Bookshelf
Books are a personal thing. I've been inspired by all of these for different reasons. They fall into three broad groups: those mostly, though not entirely, about people in organisations, those about personal development at work, and those I've chosen (with no hint of originality) to call "mind, body, spirit".
Many were first featured in the newsletter. Click on the title to go to a short review further down this page, together with a link to amazon.co.uk. If you choose to buy books using these links, I receive a small commission from Amazon.
People in organisations
- Nancy Kline, "Time to Think" and "More Time to Think"
- Carole Pemberton, "Coaching to Solutions"
- Susan Debnam, "Mine's Bigger Than Yours"
- Peter Senge et al, "Presence"
- Gill Ringland, Oliver Sparrow, Patricia Lustig: "Beyond Crisis - achieving renewal in a turbulent world"
- Captain D Michael Abrashoff, "It's Your Ship"
Personal development at work
- Marilee Adams, "Change your Questions, Change your Life"
- Richard Olivier & Nicholas Janni, "Peak Performance Presentations"
- Daniel Scott, "Verbal Self Defense in the Workplace"
- Mark Forster, "Do it Tomorrow"
Mind, body, spirit
- Kat Tansey: "Choosing to Be - Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master"
- David Whyte, "Crossing the Unknown Sea"
- Eric Harrison, "Teach Yourself to Meditate"
- Dr Chris Johnstone, "Find your Power"
- AnnA Rushton, "How to Cope Successfully with Stress"
- Wayne Dyer, "The Power of Intention"
- Candace Pert PhD: "Molecules of Emotion"
- Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz, "On Form"
- Paulo Coelho: "The Alchemist"
People in organisations
Nancy Kline: "Time to think" & "More Time to Think"
There are some books which are fundamental to the way I work, and Time to Think has long been one of them. The positive effect of using Nancy Kline's Thinking Environment(TM) as an approach to working with others is profound.
Kline's aim is to improve radically the quality of our thinking, by creating an environment of deep attentiveness. Her book describes how, in a respectful thinking partnership, limiting assumptions can be challenged by the use of incisive questions. You can also use a version of the model in larger group meetings.
If you've sat through business meetings at which everyone is vying for their turn, and where the loudest hold sway and interruption is the norm, or listened with growing despair to the conflicting advice of well-meaning friends, you'll really appreciate the power of the Thinking Environment(TM).
In More Time to Think, Nancy Kline expands her philosophy in the light of 10 years more profound thought since her first book appeared. The model has been refined, and is more exquisite. A whole new world can be created in the thinker's mind from the question "What do you want to think about and what are your thoughts?" It works, it really does.
Carole Pemberton: "Coaching to Solutions".
Managers are increasingly expected to coach their team members. Many larger organisations are training managers to do this. Carole Pemberton has written a timely, highly readable and very comprehensive guide to coaching from a management perspective. Subtitled "A Manager's Toolkit for Performance Delivery", the book takes you step-by-step towards becoming a confident coach-manager.
Pemberton first focuses on the benefits of coaching, before turning to what the manager already brings to the coaching relationship from her or his work and life experience. She goes on to provide a model and structure for coaching, and illustrates the whole with copious examples and case studies.
Highly recommended for managers and HR professionals alike.
Susan Debnam: "Mine's Bigger Than Yours".
We've all met them, and we've all suffered from them, unless our own is so huge that we fail to recognise it for what it is. Yes, I mean big egos at work.
Susan Debnam challenges the myth that good leaders have to be charismatic, enigmatic and consummate power-players. Ego of itself is not dangerous, she says, but like a powerful sports car, it can wreak havoc in the hands of someone who cannot see its capacity for destruction.
Having explained what ego actually is and what it does, and suggested a checklist of traits of the ego-driven individual, Debnam provides a toolkit for raising your self-awareness, tips for handling an ego-driven colleague, and a process for developing an ego-free (not ego-less) organisation where people are respected and able to give of their best.
A timely book which should be on every leader's bookshelf.
Peter Senge et al: "Presence".
"Presence" is hugely important for anyone who wants to find new, more authentic and sustainable ways to lead change in organisations. Written with Joseph Jaworski, C Otto Scharmer, and Betty Sue Flowers, this book explores the nature and accessing of profound change, and offers a theory and process for accessing the deeper knowledge to which we are all connected.
