posted 28th November 2022
I haven’t always had a great love of reading but as my life has developed, I’ve been lucky enough to be introduced to some phenomenal books. So much so that they have influenced my life, how I see the world, and how I interact with my surroundings. Most of these books have been recommended to me at some point by friends and colleagues and have had a huge impact on me both professionally and personally.
The list is in no particular order and whilst there are so many other books (some of which I have listed out in the special mentions section) that have also influenced me. These are the ones that stay at the front of my mind and I can honestly say have had the “waw” factor for me. Let’s get to it!
The Chimp Paradox, by Prof. Steven Peters
This book was so influential to me. It helped me in understanding myself and others around me more effectively as well as how to (and not to) react when things get heated. Especially in puerile situations that escalate from nowhere. Steve introduces the concept of our Chimp Brain, the Human Brain, and the Computer and how these interact within us. By understanding these concepts and how they interact I have improved my understanding of why I react and how to deal with pressurised situations successfully.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad, By Robert Kiyosaki
A book recommended by my best friend, this one really changed the way I see wealth and see money as a vehicle. The book introduced me to the concept of focusing on assets rather than adding liabilities to my life. I consumed the book by audiobook (as I do with most books) and the story, especially of how Robert grew up and learned about money was engaging, comical, and inspiring. I wish I’d found this book a lot earlier in my life.
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
This book is phenomenal, an absolute game-changer. This a fantastic insight into dealing with people in the most pressurised environments. Chris lays out how to communicate in a powerful and purposeful way. In the book he introduces some amazing tools like the use of labeling, mirroring, and “no” questions to help navigate situations. This is the kind of book you can go back to time and time again just to find a few new nuggets you may have missed.
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
I came across this book by total chance and I am so glad that I did. Viktor’s book gave me a real appreciation for what struggle can really be and a fear of what people can be capable of with some bone-chilling examples from the Holocaust. We should never forget what horrors took place for so many people. Mostly the book gave me a real appreciation and admiration of how purpose can drive us on in the toughest of times and what people can get through with hope.
Flow, by Fin Goulding & Hayden Shaughnessy
One of the first books I read early on in my agile journey and it contains great ideas that I still use today. The book has superb visualisations that cover a multitude of layers and areas, from team to portfolio level. The book has an awesome focus on continuous discovery and feedback. Also, with the layout and number of visuals, it is so easy to consume. I reached out to Fin and Haydn after reading this and both came along to my workplace to deliver workshops and an insightful, thought-provoking talk on business agility. Additionally, I was able to attend a two-day academy with Fin and Haydn which gave me the chance to become more immersed in their concepts and how to apply them. This was colossal for me in how I coach teams to visualise their work and explore their customers’ needs more effectively.
User Story Mapping, by Jeff Patton
User Story Mapping (USM) is an amazing concept that gains alignment in a group and enables a flat backlog to come to life to gain vision and focus. USM is a superb way to identify value slices and keep razor-sharp focus in execution on what is important now vs what is important in the future. I have used the basis of this book to deliver a multitude of workshops and this book is easy to consume and contains some hilarious examples of what can go wrong without having group alignment from the outset.
AgendaShift by Mike Burrows
I was introduced to this book by a good friend. Former colleague, and one of the Facilitators of Heart of Agile Scotland. This book was a game-changer for me. Mike is phenomenal, his talks, academy, and all his other books (Kanban from the Inside and Right to Left) are brilliant but this book really impacted me. It introduced me to the concept of Clean Language and the game “15-minute FOTO” which is so powerful in chopping through the distraction of activity to get to desired outcomes. Throughout the book, there are useful tools to use that start at the outset and as you continue reading it builds upon these tools, which is a great way to learn. I’ve been lucky enough to spend some time with Mike through his training and academy, he’s also come along to my workplace and our Heart of Agile Scotland community to deliver workshops on getting to outcomes and these were fantastic. I highly recommend you take a look at some of his work.
Radical Candor, by Kim Scott
I loved listening to this book on audio. Kim covers how to communicate in a powerful and positive way, especially when giving critical feedback. This was brought to life by using great real-life examples of her time at Google and Apple, as well as other work and life situations. The book guided me through the process of navigating the “care personally and challenge directly” axis without slipping into obnoxious aggression or manipulative insincerity. This book really changed how I approach colleagues and team feedback, especially in the moment situations which tend to be the more powerful. The good folks at Radical Candor Inc. were kind enough to come out and do a workshop with our Heart of Agile Scotland Community too (Much love to Amy for doing that) which went down a storm with our members!
Special mentions must also go to:
- David Anderson – Kanban (The blue book)
- Marty Cagan – Empowered
- Marty Cagan - Inspired
- Melissa Perry – Escaping the build Trap
- Roman Pichler – Product Strategy
- Patty McCord – Powerful
- Jake Knapp – Sprint
- Geoff Watts – Scrum Mastery
- Manuel Pais & Matthew Skelton – Team Topologies
- Jon Smart - Sooner, Safer, Happier
- Hiring Geeks that Fit – Johanna Rothman
So, there you have it, these are the books that I have managed to read over the years that have had an immense effect on me.
Tell me if you agree to some or all of these books? Which ones have you read? Which ones might you read now? If you were going to create a top 3, 5 or 8 what would make your list?
I’d love to hear what they are and what you think!