If you know me, it’s no secret to you that my two favorite hobbies are triathlon and books. I owe the latter to my father who always had a huge, and still growing, library at home. In his words: “Reading is like having the opportunity to have a chat with the author”.
My favorite topics are Personal Development and Business. Here is the list of books I’ve read in 2023, along with my takeaways and what I've specially enjoyed.
Radical Candor (Kim Scott)
My takeaway: The tools and strategies for aiming for the right balance between challenging team members directly, through honest communication, while still caring personally for them.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The author's difficult discussions with Larry Page (Google’s Co-Founder).
Never Split the Difference (Chris Voss)
My takeaway: The negotiation strategies, such as the use of calibrated questions and the power of silence, to obtain advantage in negotiation scenarios.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The author’s FBI hostage negotiation stories and how he encourages us to seek for “win-win” outcomes.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Patrick Lencioni)
My takeaway: The importance of actively striving against lack of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results.
I’ve specially enjoyed: How entertaining it is to read this book, since it is a tale about a fictional CEO joining and saving a struggling tech company.
The Magic of Thinking Big (David J. Schwartz)
My takeaway: How our thoughts and beliefs play a major role in our actions and, consequently, their respective outcomes.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The chapter around “excuses” and how they are linked to fear (of failure, criticism and the unknown).
The Fearless Organization (Amy Edmondson)
My takeaway: The importance of acknowledging and challenging the fear in teams, in a way to strive for a psychologically safe environment. This is the key enabler to the now popular “fail fast and learn fast” concept.
I’ve specially enjoyed: How the author started from a completely different assumption around the elements that compose an effective team (clear goals and skilled individuals) and reached her empirical conclusion based on multiple renowned corporation examples.
The Coaching Habit (Michael Bungay Stanier)
My takeaway: The powerful questions (like the famous Facebook “What is on your mind?”). The strategy of “ask a question, then shut up and listen”.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The challenges leaders face when adopting a coaching approach.
Ikigai (Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia)
My takeaway: The habits (community life, healthy diet, purpose, passion, structured daily rituals, resilience and active lifestyle) of the centenarians from the Japanese island of Okinawa.
I’ve specially enjoyed: All the tips around teas and food. I made it a habit, which I am enjoying a lot, to drink a bottle of green tea while driving to work.
Inovação Emocional / Emotional Innovation (Heloísa Capelas)
My takeaway: Heloísa is a personal friend and someone I admire and look up to a lot. In this book she claims that we not only generate organic and recyclable waste but also emotional waste, which significantly impacts ourselves and our relationships.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The strategies to identify our childhood beliefs that fuel negative behaviors and how to “recycle” them (find new ways of dealing with old challenges).
The Power of Fun (Catherine Price)
My takeaway: How fun isn’t immature, selfish nor spending time on the many easily available tech-distractions (Netflix, Instagram, etc.). How it gives us more energy and, consequently, makes us more productive.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The formula (Yes. I’ve enjoyed a formula for learning about Fun): Playfulness, Connection and Flow.
Houden van dingen die niet perfect zijn / Love for Imperfect Things (Haemin Sunim)
My takeaway: The importance of navigating life with self-compassion and self-awareness.
I’ve specially enjoyed: The author’s (Korean Buddhist monk) personal anecdotes and mindfulness teachings.
How about you? What were your favorite books from 2023?
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