OFF THE SHELF
A virtual book club for the modern learner
What is a virtual book club?
Virtual book clubs allow and encourage people with similar interests to share and gain different perspectives in an effort to promote learning and engagement. Harvard Business Review ran an article about the benefits and popularity of corporate book clubs—saying that they can be good for the mind, good for leadership, and good for business.
Skillsoft’s Off the Shelf
Skillsoft’s OFF THE SHELF isn’t a typical book club… it’s a great benefit for employees and the entire organization. Designed for business professionals, OFF THE SHELF gives readers access to ebooks, audiobooks, and book summary content to enrich the learning experience.
Why Book Clubs Matter
FOSTER
The practice of reading and learning.
START
A provocative discussion.
GET TEAMS
Talking and listening to each other.
APPLY
Ideas and concepts to your business.
OFF THE SHELF Drives Learner Engagement by
BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE
DEEPENING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
PROMOTING THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS
The Solution
HAND SELECTED TITLES
- Key titles chosen from the Skillsoft library
- Offers a relevant and meaningful learning experience
MONTHLY BOOK SELECTIONS
- Learners can add the ebook, audiobook, or book summary to their playlist
- Flexibility to read or listen at their convenience
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
- Helps organizations support their own virtual book club discussions
- Readers can apply the book’s ideas and elevate the conversation
- Create and launch your own book club
- Align with corporate initiatives and themes
- Empower people to lead discussions and select topics and/or books
Take learning OFF THE SHELF.
Skillsoft created this virtual book club to support learning and engagement in your employees, your teams, and your organization. The Facilitator’s Guide makes it easy to launch homegrown book clubs in your company.
Launch Engagement and Discussion
Book clubs are good for your business. Many companies already use book clubs as a way to connect people around a central topic, get coworkers and colleagues talking and working together, and foster a culture of learning. Just imagine how a book club discussion can spark innovation, new ideas, and strengthen professional relationships.
Ready to Get Started?
ACCESS
The book, audiobook, or book summary on Skillport or Percipio.
JOIN US
For our next book club title and discussion questions.
Global Diversity Awareness Month
So You Want To Talk About Race
by Ijeoma Oluo | Seal Press, © 2018
So You Want To Talk About Race is a current, constructive, and actionable exploration of today's racial landscape, offering straightforward clarity that all races need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide.
Stamped from The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
by Ibram X. Kendi | Hachette Book Group, Inc., © 2017
In Stamped from the Beginning, Ibram X. Kendi presents a chronological account of racist ideas throughout history, tracing the roots of oppressive and separatist notions based on race back as far as ancient times.
Benefiting from Diversity and Working Across Cultures: Successfully Combining Different People and Ideas
by LID Editorial | LID Publishing, © 2015
Benefiting from Diversity and Working Across Cultures discusses how diversity can be a valuable differentiator which enables organizations to attract and retain the best people and helps them realize their full potential.
Diversity Beyond Lip Service: A Coaching Guide for Challenging Bias
by La’Wana Harris | Berrett-Koehler Publishers, © 2019
The ugly truth about diversity is that some people worry they must give up their power for others to have a chance. Harris’s method helps people realize that sharing power isn’t the same as losing it.
Unleash the Power of Diversity: Multi Cultural Competence for Business Results
by Debjani Mukherjee Biswas | Made for Success, © 2013
In Unleash the Power of Diversity, author
Debjani Mukherjee Biswas explains that developing a culturally diverse culture
is critical for business results in today’s increasingly global workforce. She
has developed groundbreaking new frameworks and offers practical guidance to
increase effectiveness through multi-cultural competence.
Inclusive Talent Management: How Business Can Thrive in an Age of Diversity
by Stephen Frost and Danny Kalman | Kogan Page Limited, © 2016
Organizations traditionally have had a clear distinction between their policies on diversity and inclusion and their talent management. Inclusive Talent Management aligns talent management and diversity and inclusion, offering a fresh perspective on why the current distinction between them needs to disappear.
Driven by Difference: How Great Companies Fuel Innovation Through Diversity
by David Livermore | AMACOM, © 2016
Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever before. But despite new perspectives and talents, the promise of increased innovation rarely materializes. Why are so few businesses seeing results? Driven by Difference identifies the management practices necessary to guide multicultural teams to innovation.
Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit
by Mary-Frances Winters | Berrett-Koehler Publishers, © 2020
This is the first book to define and explore Black fatigue, the intergenerational impact of systemic racism on the physical and psychological health of Black people. In this book, Mary-Frances Winters explores black fatigue, and explains why and how society needs to collectively do more to combat its pernicious effects.
October is Diversity Awareness Month
by ASL Global
Finding Your Way in the Hybrid Workplace
MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW ARTICLE ON REDESIGNING THE POST-PANDEMIC WORKPLACE
by MIT Sloan Management Review | © 2021, MIT Sloan Management Review
The world has experienced widespread disruption over the past year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the successful development and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, the timeline for when the so-called next normal will arrive is clearer. Leaders should begin to take steps to consider what the workplace will look like when it arrives.
