Loosely Bound: A List of Books and Podcasts for Arts Administrators

I sometimes get asked for a list of books or podcasts that I recommend. In honor of National Book Lovers Day (that’s a real thing), I’ve compiled a list. I’ve included links to the books on Amazon or, even better, buy them at your local bookstore.

I’m grateful to the authors and producers who put these together. They have taught me so much. Also, big thanks to the many people that have recommended these to me over the years!

Marketing

These are foundational to our work at Capacity Interactive. They’re not the ‘latest and greatest’ books but rather ones that have had a significant impact on how I think about marketing and engaging people on and off the web.

• Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
• The End of Advertising by Andrew Essex
• Tribes by Seth Godin
• Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
• Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
• You Should Test That by Chris Goward
• Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug

Leadership and Soft Skills

Over the years, I’ve consumed a number of books and podcasts about working with people and developing my soft skills. Below are some of my favorites.

• Radical Candor by Kim Scott (the podcast is also awesome)
• WorkLife by Adam Grant (Podcast)
• Brené Brown’s Ted Talk on Vulnerability
• Persuadable by Al Pittampalli
• It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden
• Dear Client… by Bonnie Siegler (can also listen to her CI to Eye podcast episode)
• Principles by Ray Dalio (it’s long, check out the 30 minutes of video for the gist)

Mindfulness

This is my life’s work, and I think everyone’s life work!

• Any book by Pema Chödrön (start with The Pocket Pema Chödrön
• On Being (Podcast) My favorite episodes include Richard Rohr, Alain de Button, Brené Brown, Marie Howe, Ruby Sales)
• Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
• 10% Happier by Dan Harris (also a podcast)

Arts Administration

I recently read this book again and found it to provide a powerful framework:

• The Cycle by Michael Kaiser (you can also listen to his CI to Eye podcast episode

Business

These books have influenced how I’ve worked with my team to build Capacity Interactive:

• How Google Works by Eric Schmidt
• Double, Double by Cameron Herold (he also has a podcast called Second in Command)
• How I Built This (Podcast)

Other

Here are three podcasts that have great guests, as well as interesting and relevant topics in mindfulness, business, and marketing:

• The Tim Ferriss Show (Podcast)
• Design Matters with Debbie Millman (Podcast)
• Akimbo by Seth Godin (Podcast)