Summer Reading List
Summertime is a great time to do practically nothing at all. It's too hot for motivation! While it would be an easy time to let my intellectual pursuits fall by the wayside, I've opted for the below instead of a trashy beach read. I'd love to hear what you're currently reading in the comments!
The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
Moving from independent contributor to manager is a tricky transition for anyone, and equally tricky is becoming a manager in a new company or division. This book was written to help these folks manage the process more easily, both in helping the reader understand the situation they are about to enter, as well as understanding their own methods and perspectives better. This is a great read for anyone who will find themselves in a similar scenario, or for the managers and leaders who will assist them.
We live in a culture that, bafflingly, rewards one-upsmanship, aspirational living through reality stars, and acting like your life is the greatest, even when it is possibly not. It has an effect not just on ourselves, but also how we lead at work, parent, and act as a friend to others. What Brene Brown has done with her book is to show the reader what vulnerability truly means, and teaches us how to integrate it into our lives without sacrificing sanity at the same time. In addition to the book, Dr. Brown has a great website with resources for those who would like to learn more. You can get a taste of what she is all about through her TED Talk as well.
What Works: Gender Equality By Design by Iris Bohnet
After having spent so much time learning about the gender wage gap, I have found myself wanting to move from the discovery phase of the process to problem-solving. As I uncovered, however, the method of solving this problem is not yet a known. In this book by Iris Bohnet, the biggest offender in causing the wage gap, unconscious biases, are tackled head-on, providing ways to take the potential for bias out of companies, and making the workplace a bit more fair for everyone.