There is no going back to the pre-pandemic workplace. Organizations and individuals have had no choice but to discover new ways of working. Many have reported successfully implementing years’ worth of digital transformation plans over the course of a few months. For example, mortgage loan company Freddie Mac implemented remote building inspection, and many health care providers pivoted rapidly to telemedicine. Even companies that needed to maintain a significant colocated workplace used digital innovations to improve employee and customer engagement and safety. For example, Hitachi adapted sensors to monitor social distancing in factories, and many restaurants quickly adopted virtual ordering and delivery services. Managers should begin asking themselves how they can build on such innovations to further transform their businesses instead of planning a return to ways of working that were becoming outdated and obsolete even before the pandemic.
THE NEW NORMAL: A ROADMAP TO RESILIENCE IN THE PANDEMIC ERA
by Jennifer Ashton and Sarah Toland | © 2021, William Morrow
Are you struggling to deal with the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you confused about what’s safe to do and what precautions you should be taking? Do you wonder if you should be isolating from family and friends, keeping your kids at home, or staying away from your elderly relatives? Maybe you’re one of the millions of people who lie awake worrying about falling ill? Whatever your situation and risk factors, you have no doubt been affected by the pandemic. This book is for anyone who wants to learn how to effectively manage both their physical and mental health and adjust their life to the new normal.
In The New Normal, Jennifer Ashton and Sarah Toland provide invaluable insight and advice on how to cope in a world that has been turned upside down, seemingly overnight, by the coronavirus. Their discussions illustrate the impact the virus has had on almost every aspect of life, and the anxiety, confusion, and stress that the pandemic has caused. Understanding that each and every person has experienced some form of loss and finds themselves in unfamiliar territory, the authors compassionately present an informative, reassuring, and practical guide on navigating the new reality we find ourselves in.
STRONGER THROUGH ADVERSITY: WORLD-CLASS LEADERS SHARE PANDEMIC-TESTED LESSONS ON THRIVING DURING THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES
by Joseph A. Michelli | © 2021, McGraw-Hill
COVID-19 has disrupted business and life in ways we never imagined. Within days of the outbreak, Joseph Michelli—the world-renowned business expert who has cracked the leadership codes of Starbucks, Airbnb, Mercedes-Benz USA, and many other top companies—went to work. He contacted 140+ senior leaders at major companies about their specific challenges and how they were meeting them—getting raw yet thoughtful real-time insights into a crisis that will define an entire generation of leaders.
The result is Stronger Through Adversity. In this business guide for our times, Michelli distills best leadership practices that can be used in any company, in any industry. The author provides a deep dive into the methods, tactics, and approaches leaders have used to keep their company afloat and to position it for success long after the pandemic.
ZOOM FOR DUMMIES
by Phil Simon | © 2020, Wiley
Have you ever wondered why it's so difficult to hold a videoconference or to share your screen with a colleague? We can put a man on the moon, but we can't seem to get videoconferencing right. At least until now…
More than 300 million people have seen the light in the form of Zoom, the world's hottest communications tool. Zoom for Dummies shows you how to get the most out of Zoom. Discover how to hold group video calls; install time-saving third-party apps; dramatically improve the way that you communicate and collaborate with your colleagues; enable Zoom roles, IM groups, user groups, and other advanced features; easily move from one communications medium to another; engage your audience with interactive webinars; secure Zoom from prying eyes; and much more.
PRODUCTIVITY IS FOR ROBOTS: HOW TO (RE)CONNECT, GET CREATIVE, AND STAY HUMAN IN THE NEW WORLD
by Corey McComb | © 2021, Independently Published
In an age of where technology is capable of producing work efficiently at an ever-increasing rate, what does that mean for the value of human productivity? Is there still room for humanity’s tendency to search for meaning and purpose in this fast-paced work reality? Productivity Is For Robots is for anyone who seeks to reinvent job fulfilment toward becoming so much more than just a cog in a capitalist machine.
In Productivity Is For Robots, Corey McComb suggests that we bring humanity, ingenuity, and purpose back into our understanding of what it means to be industrious. Presenting insightful lessons from great thinkers and artists through the ages, he proposes a mindset shift that incorporates our human need for connection and meaning as the new yardstick for gauging adequate work output.
MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW ARTICLE ON THE PANDEMIC’S LESSONS FOR MANAGING UNCERTAINTY
by MIT Sloan Management Review | © 2020, MIT Sloan Management Review
Following the experiences of four companies—Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Vodafone, Arup, and Artemis Connection—over the past several months, each is facing big unknowns. None of the leaders of these companies believes they have all the answers yet; all describe their organizations as being in motion.
While each company’s experience is unique, common themes are emerging that are proving crucial to their journeys: the importance of project management; the need to embrace trial and error; the floating of big, long-term questions; and an excitement to build on the upsides of this moment. This collection of articles illustrates the four themes through the lens of these companies.
HIJACKED BY YOUR BRAIN: HOW TO FREE YOURSELF WHEN STRESS TAKES OVER
by Julian Ford and Jon Wortmann | © 2013, Sourcebooks
Stress is not the enemy. In order to reduce stress, you have to understand why your brain causes you to feel stress and how you can take advantage of it to handle the high-stress people and situations in your life.
