50 Books to Read...right now!

by Rod Dowling

The list is not exactly fifty, however there are some diamonds worth reading in this list. I started this list as a reminder for myself whenever I would hear about another book, either by personal recommendation or from some of the podcasts that I have been listening to on work commutes. This is also my very first LinkedIn article and it has taken months to finally complete.

If there is one change that has added value to my professional life in recent years, it has been a willingness to dive deeper into reading and applying this to work. A recent discussion with teaching colleagues prompted a request to provide a list. Most of these I have read either as a result of post-graduate study or simply areas of interest in education, learning and organisational development. Some I have sitting on desks with varying degrees of completion, and some are on the list simply as the next ones to buy and read. 

The ultimate purpose of this list is simply an exercise in sharing and hope that you find something that ‘hooks’ your own interest. By all means, comment on others that you have read and are worth sharing as well. Happy Reading!

(If you like this list and are not sure where to start, I have created my own rating system: If you see this symbol $, then I recommend that you read this one before any others) 

Read and reviewed…

$ Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. (David Epstein)

“Boom! Read this book and take heart that much of what we think about how to go about forming a career is different to what is often expressed. A must read for anyone working in secondary schooling.”

$ Wait, What? And Life’s Other Essential Questions. (James E. Ryan)

“Simple yet practical advice for dealing with issues in the workplace. A great way to focus the efforts of a team.”

$ Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement. (Rich Karlgaard)

“Can’t recall how I found out about this one, but read his article in the Wall Street Journal. I am getting my ‘fan boy’ on this book as there is a valuable message for the way we prepare high school students for life beyond school.”

$ Give and Take. (Adam Grant)

“If you only read one book on this list, then make it this one! A great read about why we should be genuine in our desire to help others succeed.”

$ Peak. Secrets From The New Science of Expertise. (Anders Ericsson)

“One of my favourite reads! What makes some succeed over a very long time? Can we continue to develop our abilities? Ericsson presents the science and research to say ‘Yes’, to some extent. A key message is the benefit of a coach or teacher and their ability to observe, comment and provide specific advice for performance improvement."

$ Quiet Power. (Susan Cain)

“Are our schools, workplaces and views on leadership biased towards extroverts? Learn how to better understand and consider the world for introverts.”

$ Dark Horse. (Todd Rose & Ogi Ogas)

“Reading this just made me go, ‘Wow!’ With the current discussion around pathways beyond school and the challenges to traditional assumptions about academic and career success, we can start to look at new ways to engage the ‘disengaged’ by understanding ‘micro-motivations’.

The Marshmallow Test. (Walter Mischel)

“A world-renowned study and fascinating dive into the history of the Stanford experiments. Worth understanding the value and importance of building trust in the classroom.”

Originals. (Adam Grant)

“Organisational Psychologist and Wharton School Professor Adam Grant aims to use research to challenge assumptions about work and business.”

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy. (Adam Grant & Sheryl Sandberg)

“Sheryl Sandberg takes the reader through her experience of the loss of her husband. What grief does and her thoughts in the midst of the process of grieving. An insight into resilience and what not to say or do when attempting to offer support to someone.” 

Me, Myself and Us. (Brian R. Little)

“If you haven’t seen Professor Brian Little’s TED Talk yet, let me say that it is well worth watching. His work on fixed vs free traits is interesting and provides optimism about how we can grow and change.I show this to my students at the start of every school year.” (https://www.ted.com/talks/brian_little_who_are_you_really_the_puzzle_of_personality?language=en)

Flow. The Psychology of Optimal Experience. (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)

“I went straight back to my undergraduate days sitting in Sports Psychology lectures with this book, and practical ideas for preparing students to ‘achieve their best’. My interest in coaching sport means that this is still a great reference book.”

Mindset. (Carol R. Dweck)

“Even up to about four years ago, I was like, ‘Who?’, but now I can see why an understanding of Dweck’s work is a tool for developing and improving student attitudes towards learning. A great way to ‘experiment’ with my own children and their thinking!”

Lead Like Jesus. (Ken Blanchard & Phil Hodges)

“A useful framework for servant leadership. Provides flow charts, frameworks and can be used as a whole year plan of action, especially for developing leadership capacity in students.”

Lead with Humility: 12 Leadership Lessons from Pope Francis. (Pope Francis)

“There is no doubt that Pope Francis is reminding Catholics of what truly matters. In turbulent times, the message of service with humility serves to remind us all that it ‘we’ is more important than ‘me’.”

Helping Kids Perform: Mental Skills Every Parent, Teacher and Coach Should Master! (Jacques Dallaire)

“Recommended to me by an elite-level cricketer. The richness of the practical strategies can be easily applied in sport or in education.”

