Recommended Reading
Every single one of these books has been read by me because of a recommendation, and I’m glad I can give you the same gift! I sincerely hope that they enrich your life as much as they have mine.
Click on the images of the books to take you to links where available..
For your business bookshelf
Creativity Inc
Ed Catmull, Pixar Co-founder & President, reveals the ideals and techniques, honed over years, that have made Pixar so widely admired and profitable. A look inside Pixar’s story meetings, postmortems, and the ‘Braintrust’ sessions. A book about how to build and sustain a creative culture and Ed’s “expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible”.
Good Strategy Bad Strategy
For Rumelt, the heart of good strategy is insight into the hidden power in any situation – whether launching a new product, fighting a war or putting a man on the moon. Drawing on examples of the good and the bad from across all sectors and all ages, he shows how this insight can be cultivated with a wide variety of tools that lead to strategy that cuts through the hype and gets results.
Black Box thinking - Marginal Gains and the Secrets of High Performance
Black Box Thinking is a new approach to high performance, a means of finding an edge in a complex and fast-changing world.
Drawing on a dizzying array of case studies and real-world examples, together with cutting-edge research on marginal gains, creativity and grit, Matthew Syed tells the inside story of how success really happens – and how we cannot grow unless we are prepared to learn from our mistakes.
Relationships
Wired for Love, by Stan Tatkin.
The no-fault view of conflict in this book encourages readers to move past a “warring brain” mentality and toward a more cooperative “loving brain” understanding of the relationship. Essential reading for couples and others interested in understanding the complex dynamics at work behind love and trust in intimate relationships.
Fierce Intimacy, by Terry Real
A must-read for anyone in a relationship, teaching how to Communicate with Love and Respect – Even When You Argue. Learn to skillfully and honestly assert your needs while also honouring your partner’s needs. Clear away the outdated beliefs and habits that keep you from developing healthy self-esteem and learn winning strategies.
The Dance of Connection by Harriet Lerner, Ph.D.
Although an intimate, long-term relationship offers the greatest possibilities for knowing the other person and being known, these relationships are also fertile ground for silence and frustration when it comes to articulating a true self. And yet giving voice to this self is at the centre of having both a relationship and a self.
Understanding you
The Enlightened Gardener, by Sydney Banks
Beset by daily life’s trials and tribulations, many people search for the elusive wisdom that will help them make sense of their journey and find inner peace. So, too, do the characters in this wonderful story by Sydney Banks. In this simple but profound tale, four colleagues meet a remarkable gardener whose unique philosophy will forever change their lives. That philosophy is equally powerful for the reader.
Ego is the Enemy, by Ryan Holiday
How and why ego is such a powerful internal opponent to be guarded against at all stages of our careers and lives; we can only create our best work when we identify, acknowledge and disarm its dangers. This book illustrates how you can be humble in your aspirations, gracious in your success and resilient in your failures. Confronting the challenges of a culture that tends to fan the flames of ego.
Book Cover, The Power of Vulnerability, Brene Brown.
“We try to ward disappointment with a shield of cynicism, disarm shame by numbing ourselves against joy, and circumvent grief by shutting off our willingness to love,”. When we become aware of these patterns, we begin to become conscious of how much we sacrifice in the name of self-defense, and how much richer our lives become when we open ourselves to vulnerability.
The Dance of Anger, by Harriet Lerner, Ph.D.
Anger deserves our attention and respect, but many still learn to silence it, deny it entirely, or to vent it in a way that leaves us feeling helpless and powerless. This book helps us to identify the true sources of anger and to use it as a powerful vehicle for creating lasting change.
The Upside of Irrationality, by Dan Ariely.
Our behaviour often leads us astray! Ariely explains how expectations, emotions, social norms and other invisible, seemingly illogical forces skew our reasoning abilities. Read this to learn the important role that irrationality plays in our day-to-day decision making.
The Five Dysfunctions of a team, by Patrick Lencioni
Lencioni outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome the 5 common dysfunctions that go to the heart of why so many teams struggle, and build a cohesive, effective team. A compelling fable for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.
Communication skills
The 5 love languages of Children by Gary Chapman Ph.D. and Ross Campbell Ph.D.
The 5 Love Languages is practical and insightful. It reveals intrinsic truths and applies relevant, actionable wisdom in ways that work. Discover your child’s primary language–then speak it–and you will be well on your way to a stronger relationship with your flourishing child, but you’ll also understand yourself.
Speaking Peace, by Marshall Rosenberg
Even with the best intentions, it is often difficult to express ourselves in ways that build harmony & trust. Speaking Peace presents a seminal four-part model you can use immediately and start contributing to the well-being of everyone you relate to.
Nonviolent Communication, A language of Life, by Marshall Rosenburg
Nonviolent Communication is the lost language of humankind, the language of people who care about one another and long to live in harmony. Using stories, examples and sample dialogues, the author provides everyday solutions to perplexing communication problems.