When stress takes over, and our better judgment and attempts to cope fail us, terrible things can happen, sometimes immediately, but often gradually. You don't notice until your life is in crisis, a relationship you deeply care about falls apart, or you wake up and realize you've lost track of how to be the person you know you can be.
But why does this happen? And what's the solution?
This groundbreaking book reveals the step missing in most stress reduction guides. We can't stop stress, but we can control the effect stress has on us.
MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW ARTICLE ON MANAGING STRESS AND EMOTIONS WHEN WORKING REMOTELY
by MIT Sloan Management Review | © 2020, MIT Sloan Management Review
As COVID-19 continues to spread around the globe, more of us are starting to make changes to the way we work. Google, Microsoft, Trader Joe’s, Gap, and United Airlines are among a growing number of US companies that have already acted to address their workers’ most immediate employment concerns stemming from the pandemic, including recommending or requiring employees to work from home, offering more paid sick leave, or maintaining wages in spite of reduced hours.
MIT SMR has spent the past four years studying the science of emotions and their intersection with our lives at work. In their research, they have spoken to thousands of remote workers around the world, and from these conversations—and their own personal remote work experiences—they can attest that feeling isolated is common when working from home. Living with uncertainty in the face of a pandemic makes the current situation even more stressful. Here, they’ve pulled together top tips for both tackling the challenges of remote work and managing stress and difficult emotions.
RETURNING TO WORK AFTER COVID-19
by McKinsey & Company
FUTURE OF WORK
by Accenture
HOW WE WORK: THE RETURN
by Accenture
PRIDE MONTH 2021
TRANSGENDER EMPLOYEES: CREATING AN INCLUSIVE WORK COMMUNITY
by Velsoft Training Materials | Courseware Company, LTD, © 2020
A safe, inclusive workplace in many jurisdictions is not just the law; it is a goal of every employee and company that values the contributions, well-being, and productivity of everyone in the organization. In society today, individuals are of many personal communities. In addition to heterosexual or “straight” there is also LGBTQI2SAP – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, 2S, for two-spirited: an indigenous concept of two sexualities within one body, asexual and pansexual. “Trans,” however, refers to gender identity, whereas the other terms describe primarily sexual orientation. The importance of understanding terms of identification is critical to creating and maintaining a safe workplace.
Transgender Employees: Creating an Inclusive Work Community introduces the importance and elements of safe, inclusive workspaces for Transgender persons—those identifying as a gender other than the one assigned at birth. This book offers an introduction to terminology, elements, policies, and resources to build and sustain a safe, inclusive environment for Transgender employees and increase the comfort level and productivity off all in your organization.
THE QUEER ADVANTAGE: CONVERSATIONS WITH LGBTQ+ LEADERS ON THE POWER OF IDENTITY
by Andrew Gelwicks | Hachette, © 2020
Curious about what it’s like to identify as LGBTQ+? Perhaps you’re interested in people’s experiences of coming out, forging relationships, and building careers as part of this minority group? Are you a LGBTQ+ person looking to embrace your identity with confidence and harness your full potential? This book is for anyone open to gaining advice and insights from the most successful members of the LGBTQ+ community.
In The Queer Advantage, Andrew Gelwicks powerfully documents question-and-answer sessions with 51 queer men and women in various industries: including sports, the arts, and business. This collection of discussions conveys the perspectives, memories, attitudes, experiences, and—most importantly, successes—of people who have fought hard against self-defeating thoughts and bias. In doing so, the author highlights how confronting one’s fears and confusion can pave the way to one’s best self.
GENDER AMBIGUITY IN THE WORKPLACE: TRANSGENDER AND GENDER-DIVERSE DISCRIMINATION
by Alison Ash Fogarty and Lily Zheng | Praeger, © 2018
Transgender and gender-diverse identities have received scrutiny in popular culture and prompted societal debates in the past two decades, but how much has really changed in terms of workplace inclusion and legal protection? For professionals in leadership positions, activists, or anyone working toward an unbiased society, this book offers a glimpse into the obstacles that trans and gender-diverse individuals still face, and what we can do about it.
In Gender Ambiguity in the Workplace, Alison Ash Fogarty and Lily Zheng explore the various forms of discrimination and prejudice that gender-diverse people struggle with in their careers and suggest practical strategies for organizations to become truly inclusive of all gender identities.
PRIDE LEADERSHIP: STRATEGIES FOR THE LGBTQ+ LEADER TO BE THE KING OR QUEEN OF THEIR JUNGLE
by Steven Yacovelli | Publish Your Purpose Press, © 2019
Do you want to hone your skills as an inclusive leader? Perhaps you’re looking for ways to diversify and interact with minority communities in a more meaningful and authentic way? Or maybe you’re ready to grow your emotional intelligence? Whether you’re a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community or a straight professional looking to add to your inclusive leader toolbox, this book will show you how to lead with pride.
