Before I go to bed, on a raining day or when I am alone, I like to read. From Fantasy Books to Magazines. However, after finishing university I started reading more self-help and professional books. Since then I have read numerous books. As such, I want to share the list below with you which I believe is worth reading when you are interested in professional development.
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
Should need no introduction. It is the book on productivity and effectiveness in your daily work. It rests on the idea of moving planned tasks and projects out of the mind by recording them externally and then breaking them into actionable work items. This allows attention to be focused on taking action on tasks, instead of recalling them.
- Strenghts Finder by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton
A self-help book about finding your own talents which result in an individual’s tendency to develop certain skills more easily and excel in certain fields in a sustainable way while failing or not being able to sustain success or high levels of effectiveness in other fields. However, note that each talent also has pitfalls.
- One Minut Manager by Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson
A very short book about three techniques of an effective manager: one-minute goals, one-minute praisings and one-minute reprimands.
- I don’t have to make everything all better by Gary B. Lundberg & Joy S. Lundberg
A book about effective communication with your partner, children, friends, parents, colleagues and anyone else. The book addresses an all too common dilemma that arises when others expect you to solve their problems for them. The book is refreshingly straightforward and inspiring using entertaining.
- Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter & Holger Rathgeber
A must read about change management. It tells the story of a colony of penguins facing a dilemma. But contained within the story and the characters is a powerful message about the fear of change and how to motivate people to face the future and take action.
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Like Getting’s Things Done and the One-Minute-Manager, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a self-help book about effectiveness. As the title says it explains 7 habits how one self can be more effective in both personal as professional life. It is a bestselling book and a must read for everyone who wants to work in becoming more effective.
- The Emotional DNA by Pierre Capel
The book to understand emotions and where they come from. Feelings namely do not exist, they emerge. When we talk about our feelings, we know exactly what we are talking about. But if we want to know how they emerge, where they come from and what they do to us, then we are not so sure. For many people, feelings are like a fog that floats through our body. But is that true? Feelings are linked to a rock-solid biochemistry, that has an enormous impact on our functioning.
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Twenty-Five Hundred years ago, Sun Tzu wrote this classic book of military strategy based on Chinese warfare and military thought. Since that time, all levels of military have used the teaching on Sun Tzu to warfare and civilization have adapted these teachings for use in politics, business and everyday life. The Art of War is a book which should be used to gain advantage of opponents in the boardroom and battlefield alike. The Art of War is still a recommended read for military officers in training.
- How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie
The bestselling book of Dale Carnegie’s about proper day-to-day communication. Its advice has remained constant and applicable across the years for a reason. It’s simple and his techniques make perfect sense. Definitely a must-read.