At a time when information is available to us 24/7 in Twitter-esque increments, taking the time to read an entire book is becoming increasingly rare. However, reading—versus just gathering information in bits—stretches our mental capacity, improves our health and is linked to happiness. Moreover, as an activity, reading remains a great source of building imagination, innovation and resilience, while makes better leaders the world over.

Tribe of Mentors: Short Live Advice from the Best in the World
by Timothy Ferris
Timothy Ferris, author of The Four Day Work Week, has put together a brilliant collection of interviews with over 100 eclectic leaders and personalities from all over the world. From corporate CEOs to Hollywood celebs, religious and world leaders, brilliant thinkers, innovators and writers. The content is presented Q&A style and each interview contains questions one might ask of a mentor or successful person. It’s not necessarily a cover-to-cover read, but more a book you can dive into in many ways. Read it when you have an hour or 10 minutes. Tribe of Mentors is a treasure trove of life and business advice from which anyone can benefit.

Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within
by Robert E. Quinn
In Deep Change, Robert Quinn walks the reader through four segments on the topic of change. He describes why deep change is necessary for individuals and organizations to experience in order to maintain powerful advantages in the workplace and in life. The book takes the reader through the elements of personal change, organizational change and leadership in the change process. The last part of the book looks at the necessity of risk for growth, confronting deeply rooted “undiscussable” subjects and the importance of continual transformation. Each chapter ends with a series of deeply insightful and challenging discussion questions.

Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days
by Chris Guillebeau
The premise of a side hustle is “the creation of an additional income stream without giving up your day job.” Guillebeau has launched more than a dozen side hustles in his career and is inspired by helping others do the same. This is a practical, day-by-day guide that takes the reader from generating ideas to generating income. For some, it’s an exit strategy from their day job, as their side hustle grows to replace their income. For others, it stays a side hustle, providing extra income alongside their day job. With so many people finding it hard to make ends meet, it’s an interesting movement taking on huge momentum all over the world. Guillebeau makes it easy and doable.

Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time
by Susan Scott
A classic business read, Susan Scott’s Fierce Conversations has been around since 2002 and remains a relevant, practical guide to navigating difficult and important conversations. In an era where conversations are text-sized and feelings are reduced to emojis, Scott’s book is more important than ever. Our conversation skills are shrinking and yet the need for good conversations is still vital. The book outlines seven principles of fierce conversations and takes a deep dive into each. With great stories and examples, it’s an easy read, even if the application is not. The principles in this book are powerful and generate great insights to help the reader engage in robust, meaningful conversations.

Rework
by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
An edgy book that goes against conventional business wisdom and makes a case for a better, easier way to succeed in business. Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hanson talk about how to be more productive, get exposure without breaking the bank, and other counterintuitive ideas that inspire and provoke. Rework is a book for anyone who’s found that traditional business strategies don’t work for them. The book provides practical advice grounded in concrete doing rather than theorizing or philosophizing. If you’re interested in a fresh way to look at business and are willing to go against the flow to accomplish what you desire, this book may be for you.

(PeopleTalk Spring 2018)