Steven Yacovelli provides an understanding of how to capitalize on your natural leadership qualities to become a more well-rounded and influential leader. In Pride Leadership, Yacovelli examines vital traits—including authenticity, courage, and empathy—that you can refine on your path to leadership excellence.
MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW ARTICLE ON BUILDING EFFECTIVE CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT ON LGBTQ RIGHTS
by MIT Sloan Management Review | MIT Sloan Management Review, © 2019
Some company leaders still worry that engaging on LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) rights will invite criticism. Traditional wisdom suggests that addressing a still divisive subject may alienate those against same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ issues. The fear is that if enough customers, employees, or investors take offense, they could initiate boycotts, quit their jobs, or sell their shares, harming the company’s financial performance in the process.
This article from MIT Sloan Management Review reveals how companies supportive of LGBTQ employees and political policy have found that there is gold at the end of the equal-rights rainbow.
GAYME CHANGER: HOW THE LGBT+ COMMUNITY AND THEIR ALLIES ARE CHANGING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
by Jens Schadendorf | LID Publishing Ltd, © 2021
The LGBT+ community: for a long time marginalized, stigmatized, and criminalized—today the ultimate champions of creativity, diversity, and innovation in a highly competitive world. In addition, corporate social responsibility and ethical demands for inclusiveness have now become economic directives every organization would like to attain. Gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and queer individuals are symbols of diversity and economic power—true GaYme Changers developing the global economy faster and for the better.
Supported by up-to-date research and illustrated by
fascinating stories, Jens Schadendorf has traced the LGBT+ community and an
increasing number of their allies from across the globe to discover the start
of a revolution. It becomes clear, even in times of hostility, resistance, and
crisis, it is economically and ethically beneficial for companies and societies
everywhere in the world, to let LGBT+ members—individually and as part of
organizations—develop into dynamic forces rooted in new forms of cooperation
for ga(y)me changing results. Schadendorf shows investment in LGBT+ inclusion
delivers a return. It is good for business and society and the right thing to
do.
THE GLASS CLOSET: WHY COMING OUT IS GOOD BUSINESS
by John Browne | Harper Business, © 2014
Convinced that personal matters such as sexual orientation or gender identity have no place in business? Scared that outing yourself on the job may jeopardize your career? More than being a debate on the pros and cons of the so-called “coming out,” a rite of passage for LGBTQI+ individuals, this book is essential for all business leaders hoping to foster a culture of inclusion, respect, authenticity, and diversity in the workplace.
David Browne shares his vision for inclusive, diverse, and authentic workplaces in America, the UK, and the world over. This book, which is part memoir and part social commentary, offers valuable insight into the world of business for people who identify as being on the LGBTQI+ spectrum.
STAND UP TO STIGMA: HOW WE REJECT FEAR AND SHAME
by Pernessa C. Seele | Berrett-Koehler Publishers, © 2016
“Stigma” is a simple two-syllable word, yet it carries the weight of negative and often unfair beliefs that we hold about those who are different from us. Stigmas lock people into stereotyped boxes and deny us all the right to be our authentic and whole selves.
Dr. Pernessa Seele, a longtime public health activist who
started one of the first AIDS education programs in the 1980s, has crafted a
proven method to address stigma. This powerful book confronts stereotype
development, shows how to undo the processes and effects of stigma, and
explains how we can radically change cultural thinking on the individual,
interpersonal, and societal levels to put an end to stigmatization once and for
all.
I AM A MILLION DATA POINTS
by Splunk
INCLUSION STARTS WITH I
by Accenture
GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY AWARENESS DAY 2021
APPROACHABLE ACCESSIBILITY: PLANNING FOR SUCCESS
by Michael Dowden and Martine Dowden | Apress, © 2019
There are hundreds of millions of people who are being left out every single day on the web due to disability or circumstance. The purpose of web accessibility is to remove barriers and bring the information, services, and functionality of the web to as many people as possible so they can be included in this global community.
Approachable Accessibility makes the topic of web accessibility as approachable as possible to help every web professional become an accessibility advocate at their companies, on their projects, and in their communities. The authors go beyond the buzzword to explore the impact our designs and decisions have on real people, along with the ethical, legal, and financial incentives for accessibility prioritization.
ACCESSIBILITY FOR EVERYONE
by Laura Kalbag | A Book Apart, © 2017
In Accessibility for Everyone, author Laura Kalbag guides you through the accessibility landscape: understand disability and impairment challenges; get a handle on important laws and guidelines; and learn how to plan for, evaluate, and test accessible design.
Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned pro, Accessibility for Everyone will help you get sure footing on the path to designing with accessibility. Author Laura Kalbag is out to make the web a fairer place.
INCLUSIVE DESIGN FOR A DIGITAL WORLD: DESIGNING WITH ACCESSIBILITY IN MIND
by Regine M. Gilbert | © Apress, 2019
What is inclusive design? It means that your product has been created with the intention of being accessible to as many different users as possible. For a long time, the concept of accessibility has been limited in terms of only defining physical spaces. However, change is afoot: personal technology now plays a part in the everyday lives of most of us, and thus it is a responsibility for designers of apps, web pages, and more public-facing tech products to make them accessible to all. Our digital era brings progressive ideas and paradigm shifts—but they are only truly progressive if everybody can participate.
