How to have a Better Start to 2024: Four Books to Guide & Inspire
Cathal (ka-hal) quinlan
??Better@Work Podcast Host - Insights for more good days at work- ‘when work is better, life is better ??
Summertime and lazy days, by the pool in the southern hemisphere, or all snuggled up warm in the north, are perfect times to escape into fiction, enjoy an inspiring biography or when you’re ready, to start thinking about 2024.
?? Our Better@Work reading list could help you start the new year with heaps of ideas on how to be better at work.
?? Here are the four reads that made a huge difference to us this year - we hope they do the same for you in 2024!
1 - Seeking a new vision for a new year? You'll want a copy of 'Design the Long Life you Love' by Ayse (Eye-Shay) Birsel ?
When you have some downtime for self-reflection and thinking about what you want to do in 2024 and beyond, Ayse’s book is the perfect guide to follow.?
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A handbook on how to design a long life full of love, purpose, well-being, and friendship, at any age, using the creative tools of award-winning product designer, author, and world's #1 life coach Ayse Birsel.
Ayse draws on key principles of design-like optimism, empathy, collaboration, open-mindedness, and holistic thinking-as well as the experiences of older people on the pioneering frontiers of long life.?
It's an interactive book with exercises to help you think creatively by asking you to visualize your life. It is full of insights learned from wise people who have lived the longest.??
Listen to Ayse’s interview here:
2 - Looking for fresh energy and habits? Look no further than 'How to Have a Good Day' by Caroline Webb
One of our all time favourites, dog-eared and much referred to, reading Caroline’s practical pathway to having a good day will help you flesh out your new year's resolutions for work.? Caroline brings her behavioural economics expertise, applied at the Bank of England and McKinsey, to share why and how deliberate direction and focus is where to start.?
The book also covers productivity, relationship, conflict and critical thinking tips and “how to’s”, along with how to maximise your impact, practical hacks for drawing on resilience when needed, and the power of the peak end rule.?
Reading or listening to Caroline, you’ll have all the science backed to have a better day at work!?
Listen to Caroline’s interview here:
3 - Time for a change? Your ultimate guide is'Building A Winning Career' by William Cowan AM
领英推荐
If your holiday reflections confirm its time for a change, go no further than Bill Cowan’s book.
Following an international career with McKinsey and Mergers and Acquisitions, Bill has worked with over 1000 executives, leaders and graduates in job search. The book outlines Bill’s proven process for career transition.?
Bill guides you through the steps of reflection, understanding your strengths, identifying your target organisations and role, developing your pitch, systematically connecting with a wider network and developing a plan to succeed once you’re in your new role.??
With over 1000 success stories, the Bill process works, and along with a new job, you’ll know yourself better, meet new people, and build confidence in how to manage your career.??
Listen to Bill’s interview here:
4 - Looking for big picture inspiration? Our pick is 'Ride of a Lifetime' by Bob Iger
Finally one of our favourite reads is Robert Iger’s memoir Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
Bob shares the ideas and values he used to reinvent one of the most beloved companies in the world, and inspire the people who bring the magic to life.
This is such a great read and you get to feel like you’re in the room throughout Bob’s amazing journey as Disney CEO. When Bob became CEO Disney in 2005 morale had deteriorated, competition was more intense, and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company's history. Bob shares how he had a clear idea of “the direction Disney needed to go" and came down to three clear ideas:?
1) Create the highest quality content Disney could produce
2) Embrace and adopt technology instead of fighting it
3) Think bigger--think global--and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets
Bob shares how he went about achieving these goals and 18 years later, Disney is the largest, most respected media company in the world with Pixar, Marvel, Lucas film and 21st Century Fox among its properties, and Disney’s value has increased by nearly five times. The big lessons Bob shares that we love include taking big risks; learning to inspire the people who work for you; leading with fairness and communicating principles clearly. It's also about thoughtfulness and respect, and a decency-over-dollars approach that shines through in his project and partnerships including his friendship with Steve Jobs in his final years and to his love of the evolving Star Wars myth.
The last pages of the book include a summary of Bob’s lessons which is definitely a photocopy and laminate task - it’s a fantastic leadership touchstone list!!!
...no Better@Work interview yet! #2024goals!
?? What are your four favourite reads of 2023? We'd love your recommendations!
Thanks to our amazing Better@Work community, our guests, producers and creatives for all your support in 2023. We have had such a fun year with the show and the broader work we do. Annette Sloan and I are excited for 2024, lots to come to continue to help more of you have even better days at work.?
Enjoy the break over the holidays and we will see you all in January with some brand new episodes to inspire you.?
Take care,?
Cathal & Annette
#inspire #books #holidays #holidayreading #recommendations #betteratwork
Author of Building a Winning Career. Life skills for managing your career. 200+ ????? REVIEWS. #1 Best Seller on Amazon.
11 个月Thank you very much for including "Building a Winning Career" in your top four reading list, Cathal (ka-hal) Quinlan and Annette Sloan. It has been immensely gratifying to hear from so many readers, worldwide, that my book is changing their lives and that it has given them a new way to approach job hunting. An audiobook is coming next year! #buildingawinningcareer
Leadership coach | Author of How To Have A Good Day | Senior Adviser, McKinsey | Marshall Goldsmith #100Coaches | HBR contributor
11 个月Thank you very much for this wonderful shoutout Cathal (ka-hal) Quinlan!
Corporate AR Leader - Strategy & Executive Engagement
11 个月That’s a great list and I look forward to exploring them. I’d like to suggest Outlive by Peter Attia, a well credentialled doctor who provides a framework for quality of life that is deeply science-based and accessible. He’s thoughtful and very much the antithesis of the typical “5 easy ways to blah blah” that characterize the genre. https://peterattiamd.com/outlive/