A Proposal Professional’s Reading List – Part 2 (Leadership)

Recently, I wrote a blog post about proposal-centered books that belong on the reading list of all proposal professionals. Today, in part two of the series, I look at titles focused on a key skill for proposal management – leadership. We all know how critical strong leadership skills are to a winning proposal. Navigating the choppy waters of the bid environment while keeping the team focused, on target, and on schedule is challenging. 

The books below provide examples of strong leadership and how we can apply it to our day-to-day lives.

Leading – Sir Alex Ferguson. I am a massive Manchester United fan, but even if you are not, there are few better coaches in the history of world sport than Sir Alex Ferguson. Before his arrival in the late 1980s, Manchester United had faded from its glory days of the 1950s and 1960s to become an afterthought in the English game. Through his determination and ability, he led multiple generations in “the United way” to win 13 league titles, 2 European championships, and 5 FA Cups before his retirement in 2013. He has written several books, but this is the most appropriate for the topic at hand. It covers in depth how he dealt with success, loss, locker room struggles, and the challenges life threw at him. 

Churchill: A Life – Martin Gilbert. In 2017, I delivered an Ignite talk at the APMP Bid and Proposal Conference on how Winston Churchill would be the best and worst proposal professional (embed clip). There are countless biographies of Churchill available, and I am happy to recommend others if anyone asks (including the amazing The Last Lion series, which was my first introduction to an in-depth history of him). However, for me, Gilbert’s is the most straightforward. As the official biographer of Churchill, Gilbert does leave out some of the negative activities and interpretations of Churchill’s life. From my point of view, though, it is a good exploration of him as a leader and what made him the man he was.

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power – Jon Meacham. I proposed to my wife on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial, so the third president of the United States is a personal favorite. He was a complex man who lived in difficult and often conflicting times. Meacham does an amazing job of looking at the whole person, the contradictions between being a leader of his country and a slaveowner, and how he could move between the theoretical and the practical. It is an easy read due to Meacham’s style and serves as a great overview of the man.

Alexander Hamilton – Ron Chernow. This is on my 2023 must read list (I am about half-way through). Everyone in my house is obsessed with the musical Hamilton. Chernow’s biography of the (until recently) forgotten founding father (without a father…) was the inspiration for the incredible musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Another complicated man, and often at odds with Jefferson, Chernow’s book brings to life this amazingly brilliant self-starter and will give you a deeper appreciation for the lyrics and scenes brought to life by Miranda’s groundbreaking cast.

The Effective Executive – Peter Drucker. Drucker is widely considered the father of modern business management. This title provides great insight into his ideas and theories. It focuses on how executives can best manage their time, their teams, and their decision-making capabilities in a way to deliver value. It’s a great read for anyone interested in leadership, including eventually moving into senior leadership. 

The Effective Manager – Mark Horstman. Horstman is the now-retired co-founder of Manager Tools (include link), which is a great organization for those looking for actionable guidance on how to lead. I have been a follower of Manager Tools for years, and find their techniques and approaches to be on target. This book outlines Horstman’s basic ideas and provides a great introduction to their approach. A new edition is due out this spring that includes management in the post-COVID world. 

I hope these titles provide you with some resources and tools for developing and refining your own leadership style.