about DEI, professional integrity, and how all of these themes connect.
