Top 5 Books for Young Professionals of Color
“The calvary ain’t coming.” - Chris Garnder
Over the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to take major leadership opportunities in one of the most dynamic cities in the world, San Francisco. Now serving as the President of the San Francisco Board of Education and having spent the past five years as CEO of Mission Bit, a leading education nonprofit teaching high school students and adults how to code, I’ve dealt with a variety of people and personality types. Whether it’s angry voters, pushy reporters, major corporations, unmotivated employees, or disengaged teenagers, I’ve had to find solutions that can help move everyone forward.
Being an African American man in my early 30s, people are often impressed that I’ve been given so much responsibility at such a young age. Every week, young professionals of all races and genders ask me how to run for office, start a business, or make their mark in their chosen profession.
I’m always happy to take these calls and if people want to reach out to me directly I can be found on Twitter @StevonCook or email stevon@stevoncook.com. If you decide to reach out, I recommend that you also read the books below. I highly recommend Audible, and if you use the this link you’ll get two books free and a free 30 day membership trial.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Not what the title suggests, this isn’t about routines to structure your day, but values to organize your approach. I’ve found multiple ideas here on how to rethink my work and relationships.
Mastery: I’ve read all of Robert Greene’s books, and this is a good one for identifying the common themes of those that stand out in their field. If you’re interested in achieving greatness, studying the greats should be one of your top priorities. He gives you multiple examples in this book.
Contagious: I actually first heard about this book through the late great Nipsey Hussle. It’s an amazing overview of strategies that brands use to help their products stand out in the marketplace. If you’re in a leadership role and you’re looking for your team or ideas to stand out, this book is a great tool.
The One Thing: The principle of this book is how I have time to run a successful consulting practice, invest in real estate, serve on the Board of Education, work out 5x a week, volunteer in the community, be a loving partner to my girlfriend, and write these articles. I think it’s worth a read. A major take-away: mornings are for making, afternoons are for managing.
Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us: I’m a fan of all things Seth Godin, but this one struck a chord because it pushed me to create the value I wasn’t finding in the spaces I frequented. I can’t be all things to all people, but I can be a resource to black and brown young professionals that need support. This book gave me the insight on how to create that space.
This is an article focused on young professionals of color, but all of these books just happen to be written by white males. Well, there is an explanation for that. Great strategies will ensure that you stand out in your field, but that does not mean all the same rules apply for us. I guarantee if you take heed to the practices in these books for 90 days you will see and feel a difference.
One of the solutions to our feelings of isolation in professional settings and the structural/cultural barriers we're experiencing is to build a community of like-minded people where we feel affirmed. It may require some effort to find or create that space and these books will help you do it. The calvary is not coming, but you’re not alone. Follow up with me in 90 days and to share how your new community of people have sprouted up around you.
Film Recommendation: The Spook Who Sat by the Door