Christmas 2012 Emerging Leaders Gift Guide

The 2012 holiday shopping season is upon us. With the craziness of Black Friday and Christmas being less than a month away, I wanted to share with you some gift ideas for leaders.

Christmas 2012 Emerging Leaders Gift Guide

Image via Mary DeMuth

Christmas 2012 Emerging Leaders Gift Guide

Leaders can be a hard lot to shop for. They’re willing to go out and spend the money to invest in themselves. They’re also willing to lay down the cash when they see something they like.

Regardless of the type of leader you are or follow, there are myriad of gift options in a wide range of prices.

Here are my top gift choices for various types of leaders.

Leaders Who Love Reading

15 invaluable laws of growth

John C. Maxwell’s The 15 Invaluable Laws Of Growth: Live Them And Reach Your Potential – This is John’s newest book and it veers from his normal writing topic of Leadership. Instead it focuses on the value of personal growth. Great for any leader looking to reach his or her full potential.

QBQ! by John MillerJohn G. Miller’s QBQ! The Question Behind The Question: Practicing Personal Accountability At Work And In Life – In John Miller’s book, QBQ, he discusses personal responsibility and why it’s valuable in your life as a leader.

wrecked by Jeff GoinsJeff Goin’s Wrecked: When A Broken World Slams Into Your Comfortable Life – Jeff shares his experience of helping others and returning to his normal life. Only to be left empty and feeling wrecked. I’ve often felt this way as a leader and related with Jeff’s story. I think other readers will as well.

Coach WoodenPat Williams’ Coach Wooden: The 7 Principles That Shaped His Life And Will Change Yours – The life of Coach John Wooden is explored in this book. Pat shares his story of meeting with coach as he learns the principles that shaped Coach Wooden’s life. This book contains valuable life lessons every leader needs to hear.

How To Win Friends And Influence PeopleDale Carnegie’s classic How To Win Friends And Influence People – If a leader reads nothing else, it needs to be this book. Years after Dale’s death, this book still contains the knowledge and wisdom to win friends and influence people. And that’s what leadership is all about, influencing others.

Leaders Who Love The Outdoors

trail gloveMerrell Trail Glove Running Shoes – These have been my favorite running shoes. The Merrell Trail Gloves are a minimalist running shoe so it’s similar to running barefoot. If you’ve got a leader who loves to run on trails, these could be a great gift idea for him. Buying your favorite leader a pair of the Merrell Trail Gloves will encourage him to get or stay fit.

Buff UV HeadwearBuff UV Headwear – My Buff has been my go-to cold weather headwear for the past couple of years. You’re able to wear it in over 14 different configurations to keep out the cold or survive in the heat. I’ve found it perfect for early morning runs in Michigan winters. Keep your leader healthy and warm in the winter!

GoPro HD Hero2GoPro HD Hero2: Outdoor Edition – GoPro outdoor camcorders are terrific. They take a beating and keep on ticking. Whether you want to record hiking a trail or more thrilling adventures like skydiving, the GoPro will meet your adventurous leaders demands. And the best part is he’ll be able to relive those thrilling moments over and over again with the video he captures on his GoPro camcorder.

Leaders Who Are Growing An Audience Online

Standard Theme ImageStandard Theme by 8Bit – This is the WordPress theme I use on JMLalonde.com I highly recommend it and feel you can’t go wrong with it. You can customize it to your hearts content. It’s easy to use. And ready for you to share your thoughts on leadership. If you’re a content creator, this is the theme for you. Use coupon code BF2012 to get 30% off on 11/26/2012.

PremiseCopyblogger’s Premise For WordPress – Premise helps you create beautiful membership and sales pages. Leaders who are looking to sell their product will be pleased with this add-on for WordPress. As you’re building your platform, Premise will give the tools a leader needs to create great pages and great content.

BlueHostBlueHost Web Hosting – A great gift to any emerging leader would be a year’s worth of domain hosting. This allows them to have their own space on the internet to share their thoughts and ideas or to get their products out. BlueHost is the company I use for my hosting and I’ve loved them so far. They’re the ones I recommend now when someone asks me who they should host their website or blog with.

Gifts For Any Kind Of Leader

Moleskine notebookMoleskine Notepads – Every leader needs a way to keep track of his thoughts and to record vital pieces of conversation. Nothing is better than a Moleskine notepad. They’re durable, flexible, and great to write in.

Fisher Space Original Astronaut Space PenFisher Space Original Astronaut Space Pen – This is a vital piece of equipment I carry with me at all times. The Fisher Space Original Astronaut Space Pen was a gift from my wife last year and, I must say, I love it. It’s got enough heft to feel valuable. The writing is smooth as can be. It’s always ready to write. And it looks stunning. Treat your leader to a beautiful writing piece. He’ll thank you forever.

Peanut M&MsPeanut M&M’s – Discover your leader’s favorite treat. Mine has to be peanut M&M candies. It’s cheap and easy to get. You can’t go wrong fulfilling their sweet tooth.

buckyballs

Buckyballs – A great gift to get the creative juices going would have to be a set of Buckyballs. They allow you to craft an untold number of shapes from sphere magnets. Anyone who receives this as a gift will be enthralled and sucked into an endless world of new creations. Sadly, they won’t be around much longer but you can still pick them up from their manufacturer’s website until they run out.

Syma s107Syma S107 Radio Controlled Helicopter – Every leader needs to let go and have a little fun sometimes. I’ve found a great release in flying these miniature radio controlled helicopters. They’re easy to control and provide hours of entertainment. Small enough to fly around the office yet powerful enough to fly in a larger area, the Syma S107s are a great distraction.

Classic Briefcase from Saddleback LeatherClassic Briefcase from Saddleback Leather Company – Every leader needs a great bag to carry his gear. Whether it be his laptop, iPad, journal, or other item he carries, you can’t go wrong with this rugged, manly classic briefcase.

Dry Erase WhiteboardDry Erase Whiteboard – What leader wouldn’t love a whiteboard to write down his thoughts and ideas during a brainstorming session? With a whiteboard, you’re able to write out and plan your speaking or blogging schedule, create a mindmap of your next book, or doodle until your next idea comes to you. This is a must have for any leader in my opinion.

Starbucks Gift CardsStarbucks Gift Card – Give your leader a chance to get away and enjoy a refreshing beverage. While I’m not a coffee drinker, I do enjoy some of Starbucks other drinks. It’s also nice to have if you’re going to be meeting a client. Your part of the meeting is taken care of and you’re free to discuss business.

Question: What gift would you like to receive for Christmas? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Note to readers: This post contains affiliate links. This means when you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in a commission that is credited to this site. This disclosure complies with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” : “Click here for more information.”

Follow Me

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.