While you are laying by the pool or relaxing on the beach, let summer do some work for you! We’ve got links to summer reading lists (see below!), but here’s a short round-up highlighting some of the latest (and soon-to-be greatest) professional development books that are hot off the presses just in time for summer.
Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates, who is more than just the wife of Microsoft guru Bill Gates, shares stories of the women who have inspired her through the years in this book published in April 2019. The stories begin with her own mother and fan out to include the extraordinary women she has connected with through both her professional and philanthropic work all over the globe. The conversational tone of this book will keep you turning the pages faster than you can sip on your summertime beverage.
It’s the Manager by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter
Just published in May 2019, this book reveals 52 key findings from Gallup’s largest study on the future of work. The study found that the quality of managers and team leads are the single biggest factor in a company’s long-term success. Both authors have previously penned best-selling books, and this is sure to join that list shortly. A bonus in this book is it also comes with a code to access the CliftonStrengths assessment, which reveals your top five strengths. If you haven’t taken the assessment yet – it is definitely worth doing so this summer!
Feedback (and Other Dirty Words): Why We Fear It, How to Fix It by M. Tamra Chandler and Laura Dowling Grealish
Performance reviews are often dreaded events, but this book helps flip the script and explains how to turn that fear into an opportunity to flourish. You will learn the three F’s of feedback (focused, fair, and frequent) as well as find exercises to practice what the book preaches. The real-world examples help to underscore how to turn receiving feedback into a positive experience. This book is the perfect pick for your Fourth of July vacation since it doesn’t debut until June 18, 2019.
WOLFPACK: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game by Abby Wambach
As the Women’s FIFA World Cup kicks off in France this month, it’s the perfect time to read this book written by one of the stars of soccer. Based on her 2018 Barnard College commencement speech, which went viral, this short read (less than 100 pages) serves as a rallying cry for women to unite with their “wolfpack”. You will be fired up and ready to take on tasks of Olympic proportion after finishing the book.
Want more summer reading suggestions? Bill Gates recently released his 2019 summer reading list or you can check out our past suggestions. Let us know what books tops your list this summer – we’d love to hear from you!