Four-Dimensional Education: The Competencies Learners Need to Succeed.         (Bernie Trilling, Charles Fadel and Maya Bialik)

“Can we properly prepare for the world of VUCA (Volatility; Uncertainty; Complexity; Ambiguity)? I don’t know, but I’m going to try and this book is helping me.”

Deep Work. (Cal Newport)

“I read this over the summer holiday break prior to starting a new role at a new school. I started with great expectations and need to come back to this one regularly. Sometimes when it comes to learning, less is definitely more.”

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. (Daniel H. Pink)

“Owls, Larks and Third-Birds! Sleep patterns and the timing of particular tasks. Imagine the impact upon how we structure teaching and learning throughout the school day?”

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. (Angela Duckworth)

“A favourite that I first encountered via Angela’s TED Talk. The study around grit, self-control, conscientiousness is ongoing and opening up more questions than answers. Professor Duckworth is a MacArthur Fellow and presents a fascinating insight into what makes us persevere.”

Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus and Working Smarter All Day Long. (David Rock)

“Your brain and memory as a theatre stage – recall, thinking cues and attention focus. A critical understanding for structuring your work life and for deeper learning.”

Principles. (Ray Dalio)

“Based upon Ray’s own growth and an understanding of how Bridgewater & Associates operates. Radical honesty and feedback is not easy, but a useful case study to apply to our own workplace.” 

An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberate Developmental Organization. (Robert Kegan, Lisa Laskow Lahey, Matthew L.Miller & Andy Fleming) 

“A fascinating insight into how we can re-imagine organisations to focus on the growth and development of everyone.”                

The Power of Habit. (Charles Duhigg)

“Understand the cues and thinking behind our habits and how we can make subtle adjustments for healthy and productive living.”

U-Turn Teaching: Strategies to Accelerate Learning and Transform Middle School Achievement. (Jenn Currie and Richard Allen)

“Dr Rich Allen is a dynamic and engaging presenter and challenges our assumptions of what good teaching actually can be.”

Currently working through…

Nuance. (Michael Fullan)

“A gift from my boss. Professor Fullan is joining the system-wide discussion in the Australian education landscape.”

How To Raise An Adult. (Julie Lythcott-Haims)

“Want to enable your child to develop confidence, independence and belief in their ability to navigate the grown-up world? Read this book.”

Yet to read but sitting there waiting to be opened…(and maybe had a quick ‘flick-through’)

How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain. (Lisa Feldman Barrett)

“A slow start and a slow burn, yet very important to all spheres of personal and professional life.”

The Change Makers. (Shaun Carney)

“Insights from the wisdom of others is always of value.”

The Talent Code. (Daniel Coyle)

“To what degree is talent innate or developed? Keen to explore this idea further, having read Ericsson’s work.”

The Culture Code. (Daniel Coyle)

“Culture is fascinating – work and organizational culture especially so.”

Immunity To Change. (Robert Keegan & Lisa Laskow Lahey)

“A follow-up from reading ‘An Everyone Culture’ – practical approaches to improving the organisation.”

Ordered, paid and waiting to be delivered…

Nice Start: Questions Only You Can Answer to Create the Life Only You Can Live. (Mark Chussil)

“I’ve been corresponding with Mark and I’m intrigued by his approach to the career journey. Can’t wait to read this one.”

The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team To Peak Performance. (Steven G. Rogelberg)

“I need this book right now! My mission: Make meetings better.”

And yet to read, but on the list…

The Model Thinker. What you need to know to make data work for you. (Scott E.Page)

Farsighted: How we make the decisions that matter the most. (Steve Johnson)

The Believing Brain. (Michael Shermer)

Thinking Fast and Slow. (Danny Kahneman)       

Think Twice. (Michael Mauboussin)

Reweaving the Fabric (Ronald Nored Sr.)

The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams – Lessons in Living. (Randy Pausch)

The Wise Advocate: The Inner Voice of Strategic Leadership. (Art Kleiner, Jeffrey Schwartz & Josie Thomson)

Blitzscaling: The Lightning-Fast Path to Massively Valuable Companies. (Reid Hoffman & Chris Yeh)

The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age. (Reid Hoffman, Ben Casnocha & Chris Yeh)

The Start-Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career. (Reid Hoffman & Ben Casnocha)

No Hard Feelings: Emotions at Work and How They Help Us Succeed. (Liz Fosslien & Mollie West Duffy)

The Alliance Way. The Making of a Bully-Free School. (Tina Owen-Moore)

Good luck and let me know how you go with these.