Here’s my list of books in whatever manner you prefer – hard copy, e-copy and/or audio version from 2020.
Teams Unleashed. How to release the power and human potential of work teams by Phil Sandahl & Alexis Phillips – Working on a team has become a go-to initiative in our educational learning process as well as in the workplace. Ironically there is little if any context and professional training in what it takes to create and sustain a high performing team. Teams Unleashed successfully captures a framework and methodology to understand and harness the power and human potential of team work. As this book accurately states at the outset “Accidental success is not a viable business strategy.”
(Spoiler Alert – I had the good fortune to have been amongst the earliest wave of coaches trained by Phil Sandahl and Team Coaching International and can attest to the value of the Team Diagnostic team building methodology and assessment tools.)
Brain Wash. Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking , Deeper Relationships and Lasting Happiness by David Perlmutter MD & Austin Perlmutter MD – this book is all about how our contemporary (western) culture is rewriting our brains and damaging our health. By knowingly allowing our brains to be manipulated by 24/7 hyperactivity (including poor diet, exercise, sleep deprivation and constant networking to the wireless world) our connections with ourselves and others has reached a point of rewiring our conscious approach to a meaning-filled life. Brain Wash features a ten-day program (including a meal plan and suggested recipes) to help cultivate a more purposeful and richer life.
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell’s intriguing book deals with why our interactions with strangers typically lead us to make inaccurate assumptions and decisions. Gladwell contends that nothing is as simple as it seems since we default to assuming truth in others; we assume a stranger will be transparent and present themselves outwardly in a way that accurately represents themselves; and, human nature fails to recognize behaviours that are specifically linked to a particular context.
Gladwell supplies the reader with lots of examples (such as Bernie Madoff’s infamous Ponzi scheme ) to illustrate how our most common strategies ultimately fail because they operate under the assumption that simple clues are not enough evidence of a stranger’s internal thoughts or intentions.
Elevate. Push Beyond Your Limits and Unlock Success in Yourself and Others by Robert Glazer – a book for those of us who deep down know we need to do more of the right things. Glazer promises (and meets his commitment) to deliver a book full of real world results, time-tested principles and actional advice. This is a recommended, easy to read and helpful desk-side resource for leaders.
Lifespan. Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To by Dr. David Sinclair – recommended by a close friend, Lifespan is a ground-breaking book that jumps into the arena of furthering our longevity. Sinclair posits that aging is a disease and that this dis-ease is treatable. Sinclair takes the reader into the forefront of science and reveals the emerging technologies and lifestyle changes that are available to help us feel and stay healthier longer. Perhaps the statement that “… there is no cheaper way to address the health care crisis than to address aging at its core.” best captures what this interesting read is all about.
1984 – Attention has returned to George Orwell’s 1940 classic by virtue of dictatorships and ultra-social conservative governments squelching human rights. This factor in tandem with escalating concern over privacy rules, monitoring and tracking individual activity as the world battles COVID-19 has raised the profile of this book once again. The ongoing and ominous presence of BIG Brother is evident from the very beginning lines of this frightening portrayal of Orwell’s society. The looming and continuous monitoring by somebody out there with the repeated brain washing of “War is Peace – Freedom is Slavery – and, Ignorance is Strength” make this a very worthwhile first or refresh-read for all.
Dare to Lead. Brave Work, Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brené Brown – Dare to Lead builds on the author’s extensive body of research (punctuated by candid personal admissions) makes this book worth reading. When we dare to lead, we don’t pretend to have all the right answers. We stay curious and ask powerful discovery-like questions. We also don’t avoid difficult conversations and situations; we lean into vulnerability when necessary and needed.
Brown critically points out that our society is choosing not to invest in developing the hearts and minds of leaders as we scramble to figure out what we have to offer that machines and AI can do better and faster. The authour firmly contends that emotionally smart human beings can do empathy, compassion, connection and courage better than any machine.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. No recommended list would be complete without recognizing this top selling book originally researched and penned in the 1930’s.
As I wrote in the 2018 recommended reading list, “This book is the instigator of self-help books. Written in the early 1900’s (and funded by the estate of the Rockefellers) Hill examines the psychological power of thought and the brain in the process of furthering your career and life. It’s simply one of the must-readbooks in your lifetime – one I make a practice of reading annually to remind me of where I am aiming to be over my lifetime.”
Previous recommended reading lists with brief overviews are available at http://theholbrowgroup.com/index.php/2019/12/18/recommended-reading/
Up next on my desk/tablet …
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi
Executive Presence; The Missing Link by Sylvia Ann Hewlett
