‘Best of the Bookshelf’ List – What to read and watch in 2020 to stay on top of trends in leadership, business, and psychology

“Hindsight is not 20/20. It’s 20/200.” This means, when we look back at events that happened, we start crafting narratives. That’s way deep, right? It’s because of insights like these (I am quoting a CBODN Book Club participant) that I spend the first Wednesday of every month at CBODN Book Club. They are my peeps! (And I don’t mean that in any kind of exclusive way. You’re welcome to join us!)

It’s no secret that I love staying on top of trends am hungry for the latest research in neuroscience, leadership, and psychology—and that there’s NEVER enough time to read ALL the books. For this reason, about 20 years ago now, I started a "Cliff's Note" club format for our book club. In other words, it's a book club where there's no pressure to read the book to participate. Instead, the presenter prepares a talk about the books and shares the highlights and insights with the rest of us—who get to sit back and soak it in. (It’s a great format, and the discussion summaries are posted to the In the Know portal each month. Check it out!)

Well, that’s the format for every month except for December. In December, we sit around a big table covered in sugary treats and share books, articles, podcasts, etc., that have caught our eyes recently…or that we remember fondly from years past. It’s our ‘Best of the Bookshelf’ list and it’s too good to keep to myself. Here’s a sample platter…for the full buffet, head to the In the Know portal.

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What to Read in 2020 - To Stay  In the Know

Leadership & The Presidency

• Doris Kerns Goodwin: Leadership in Turbulent Times. This book spotlights Lincoln, Roosevelt, and other presidents. The author talks about each president’s leadership qualities as demonstrated in early life/childhood, and how personal crises affected/shaped their leadership abilities. She talks about the behaviors and competencies that served them well – including skills such as storytelling and empathy.
• Michael Siegel: The President as Leader. In this book, Siegel discusses the structure, politics, and policies of recent American presidents, from Jimmy Carter through Donald Trump.

Feedback & Listening

• Douglas Stone, Sheila Heen: Thanks for the Feedback. There are many books about giving feedback; this book will help those of us who are not good at receiving feedback. This one-hour Google video features the authors presenting about the book. There’s also an HBR article that summarizes the approach outlined in the book.
• Rebecca Shafir: The Zen of Listening. Trained as a speech pathologist, the author explores the mechanics and behavior of what is happening with speech. In this book she explores the art of mindful listening in the “age of distraction.”

Psychological Safety

• Amy Edmondson: The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. This book explores the question: How can leaders create safety conditions to avoid bad outcomes?
• Google: Research at Google shows that psychological safety is crucial for effective teams. Highlights from the research are in this HBR article.

Rhetoric/Logic/Argument

• Jay Heinrichs: Thank You for Arguing. Rhetoric is not about debating. It’s about examining the logic of the argument. This book provides insights into strategies and logic for presenting an argument, and helps you think critically about how to respond when challenged—and how to interact with someone with an opposing viewpoint.
• The Aspen Institute/The Atlantic proposed five principles for Americans to have better arguments with each other. The principles: take winning off the table, prioritize relationships and listen passionately, pay attention to context, embrace vulnerability, and make room to transform.