Written as a series of conversations over time, the book explores how the authors arrive at their "U theory" of change, and how it differs from previous change management wisdom. The "U" process begins from a deep sensing of 'what is now' in the organisation, moves through 'presencing', or creating space for letting go of what is in order to let come what needs to be, and ways of prototyping and testing the new before making it firmly part of the organisation's approach.
Gill Ringland, Oliver Sparrow, Patricia Lustig: "Beyond Crisis - achieving renewal in a turbulent world
In a world still resounding with the repercussions of global financial crisis, here is a book that every serious organisation should have on its bookshelves. Ringland, Sparrow and Lustig map the territory of long-term turbulence, then make a powerful case for an agile yet grounded response.The book is both rigorous and readable. The Purposeful Self Renewing Organisation (PS-RO) is mapped in detail, and the structure, qualities and processes for renewal are generously illustrated with case studies. This is not about old-style, top-down strategic planning. The authors are clear both about how and why their approach will work. Organisations working towards becoming PS-ROs are advised to tap their wisdom directly, "establishing clarity, hunting out useful ideas and capabilities, creating options for the future and exploiting new abilities for the present".
A great handbook for OD consultants, HR teams and for organisations that realise more of the same will no longer work.
Captain D Michael Abrashoff: "It's Your Ship".
Normally I tend to avoid anything vaguely
military. War is alien to me and I am only
grateful not to have been caught up in the
madness of it. I was born in the early 50s,
and the Second World War was
a recent memory when I was growing up.
So
you may wonder why I am so keen on a book
about leadership in the US Navy. I can sum
it up in one sentence: Abrashoff is a human
being first and last, and understands at a
very deep and authentic level what motivates
people.
I could have stopped reading at the
introduction, which praises his battleship
and its combat capabilities. But something
kept me going, and I wasn't disappointed.
Once the main book begins, you're engaged
from the first line, as Abrashoff muses on
how he can avoid being disliked as much as
his predecessor, and then sets about
restoring morale among his crew by giving
them increasing degrees of responsibility
backed by a respect for their individual
competencies and a willingness to stand up
for them to his senior officers when
necessary. Soon he is captain of "the best
damn ship in the Navy".
A typical
quote: "Unlike some leaders, I prefer to
build myself up by strengthening others and
helping them feel good about their jobs and
themselves." Not someone to write off a
team member who has lost confidence.
This really is a pretty good holiday
read - full of wisdom and a great yarn to
boot (or was that sail?)
Personal development at work
Marilee Adams: "Change your Questions, Change your Life".
My life is punctuated by friends and colleagues' recommending just the right books at exactly the right time. This one is a recent find, and its ideas can profoundly affect the way we work and conduct our relationships.
Adams is a psychotherapist, who developed her QuestionThinking(TM) approach for therapy clients, and now applies it to improving the way people work in organsations. The book tells the story of Ben Knight, a high-flying executive who is struggling with a demanding new job and is about to hand in his notice. An executive coach (of course...) helps him to change the questions he is asking himself about the situation, taking him from a judgmental to a learning approach which challenges and then overturns his hithertoo ineffective approach to his team.
Richard Olivier & Nicholas Janni: "Peak Performance Presentations".
In Richard Olivier (son of Laurence) and Nicholas Janni's "Peak Performance Presentations", I found the best book ever for anyone wanting to prepare effectively to present to an audience. I just love it. It is absolutely not about powerpoint. Instead, it shows you how to lay firm foundations for presenting successfully, through developing your presence, strengthening your voice, and dealing with that inner critic which starts its nagging commentary every time you open your mouth in front of an audience, by replacing it with what they call the 'inner coach'.
The book also offers a framework for matching your style, delivery and approach more closely to that of your audience. Ultimately, Olivier & Janni aim to help you to present authentically. This is what really turns a dry account into a living interchange with your audience.
Whether you quake at the thought of public speaking, or are a seasoned presenter wanting an all-round, accessible and rich source book for delivering great presentations, I highly recommend this book.
Daniel Scott: "Verbal Self Defense in the Workplace
Bullying is all too common in the workplace. If you're a target, what can you do to defend yourself and prevent bullying from destroying your self-esteem? Until recently you might have struggled to find practical advice that didn't treat you like a victim. Daniel Scott's book changes that.
