Recommended Reading - Top Picks

So far, based on the books I've read, these are some of my top choices if I'm helping someone pick the first books they should read.

I've broken it down into 3 sections:

1. Relationships
2. Personal Development
3. Leadership

There are obviously a lot of books that fall into those categories and there's also a decent amount of overlap.  That which helps you in personal development also impacts your relationships, etc.

Relationships

1. Personality Plus - Florence Littauer
• I prefer this to a lot of other personality metrics because of how she defines us.  She breaks everything down very well and I found it very eye opening.  It made understanding a lot of people in my life a lot easier as well as understanding myself.  Usually one of the first books I suggest to people.
2. Five Love Languages (For singles, For Couples, etc. .. there are different versions)
• If you want to increase the quality of your relationships this is a must read.
• Several formats to this, but we all need and give love in our own natural language.  You can have 2 people giving love to each other, but neither feeling loved or filled if they're not speaking the right language.  Fascinating and has enhanced many of my friendships and ability to affirm, encourage, and appreciate co-workers, friends, and family.
3. Love & Respect - Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
• Women and Men process information differently and there is centuries worth of human based around the fact that often times, we struggle to understand each other.  This is a must read for both genders.  I now understand why he never understood.  And men, if you've been looking for a manual for women, this is pretty dang close.
4. Wild at Heart - John Elderidge // Captivating - Staci Eldgeridge 
• Written from Men and Women respectively, I think they're both important reads.  I found Wild at Heart fascinating and such an amazing read.
5. Friendship Factor
• I didn't realize how many areas I fell short when it came to being a good friend.  I don't think I was necessarily a bad friend, but there were a lot of things I could work on.  This is one that is worth regularly revisiting, annually at minimum

Personal Developement

1. The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy
• This is an amazing financial book that really walks you through understanding the impact of the daily financial decisions we make.  Must read.
2. What to Say When You Talk To Yourself - Dr. Shad Helmstetter
• The biggest struggle with becoming successful is getting past and over yourself.  The person we are, the way we think, and the way we interact with our surroundings comes from the neural pathways we've created.  If you want to change your life, you need to change how you think.
3. Think & Grow Rich - Napolean Hill
• Every human need to read this.  Go in armed with a pen and a highlighter
4. How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
• This is not a book about manipulation, but about learning to care for others and more effectively interact with others.  I consider myself good with people.  I still read and studied this things around in my life simply by empowering me to change how I looked at them.
5. Magic Of Thinking Big - David Schwartz
• Especially chapters 2, 3, and 11

• Strength Finder 2.0 ... this isn't exactly so much of a read as it is a 45 minute in depth and personalized assessment of your strengths.  You can share a strength with someone but your results and descriptions will be different.  There's about 30 pages of introduction and then the rest is reference for the rest of the strengths.

Leadership

1. How to Win With People - John Maxwell
• Mentor told me once to be in a people skills book at least once a month to keep your focus on others.  This is a great book especially if you're in a leadership role already or working to position yourself into one.
2. 5 Levels of Leadership
• If you are a manager, if you intend to become a manager, if you EVER intend to work with people...this is a must read.  Don't get frustrated and stuck staying at a Level 1 Leader where you achieve neither respect nor recognition from  your people.  Upgrade your skills.
3. Start With Why - Simon Sinek
• We look at the world backwards, we try to navigate our life by starting with the wrong questions.  This is really helpful when I began intensively working to determine my purpose.
4. Developing the Leaders Around You - John Maxwell
• Maxwell is known for leadership development, they're easy reads and they flow well. 
5. Bringing Out The Best in People
1. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.  This was great from a development standpoint, learning how to bring out the best attributes of my team.