As part of my #Growth goal, I’m reading a lot. And by reading, I generally mean audible [where available]. I track my reading on Goodreads (I’m a huge fan of tracking things, especially since I tend to forget pesky details like titles and authors.
I’ll add to this over time, but wanted to get this posted for anyone who is looking for something to add to their read stack over the holidays. These are not in order and of course, YMMV.
As of November 2023
Lots to love in this book – a great approach to getting people to think when talking about strengths and opportunities. The big take away for me was the concept of crystalized vs. fluid intelligence and the role age plays in performance.
Timely read on the beginning of my journey of rest. The role of rest in “peak” performance is an important thing to ponder and this book gives some good pointers. The focus is on “creative people” but I think the lessons go far beyond creativity and much more about how to thrive generally.
I’ve been a fan of Seth for ages, I love his context and systems thinking and his values forward perspectives. I think of this book as a bit of a “what if Ben Franklin were to write a modern set of work proverbs.” A huge amount of workplace wisdom in a very small space.
Even the title makes you think. This book appealed strongly to the economist and systems thinker in me. Not as delightful as a book from Adam Grant but exactly the right set of questions for my sabbatical. One interesting side benefit of this book was a very different take on the avocado toast trope.
This one is the least “self help” and most WTAF on the list.
Lewis is one of the best to break down complex topics and wrap them in storytelling, so I knew I would enjoy learning about FTX and SBF but I honestly didn’t expect this to stick with me as long as it did. I know that the recent narrative is mixed on this book, but I found it a worthwhile read. It still has me down the rabbit hole of questions on innovation and governance and how easily people get distracted when money is being made. It also gave me a running start on the topic of EA as prep to better understand the OpenAI saga (if anyone can understand that one).
Of course I adored Adam Grant ‘s book – not only because Amy Wilson told me I was a sponge (and I had to sort out what that was all about), but I really believe that in this #AI world potential is all that matters. With the half life of hard skills shrinking, the need for ongoing learning and adaptation growing building character skills and recognizing potential becomes essential.
Meg Bear 