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Timely and relevant information will help accelerate career trajectory. Books, Articles, and Programs greatly facilitate that change.
Timely and relevant information will help accelerate career trajectory. Books, Articles, and Programs greatly facilitate that change.
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BOOKS
When it comes to professional development there are many books. Changing professionally for the better has a lot to do about changing as a person. These books and resources have helped guide and propel my career in various ways. Not an all-inclusive list in any manner.
As you move from business, technology or functional capability expertise into leadership, you will find that mindset, managing your emotions, working well with others, and gathering support are some of the crucial skills to learn for the journey ahead.
In the following list, there are books that covers concepts that you must embrace, some that you should adopt with caution, while a few you should know about if they are being used on you.
I do not endorse all these books in totality nor condemn the ideas. They are just another source of information and you choose what to do with that, depending on your personal traits, preferences and tendencies.
Beneath each title, I have given my comments on each of the books recommended here. I hope they help you, as they helped me, as you transform into a Datapreneur.
Mindset
Mindset
Mindset
Comments for the 3-book series from The Arbinger Institute
It all starts with the right mindset.
Can we get in our own way? Certainly yes. Usually, when we are convinced that our approach is right, is when things go wrong.
Every leader can fall for his/her self-deception, if not cautiously observing our tendencies and personal preferences.
Sometimes the deception comes from a long success streak. Or we take people for granted and start projecting our ideas and be inconsiderate.
If you are having frequent interpersonal issues at work and or in personal life, or improve your ability to connect across the various teams and stakeholders by developing an outward mindset to overcome challenges and generate opportunities, this series is a must-read. Not that it will magically make the problems go away, but will give a different perspective to approach the situation.
Purpose
A popular book from Simon Sinek. In the context of Data Leadership, a valuable resource.
A leader who can motivate their team members is valuable for the company. But if the same leader can inspire greatness in others, their contribution is exponential.
When your quest for growth and transformation is started with the purpose, a big enough "Why", it becomes easier for your people to follow you.
In the process, more leaders are born. Start with your why and reap results.
Influence
Data discussions can get boring sometimes. Even when there is a great underlying purpose or Why behind the work we do.
As a data leader, you will often find yourself in situations that calls for simplifying your pitch. To "dummy it down", with less technical jargon and short and crisp to the point pitches.
But getting these ideas sold is easier said than done. The problem needs more than simplicity.
"Made to Stick" may have the answers you are looking for.
Influence
The power that positional or role based titles provide are short lived.
People can figure out an "empty-suit" quickly. If you want to attract great talent to be part of your team, they need to accept you beyond the power that your position provides you.
You must become a person of influence. Your title would not matter, when your team can embrace the positive influence you bring to any situation or project.
Learn how to build your influence muscle.
Team Excellence
What makes for a great team? It is not when everyone is just playing nice. That can only get us so far.
Delivering outstanding results happens in various stages. Establishing a base of mutual trust or vulnerable trust is the first step. That type of trust leads to productive conflicts.
With the right level of conflict, we can commit ourselves to the larger good, and out of which comes ability to hold others accountable to deliver collective results.
Think you know team work? This book will give different perspectives and move you and your teams forward.
Principles - Life & Work
Are you someone who believes life and work can be compartmentalized? Popular advice may ask us to leave work at work and leave life/family matters at home.
But we are one individual. I have found that instead of striving for work-life separation or even balance, achieving work-life coherence is easier and a better way approach this.
In Principles, Ray Dalio provides a master piece that covers an extensive array of principle across work and life.
This book provides learning without having to make our own mistakes.
A Must Read!!!
Laws Of Power
The word "Power" may sound like a dirty word in the modern workplace. Nonetheless, it is an inherent part of all organizations and companies.
There is positional power that comes from your job title. Then there is influential power that comes from your leadership capabilities.
Robert Greene takes a deep-dive into the Laws of Power, digging into philosophies of Machiavilli, Sun Tzu and others.
An interesting and controversial read. Use these laws with prudence or understand when these are being used on you.
Leadership
The stories in mythology hold treasures of insights for any leader.
This book is based on several stories, primarily Indian mythology but addresses the leadership challenges and dilemmas in the modern work environment.
The author has compiled fifty such chapters that cover management and leadership advice from history.
These stories are all largely applicable today, and we see numerous leaders making those mistakes in their career.
Career Growth
The popular Peter principle states that "In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence."
Career growth is not just about doing the right thing. It is also about not doing the wrong thing.
If you are doing everything in your capacity and still wondering why you are not getting that much deserved promotion or career jump, understand that after a point in your career its not just the technology or business skills, but your personal skills matter a lot.
This book is a definite read for all who are wanting to make a change to the management levels,.
Career Growth
Another book that helps you overcome career limitations. This book covers 12 things you must do to get ahead.
This book will challenge your conventional thinking and make you explore options or choices you must choose if you want to grow in your career.
Career growth is not always about what you want. It is about setting up synergies between your interests and that of your company or organization.
Growing in your career is seldom a straight line. There will be ups and downs and sometime you need to move laterally.
Interview Preparation
Interviews are a process of elimination. You are competing every other person who applied for the position, even if you are interviewing one-on-one with the employer.
Most of us do not interview often. We are in the same job for several years and tend to lose track of how we assess fit to a new organization or company.
If you want to have a rising career, you cannot wing your interviews. Careful and detailed preparation is required and this book is a great help in that step.
If resume gets you noticed, a well prepared approach to interview enhances your position and keeps you in the race.
Measure Your Life
What is success for you?
Every individual has a different definition of when they would consider as successful.
Filled with simple underlying concepts and clear explanation, this book is a classic when it comes to understanding how we should be approach the subject of measuring individual success.
Life is a sum total of happy outcomes on all fronts and we cannot wait to succeed in these areas serially.
A must read, as without a guiding path, we will be lost in chasing success or pursuing things we don't even want or desire in the first place.
Office Politics
Do you think politics is a dirty word? Are you truly beyond that? You may be beyond politics but what about the others who you work with?
Firstly, not all politics is dirty. As you grow in your career, there is a level of inclusion, diplomacy, tact, and political savvyness that is required.
You also need to understand politics in organization, so you can anticipate, assess, deflect, and respond to situations when political stunts are played against you.
A prepared leader is one who is not naïve and skillfully navigates challenges while helping their team move ahead.
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