Business leaders are always looking for inspiration and a way to sharpen their mind to better understand what need their attention. Some C-suiters stay focused on strategy, mindset, and leadership reading, while others find inspiration in historical fiction or a novel. What do they have in common? Their impact on the minds and hearts of North Texas business leaders.
For D CEO’s December issue, we asked seven DFW leaders to share one must-read book they would recommend to everyone. Here’s what they had to say.

“The Interaction Field by Erich Joachimsthaler is similar to my thesis by discussing the new paradigm for businesses of the 21st century where business innovation is both a threat and an ally. It amplifies how some leading companies create value through the ‘Interaction Field’ model where successful businesses are helping solve challenges for many direct and indirect stakeholders and parts of the value chain.”
– Vikram Agrawal, American Resilience Partners

“The 12 Week Year is a game-changer to help individuals focus on what is important, build a structured approach to goals, and become more productive. His approach can be applied to many facets of one’s professional and personal life.”
– Luis Gonzalez, St. Vincent de Paul of North Texas

“Leaders Eat Last is one of my favorite books. The author, Simon Sinek, illustrates how the world’s best leaders achieve servant leadership, including how to motivate others by creating an honest, trusting environment with a service orientation.”
– Ossa Fisher, Istation

“Thinking, Fast and Slow helped me better understand my process for making decisions and to reflect on how my biases influence me. You need to know when to trust your instincts and when to challenge your spontaneous thoughts.”
– Timo Nentwich, Siemens Digital Industries Software

“Being Mortal by Atul Gawande stimulates deep thought and emotions, bringing to light many subjects about being mortal that people tend to ignore. It’s important to understand the people we aim to serve as well as ourselves.”
– Adrienne Faulkner, Faulkner Design Group

“In The Color of Water, James McBride writes about his relationship with his mother during a difficult time in history. His mother is White and married a Black man in 1942. It is a very powerful story. I have a copy that is falling apart at the seams.”
– Caren Lock, TIAA

“The Boys in the Boat is a powerful story about personal endurance, team building, and how to win. While navigating through a turbulent world and personal circumstances, it is very important to not give up and to continuously grow.”
– Alok Maskara, Lennox International