Book Recomendations

by Erin Meyer. I read this book when I started a coaching programme for a global organisation. I wanted to understand the subtle differences between world cultures. It looks at how people across cultures and countries communicate, make decisions, build trust and offers strategies and examples for better collaboration. You might read this book if you work in international teams, and want to improve your cross-cultural awareness.

by Julie Starr. I used this book as a trusted source and reference when writing a Coaching Skills for Leaders programme. It’s written as a practical guide for leaders and managers at all levels and provides a toolkit of questions, exercises and tips – to help both you and your team. I’m a huge advocate of leaders developing their coaching skills to improve individual and team performance. I particularly recommend the section on how to develop rapport in a difficult relationship – something all leaders will face in their careers.

by Brené Brown. Quite a famous book about courage and bravery as a leader. The main takeaway that I loved was that everything in our work is about the people. We need to work well with people for success in careers and organisations.  

by Caroline Goyder. Delve deep into how to communicate so that others will listen. I like this book because of its practical nature - it tells you which principle to apply to the skill you want to develop. Section 2 contains strategies for preparing for high stakes situations when you are in the spotlight. See the accompanying website for complementary video support.

by Oliver Burkeman. A reminder that we have limited time – about 4,000 weeks if we live until we are 80. It’s not about managing time, or cramming more into a day. It’s about considering how and where we spend our time, how that affects our energy, and how we might prioritise the things that matter. Thankfully not a productivity hack in sight.

by Andy Cope and Gavin Oattes. This book was gifted to me by my coach, and what a gift it was. A light-hearted, irreverent look at living your life more positively. Read it if you want to make small and incremental steps towards finding your energy and passion (and you don’t mind the odd swear word). Check out the section on Huge Unbelievably Great Goals, or HUGGs – a refreshing way to set goals that you want to achieve.

by Carol Dweck. The idea of this book is to demonstrate that we can always perform and develop ourselves thought effort and continually learning, or by having a growth mindset. A great reminder that progress is incremental, and often starts with the belief that we can change.

by Michael Bungay Stanier. A second book recommendation on developing coaching skills for leaders, it is easy to read and demonstrates the power of listening and asking questions as a leader, rather than telling. Read this book if you would like a set of simple questions designed to encourage your team to think for themselves and find new solutions to business challenges.

by Robert B. Cialdini. Read this book if you are curious about human behaviour, and want to understand what makes people say yes. This guide can help you with your communication and negotiating skills, helping you to be better at persuading people in an ethical way. You might also learn how others are influencing you…