Founding Favorites
We offer information and direct links to
help you find two key books that influenced the Institute founder, David
Dyson, as a college student to choose his professional calling and
influenced the founding of the Personal Leadership Association with
support from co-founder Johnny Johnson.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
 Hill researched and wrote about common denominator principles of success among some of the world's most prolific persons, with Andrew Carnegie influencing his vision and helping with many introductions. David read this classic while in college and it helped inspire him on the path of taking principles and best practices of
leading our lives to the world. Further, he started understanding better the need for systems that support these principles to make them a regular part of life because he had not learned them at school or church. These common denominators can help everyone to fulfill their lives regardless of academic, professional or other life choices.
This blessing of insight grew out of a hardship. David did not have enough money to continue college and still did not own a car. He needed to earn more than was likely working for hourly wages as a construction worker, lifeguard, and golf course attendant as he had done the previous summer. He moved out-of-state for the summer to sell
Bibles and other books-to-door to farmers in North Carolina and coal miners in Kentucky. At the school that taught the students how to set up and run their businesses, the first suggested book was Think and Grow Rich. Hill's writings on "Thoughts" and “Desire" influenced our ideas behind the understanding that all persons as well as
organizations should have at least a basic written plan for life. Additional writings on "Harmonious Relationships" and "Master Mind Alliances" influenced the motivation for founders David and Johnny to meet weekly for 20+ years and for creating the Personal Leadership Association to attract people of like minds and values together.
Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings
Ben Franklin met weekly for years with a secret "mutual improvement club" called a Junto limited to 12 persons with their "advantages" including "improvement" of "citizens." As we formed the Personal Leadership Association, we built upon Franklin's idea, however choosing to offer our contributions publicly rather than
privately and to invite everyone who valued our mission instead of limit the size to 12 men.
Birmingham Magazine described the Personal Leadership Association in 1993 as a "mutual improvement society." We seek to invite all who want to participate and then support small groups that form. Franklin influenced David’s teaching, including the
meaning and applications for his 13 virtues that are valuable in a life constitution and in setting resolutions.
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