Contributors to the June 2023 issue of TD magazine offer their book recommendations.
Steven W. Villachica
Process Mapping, Process Improvement, and Process Management: A Practical Guide to Enhancing Work and Information Flow
by Dan Madison
This book is a self-help tool for mapping existing processes and improving and managing them. My colleagues and I often share Madison's work on the lenses of process analysis with project stakeholders looking to begin their own process improvement efforts. Madison's clear and concise writing provides techniques and ideas you can use in your own process improvement efforts.
Asif Rehmani
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph
by Ryan Holiday
Through the stories in the book, Holiday illustrates how working through adversity helps you to find gems hidden in those obstacles.
They Ask You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer
By Marcus Sheridan
In They Ask You Answer, the author offers a simple yet direct technique for business leaders to be transparent and informative with their audience. This is the best way to become your customers' advisor, instead of just selling to them.
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business (Expanded Edition)
By Gino Wickman
In Traction, you'll learn a better way to set up your business—a way that makes operations much more predictable and easier to manage.
Jo Ayoubi
Let's Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower
by Therese Huston
This is a great book that I refer to regularly when providing feedback, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to give feedback to a colleague. Huston breaks down the different types of feedback—appreciation, coaching, and evaluation—as well as how to approach each one. The chapters on growth mindset are critical, and Part 2 is all about best practices. This is a must-read for team leaders and managers.
Engaged: The Neuroscience Behind Creating Productive People in Successful Organizations
By Amy Brann
There are many books about employee engagement, but because Amy Brann is an expert in neuroscience, this is an interesting angle. The book is well written and, while covering the in-depth neuroscience, Brann also explains and describes the practices that lead to engagement and positive behavior change.
Kambria Dumesnil
The Basics of Process Mapping (2nd Edition)
By Robert Damelio
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to attend an engaging session by Robert Damelio at an International Society for Performance Improvement event, which piqued my interest in his work. After the session, I added The Basics of Process Mapping to my reading shelf. As someone who is continually looking to refine my process improvement expertise, I am excited to dive into The Basics of Process Mapping and learn even more from Damelio's wealth of experience. I believe this book will be an invaluable resource that will enhance my understanding of process mapping and its applications in driving organizational success.
Chris Lewis
Improving Performance: How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart (3rd Edition)
By Geary A. Rummler and Alan P. Brache
Rummler and Brache present a holistic view of process management, stating that most breakdowns occur in the functional interfaces—the organization's white spaces—where processes are passed to other departments. I like this book because it considers the three levels of performance (organizational, process, and performer) when most consider training to be the only answer. Rummler's Serious Performance Consulting is great for further reading as it presents a case study showing how these principles can be applied.
Kelli Frey
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything
By BJ Fogg
As a fan of behavior design, Fogg's methodology has instant appeal. The power of tiny is a science-backed concept supported by case studies and exercises to bring the idea to life. Pick up this book to learn about the B=MAP model and recipes to create “Shine.”
