Flow (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)
A wondeful insight into what makes us happy. Not a “touchy feely” self help book but but a powerful consideration and analysis.
Rating: Must Read
Creativity (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi)
An offshoot of “Flow” this is an equally powerful consideration of the conditions that promote and sustain creativity.
Rating: Excellent
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)
This is a more “touchy feely” approach to personal development, but a very good text for all that. Written in an evangelical tone it does however outline succinctly a range of disciplines and approaches to effective personal development.
Rating: Worthwhile
Risk: The Science of Politics and Fear (Dan Gardner)
An outstanding critique of the way that the intersection of increasingly available media, modern pressures and the psychological drivers of fear combine to create the conditions in which we find it difficult to accurately assess risk, see fear at every level, and are open to the manipulation of our own understanding of events and risks as never before.
Rating: Must Read
Mindset (Carol S. Dweck)
A leading proponent of positive psychology, Carol Dweck looks at the mindsets adopted by people and how changing these can affect performance. Not one of my favourites but a worthwhile read.
Rating: Worthwhile
The Element (Ken Robinson & Lou Aronica)
I have to confess to being a fan of Ken Robinson, started by seeing his talk on TED.com. This book is an extension of that talk but goes into greater depth. It is both practical and, I find, inspiring. The Element looks at how people perform when passion meets capability and what can stop that from happening.
Rating: Must Read
Time to Think (Nancy Kline)
An approach to recognising the power (and scarcity) of the thinking process and how it can be facilitated.
Rating: Worthwhile
Simplicity (Edward de Bono)
A very worthwhile look at the undervalued worth of simplicity. Very readable, and left me slight embarassed at how complex we make things.
Rating: Good
Science of Fear (Dan Gardner)
An excellent and readable review of how fear works and how it is used. Very relevant.
Rating: Excellent
Presence (Peter Senge)
A follow-on to “Fifth Disciple” and a long look of awareness. Read it once, need to read it again.
Rating: Must Read
Man’s Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl)
The seminal work on man’s ability to survive from one who survived the holocaust.
Rating: Must Read
The Inner Game of Stress (W. Timothy Gallwey)
From the master of the “inner game” a well written and timely book on stress.
Rating: Excellent
Learning from Burnout (Casserley and Megginson)
An excellent piece on organisations whose “people are their greatest asset” often do to them , and how to survive it.
Rating: Excellent
Wherever you go, there you are (Jon Kabet-Zinn)
An introduction to mindfulness. Don’t knock it.
Rating: Excellent
