Every January brings a fresh set of resolutions. Eat better. Exercise more. And for many business leaders, one that quietly carries a lot of weight: read more books. Not just for enjoyment, but to sharpen thinking, challenge assumptions and become better stewards of the businesses and people we lead.
Throughout my career, I have applied the best concepts in business from thinkers I respect. Certain books have become indispensable to me; operating manuals for how I approach leadership and strategy. To that end, I’m sharing three books that have fundamentally influenced my perspective on building a successful company and the key lessons I apply daily.
“The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M.R. Covey
“The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything” is a blueprint for success in business and in life. Covey argues that trust is not just a nice-to-have; it’s the single greatest factor in speeding up operations and reducing costs. When trust is high, everything happens faster. Decisions are quicker, communication is clearer and the need for red tape and micromanagement disappears.
In the context of our company, where we are integrating diverse, established companies, high trust is non-negotiable. It’s our job to trust the unique expertise of each acquired company and leverage their capabilities, as well as establish transparency and consistency across our family of companies. We identify their individual strengths and then seek to share and scale them across the entire group.
Over time, this allows us to deliver consistent results. As Covey reminds us, trust is built on reliability. We must set clear expectations and follow through on every commitment, demonstrating that our combined organization is more stable and reliable than the sum of its parts.
“Mindset” by Carol S. Dweck
At a certain point in a career — and in life — it’s easy to become comfortable with what you’ve already achieved. But in a fast-growing organization like ours — especially when acquiring new companies — this sense of satisfaction can lead to stagnation. “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” offers a powerful framework for recognizing when comfort starts to limit progress and for choosing adaptability and growth instead of standing still.
Specifically, Dweck shows us how a fixed mindset believes that abilities, intelligence and talents are static. People with a fixed mindset often avoid challenges, give up easily and feel threatened by the success of others. In contrast, those with a growth mindset embrace the belief that talents and abilities can be cultivated through dedication, effort and learning.
At our company, adopting a growth mindset means we foster feedback, learning and resilience. We encourage experimentation and learn from setbacks to create a more dynamic and agile company.
A growth mindset breaks down barriers, reinforcing collaboration and the sharing of best practices between previously separate companies. Instead of seeing integration as a threat to existing practices, our growth mindset promotes the exchange of ideas, where each firm contributes its strengths to elevate the collective performance of the entire organization.
“Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
As we integrate multiple landscaping companies, the principles of “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win” can help unify diverse teams, improve efficiency and ensure strategic objectives are met. Here’s how we apply this at the Mariani Premier Group.
Taking extreme ownership means that leaders must take full responsibility for their decisions, actions and shift their mindset to, “Our successes and failures start and stop with me.” Ego can severely inhibit effective leadership and team cohesion. Leaders must put aside their personal pride for the greater good of the group.
Additionally, leaders must believe in the mission. For our company, all leaders and employees must understand and be aligned with the group’s vision and goals. Leaders should communicate the strategic objectives clearly and frequently to ensure a shared sense of purpose.
Finally, complexity is the enemy of execution. As we scale, our plans and communication must be clear, concise and easy to understand so that teams can execute autonomously while remaining aligned with our strategic goals.
Ultimately, each of these books has helped inform my approach to business, and I hope they will help you.