In Inclusive Design for a Digital World, multiple crucial aspects of technological accessibility are confronted, followed by step-by-step solutions from User Experience Design professor and author Regine Gilbert. Think about every potential user who could be using your product. Could they be visually impaired? Have limited motor skills? Be deaf or hard of hearing? This book addresses a plethora of web accessibility issues that people with disabilities face.
PRACTICAL WEB INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO ACCESS NEEDS
by Ashley Firth | Apress, © 2019
The web has to be inclusive. From Microsoft’s “inclusive design” movement—creating adaptive controllers for users with a range of disabilities—to Beyoncé’s site being sued for failure to be accessible, the importance of considering access needs is gaining mainstream attention. Recognizing and catering for a range of disabilities in our online platforms is key to achieving a truly inclusive web.
In Practical Web Inclusion and Accessibility, you’ll be guided through a broad range of access needs, the barriers users often face, and provided practical advice on how your sites can help rather than hinder. Going beyond advice tailored solely for developers, this book offers potential improvements for designers, developers, user experience professionals, QA and testers, so that everyone involved in building a website can engage with the concepts without the need to understand how to code.
DIGITAL OUTCASTS: MOVING TECHNOLOGY FORWARD WITHOUT LEAVING PEOPLE BEHIND
by Kel Smith | Morgan Kaufmann, © 2013
The blind person who tries to make an online purchase. The young girl who cannot speak due to a cognitive disability. The man confined to his home due to permanent injury. The single mother with a long-term illness who struggles to feed her family…
With so many people worldwide currently living with a disability, the term "outcast" covers numerous scenarios. Digital outcasts rely on technology for everyday services that many people take for granted. However, poorly designed products risk alienating this important (and growing) population.
Citing real-world case studies from healthcare to social science, Digital Outcasts examines the emerging legal and cultural impact of inclusive design.
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
FAST-TRACK YOUR LEADERSHIP CAREER
by Rashim Mogha | Women Lead Publishing, © 2018
Providing concrete examples on how to identify your superpower, this book will teach you how to build your brand, invest in yourself, navigate work politics, and build a support system that will propel you along the road to success.
Author Rashim Mogha’s career journey has come with its share of challenges. From a project manager passed over for a promotion, to holding progressive leadership roles at NIIT, VMWare, Amazon and Oracle, she’s devised a template for what worked for her (and what didn’t). In Fast-Track Your Leadership Career, Mogha shares that template so that you too can accelerate your climb up the leadership career ladder.
FAST-TRACK YOUR LEADERSHIP CAREER: A GUIDED JOURNAL
by Rashim Mogha | Rashim Mogha, © 2018
As a companion to Fast-Track Your Leadership Career, this Guided Journal features thought-provoking questions that allow you to assess and align your “superpower” to your own individual success.
Rashim Mogha’s career journey has been a winding road to ultimately discovering what made her happy. She kept a journal that she revisited any time she needed to find clarity in her life or when she needed to become more centered and more resilient. Most importantly, she used journaling to help her devise her roadmap to success. In this Guided Journal, she implores you to write down your thoughts, feelings, and successes and failures to help you realize your path to success.
THE CONFIDENCE CODE: THE SCIENCE AND ART OF SELF-ASSURANCE—WHAT WOMEN SHOULD KNOW
by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman | © HarperCollins, 2014
Why do so many women, even the most successful, struggle with feelings of self-doubt? Is there a secret to channeling our inner confidence?
Combining cutting-edge research in genetics, gender, behavior, and cognition, The Confidence Code provides an informative and practical guide to understanding the importance of confidence—and learning how to achieve it—for women of all ages and at all stages of their career.
DARE TO LEAD: BRAVE WORK. TOUGH CONVERSATIONS. WHOLE HEARTS
by Brené Brown | Random House, © 2018
In Dare to Lead, author Brené Brown provides a number of thought-provoking ideas on owning your fears, being daring instead of comfortable, and building an organizational culture that’s based on bravery and vulnerability. She effortlessly outlines the skills that underpin courageous leadership and shows how being vulnerable can actually help you on your way to leadership excellence.
HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD: THE BREAKTHROUGH MODEL FOR WORK AND LIFE
by Joanna Barsh, Susie Cranston, and Geoffrey Lewis | Tantor, © 2012
How Remarkable Women Lead shares an optimistic view of success and leadership. The authors discuss provocative issues such as whether feminine leadership traits (for women and men) are better suited for our fast-changing, hyper-competitive, and increasingly complex world.
Authors Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston—both McKinsey & Company Consultants—discuss the correlations between joy, happiness, and distinctive performance with their five-point model of Centered Leadership: meaning, framing, connecting, engaging, and energizing.
