Posted by Why stop at turning over a new leaf when you can gain career insights by turning over a new page too? The road to a better career in 2017 could very well be paved with books. Besides real-life experience, there’s little that can widen your horizons, indulge your passions or take you on a journey the way books can.
So, what’s better than the tactile pleasure of reading a book cover to cover, you ask? It’s when you are reading a book that could potentially transform your career.
Instead of looking at your devices all day, crack open a book and before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to designing a career that’s driven by passion, excellence and personal growth.
Here are 10 career books to add to your professional library:
1. Scott Sonenshein – Stretch
More often than not, we focus on what we don’t have – always needing more to get ahead in our personal or professional lives. More money, more comfort, more time, more resources. But what if you could do more with less?
Author and Rice University professor, Scott Sonenshein, shares a “groundbreaking approach to succeeding in business and life, using the science of resourcefulness.” The book features examples from the world of education, sports, business, history and medicine. It even explains why we perform better (at work and in life) with constraints.
Prior to its release, the book received critical praise from the likes of Ann Doerr (Chairman, Kahn Academy), Jim Collins (bestselling author, Good to Great and Great by Choice), Daniel H. Pink (bestselling author, To Sell is Human and Drive) and Adam Grant (bestselling author, Originals and Give and Take).
2. Bill Burnett & Dave Evans – Designing Your Life
A #1 New York Times Bestseller, Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life is a great read for anyone, at any age, who wants to not just build a life but design one that allows you to flourish.
Now, don’t let the title fool you, this isn’t another book for designers. It’s about using design-centered thinking to build a life you’re proud of. Get ready for a shift in your mindset and to put what you’ve absorbed into practice with the book’s worksheets.
Are you ready to start designing? We sure are!
3. Charles Duhigg – Smarter Faster Better
Is your productivity taking a beating? If you answered yes, then you should look out for this New York Times Bestseller. Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business explores eight productivity concepts that are bound to create an impact or get you out of that productivity slump.
Utilising recent findings in behavioural economics, psychology, and neuroscience, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Charles Duhigg, uses a mix of meticulous research and storytelling to explain how you can start doing better. The book also draws from the experiences of FBI agents, aeroplane pilots, songwriters on Broadway, CEOs, four-star generals and educational reformers.
4. Jenny Blake – Pivot
“The only move that matters is your next one.” Jenny Blake, an author (Life After College) and former Googler (career development program manager), provides a plan for those who are stuck in a role, considering starting fresh, switching industries or contemplating starting a business.
Change is the new normal, so if you’ve been asked or are asking yourselves, “what’s next?”, pick up a copy of Pivot.
Soon, you’ll be equipped to make the most of what you have, discover opportunities, take smart risks and make that pivotal next move.
5. Simon Sinek – Together Is Better
For TED Talks fans, the name Simon Sinek is sure to ring a bell. He is a trained ethnographer and the bestselling author of Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last. Known for his optimism and profound insights, Simon Sinek is back with a little book of inspiration, titled, Together Is Better.
This illustrated book tells a story about change with the hopes of altering the way you view things, how you overcome obstacles in the work world, how you work together, how you confront doubts and recover.
6. Dan Ariely — Payoff
What is motivation? Is it a string of words meant to jolt our gears into action? Is it purely based on incentive? Best-selling author and professor of Psychology & Behavioural Economics at Duke University, Dan Ariely, delves into “the hidden logic that shapes our motivations” in his book titled, Payoff.
The book touches on our role as motivators. How sometimes we can’t see the way motivation works and what we can do to overcome the gap.
Using different studies and compelling examples, Ariely takes you through a journey of discovering the root of motivation and how this knowledge is useful in daily life.
7. Angela Duckworth — Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Can talent alone guarantee success? No, it can’t. Angela Duckworth, the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, explains that it is “a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal” otherwise referred to as ‘grit’ which makes all the difference.
Duckworth’s first-person account is both powerful and thought-provoking. She artfully blends scientific research, history and insights from high-achievers.
It has everything you need to know about striving for excellence with as much grit as it takes, no matter your circumstance.
8. Kelly Hoey – Build Your Dream Network
Kelly Hoey’s sound advice and insight is as real as it can get. A writer, connector, influencer, investor and networking expert, Hoey’s approach is the contemporary roadmap you need to make your way through the clutter and set up a dream team.
In Build Your Dream Network, Hoey teaches us how to create meaningful connections (while standing out) in a time where everyone is adding new friends and liking posts at warp speed.
Expect encouragement, infographics, charts, ageless advice and more. The time to boost your networking know-how is now!
9. Marshall Goldsmith – What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
Are your habits in the workplace holding you back? Best-selling author and leadership coach, Dr Marshall Goldsmith offers straightforward advice on behavioural adjustments you can make to get there. Wherever there is for you in your career.
Do you know of anyone who has years of working experience but can’t seem to get to that next step on the corporate ladder? Goldsmith explains that this isn’t a lack of technical skills, but flaws that are stifling progress. For example, letting success get to your head and shape your subsequent behaviour.
Dr Goldsmith doesn’t just provide insight on ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ – he tells you what you should stop doing too. A worthy read for the already successful who want to take it up a notch. And for everyone else (at any career stage) with their eye on the prize.
10. Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant – Option B
What would you do when Plan A doesn’t work? Would you make a different plan or call it quits? This April, look out for Option B – a book about “facing adversity, building resilience and finding joy”.
Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and international best-selling author. She joins forces with psychologist, professor and New York Times best-selling author, Adam Grant. This book aims to share how a comeback can be better than a setback.
It draws from personal and professional trials that different people recovered from including Sandberg’s own. All to show that it’s not just about the loss, it’s how you face it that counts.
The books are available for purchase in Malaysia, you may visit the nearest bookstores or shop online here. Do check out Amazon’s book department if you are unable to find your favourite titles locally.