Leadership development, employee engagement, social learning, and organizational development are topics that always grab my attention. Why? Because creating a welcoming, engaging, and efficient work environment is a priority for me. As I scrolled through the ATD Press 2015 releases, I became excited about the titles available on these issues—just in time for the 20% off book sale from August 5-14.

If you’re interested in similar topics or looking for thought-provoking reads, then check out seven of my favorite 2015 ATD Press picks for the summer. 

****Balancing Career and Family? What Happiness? 

Beyond Happy: Women, Work, and Well-Being is an absolute must-read for anyone who needs proven strategies for living more authentic, meaningful lives. Each chapter delivers tried-and-true tactics that real people have used to manage the difficulties of fulfilling their multiple, often conflicting, roles. 

Dr. Beth Cabrera helps you discover pathways to reducing stress, experiencing greater joy, and finding more meaning in your life through self-assessments that help you do more and feel good.

****Create Real Human Connections 

We all crave sincere, genuine connections, and Michael Lee Stallard provides practical recommendations on encouraging this type of environment in Connection Culture. When employees feel valued, the environment is energized, and organizations thrive on the team's high productivity and innovation. So stop undermining performance and take the first step toward change that will give your organization, your team, and all whom you lead a true competitive advantage. 

Visit the ATD YouTube page for Connection Culture videos.

****The Best Leaders Don't Command

Jorge Cuervo captivates your attention and keeps readers engaged with bite-sized chapters and to-do lists in Leaders Don’t Command. Getting a team to work while investing their hearts and minds seems daunting, but it's possible with the right attitude and approach. Bring out the best of yourself in leadership, management, and supervisory roles. 

El libro electrónico Leaders Don’t Command (Mejor liderar que mandar), está disponible en Español. Selecciona la opción de "PDF (Spanish)" en el menú de precios.  

****We're Social—and Should Learn That Way

While dispelling organizational myths and fears about social media, Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner share success stories of socially engaged companies and people using social media to encourage knowledge transfer and real-time learning in a connected and engaging way with the 2nd edition of The New Social Learning: Connect. Collaborate. Work. 

As Steve LeBlanc notes, “Social learning thrives in a culture of service and wonder. It is inspired by leaders, enabled by technology, and ignited by opportunities that have only recently unfolded.” The New Social Learning lays the foundation for improving the way you engage with colleagues, collaborate with teams anywhere in the world, and build workforce capability.

****How Many More Lies Can There Be About Learning?

Your buttons may be pushed, but you should respond with a smile as Larry Israelite debunks today's pervasive myths about learning in More Lies About Learning. Read from the perspectives of 10 high-level executives from a wide range of industries that offer advice for how to best to deal with new lies about organizational learning. 

Soon, you'll start asking tough questions, kicking the right tires, and maintaining a healthy level of skepticism about what you read and hear about organizational learning today. 

****Is Your Workforce Prepared to Share Knowledge With the Next Team?

I'm a huge advocate of being proactive—wherever and whenever possible. Passing the Torch, by Wanda Piña-Ramírez and Norma Dávila, highlights the importance of knowledge transfer in a time of fierce competition for talent, an aging workforce, and a critical shortage of people with the right set of skills. 

Using a variety of anecdotes and case studies, this book is indispensable for the CEO, small business owners, and anyone with a stake in maintaining the livelihood of a business. To help you prepare for successions, it contains templates to guide you through the seven steps of the succession planning life cycle. 

****Do You Know OD? Don't Just React to Change

The only constant in life is change. In Organization Development Fundamentals, William Rothwell covers how organizations can become successfully proactive when changes are arrive in the workplace. As someone interested in exploring the OD field, this is a great read to learn about basic theories, models, and steps involved in OD and change management.

If none of these titles catch your eye, check out the ATD Press 2015 Catalog.

****Do You Know OD? Don't Just React to Change

The only constant in life is change. In Organization Development Fundamentals, William Rothwell covers how organizations can become successfully proactive when changes are arrive in the workplace. As someone interested in exploring the OD field, this is a great read to learn about basic theories, models, and steps involved in OD and change management. 

****Do You Know OD? Don't Just React to Change

The only constant in life is change. In Organization Development Fundamentals, William Rothwell covers how organizations can become successfully proactive when changes are arrive in the workplace. As someone interested in exploring the OD field, this is a great read to learn about basic theories, models, and steps involved in OD and change management.