Summer offers the perfect excuse to slow down with a good book—whether you’re passing time in an airport, lounging at the beach, or unwinding on the porch after a long day.
I’m a seasonal reader, typically reaching for thrillers and beach reads this time of year. But alongside those, I’ve added Pulitzer Prize–winning “There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless” by Brian Goldstone to my list. The book follows five Atlanta families struggling to remain housed amid gentrification, offering a powerful look at the nation’s growing, and often hidden, homelessness crisis.
To mark the start of the season, sister publications Multifamily Executive and Affordable Housing Finance asked industry leaders to share what they’re reading now—whether to gain fresh perspective on the business or simply unplug.
Amy Albery, CEO, Wallick
“The 6 Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations, and Your Team” by Patrick Lencioni
The book introduces a practical framework for understanding how individuals naturally contribute to work and problem-solving. What resonated most with me is how it helps teams move beyond personality labels and instead identify where people bring energy, creativity, momentum, and clarity to conversations and projects.
At Wallick, we’ve incorporated the Working Genius assessment into how we lead and collaborate as a team. It has become part of our language and culture—even in meetings, we’ll say things like, “Let’s get into wonder for a bit to get to the root of the problem,” or ask, “What problem are we actually trying to solve?” It has helped us create stronger communication, better teamwork, and more thoughtful decision making.
In an industry that requires both operational excellence and human connection, I’ve found this framework incredibly valuable for leadership development and organizational alignment.
Kimberly Byrum, managing principal, Multifamily Advisory, Zonda
“Numbers Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall” by Zeke Faux
This book is a deep dive into the boom and bust of crypto. It’s a great perspective on the rise of cryptocurrency with all the characters involved. It reminds me of “The Big Short.” A very entertaining read.
“The King of Diamonds: The Search for the Elusive Texas Jewel Thief” by Rena Pederson
This tells the story of a jewel thief that roamed the homes of Dallas society in the 1960s. Pederson writes about architecturally significant homes and gives an inside look into the excesses of some of the richest and most powerful people (heiresses, oil kings, and corporate CEOs) in Texas. I loved the whodunit and the history of Dallas.
David Cervantes, head of marketing, Hamilton Zanze Real Estate Investments
“Every Shot Must Have a Purpose” by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott
While framed around golf, this isn't a technical "how-to" manual but rather a philosophical guide on how to mentally and emotionally approach the game. The authors argue that to perform to your full ability, you have to align your mind, body, and heart before taking a swing.
Even though I'm not an avid golfer, I found the content enlightening and compelling, and I actively apply its lessons to my daily work as head of marketing at Hamilton Zanze. Its core message—to know yourself first and tackle everything you do with clear purpose and passion—translates perfectly to leadership, believing in your vision, and building long-lasting relationships. It's a grounding reminder that true professional success requires a holistic approach to how we handle challenges and the unknown.
Victoria Cowart, vice president of education, PetScreening
“Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition” by Joseph Grenny
“Crucial Conversations” provides powerful skills to ensure every conversation—especially difficult ones—leads to the results you want. Written in an engaging and witty style, the book teaches readers how to be persuasive rather than abrasive, how to return to productive dialogue when others blow up or clam up, and it offers powerful skills for mastering high-stakes conversations, regardless of the topic or person.
David M. Dworkin, president and CEO, National Housing Conference
“A Slumless America: Mary K. Simkhovitch and the Dream of Affordable Housing” by Betty Boyd Caroli
The book shines a light on a visionary reformer whose name isn’t widely known—Mary Kingsbury Simkhovitch. Founder of the National Housing Conference, Simkhovitch was a pioneering force in the fight for safe, decent, and affordable housing. At a time when American cities were facing rapid growth and stark inequality, she worked tirelessly to build stronger communities and push for lasting change—impact that still resonates today.
Gigi Giannoni, senior vice president, marketing and CX, Gables Residential
“Lead to Win” by Carla A. Harris
This is a compelling book about leadership and leadership qualities applicable to most environments.
“Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek
This book about leadership has a focus on millennials, understanding their persona and how to adapt accordingly.
“Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect” by Will Guidara
In an era of technology advancements and artificial intelligence (AI) soon becoming the norm versus the exception, this book focuses on the need to still provide excellent customer service at the hands of people—the characteristics, what in entails, etc.—through service-oriented stories.
