10 books like The Challenge Culture

By Nigel Travis,

Here are 10 books that authors have personally recommended if you like The Challenge Culture. Shepherd is a community of 7,000+ authors sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Managing Transitions

By William Bridges, Susan Bridges,

Book cover of Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change

Tina Kuhn Author Of The E Suite: Empathetic Leadership for the Next Generation of Executives

From the list on leadership during a transition.

Who am I?

As I moved up in leadership, I found I was not prepared to manage people during uncertain and difficult times. Transitions bring about the worst in people. They get fearful and that causes bad behavior by triggering defense mechanisms. The books I listed are a progression of books that helped me to understand how transitions and change affect people and gave me a framework to continue to learn and increase my leadership skills. I then decided to write about new insights I gained in leadership to help others and have published two books and am writing articles on Medium.

Tina's book list on leadership during a transition

Discover why each book is one of Tina's favorite books on leadership during a transition .

Why this book?

Managing Transitions impacted me significantly early in my leadership career. I read the book after I floundered leading a small transition. This book gave me a framework for managing the human side of transitions. I learned step-by-step strategies for minimizing disruptions caused by workplace transitions. I believe the ability to lead during a transition is a critical leadership skill.

Managing Transitions

By William Bridges, Susan Bridges,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Managing Transitions as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The business world is constantly transforming. When restructures, mergers, bankruptcies, and layoffs hit the workplace, employees and managers naturally find the resulting situational shifts to be challenging. But the psychological transitions that accompany them are even more stressful. Organizational transitions affect people it is always people, rather than a company, who have to embrace a new situation and carry out the corresponding change.As veteran business consultant William Bridges explains, transition is successful when employees have a purpose, a plan, and a part to play. This indispensable guide is now updated to reflect the challenges of today's ever-changing, always-on, and globally…


Just Be Honest

By Steven Gaffney,

Book cover of Just Be Honest: Authentic Communication Strategies That Get Results and Last a Lifetime

Tina Kuhn Author Of The E Suite: Empathetic Leadership for the Next Generation of Executives

From the list on leadership during a transition.

Who am I?

As I moved up in leadership, I found I was not prepared to manage people during uncertain and difficult times. Transitions bring about the worst in people. They get fearful and that causes bad behavior by triggering defense mechanisms. The books I listed are a progression of books that helped me to understand how transitions and change affect people and gave me a framework to continue to learn and increase my leadership skills. I then decided to write about new insights I gained in leadership to help others and have published two books and am writing articles on Medium.

Tina's book list on leadership during a transition

Discover why each book is one of Tina's favorite books on leadership during a transition .

Why this book?

Just Be Honest is a great book on communication strategies. One part of this book that has always stuck with me is what Steven Gaffney calls Notice vs. Imagine. Steven Gaffney estimates that at least 50% of what we imagine about others is inaccurate. For example, upon exiting a meeting at work, 50% of each person’s thoughts, opinions, and assumptions from the meeting are likely to be wrong. The worse part about this is that each person may well think he or she is 100 percent right. I learned a lot about hidden assumptions and communication strategies from this book.

Just Be Honest

By Steven Gaffney,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Just Be Honest as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Just Be Honest, you will learn that honesty is not only the best policy; it's the easiest and most effective way to communicate. You'll learn how to be honest with others and how to get them to be honest with you. You will learn how to use honesty as a tool to get immediate and dramatic results with anyone regardless of their backgrounds, needs, personality or personal agenda. You will learn how to eliminate communication breakdowns and personality conflicts, prevent problems before they occur and get the bottom-line results you desire--quickly and painlessly. You will learn why the two…


The Change Monster

By Jeanie Daniel Duck,

Book cover of The Change Monster: The Human Forces that Fuel or Foil Corporate Transformation and Change

Tina Kuhn Author Of The E Suite: Empathetic Leadership for the Next Generation of Executives

From the list on leadership during a transition.

Who am I?

