Reading is consistently one of the best things you can do to focus the mind and motivate yourself. There is so much to learn from a variety of business and self-care experts. It really is a shame not to be educating yourself even if you’ve been out of school for many years. To really help focus your mind and boost your mood, give one of these top picks a read.
Stronger: Develop the Resilience You Need to Succeed by George Everly, Douglas Strouse, and Dennis McCormack
Interested to learn why professional athletes, surgeons, and first responders are all able to perform remarkable feats in the face of intense stress? This book provides insight into what makes professionals stronger. Why some thrive under pressure, while others succumb. The authors explain that what separates the two is attitude. Resilient people meet adversity head-on and bounce back from setbacks. They are able to build an inner strength that is capable for anyone to do with the right tools and resources. Stronger identifies five factors that unlock deep reserves of personal power, including active optimism, decisive action, an unwavering moral compass, and the interpersonal support that provides strength from those around you.
Overall, the book Stronger explores the science behind resilience and explains how you can help your team and yourself develop this vital trait.
How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People by Les Giblin
This classic book was originally published in 1956, but it still provides the insight that today’s leaders swear by. It takes a “brass tacks” approach to communication to explain how to interact with others as they really are, not as you would rather they be. In leadership roles, this can be an important distinction. Giblin illustrates that the goal of conversations is to get what you want from individuals, whether that’s cooperation, goodwill, love or security. The author is a a recognized expert in human relations, and breaks down his method for dealing with people by relating to them. He provides a step by step guide detailing how to get what you want from your interactions in a positive way that creates a win-win situation. Overall, this book provides a roadmap to leadership success that is essential to working in a collaborative work environment.
Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell
Described as Maxwell’s first and most enduring book on leadership, Developing the Leader Within You provides the principles and practices that everyday leaders need to succeed in business and in life. His admiration for the leaders of the world comes through clearly in his definition of what a leader is, the traits they share, the goals and mission they should act toward, and how they are called to inspire other. Read this book to understand leadership principles on their most enlightening level.
How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Another leadership classic, Carnegie’s book is considered by many to be one of the first best-selling self-help books of all time. In it, the author gives instruction in how to handle people, win friends, and convince people to align themselves to your way of thinking. Carnegie combines his personal insights and truisms with psychological methodology to provide leaders with a handbook in human relations which is both interesting and accessible.