Here you'll learn how to take action to stop your bully. Using tried and tested approaches from Aikido and other martial arts disciplines, and from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Daniel Scott helps you to understand what's happening, and why bullies act the way they do. You'll learn a robust 6-step process for taking control of the bullying situation and getting the change you want.
Don't stay a victim. This book can really help you beat the office bully.
Mark Forster: "Do it Tomorrow".
Mark Forster, voted one of Britain's top ten coaches, has a rare gift - enabling the naturally disorganised to take control of their working day and feel at the end of it that they've achieved what they set out to do, not just once, but every day.
In personality terms there is a continuum between those who are highly organised, systematic, methodical and disciplined, and those who, well, aren't... I naturally incline towards the less organised end of the scale, and I need good structures in place to help me keep on top of things. But "time management" doesn't work for me, and Mark Forster knows that I'm not alone.
So how are his systems different? Firstly, the two sacred cows of traditional time management, the "to do" list and prioritising by importance and urgency, are challenged and found sadly wanting. "They tend to make us do more of what gave us the problem in the first place" he asserts, believing that there are only three reasons why we are behind: we are working inefficiently, we have too much to do, or we have too little time to do it in.
The primary focus of the book is on working efficiently - i.e. getting through things as quickly as possible. There are real "aha" moments: Don't wait to put in new systems until you've dealt with the backlog - you never will, is my favourite.
Mark Forster deals with all the main challenges of modern working, whether you are a one-person band, a senior manager or working in an open plan office with all the distractions that brings. His solution to email is just exquisite. But you must read the book.
Mind, body, spirit
Kat Tansey: "Choosing to Be - Lessons in Living from a Feline Zen Master"
Kat Tansey's book is so refreshing. She takes us on her journey from depression to mastering meditation, not superficially but always with a delightful and light touch.
While she is learning to meditate, Tansey is accompanied, guided and encouraged by her Maine coon cat, Poohbear Degoonacoon - a wise soul as are many mature cats. Into the mix, to add spice and freshness and to embody Buddha Nature, comes Catzenbear, a kitten with endless curiosity and a lot to learn. The two cats are the perfect foil for the serious meditation practices the book has to teach.
As Tansey finds her level as a meditator, she shows us the five Hindrances to meditation defined by Buddhist teachers: the Hindrances of Clinging, Anger, Sleepiness, Restlessness and Doubt. And finally we learn what she has learned about Buddha Mind, ending with a little poem that sums it all up - "The Four Noble Truths in a Nutshell".
I love this book. It hides nothing, teaches much and remains readable and delightful along the way.
David Whyte: "Crossing the Unknown Sea".
Subtitled "Work and the Shaping of Identity", this beautiful book is the story of David Whyte's exploration of work and purpose through his own experience. Whyte, a poet, inspirational speaker and corporate consultant tells an extraordinary story of finding his own true work, and discusses how failing to engage with work which expresses our true nature can damage us.
It is an inspiring, gentle yet challenging read. I've read and re-read it, and could easily read it again. A great holiday read if you want an alterative to the usual vacation pulp fiction.
Eric Harrison: "Teach Yourself to Meditate".
I first bought this book well over a decade ago when I was still doing a daily four-hour commute to work. I left my first copy on a train, but I like to think that someone else picked it up and found it as useful as I had. For me, it was so good that I immediately bought a replacement, and I still return to it when I need a dose of good, practical help.
Eric Harrison studied Buddhist approaches to meditation for many years, and from his learning, decided to create a new school from which he could teach meditation in his own unique way. He founded and runs the Perth Meditation Centre in Australia, teaching meditation in a thoroughly practical, down-to-earth fashion which immediately appealed to me.
Harrison explains what meditation is, and why it works, and uses much anecdotal material to illustrate his message. Rather than sticking to one method, he gives guidelines for several different approaches to meditation, from watching the breath, to meditating on objects, through to visualisation and walking meditations. In doing this, he acknowledges that different approaches work better for different people.
Perhaps best of all are the tiny "spot meditations" you can do in a bus queue, or while waiting at a red traffic light. Wonderful!
Dr Chris Johnstone: "Find your Power".
