Conferences & Events · Book Club
One Book. Thirty Minutes. Every Other Month.
A live webinar with the Sterling community, a Visionary Voices episode in the months between — a leadership reading habit that fits the schedule you actually have.
Online · 12:00 PM Noon Eastern · Free to attend
Most leaders have a stack of books they mean to get to. The Sterling Book Club is the standing appointment that turns that stack into a conversation.
Every other month we take one book, sit with it for thirty minutes together, and pull out what it means for the work of leading an organization. In the months between, a Sterling Visionary Voices episode picks the conversation back up. Nothing to prepare, nothing to present — bring your reading, or bring your curiosity.
How it works
Two Pieces, One Monthly Rhythm
A live session every other month, a podcast episode in each month between — something new all year, without asking more of you than you can reasonably give.
Odd months · 30 minutes
The Live Webinar
Held every other month, the live session is the core experience of the book club. Sessions are capped at 30 to 45 minutes and follow a consistent structure, so you always know what you're signing up for — and you can join from anywhere.
Even months · 15 minutes
The Podcast Episode
After each webinar, a Sterling Visionary Voices episode extends the conversation with Dr. Laura J. McNeil or Bob Madeiros. Fifteen minutes or less, covering the book, the lessons, and the takeaways in a more conversational format.
Missed the live session? The podcast is the way in. It gives everyone who attended a way to revisit the conversation, and everyone who couldn’t a way to join it late.
Thirty minutes, every time
What Happens in a Session
A general summary of the book
So you can follow the conversation whether or not you finished the last chapter.
What struck the facilitator most
The passage, argument, or idea that stayed with them after they closed the cover.
Key lessons learned
How the book's ideas connect to the work of continuous improvement and leadership.
Practical takeaways
Specific things participants can apply in their own lives and in their own organizations.
12:00 PM Noon Eastern · Online
Year One Sessions
Five live webinars across the year. We’re announcing the first book today — the rest of the reading list follows session by session.
Session 1 · Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Drive by Daniel H. Pink
A foundational look at what actually motivates people — autonomy, mastery, and purpose. A broadly accessible starting point that sets the tone for the series and connects directly to leadership practice.
Register for this sessionSession 2 · Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Book to be announced
Save the date — the title and registration link go up ahead of the session.
Session 3 · Tuesday, January 19, 2027
Book to be announced
Save the date — the title and registration link go up ahead of the session.
Session 4 · Tuesday, March 16, 2027
Book to be announced
Save the date — the title and registration link go up ahead of the session.
Session 5 · Tuesday, May 4, 2027
Book to be announced
Save the date — the title and registration link go up ahead of the session.
Podcast episodes drop in the months between — October, December, February, April, and June.
Your hosts
Who’s Leading the Conversation
Jason Lesandrini, PhD, FACHE, LPEC, HEC-C
Ethics and leadership practitioner, framework builder, and a familiar voice from the Sterling Summer Learning Series.
Juli Lewis
CUDE, CMPFinCap, CCUFC, CCUE — VP of Community Engagement, USF Credit Union, and a Sterling Visionary Voices guest on building loyalty through values.
Tuesday, September 15 · Noon ET
Start with Drive
Thirty minutes, online, free. Read the book if you can — come anyway if you can’t.