October Reads 2025

It’s a long while since I shared my reading, thank you for your interest!
It’s been a hefty few weeks of reading.

Calling In, How to make change with those you’d rather cancel by Loretta J. Ross is a book that called me in the book shop, I knew nothing about it or the author. I want to give it my highest recommendation is these divisive, dehumanising times. Please add it to your pile of important books to read. The title tells you all you need to know. If you are keen to improve your skills in listening, persuasion, influence, recognising bias, building equity or diverse communities you will want to learn from Prof Ross. 

Re-reading some coaching tomes because there is so much to learn, relearn and unlearn.  
Narrative Coaching by David Drake and Positive Psychology Coaching in the Workplace Ed by Smith, Boniwell, Green are both excellent. I always write notes the old fashioned way, with a pen when I read non-fiction. The process of notation helps me stay focused and to remember more. I am also noting where and when what I have read is relevant to our programs, and synthesising the ideas with other author’s thoughts as I go. It’s a slow, thoughtful process which I love and sometimes describe as my happy place. 😊  

Strong Ground by Brené Brown has added some weight to my thinking about Humans and AI.
We will continue to work online at C4D and, to look for more in real life opportunities for the humans we work with to be physically together in the year ahead. Humans need humans. I love Brown’s quote from James March that “Leadership is plumbing and poetry”. Akin to the art and science of medicine. This book includes a review of her earlier work in Daring to Lead and some truly valuable reflections with Adam Grant about wisdom, values and power. I have been particularly recommending her long chapter on confidence to some of the people I work with already.

Jacinda Ardern’s reflection on A Different Kind of Power, her memoir, was a little bit of fangirling.
I want to support women in the world who get into the arena, as Brené would say. Whatever you think about Ardern’s politics, her story as she tells it, is a reflection on decision making grounded in choices about who she wanted to be in any given moment. A reflection on real time values assessment, breaking the role mould…
Which is very often the topic of conversation is coaching.

Finally, How to Be by Bren MacDibble and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (not shown) brought joy and empathy to my reading life reminding me that relationships, love and communicating what we mean to each other, is really what it’s all about. I enjoyed both of these books, especially How To Be – a wonder of a little book.