I've long been a fan of Chris Johnstone's 'Find Your Power'. It's the most wonderful toolkit for anyone who needs to build resilience in an unfriendly world.Some of my books bristle with those handly little post-it page markers which remind me of aha moments and memorable passages. This is one of them. Chris Johnstone was a junior doctor in the UK when that meant working 48 hours without a break, and 100 hour working weeks. He became a leading figure in the campaign to change junior doctors' working conditions. It took courage and determination - two attributes he encourages in his readers. He now specialises in treating addiction and teaching positive psychology.
Johnstone is a firm advocate of taking small steps. From multiple angles, he encourages his reader to move from a defeated, stuck place to one in which they take control of their future, one step and one insight at a time.
The book is very much for people who want to recover from setbacks and to find and use their own power for positive results. The first part is called "The power to begin", the second part is "the power to move through blocks" and the third part is "the power to keep yourself going".
In the new edition, Johnstone brings his thinking up to date, and applies it also to living sustainably.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: This book is invaluable: realistic, optimistic, and full of precious insights, clear illustrations and real examples. I really do recommend it. Buy from Amazon
AnnA Rushton: "How to Cope Successfully with Stress".
AnnA Rushton is a journalist and writer who specialises in creative coaching and health matters. In this slim but comprehensive volume, you're guided through understanding, identifying, assessing and managing stress in its many guises.
Rushton's approach is holistic, compassionate, and thoroughly practical. There are chapters on self-help options, diet and nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes, and alternative therapies, as well as sound advice on how your doctor can help. Rushton ends with her top tips for managing stress, which neatly summarise the message of the book.
Wayne Dyer: "The Power of Intention".
Reader Andy Greenhill emailed me to recommend this book. I took this as a nudge from the Universe, and I was not disappointed. It arrived at just the right moment - perfect synchronicity.
My thanks to Andy for this review:
"Often my progress through spiritual books is slow with many glitches as I contemplate what has been said and re-read sections to ensure I have understood them. However, when I started "The Power of Intention" I truely couldn't stop. It is written in such a fantastically simple way that it's meaning is effortlessly conveyed, using many great and inspiring examples. Dyer propagates that "Intention" is the source of all living things and that connecting with it is the way to fulfil your dreams.
"Dyer cleverly navigates through the religious minefield so that the lessons are available to all, and brings together thousands of years of spiritual wisdom without a hint of conflict. He takes concepts you may have already come to understand and extends them to whole new levels of application. The reader is left with a real sense that they can and will attract everything they have ever desired into their life.
"Every now and then I come across a book that makes me want to buy a box of copies, and then give one to all those that are dear to me... "The Power of Intention" is one of those books."
Candace Pert PhD: "Molecules of Emotion".
Candace Pert is a pioneer in what has come to
be called psychoneuroimmunology - the study
of the effect of the emotions on health.
When she began her doctoral research, most of
the medical world was sceptical about any
possible link between either negative or
positive emotions and the body's tendency to
become ill or to heal. Now there is
widespread acceptance that emotional and
physical wellbeing are inextricably
linked.
Here Dr Pert tracks not only the scientific
discoveries that revolutionised our thinking
about stress and all things on the emotional
spectrum, but also the personal life events
that influenced her thinking. Her academic
peers were not all supportive, and the
political rollercoaster is a fascinating
read.
Pert has a great ability to hook you into the
story, whether she is discussing the science
or relating the struggle to get the work
recognised. Useful knowledge in this
turbulent world.
Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz: "On Form".
"On Form" was recommended to me by fellow coach Gordon Borer.
"Managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance, health and happiness" say Loehr and Schwartz, who gained their insights in to energy management from working with top tennis players such as Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Gabriela Sabatini and Monica Seles.
This book makes a compelling case for actively and holistically managing our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy, and gives us a powerful system for handling the fast-paced, relentless world in which we live and work.
I'm more than ever convinced that affirming my values, taking breaks, going for my cherished walks, getting my weights out, meditating, and chunking my work better will help me to be more, not less, effective.
Paulo Coelho: "The Alchemist".
I will
certainly be returning to Paulo Coelho's
poetic fable about listening to your heart
and following your dreams.
Following the boy shepherd Santiago as he
travels from Spain to the Egyptian desert in
search of amazing treasure, this beautifully
written book will stay with you long after
you reach the last page.