Top 10 Books For Professional Development

There are always ways to develop yourself as a professional — you can attend an event, take an online course, or read a good book.

Here are English For IT’s top ten book recommendations for professionals from all backgrounds.

1. The Culture Map by Erin Meyer

A must-read book for anyone who’s working with professionals from different cultures or simply curious about how different cultures view the world.

The Culture Map gives you a comprehensive (= very detailed) analysis of different countries across eight scales. These scales are visualized on a graph creating a literal map for each culture.

2. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

This book dives deep into the science behind creating, breaking, and reshaping habits that drive our everyday behavior. Good habits ensure long-term success. Bad habits keep you stuck in a vicious cycle (= a continuous negative situation).

3. The Squiggly Career by Helen Tupper

The Squiggly Career helps modern professionals embrace uncertainty while developing skills that will be in demand even in the most challenging of times. It also addresses common career conundrums (= problems) such as how to build a personal brand, achieve work-life balance, and find a mentor.

4. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson and Co.

This book provides you with tools on how to conduct action-oriented conversations, mitigate (= manage) conflict, and be assertive while displaying emotional intelligence. It is a highly useful read for anyone wanting to step up (= improve) their communication and negotiation skills.

5. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink

Who doesn’t want to feel motivated? In “Drive”, the author Daniel H. Pink examines the three elements of motivation — autonomy, mastery, and purpose, and explains how to harness (= use) them for both individual and team success.

6. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Coleman

Daniel Coleman is not just the author of this particular book. He is a psychologist who popularized the term “emotional intelligence”. Nowadays, emotional intelligence (or EQ) is recognized as one of the most crucial skills both in and outside the workplace.

This book is an in-depth (= detailed) study of what emotional intelligence is and how much it influences our behavior.

7. Soft Skills: The software developer’s life manual by John Sonmez

This book is a guide written by a developer for developers. It delves into soft skills all software engineers must foster (= create) and gives practical advice regarding career paths, finances, and relationships.

8. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

This book is a worthwhile read not only for professionals in a leadership role but also for people who seek to understand and apply self-leadership.

“Dare to Lead” dives into the topics of encouraging risks, asking questions, and embracing vulnerability to become a more effective leader.

9. Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

We crave self-improvement but getting “negative” feedback often hurts which makes it difficult for us to learn from it. “Thanks for the Feedback” tackles this conflict, offering a framework to approach all types of feedback, from casual remarks to formal reviews, with a curious and open mind.

10. Contagious: Why Things Catch On

This extremely entertaining book explores what makes certain products and ideas contagious (= widespread) and why they catch on (= become popular).

It is a great read for everyone who works in marketing and PR. However, even if you’re not a marketer, this book is still worth reading, especially if you’re interested in psychology and American culture.

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