Management books you would recommend …

I’ve just realised the wonderful laziness of crowdsourcing.

Instead of preparing my own reading list, I can ask you all.

So I am interested in books that will improve my management style, will increase my creativity, will engage others. Below is the list of books I have waiting for me to read already. Please send me your suggestions for future reading and why you loved them.

Change by Design  by Tim Brown

This was recommended by a friend who is in learning technology. It also got a mention in various design or UX podcasts. The author Tim Brown is the CEO and President of IDEO, which appears to be some sort of cutting edge design thinking company. I hope by the time I have finished this book to have Design thinking fully explained to me 😉

Mindset The New Psychology of Success by Carol S Dweck, Ph.D.

Ok I’m attempting to get past the fact that the author needs to list her tertiary achievements on her book cover, as part of her name. Carol Dweck is a Stanford University psychologist who claims her research shows that a “growth” mindset will do more for your success than ability or talent. Obviously I’m hoping reading this book means I can stay on my sofa thinking positive thoughts and be more successful than when I got up and went to work each day and used my talents.

Leading Mindfully by Amanda Sinclair

Amanda is a management academic at University of Melbourne, whom I first discovered when reading the fabulously titled Leadership for the Disillusioned. Talk about book appearing at the right time! I just finished the Mindfulness in May program and am hoping this book helps me keep engaged in mindfullness whilst at work. I’m also hanging out for a women in leadership book she is currently working on with the inspiring Christine Nixon, due around July hopefully.

Good Morning Mr. Sarra by Chris Sarra

Heard Chris speaking about leadership and educating Australian indigenous children at a wonderful conference last week #wearecic  This is the story of his life journey so far, and what has led him to develop his ‘strong and smart’ philosophy for education. He is part of a growing number of voices arguing that diversity in education should mean approaching problems differently, not lowering standards and expectations. Will be a good challenge for me, as I am not sure extra pressure helps kids learn, and need to read more to see this philosophy more positively.

Hooked How leaders come to engage and inspire with storytelling by Gabrielle Dolan and Yamini Naidu

Last year I was part of a really well run mentoring program by CAVAL. The program included 4 different networking seminars for mentors and mentees, with a broad and interesting range of speakers. Gabrielle Dolan spoke to us about the need to communicate business ideas as stories, and she was practical, engaging and gave evidence for why this is important. Senior management in MPOW are abuzz with the power of business storytelling at the moment, so this could actually help me communicate better at work.

So if you have any suggestions please leave them in the comments for me.

I’m very interested in neuroscience at the moment, especially where intellectual concepts are communicated in plain English.