The Resilience Engine > Reading recommendations for busy managers and leaders

Summer Reading Recommendations from the Resilience Engine Community of Practice 2018

Browse this list, see what takes your fancy and enjoy indulging in rest, replenishment and re-energising!

 

 

“Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker – Firm favourite of the community! Recommended by many of our practitioners: Jacqueline Heron, Alison Kane, Jenny Campbell

 

10 things you may not know about laughter By Prof Sophie Scott, University College London. – Alison Kane

 

I like this article with quick practical tips around maintaining energy and staying focussed at work. – Kaaren Brook

 

“Eat, Move Sleep” by Tom Rath – Leigh Bowman-Perks

 

 “The 4 Pillar Plan: How to Relax; Eat; Move; Sleep Your Way to a Longer, Healthier Life 2018” by Dr Rangan Chatterjee – Alyson Ainsworth

 

“Busy-How to thrive in a world of too much” by Tony Crabbe –This book encourages you to stop trying to manage your time and instead to manage your priorities and your focus! Mary Evans

 

Steven Steps To Improve Your People Skills. Neil Mullarkey – Sensible and not sensible.Funny, giggly so actually at times. Perspective on why we can be so caught up in being BIG leaders. Getting it back to the real stuff. Thanks Neil! Jenny Campbell

 

 

You’ve Gone Too Far This Time, Sir!  Danny Brent

I heard Danny Brent recently. What an incredible story all round. This is just the first of many books. Think fear, difficulty, happiness , goodness, purpose and humankind. Fab.Jenny Campbell

 

“Touching the Void” by Joe Simpson

A true story of survival in the mountains based on a failed expedition in 1988. It is primarily the story about Joe, how with a broken knee and abandoned by his friend he descends one of the highest peaks in the Andes.  Whilst obviously a physical survival story it is equally if not more about his mental and emotional resilience to get himself down the mountain on all fours. Even if it took singing Boney M songs!  Recommended to highlight the importance and power of self talk/ inner voice. Jules Szwagrzak

 

“The Art of Happiness – A handbook for living” by HH Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler

Another favourite:

  • It’s a great read and one to help keep resilience up. Kiran Sondhi
  • I picked this book up again as part of my reading for my Resilience accreditation programme having first read it over 10 years ago.  The book explores some of the tension between Western modes of rational analysis vs. phenomena that you cannot account for and this reminds me of the ‘7’ Internal Resources of The Resilience Engine® and the need to stay aware of our positioning in times of lower resilience so as to enable an appropriate re-balancing strategy. His philosophy is that ‘the purpose of our existence is to seek happiness’ and that essentially ‘happiness is determined more by one’s state of mind than by external events’ and ‘it is a function of how we perceive our situation, how satisfied we are with what we have’.  Again, I see links to deepening awareness of what interrupts our state of mind throughout the journey along The Resilience Dynamic®.  One of my favourite passages is about the nature of happiness vs. pleasure and the check-in with ourselves about ‘Will this (course of action) bring me happiness?’ could as easily be ‘Will this (course of action) renew or deplete my current level of resilience?’.  Food for thought indeed! Yvette Elcock

 

“Legacy” by James Kerr

Lessons learnt from the All Blacks for leadership and business.  Not just for rugby fans! Sandra Flanigan

 

 

“Time to Think” by Nancy Kline;
Another favourite

  • This book makes the business case that quality thinking time leads to quality outcomes.Jan Juillerat
  • Demonstrates that given the right conditions, how 10 minutes of quality thinking can transform. Jenny Campbell

 

“On Form” by Jim Loehr& Tony Schwartz;
This book explores how we can enhance our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy. Clare Wilson

 

“Sane” by Emma Jones
This book charts the author’s investigation into developing her own self-help programme to strengthen her mind.  Emma Jones is a science journalist and links to quite a lot of useful research in the bibliography.  The chatty style of the book makes it a great summer read and the short list of was in which you can support your own wellbeing is manageable.  I enjoyed the book as it reminded me that the changes that I am making to develop my mind is integral to building my own resilience. Samantha Jayasuriya

 

“Secrets of Resilient People” by John Lees
Good ‘hot tips’ handbook on resilience. Alyson Ainsworth

 

“The Chimp Paradox-The mind management programme for confidence, success and happiness” by Prof Steve Peters
This is a funny and easy read that helps you notice when you are reactive and encourages you to become more reflective and to better manage your mind. Mary Evans

 

“Still Moving – how to lead mindful change” by Deborah Rowland Amanda Spark

 

“Hell Week” by Erik BetrandLarssen;
What intrigued me once I got past the title, was the dust jacket that described being the best possible version of yourself over the period of one week.  Overall the message is sound and as a way of reflecting on what you do best in your life, it is a quick and interesting read. Samantha Jayasuriya

 

“Everything I’ve ever done that worked” by Leslie Garner
Orla Scott

 

“Psychologies” by Real Strength Capstone.
Ailie MacPherson

 

Something I use a lot as a reference is Google’s research into what makes the most effective teams which is great reading for leaders. Kate Rees