WOMEN CHANGE THE WORLD: NOTEWORTHY WOMEN ON CULTIVATING YOUR POTENTIAL AND ACHIEVING SUCCESS
by Michelle Patterson (ed) | BenBella Books 2014
Compiled by the president of the Global Women Foundation, Michelle Patterson, Women Change the World features essays from remarkable women such as Janet Bray Attwood, Dame DC Cordova, Wendy Lea, Sharon Lechter, Dr. Marissa Pei, and more. These women offer their wisdom and advice to other women who are just starting their professional careers or are looking to advance.
The essays in Women Change the World present sage advice from women in a variety of professions who want to inspire and guide other women in their personal development or philanthropic endeavors.
MASTERING YOUR INNER CRITIC AND 7 OTHER HIGH HURDLES TO ADVANCEMENT: HOW THE BEST WOMEN LEADERS PRACTICE SELF-AWARENESS TO CHANGE WHAT REALLY MATTERS
by Susan Mackenty Brady | McGraw-Hill, © 2019
We all have that little voice inside our heads that talk down to ourselves, tell us we aren’t good enough, or judge others. It’s our inner critic, and it can sabotage us from advancing in our careers (and lives) if we aren’t careful. The book also includes 7 other hurdles that may stand in your way of advancement, such as Bias, Clarity, and Recognized Confidence, to name a few.
Mastering Your Inner Critic and 7 Other High Hurdles to Advancement includes stories and strategies from high-powered, successful women in all stages of their careers to help you quiet that little voice inside your head so you can focus on the goals that matter to you.
ATHENA RISING: HOW AND WHY MEN SHOULD MENTOR WOMEN
by W. Brad Johnson and David Smith | Bibliomotion, © 2016
Many young women just entering the workforce or women in junior roles are often advised to find a mentor. Athena Rising is a book for men to understand how and why mentoring these women is important, and offers sage advice to men in executive or leadership roles for helping the women in their teams or organizations achieve success.
Authors W. Brad Johnson and David Smith believe that mentoring women is key to an organization’s long-term survival, and that by helping women thrive in the workplace, you'll change women's lives, improve the work environment, and make your organization more competitive.
GRIT: THE POWER OF PASSION AND PERSEVERANCE
by Angela Duckworth | Simon & Schuster, © 2016
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to succeed time and again, while others, regardless of their talents, seem to fall short? Enthusiasm and perseverance are essential qualities toward the pursuit of excellence; Grit shows you how to develop these qualities in order to achieve your fullest potential.
Is talent or passion what drives success? Grit is a compelling guide to becoming your best self in any life pursuit and encourages you to persevere and succeed in your chosen journey. Based on extensive research, Angela Duckworth offers sage advice for anyone who seeks guidance on working smarter and harder to achieve career fulfillment.
BREAKING THROUGH: STORIES AND BEST PRACTICES FROM COMPANIES THAT HELP WOMEN SUCCEED
by Martine Liautaud | Wiley, © 2016
Breaking Through shows you how useful mentoring is and guides you through how to best take advantage of it. Additionally, the book provides encouragement and inspiration for women entrepreneurs and leaders.
In Breaking Through, Liautaud makes a compelling case for the effectiveness of mentoring, with real women's stories of success.
CHAMPIONING WOMEN LEADERS: BEYOND SPONSORSHIP
by Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj and Kitty Chisholm
Examining the reasons why championing works and why it is so important for female executive development in particular, Championing Women Leaders is a user-friendly guide to developing workplace champions for female leaders in any organization.
In Championing Women Leaders, authors Janjuha-Jivraj and Chisholm share the stories of several women’s progress into leadership to demonstrate how these women raise the visibility of championship, and what power and value can be unleashed when women with great potential, the “ones to watch” (OTWs), are truly championed in every sense of the word.
BECOMING THE BOSS: NEW RULES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
by Lindsey Pollak | HarperCollins, © 2014
Becoming the Boss provides a guide for young professionals interested in leadership positions. Pollak has compiled everything she’s learned in her leadership career—both do’s and don’ts—to provide you with comprehensive information about how to be the best leader you can be, with a particular focus on your first months and years as the boss.
Pollak admits that the classic rules of leadership and success—such as confidence, intelligence, and charisma—will never really change; however, she asserts that a “revolution” is taking place on a myriad of fronts.
THE GENIUS HABIT: HOW ONE HABIT CAN RADICALLY CHANGE YOUR WORK AND YOUR LIFE
by Laura Garnett | Recorded Books, © 2019
Whether you’re just taking your first steps toward a career, or you’re a seasoned career veteran looking to inject some fresh energy into your position, Laura Garnett’s The Genius Habit shows you how the journey to finding long-term professional success and satisfaction starts with building the one habit that will make your career ambitions a reality.
The author believes that each one of us has a unique genius—a distinctive way of thinking and problem-solving we already possess. In this book, you’ll learn that tapping into your genius is less about changing yourself and more about cultivating the gifts you already have into a highly effective way of operating.
THE MECE MUSE: 100+ SELECTED PRACTICES, UNWRITTEN RULES, AND HABITS OF GREAT CONSULTANTS
by Christie Lindor | Tessi Media LLC, © 2018
Great consultants possess a je ne sais quoi that are equal parts confidence, passion, technical acumen, purpose, and charisma. Great consultants are authentically imperfect; they take life by the reins and forge ahead with certainty.