J. David Heller, CEO and co-founder, The NRP Group
“Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck
This book is about how adopting a growth mindset can impact your potential. It focuses on the idea that skills and abilities can be developed over time. I recommend this book because it highlights leadership lessons in staying resilient and building a culture that encourages growth instead of perfection.
“The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection” by Michael A. Singer
In this book, the author shares his journey around allowing life to unfold, which can lead to unexpected fulfillment. For me, it reinforces the value of staying open and being adaptable.
Chris Jaynes, chief solutions officer, PetScreening
“Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration” by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
“Creativity, Inc.” is a manual for anyone who strives for originality and offers the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, post-mortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of history's most successful films are made. It is, at heart, a book about creativity—but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and president Catmull writes, “an expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.” This book explores how to grow a company while fostering a creative culture.
Andrew Kadish, CEO and chief investment officer, CAPREIT
“How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage” by Ranjay Gulati
What really stood out is Gulati’s core idea that courage isn’t something you’re born with but a skill you can deliberately build and strengthen over time. The book does a great job of reframing fear—not as something to eliminate but something you learn to act through. That simple shift makes boldness feel accessible, not abstract. More than anything, I walked away with the sense that bold leadership—and bold living—is about consistent, everyday decisions to step forward, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s both motivating and highly actionable.
Savas Karas, chief operating officer and chief transformation officer, CAPREIT
“The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation” by Jana Werner and Phil Le-Brun
I have been reading and rereading parts of this book. This book helps reframe how we view strategy, delivery and excellence with adaptive speed. It covers how to reframe and resay things in easy-to-see examples. It also contains antipatterns, described as habits we need to break and levers we need to turn. The book is easy to conceptualize within our organization. I refer to it many times a week to reframe what I am saying and doing.
Virginia Love, industry principal, Entrata
“Good to Great” by Jim Collins
This book explores why some companies outperform others long term, focusing on disciplined leadership, the right people, and consistent execution.
It remains highly relevant in 2026 because, despite AI and rapid change, businesses still win through strong culture, adaptability, accountability, and clear leadership.
“Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes
This is a personal and empowering book about saying “yes” to opportunities, discomfort, and growth to build confidence and create a more fulfilling life.
It highlights the importance of adaptability, courage, and authenticity, while reminding us that constantly saying “no” can limit growth, relationships, opportunities, and personal potential. Personally, this message resonated with me because I had already started challenging myself to say “yes” more often after realizing I was missing out on fun, experiences, and opportunities simply because I had developed a habit of saying no.
“Dynamic Drive” by Molly Fletcher
Fletcher introduces the “Energy Clock” concept, helping people recognize how their energy shifts throughout the day and how to intentionally move from stress and survival mode into more positive, productive, and purpose-driven states.
This book feels especially relevant in 2026 because people are exhausted. Between constant connectivity, nonstop change, information overload, and the pressure to always be “on,” energy management matters more than ever. One of the things that resonated with me most was the reminder that self-awareness impacts everything: leadership, relationships, communication, and even how we experience life. It reinforced for me how easy it is to get stuck in routines, stress, and obligations and slowly stop making space for fun, connection, curiosity, and the experiences that actually fuel us.
George Ratiu, vice president of research, National Apartment Association
“The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives” by Leonard Mlodinow
The book discusses how chance and probability shape our lives, in ways that many times go unnoticed. Mlodinow underscores why our brains struggle to understand randomness given their propensity for pattern recognition. He also explains how even professionals get it wrong when it comes to probability. While he discusses abstract concept like the law of large numbers and regression to the mean, he uses relatable examples from sports, finance, and medicine. Importantly, the book is an insightful window into how we misinterpret success, failure, and patterns, and how cognitive biases may cause us to perceive order where chance may play a dominant role.
“Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect” by Will Guidara
The book, also recommended by Gables Residential’s Giannoni, is Guidara's memoir about his experience in the restaurant industry and his success at taking Eleven Madison Park in New York City from a restaurant looking to its past to No. 1 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Guidara talks through vignettes of real-life experiences about the value of going beyond standard (or even premium) service to connect with people and create memorable life experiences. His mindset and focus on creating a "hospitality-first" culture for both customers and employees can be applied in any business, not just food service.
“The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins
The book is aiming to help people understand that attempting to control the uncontrollable leads to significant energy consumption, which takes a toll on health and well-being. Robbins provides a framework and a mantra, "Let them and let me ...," as a way to manage life events and reclaim personal power, build resilience, and derive a sustainable way to manage oneself and life events. The book would make a good pair with “The Drunkard's Walk” as a pragmatic way to deal with randomness and unpredictability.
