Learning Never Stops
You can never learn enough especially if you want to rock at work. I’ve found the more I think I know - the more questions I have. Through the years, I’ve found that to grow and develop at work I need to keep learning new skills. I’m at my best when learning. This is why I encourage everyone to know their strengths and know your stuff.
Perhaps the easiest way to keep learning is to read. After all, it’s been said that leaders are readers. Reading leadership books and biographies are both entertaining and inspiring. Reading provides a lot of benefits. Things like lower stress levels, better decision-making abilities and improved ability to focus. In college, I learned that these brain benefits are not simply from reading biographies. You get the same boost of cognitive benefits reading anything. I used to read in the student union at Dana College simply to practice focusing on the book and not the people.
Recently, I’ve not had the time to read as I’d like. So, I’ve started listening to audiobooks. I’ve experienced similar benefits by listing and learning that way. I’ve enjoyed finding my way with authors like Alden Mills, Oprah, John Maxwell, and Maria Forleo. I like to connect with voices I’m familiar with as it seems to make for a better learning experience.
To celebrate the brilliant brain benefits of books I thought I’d share my top 10 reads of 2019
Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World By: Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall
Big Potential: How Transforming the Pursuit of Success Raises Our Achievement, Happiness, and Well-Being By: Shawn Achor
The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose By: Oprah Winfrey
Unstoppable Teams: The Four Essential Actions of High-Performance Leadership By: Alden Mills
It’s the Manager: Gallup finds the quality of managers and team leaders is the single biggest factor in your organization’s long-term success By: Jim Clifton and Jim Harter
Everything is Figureoutable By: Marie Forleo
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups By: Daniel Coyle
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear By: Elizabeth Gilbert
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life By: Jen Sincero
Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service By: The Disney Institute (Author), Theodore Kinni (Author)