In The MECE Muse, author Christie Lindor presents selected practices of great consulting in three distinct categories: the mindset of great consultants, how great consultants are conditioned for success, and ways to create a sustainable consulting career.
BEING THE BOSS: THE 3 IMPERATIVES FOR BECOMING A GREAT LEADER
by Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback | Tessi Media LLC, © 2018
Linda A. Hill and Kent Lineback’s Being the Boss explains how to manage yourself, a network, and a team—the 3 Imperatives of Leadership—to help you ultimately master the most daunting challenges of leadership. Including inspiring stories and sage advice, the book offers a framework that’s robust enough to help you figure out where to focus your time and attention, as well as to continue to develop yourself and serve as a catalyst for your company’s continued success and growth.
Monthly Selections
Coming Soon
Crucial Conversations
by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Emily Gregory | McGraw-Hill Education, © 2021
Crucial Conversations provides powerful skills to ensure every conversation―especially difficult ones―leads to the results you want. It teaches readers how to be persuasive rather than abrasive, how to get back to productive dialogue when others blow up or clam up, and it offers powerful skills for mastering high-stakes conversations, regardless of the topic or person.
November 2021
CORPORATIONS COMPASSION CULTURE
by Keesa C. Schreane | Wiley, © 2021
Author Keesa Schreane delivers insight into what it takes for businesses to drive real social and corporate change toward inclusion and equity, while sharing her personal story about the challenges of being a woman of color in today’s corporate environment. Through hard work, talent, and—you guessed it—compassion, she has risen to become one of today’s luminaries in the area of responsible leadership in global corporations. Business executives, HR directors, diversity and inclusion professionals, and sustainability leaders will value her direct, no-nonsense approach.
October 2021
BLOCKCHAIN BASICS
by Daniel Drescher | Apress, © 2017
Blockchain Basics bridges the gap that exists between purely technical guides about the blockchain and purely business-focused guides. It does so by explaining both the technical concepts that make up the blockchain and their role in business-relevant applications.
You'll learn: what the blockchain is; why it is needed and what problem it solves; why there is so much excitement about the blockchain and its potential; major components and their purpose; how various components of the blockchain work and interact; limitations, why they exist, and what has been done to overcome them; and major application scenarios.
September 2021
The Work-Life Balance Myth
by David J. McNeff | © 2021, McGraw-Hill
“All of us have Seven Slices in our lives: our Family Slice, our Professional Slice, our Personal Slice, our Physical Slice, our Intellectual Slice, our Emotional Slice, and our Spiritual Slice. These all need to be served in some fashion―and in serving them, they, in turn, serve us.”
This relatively simple but profoundly critical concept is at the heart of the method executive coach David McNeff has used to transform the lives and careers of his clients. It begins with two important facts: 1) stress happens―you can’t avoid it; and 2) your existence is composed of far more than “work” and “life.”
The Work-Life Balance Myth won’t make your life
perfect―no one can do that, and you shouldn’t trust anyone who makes that
promise. What this book will do is provide you with proven new ways of framing
your life, seeing stress for what it is, and vastly improving your ability to
navigate the emotional challenges that will inevitably arise in a way that
serves your Seven Slices.
August 2021
The Infinite Leader
by Chris Lewis and Pippa Malmgren | Kogan Page, 2021
In years to come, people should be able to look back at 2020 and say it was the year that changed everything. There’s no doubt it will hold more than the usual memories. It was a vivid experience, where everything became heightened and exaggerated. If there was ever a time when leadership could be seen and assessed, this was it. Better than any MBA or training course, at both individual and group level, this was leadership put to the test repeatedly and relentlessly.
The Infinite Leader is a roadmap to introducing balance back into organizations. You can adapt your stance to the infinite possibilities facing you as a leader, and balance the main quadrants of the rational, emotional, spiritual and physical leader, to deliver sustainable leadership with integrity. Business is still about people—people operate across paradoxes and opposing forces, in a world that confounds these influences. Leaders need to continuously juggle and neutralize these to succeed. Be what your people need you to be and learn what they don't teach you in business schools; remain analytical and numbers-focused when needed, but also bring your heart, person and integrity to leadership.
JULY 2021
DEMANDING MORE
by Sheree Atcheson | Kogan Page, © 2021
Look around you. Is your workplace as diverse and accepting as it should be? From accusations of racism in high political office, award-winning actors admitting the sets they work on aren't inclusive, to everyday occurrences of sexism, agism, racism and more, we are far from where we need to be.
Demanding More moves beyond HR speak to clearly explain what diversity and inclusion are and what it means in the everyday experience of millions of people, both at work and in life. Sheree Atcheson, Global Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Peakon and ex Monzo, draws on her experience as a young woman of color in an overly white male tech environment; she lives and breathes the issues she writes about. In Demanding More, she calls out the lack of awareness around privilege, unchecked and unconscious biases and details what intersectionality does to feelings of discrimination and disadvantage.
