As another year comes to an end I thought about which books I have particularly enjoyed this year, and if they made me think about work/life differently. Here are the three I have found enjoyable:
Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith
This book acknowledges the reality that “change” is difficult to put into practice, and Goldsmith uses a wonderful mnemonic AIWATT to ask ourselves (Am I willing at this time) to put the change into practice? He also reminds us that we don’t get better without structure, and suggests using Active Questions to assess action by beginning with “Did I do my best to?” Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 against your goals, so on a daily, weekly or monthly basis you observe trends on progress. Rather like the concept of using wearable technology to record your daily steps, or heart rate, the idea is sensible and I found it works well with coaching clients who like to have a process to follow. Read book
Neuroscience for Coaches by Amy Brann
Since the topic of neuroscience is becoming more talked about in the world of coaching and leadership, I thought that learning about it and how it is relevant for coaches. Amy’s book provides a mix of scientific detail and pragmatic “how to ” advice which helps you apply the information with your coaching clients. I now know the difference between oxytocin, serotonin, cortisol and dopamine, and what the pre-frontal cortex or amygdala do in the brain! Find the book
4 Leaders by Louis A Coutts
As a polar adventurer myself I love reading about the links between the leadership styles of early-day explorers and what is relevant today. This book tells the stories of Nansen, Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen and how they managed themselves and their teams in some of the more extreme environments in the world. It reminded me that leaders need to watch out for “ego’ driving “ethics” and how vital it is to listen and learn from those who have experience in different environments, rather than assuming that we know best. Find the book
