Resources
Sharing wisdom to help you see differently and spark meaningful change
TED Talks
Amy Edmondson’s TED Talk on Psychological Safety
I recommend this TED Talk more than any other. This HBS professor’s research has shown that the most productive teams and organizations—across the globe—are those where team members are encouraged to share ideas, ask questions, and disagree safely and without shame or ridicule. Psychological Safety is the most important quality to nurture on your team if you are looking to minimize risk and engage the brilliance and creativity of your colleagues.
Frances Frei’s TED Talk on Building and Rebuilding Trust
I first heard this lecture at HBS. Ever since, I keep a post-it on my laptop that captures one of Ms. Frei’s central points: how to present your idea in a “crisp half sentence”. I teach this concept to almost all of my emerging leaders who are trying to justify their ideas, rather than stating them clearly and with confidence.
Books
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Most of my clients work in global organizations, with colleagues who come from countries across the globe. This research-based book is a vital handbook for all managers, to help you understand the vastly different perspectives and expectations people have around giving and receiving feedback, disagreeing with each other, and even how to make small talk. Ms. Meyer shares stories to illustrate how respectful behavior in one culture is considered rude in another.
The Culture Map, by Erin Meyer
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I’ve referred this book more than any other, to emerging, mid-level, and senior leaders. Ms. Wiseman’s research supports what everyone with a great boss knows: you do your best work for a boss who respects, inspires, and empowers you. What many clients don’t realize is that they may be a well-meaning, yet “accidental Diminisher”: a manager who holds on to control, limits their team's creativity, and tanks engagement. This book offers a clear path to help you gain the skills and perspectives to amplify your team’s contributions.
Multipliers, by Liz Wiseman
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I met Ms. Azzarello at a coaches’ workshop. She dazzled us with her stories and passion. I’ve suggested this book to new and mid-level managers to help them move forward in their careers. Readers of this insightful book will gain strategies and deeper insight into what it takes to become an effective leader. They’ll see themselves in the author's experiences and learn from her missteps and victories.
Rise, by Patty Azzarello
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Giving and receiving feedback is the most important skill managers can employ to support and develop their teams. And yet, most managers shy away from offering any type of feedback, including positive encouragement. The authors of this book offer mindset shifts and tactical steps to having effective feedback conversations. They also remind readers that feedback is not one-size-fits-all.
Thanks for the Feedback, by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen
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The number one mistake I’ve seen managers make, is that they avoid giving meaningful feedback to their teams. I’ve heard stories of organizations promoting bad leaders rather than giving them corrective feedback. Many clients avoid these conversations because they equate offering constructive feedback with being mean; they are afraid of hurting their colleague’s feelings. Kim Scott illustrates in her book, how withholding feedback can be even more unkind.
Radical Candor, by Kim Scott
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When I first became a coach, one of my great mentors said I had to read this book. For this advice and so much more, I am grateful to her. Mr. Bridges’ book will upend your relationship to change: it will instantly shift the way you look at your situation. I’ve recommended this classic to clients contemplating a promotion, those grappling with their Inner Critic following a big promotion, and to clients who’ve lost their jobs. Each of these scenarios involves a transition from one stage in your life to another, where your identity—your sense of who you are—is suddenly in question.
Transitions, by William Bridges
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Ms. Endmondson has devoted her career to the study of Psychological Safety in organizations. She defines this as a culture where it is “safe” to express ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes. She emphasizes that it is not about being nice or soft. It is about creating the conditions for your team to become more effective and creative. Her research has shown that across the globe and across industries, the most successful organizations are those that promote a culture of Psychological Safety.
The Fearless Organization, by Amy Edmondson
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This is not a book you’d likely find in the business section. Yet the principals and frameworks woven throughout, apply to all human interactions and gatherings. What is a meeting other than a gathering with an agenda? Ms. Parker offers solid ways to boost the effectiveness and engagement in all your meetings. I employ many of Ms. Parker’s ideas in my workshops.
The Art of Gathering, by Priya Parker
Podcasts
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I recommend this podcast more than any other. The focus of every interview is on the life-long research emerging from the guests’ curiosity around some aspect of the human condition. One of my favorite episodes is with Deborah Tannen (Why Conversations Go Wrong) a professor who researches communication styles and how clashing styles can cause unintended conflict, when we misinterpret intentions.
Hidden Brain: hosted by Shankar Vedantam
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I was first introduced to and dazzled by Ms. Frei at an HBS lecture. She dissected organizational and interpersonal challenges with exquisite clarity. She does the same in her podcast, co-hosted by her wife, Anne Morriss. Each episode explores a challenge presented by a listener, who is invited onto the pod to collaborate with the hosts to diagnose and resolve their gnarly issue.
Fixable hosted by Harvard Business professor Frances Frei and her wife, CEO and bestselling author Anne Morriss.
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Dan Harris is wildly curious about what makes humans tick. He and his guests cover the full range of human experience including: what motivates us or holds us back; how to network more effectively; how to increase our confidence; how to improve our physical health and mental well-being; and even how to handle negative feedback. His curiosity about why we react the way we do, animates each conversation in a distinctive way that generates fresh perspectives and offers you a deeper understanding of yourself.
10% Happier with Dan Harris
