By Jane Terepocki, CHRP

That leaders are readers is a common hallmark of many business biographies. Moreover, while what leaders read varies widely, the why of it, and the results, shine through in the companies—and company—they keep.

For HR professionals, reading and leading go hand in hand, and more often than not, the book in hand for HR is a business book. We read to get useful ideas, insights, and solutions that keep us informed and competitive in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world.  In the process, we thrive and become better business leaders as we commit to lifetime learning.

Here are seven books from my own shelf that have changed minds and organizations alike.

Outliers
by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell transforms the way we understand success by arguing that the true story of success is very different than commonly perceived.  He argues that if we want to really understand why some people thrive, we should look more deeply into their finer details of their past—even their birth date. Gladwell presents a fascinating and provocative blueprint for making the most of human potential.

Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead
by Cheryl Sandberg

Sandberg’s famous 2010 TED talk, ‘Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders’, was the catalyst that sparked Lean In groups, events, educational and corporate partnership—and this book. In Lean In Sandberg shares her personal stories, uses research to illuminate gender differences, and offers practical advice to help women achieve their goals. Lean In challenges us to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what we can do, and serves as a rallying cry to create a more equal world.

The Happiness Advantage
By Sean Achor

Most people believe that once they are successful: get the promotion, pay off their mortgage or get the corner officer, then they’ll be happy.  The Happiness Advantage is a must-read for everyone trying to excel in a world of increasing workloads, stress, and negativity.  The Happiness Advantage isn’t only about how to become happier at work it is also about how to reap the benefits of a happier and more positive mind-set to achieve the extraordinary in our ordinary lives.

11 Rules for Creating Value in the @socialera
Nilofer Merchant

This book offers new rules for value creations, leading, and innovation in our rapidly evolving world.  Innovative ideas: such as forsaking hierarchy and control for collaboration; getting the most out of all talent; allowing our customers to become co-creators in our organization; inspiring employees through purpose in a world where money alone no longer exerts that power; and soliciting community investment in an idea so that it can take hold and grow and allow companies to be nimble and adjust instead of stagnating and dying are at the core of this book.   Merchant asserts that the strategies of the industrial era—or even the information age—will not be enough for the social era.

Human Resources Champions
By Dave Ulrich

The roles of human resource professionals must be redefined to meet the competitive challenges organizations face now and in the future. Ulrich provides a framework that identifies four distinct roles of human resource professionals: strategic player, administrative expert, employee champion, and change agent. A shift of these professionals’ mentality from “what I do” to “what I deliver” must be made so the human resources specialist is relevant is today’s business world.  Specifically, Ulrich makes recommendations on how individuals in human resources can successfully partner with line managers to make organizations more competitive.

An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
By Chris Hadfield

When Chris Hadfield was nine years old and there were no Canadian astronauts, he decided to become one after watching the Apollo 11 moon landing with his family on Stag Island, Ontario.  This book is the culmination of lessons learned in his journey to become an astronaut. He teaches us to turn commonly held advice on its proverbial head—don’t visualize success, do care what others think, and always sweat the small stuff.  While you may not desire to become an astronaut, Hadfield’s vivid and refreshing insights will teach you how to think like one, and will leave you reaching for the stars.

Thinking Fast and Slow
By Daniel Kahneman

Thinking Fast and Slow has the power to transform the way we think about thinking. Engaging the reader in lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. The Economics Nobel Memorial prize winner provides practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives. Kahneman also shares different techniques to guard against the mental hiccups that often get us into trouble.

Jane Terepocki, CHRP is a recruiter and trainer in the human resources department at Mountain Equipment Co-op (mec.ca)—Canada’s leading outdoor retailer.

(PeopleTalk Spring 2014)