JUNE 2021
THE LONG-DISTANCE TEAMMATE
by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel | Berrett-Koehler, © 2021
Written by the founders of the Remote Leadership Institute, The Long-Distance Teammate tackles three important issues: navigating the personal and interpersonal, growing the skills to be productive, and communicating effectively—all from a distance. In short, there is a big difference between working at home and being an effective member of a team. This practical guide describes that difference and allows you to be a great remote teammate.
May 2021
THE 5 DISCIPLINES OF INCLUSIVE LEADERS
by Andrés Tapia and Alina Polonskaia | Berrett-Koehler, © 2020
The 5 Disciplines of Inclusive Leaders focuses on the significance of embracing diversity in today’s globalized world and outlines the intricacies of establishing inclusionary work practices. While explicitly spelling out the five disciplines needed to become a D&I leader, the authors show how harnessing the hidden talent in diversity and fostering an inclusive culture makes for first-rate organizational growth.
April 2021
WORKINSPIRED
by Aron Ain | McGraw-Hill, © 2019
WorkInspired discusses ways to improve the company culture and explores how to become a more people-oriented leader. The author explains how this can be achieved through the three core competencies of character, competence, and collaboration. Author Aron Ain fervently advocates for family-oriented workplaces that value and trust employees toward building a mutually-beneficial organizational culture.
March 2021
THE FEARLESS ORGANIZATION
by Amy Edmondson
Written for leaders and teams, this step-by-step resource is filled with illustrative scenario-based examples and provides a clear path forward for implementing a culture that thrives on the free expression of ideas and nurturing engagement.
FEBRUARY 2021
THE PHOENIX PROJECT
by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford
In a fast-paced and entertaining style, three luminaries of the DevOps movement deliver a story that anyone who works in IT will recognize. Readers will not only learn how to improve their own IT organizations, they'll never view IT the same way again.
JANUARY 2021
CONTAGIOUS YOU
by Anese Cavanaugh
For anyone who’s sought to create change, or felt sucked into the drama and chaos of a toxic work environment, this book will advance the notion that everyone at an organization is a leader—for good or for bad—and that leaders have tremendous power to influence those who follow their example.
DECEMBER 2020
THE LONG-DISTANCE LEADER
by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel
As more organizations adopt a remote workforce, the challenges of leading at a distance become more urgent than ever. The cofounders of the Remote Leadership Institute show leaders how to guide their teams by recalling the foundational principles of leadership.
NOVEMBER 2020
SMARTCUTS
by Shane Snow
Delving into the reasons why some people and some organizations are able to achieve incredible things in implausibly short time frames, this thoughtful book shows how each of us can use "smartcuts" to rethink convention and accelerate success.
OCTOBER 2020
7 LENSES
by Linda Fisher Thornton
Offering a clear, actionable road map for leading ethically, this book takes us beyond the triple bottom line to ethical leadership, and provides 14 Guiding Principles that help us honor them.
SEPTEMBER 2020
BRIDGING DIFFERENCES FOR BETTER MENTORING
by Lois J. Zachary & Lisa Z. Fain
In Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring, the authors provide insights on how to improve the development and growth of individuals through successful mentoring.
AUGUST 2020
THE MECE MUSE
by Christie Lindor
Great consultants possess a je ne sais quoi that are equal parts confidence, passion, technical acumen, purpose, and charisma. Great consultants are authentically imperfect; they take life by the reins and forge ahead with certainty.
JULY 2020
DIVERSITY BEYOND LIP SERVICE
by La’Wana Harris
The ugly truth about diversity is that some people worry they must give up their power for others to have a chance. Harris’s method helps people realize that sharing power isn’t the same as losing it.
JUNE 2020
FANOCRACY
by Reiko Scott, David Meerman Scott
In Fanocracy, the authors examine how to create a “fandom”—a band of loyal patrons who share a common interest, and they present handy steps to create your own “fanocracy.”
MAY 2020
THINK LIKE AMAZON
by John Rossman
In Think Like Amazon, author John Rossman reveals how to think strategically and innovatively in order to become a forerunner in today’s digital age.
APRIL 2020
VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP
by Penny Pullan
Virtual Leadership explores the challenges associated with working remotely, and guides you on how to lead virtual teams.
MARCH 2020
THE TECHNOLOGY FALLACY
by Gerald C. Kane, Anh Nguyen Phillips, Jonathan R. Copulsky, Garth R. Andrus
In The Technology Fallacy, the authors discuss ways in which companies can respond successfully to digital disruption.
FEBRUARY 2020
SEEING DIGITAL
by David C. Moschella
In Seeing Digital, the author discusses the coming digital storm and the ways in which companies and individual employees can prepare themselves for success.
NOVEMBER 2019
ADAPTIVE SPACE
by Michael J. Arena
Adaptive Space explores how organizations can become successful by acclimating to a dynamic business landscape.
OCTOBER 2019
BRING YOUR HUMAN TO WORK
by Erica Keswin
In Bring Your Human to Work, author Erica Keswin explores the ways in which being a better human can positively impact business, the workday, and the bottom line.