What Leadership Books are you expecting Santa to bring you this year? What leadership skills would you like to nurture in 2017. As the count down continues to not only Christmas, but the end of the year our thoughts turn to 2017.
Readers are leaders. Its an old saying but true. Reading books allows us to learn from others experiences, good and not-so-good. We can fast track our skills by reading. Fast track your leadership skills with these leadership books for 2017.
1. Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life – Susan David
Life is full of unexpected situations, turns and events that sometime make us feel uncomfortable. Most of us struggle to deal with them and some will even do their best to try and avoid them. But to become a fulfilled person, you need all those challenges and a way to conquer them with success.
Susan David, a rewound psychologist with years of researching the field of behavioral science, proposes a new way to approach your leadership development: emotional agility. This new method will teach you to know and accept yourself, thus learning how to act in unexpected situations and how to deal with everyday stress. An excellent addition to your leadership books.
2. How to Live a Good Life: Soulful Stories, Surprising Science, and Practical Wisdom – Jonathan Fields
How to Live a Good Life by Jonathan Fields is not a classical self-improvement book. Practical and well based with a touch of science, it starts from the idea that you might wander aimlessly through life. And sometimes running on autopilot doesn’t let you enjoy the experiences in your life.
For you to take over your path and destiny, Jonathan Fiends proposes a 30 Bucket System. You have to fill all your buckets throughout a 30 day session and while doing this you will discover the joys of life. He approaches a holistic self – improvement with spiritual, inspirational and also practical advice on how to reclaim your life.
3. Born For This: How to Find the Work You Were Meant to Do – Chris Guillebeau
Even if you have a well-paid job that comes with benefits and status you might feel unhappy doing it. That happens when you don’t do something you love, that you were made to do. But sometimes it looks that there is no alternative for the chore that is your job now.
Born For This teaches you how to transform your actual job into what you dream of, how to find the ideal work place and also how to take calculated risks career wise. Chris Guillebeau proposes a set of exercises and scenarios for you to figure out what you were meant to have as a job. Also, the inspirational stories will give you perspective of what to do when you feel stuck in an unhappy work environment. Inc.com says 2016’s Best Book for Entrepreneurs
4. First Impressions: What You Don’t Know About How Others See You – Ann Demarais & Valerie White
First impressions matter say two PhD holders. But we knew that – especially for aspiring leaders. We live in the era of speed and you might not be given a chance to prove yourself a second time. This is why you always need to make good impression, not only at job interviews but also in day to day life.
Ann Demarais and Valerie White break down the first impression in seven fundamentals for you get a better idea how to perfect the first image that others see in you. First Impressions will help you develop fully your personal charm and avoid poor first impressions while giving you the opportunity to know yourself better and improve your brand.
5. Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction – Elizabeth Vargas
This is perhaps an unusual choice for this list of leadership books. Elizabeth Vargas writes a powerful and brave memoir about her struggles with anxiety that begun at 6 years old, without finding a way out and how she turned to alcohol for a little pick me up. She talks about the shame of being an alcoholic and the guilt of never finding the right path in her life.
Between Breaths is an inspiring memoir for all people who struggle from anxiety or turn to alcohol or drugs for a momentary escape from the harsh reality. This book is also about getting to terms with not finding the magic “balance” everyone talks about, and just surviving. Leadership can bring enormous pressures, skills in this book may help you deal with your own challenges, or simply help you to help someone working for you.
Next we bring you a list of relaxing (or not so relaxing) of Christmas related mysteries to enjoy.
