What do I really need, and what can I let go of?

Amy Edmondson's Teaming is cited for her foundational concept of psychological safety. Brown quotes Edmondson directly: "Simply put, psychological safety" — describing it as essential to the kind of courage cultures Dare to Lead advocates for.

Dare to Lead→ cites →Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy

Clear references Newport's deep work philosophy to argue that focused, distraction-free practice is essential for building expertise through deliberate repetition.

Atomic Habits→ cites →Deep Work

Newport explicitly critiques Ferriss's 4-Hour Workweek approach, arguing that the "new rich" lifestyle of minimal work misses the deep satisfaction that comes from mastering cognitively demanding tasks.

Deep Work→ cites →The 4-Hour Workweek

Kaufman recommends Allen's productivity system as essential for manageing the complexity of running a business without letting tasks fall through the cracks.

The Personal MBA→ cites →Getting Things Done

Kaufman includes Rework in his reading list as a counterpoint to traditional business advice, sharing its philosophy that simplicity and focus beat complex business plans.

The Personal MBA→ cites →Rework

Kaufman recommends Norman's design thinking as essential business knowledge, arguing that understanding how users interact with products is fundamental to creating value.

The Personal MBA→ cites →The Design of Everyday Things

Kaufman includes Meadows' systems thinking as essential for understanding business complexity, where cause and effect are rarely linear and unintended consequences are common.

The Personal MBA→ cites →Thinking in Systems

McKeown directly quotes Collins, warning against "the undisciplined pursuit of more" that derails companies after initial success. Essentialism applies this principle to individual productivity.

“We must avoid what Jim Collins calls the undisciplined pursuit of more.”

Essentialism→ cites →Good to Great

Skin in the Game extends Taleb's Incerto series. Where Antifragile asked how systems gain from disorder, Skin in the Game argues that having personal risk in the game is essential for ethical decision-making.

Skin in the Game→ cites →Antifragile

Munger considers Influence one of the most important books ever written on human psychology. He recommends it in his famous "mental models" framework as essential for understanding misjudgement.

Poor Charlie's Almanack→ cites →Influence

Munger references The Selfish Gene as foundational to his understanding of evolutionary psychology, which he considers essential for sound investment thinking.

Poor Charlie's Almanack→ cites →The Selfish Gene

Cites Goleman's Emotional Intelligence work on how emotions are essential, not obstacles, to good decisions

How We Decide→ cites →Emotional Intelligence

References Dweck's Mindset research on growth mindset as essential for embracing personal disruption

Disrupt Yourself→ cites →Mindset

McKeown references Allen's GTD while arguing essentialism goes further.

Essentialism→ cites →Getting Things Done

Digital Minimalism directly follows Deep Work.

Digital Minimalism→ cites →Deep Work