Jacqueline Waggoner, president and CEO, Century Housing
“The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson
This book is about the Great Migration: Black people in America moving from the South to the North and West in the 20th century in pursuit of dignity, respect, freedom, and economic opportunity, for their children and generations to come.
This is a personal story for me. My parents and older siblings moved to Los Angeles from Texas. I grew up hearing firsthand from my parents and elders why they made that journey across country to California.
Both of my parents were educated with college degrees, but the jobs available to them in the South did not allow them to fully use their talents, education, or ambition. So, they made a courageous choice. In pursuit of opportunity, they left a home they owned in Texas and moved to an apartment in Los Angeles, with four children in tow. That was not a small decision. They left a small city in the South, where their extended family and familiar way of life were rooted, and came to the urban core. They did it because they wanted to move to the best neighborhood that they could find, with better access to strong education for their children and a real chance to build a better life.
That is one of the reasons why I love being in affordable housing and community development. I believe deeply in the promise of America where no matter where you live, everyone has hope, access to good jobs, good schools, decent and safe housing they can afford, and economic mobility for their families.
Everyone deserves a fair chance at life. For me, this work is about more than brick and mortar, programs, and financing. Our work ties back to creating opportunity, honoring people’s dignity, and meeting people where they are, whether you live in rural, suburban, or urban America.
“The Seat of the Soul” by Gary Zukav
This is a very beneficial book about finding your purpose, through experiences, and aligning your natural gifts with your purpose in life and ultimately with the career path you choose.
What I took from this book is that each of us has a purpose, and we gain wisdom through both good and bad experiences. The doors that open, the doors that close, all carry lessons. And if we don’t stop, listen and learn, life has a way of giving us those same lessons over and over again until we finally understand what we are meant to learn.
For me, this book is about learning from and listening more deeply to your life experiences. It is about having the courage to home in on your God-given talents, natural gifts, and the reason you are here. To the best of my knowledge, “Life is not a dress rehearsal—this is it.” A lot of people operate in fear, jealousy, anger, and the need to control. We need to move through life with greater intention, with love, care, and compassion. Zukav refers to that as your authentic power, and that sticks with me.
It also helped me understand my own path in life better. My upbringing, my family history, and my desire to care for others have all shaped my purpose. What does that look like in affordable housing? I have always been drawn to the built environment and helping the people in it. Affordable housing and community development are the intersection of this.
In this work, everybody has a role to play. Whether you are a property manager, case manager, lender, resident leader, in the development realm, or working at a public agency, the question is the same: How will you use your gifts to contribute to the greater good?
This book reminded me that purpose is not always something we chase. Purpose is something we recognize by taking the time to examine our own life lessons, and the people we are called to serve. It is well worth reading. It may help you stop chasing your dreams and start recognizing your purpose in life has been trying to get your attention all along.
Stephanie Wiggins, managing director, head of production, agency and FHA lending, PGIM
“The Man Who Sharpened Stones: A Fable of Continuous Improvement” by Steve Aldridge
A fable that focuses on building a better business, better relationships and a better life ... even when things are going well and by all accounts, you are a success. At the core of this fable is the power of "why?" This story encourages us to ask ourselves and those around us, honest and sometimes painful, questions to go from good to better.
As both a leadership guide, and as a way to navigate a challenging and changing business environment, "The Man Who Sharpened Stones" is relevant to helping leaders ask themselves and those around them the deeper questions that 1) prepare their respective teams to grow in a manner that fosters collaboration and psychological safety, and allows for innovation and problem solving without fear, 2) evolve their business into a teaching and learning organization that is prepared for sustainable growth and the challenges of a dynamic market, and 3) mitigate the complacent mindset by working together to always be building something better.
Sharon Wilson Géno, president, National Multifamily Housing Council
“Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life” by Emme Grede
It’s a good, thought-provoking read about shifting our mindset about career success in a changing world.
“Stuck” by Yoni Appelbaum
This came out last year, but it’s an interesting historical perspective on why so many Americans have and continue to face challenges securing housing and economic opportunity while others do not.
“The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future” by Gretchen Bakke
This came out in 2016, but given all the heightened interest around energy, data centers, and AI’s impact on resources, it’s worth a read. It too is a historic look back on the forces that have shaped Americans energy sources and good background for why we face the challenges we face today. Ready access to sufficient, cost-effective power is a "sleeper issue" for multifamily that will become increasingly important moving forward.