12 Books That Belong on Your Bookshelf

To say I am a voracious reader is an understatement, and it started from I was very young. My mother knew I could be found hiding under my bed reading when I should be doing my chores. This habit followed me into adulthood. These days, it's not unusual for me to be reading three books at any one time. I accomplish this by reading five pages at a time, thanks to a tip from my friend Rajni Dogra.

Recently, when Hannah Morgan shared a list of 25 things to post on LinkedIn, it dawned on me that I could share a few of my favourite books. Some I read for leisure, but most are resources I use in my coaching practice. (I do not have any affiliate links to these books, neither am I being compensated for mentioning them).

The list is not an exhaustive one, but I have found value in each of the books mentioned below. Some I use quite often; others I recommend to my clients, depending on their situation.

Becoming – Michelle Obama

This book needs no introduction. I have been savouring it since the start of 2019. Every woman can see herself in aspects of this former First Lady’s life. She makes us feel as if we know her personally, and in a way we do, being a public figure for eight years in the White House.

I was struck by the authenticity of the contents that I gifted copies to each attendee at a #WhyNotMe event I hosted on January 13th, International Vision Board Day. A great way to start the New Year!

TRUST – Twenty Ways to Build a Better Country by Former Governor General of Canada, David Johnston

I met the former Governor General at the Cannexus Career Conference in Ottawa in January where he gave the Closing Keynote. The book is about building trust in our institutions and in organizations, it was the one liner in Chapter 16 that says "Trust grows when diversity becomes inclusion", that caught my attention. The chapter goes onto say "Our businesses, organizations, and institutions need to go beyond tabulating differences according to demographic traits, ethnic origins, and socio-economic identities to one that unites us by taking advantage of our diversity."

One Small Step Can Change Your Life (The Kaizen Way) by Robert Maurer, Ph.D.

This book describes how incremental steps can make lasting change. The author said “Small steps can achieve your biggest dreams.” The human brain is wired to resist change but by taking small steps we can rewire our brains to achieve our goals. Thanks to my friend Jane Harnadek for recommending this resource.

This Woman Can! The No Bullsh*t Guide for Women Who Lead by Janice Sutherland

Janice demonstrates that with pragmatic approaches, women can break expectations if they believe in, own, and confidently develop their personal power and not wait to be empowered. She draws on her personal experiences as the Caribbean’s first female CEO in the male-dominated telecommunications industry.

Step Aside Super Woman – Career & Family is for any Woman – Christine Brown-Quinn

In this book Christine dispels the myth that a woman cannot combine career and family and get the balance right. “Combining career and family is a fact of life for modern women, resulting from their tremendous progress in education and professional development…and you don’t need to be a Super Woman to get the balance right.”

Christine asks the question “Who said you can’t have it all?”

Expect to Win – 10 Proven Strategies for thriving in the Workplace – Carla A. Harris

Carla Harris is Vice Chairman of Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. She advises us to "...use your voice as a mechanism to articulate your expectations." She often joked that she was a graduate of the “You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get” school. She encourages readers that it is their responsibility to manage their careers and that means articulating your expectations. “Keeping your heads down and working hard will not give you the promotion or new assignment you are looking for. You need to let the right people know what you want.”

The Good Fight – Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track by Liane Davey

I hadn't heard of the term Conflict Debt until I saw Liane speak at a meeting. She talks about how when we avoid conflicts at the organizational and personal level; when we dodge and defer difficult decisions, we end up with Conflict Debt, a situation where contentious issues that need to be addressed remain unresolved. There is an unwillingness to work through conflicts, and this becomes costly to the organization.

BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It by Peggy Klaus

When it comes bragging or self-promotion, I usually tell clients if they don’t toot their own horn, no one will know they are coming. How many people have found themselves having to sit and listen as other people take credit for their work? It’s an endemic in the workplace, and Peggy offers some valuable tips on how you can only get over this if you are prepared to speak up and claim your accomplishmentsl if you are prepared to BRAG!

As Peggy says “In today’s cutthroat business world, where job security is virtually non-existent, bragging is a necessity – not a choice!” (This resource was recommended by my friend Alicia Sullivan).

Self-Promotion for Introverts – The Quiet Guide to Getting Ahead by Nancy Ancowitz

This is a handy Introverts tend to get passed over for job offers and promotions while their more extroverted colleagues get all the recognition. Nancy gives advice on how to get noticed and get ahead.

The Coaching Habit – Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier

I look across at my bookshelf and this book is always in my view. Michael offers practical, easy to understand tools and ideas to help coaches and leaders serve their clients. He believes that coaches only need seven questions in order to be effective. That’s debatable, but it was from this book that I learned the AWE question: And What Else?

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

Although this little nugget of a book has been around a long time, it’s lessons are timeless. It explains how to deal with change in your work and your life. I refer to it regularly when working with clients who are afraid of change. None of us can afford to remain stuck; change happens, and we should anticipate and embrace this change.

Keep Believing in Yourself and Your Dreams (a collection of writings from Blue Mountain Arts)

This book encourages you to listen to your heart, mind and soul and act on your hopes and aspirations. As Chief Encouragement Officer , it goes without saying that I would have such a book among my collection, not only to encourage my clients and others with whom I interact, but to encourage myself when necessary.

No book list would be complete without mentioning my own books, the Canadian best seller, No Canadian Experience, Eh? A Career Success Guide for New Immigrants, and Tell Stories Get Hired: Innovative Strategies to Land Your Next Job and Advance Your Career. They speak for themselves.

Do you enjoy reading? What are your favourite books? Share them here and I will curate them to make a bigger list.