As I moved up in leadership, I found I was not prepared to manage people during uncertain and difficult times. Transitions bring about the worst in people. They get fearful and that causes bad behavior by triggering defense mechanisms. The books I listed are a progression of books that helped me to understand how transitions and change affect people and gave me a framework to continue to learn and increase my leadership skills. I then decided to write about new insights I gained in leadership to help others and have published two books and am writing articles on Medium.

Tina's book list on leadership during a transition

Discover why each book is one of Tina's favorite books on leadership during a transition .

Why this book?

I believe that good leadership is all about being able to manage change and transformation. This book added to my knowledge on managing change. It helped me to understand empathy and learn to understand and master the emotions of those who stand in the way of change. Ms. Duck goes through each step of a workplace transformation and describes strategies to successfully navigate through the process.

The Change Monster

By Jeanie Daniel Duck,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Change Monster as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A Powerful Look at Corporate Change and Why Mergers, Reorganizations, and Transformations Succeed or Fail

“[One of the] best business books of 2001 . . . [a] useful and intelligent tool for coping with the inevitable metamorphoses of business (and life).” —Miami Herald

“Provocative imagery . . . useful questions for managers to ask themselves.” —Harvard Business Review

“The Change Monster not only talks intelligently about the social dynamics and emotions of people [in change efforts], it does so with wisdom, insight, and practicality.”—Daniel Leemon, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, Charles Schwab Corporation

“A practitioner’s primer on revitalization…


Compassionate Leadership

By Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter, Marissa Afton, Moses Mohan

Book cover of Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way

Tina Kuhn Author Of The E Suite: Empathetic Leadership for the Next Generation of Executives

From the list on leadership during a transition.

Who am I?

As I moved up in leadership, I found I was not prepared to manage people during uncertain and difficult times. Transitions bring about the worst in people. They get fearful and that causes bad behavior by triggering defense mechanisms. The books I listed are a progression of books that helped me to understand how transitions and change affect people and gave me a framework to continue to learn and increase my leadership skills. I then decided to write about new insights I gained in leadership to help others and have published two books and am writing articles on Medium.

Tina's book list on leadership during a transition

Discover why each book is one of Tina's favorite books on leadership during a transition .

Why this book?

I like this book because of the real-life examples of big company CEOs balancing empathy, compassion, and caring with good business acumen. During uncertainty and change, it is harder but even more important to have empathy and compassion for employees. The authors show that leaders with empathy and compassion foster much higher levels of employee engagement, performance, and loyalty in their employees. Authors Hougaard and Carter also provide tools to help managers at all levels.

Compassionate Leadership

By Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter, Marissa Afton, Moses Mohan

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Compassionate Leadership as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Leadership is hard. How can you balance compassion for your people with effectiveness in getting the job done?

A global pandemic, economic volatility, natural disasters, civil and political unrest. From New York to Barcelona to Hong Kong, it can feel as if the world as we know it is coming apart. Through it all, our human spirit is being tested. Now more than ever, it's imperative for leaders to demonstrate compassion.

But in hard times like these, leaders need to make hard decisions-deliver negative feedback, make difficult choices that disappoint people, and in some cases lay people off. How do…


Shoe Dog

By Phil Knight,

Book cover of Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

Jodie Cook Author Of Ten Year Career: Reimagine Business, Design Your Life, Fast Track Your Freedom

From the list on ambitious entrepreneurs.

Who am I?

I am a post-exit entrepreneur who writes books and articles about entrepreneur psychology and how to run a business without it running you. At 22, I started an agency that I ran for ten years before selling it in 2021. During that time I made countless mistakes, learned from them, and figured out how to run a successful business while living an extraordinary life. I write about how other entrepreneurs can do the same. I refuse to believe you have to compromise between work and life. I think you can do work that you love while traveling the world, prioritizing health, and having a great time. 

Jodie's book list on ambitious entrepreneurs

Discover why each book is one of Jodie's favorite books on ambitious entrepreneurs .

Why this book?

I highly recommend the book Shoe Dog by Nike founder Phil Knight. It's an inspiring story of how he built one of the world's most successful companies from scratch. His leadership style was particularly interesting (and not always optimal, as he would admit!) and his ability to persevere in the face of doubt and reluctance from suppliers and investors was inspiring. I especially liked how Phil was underestimated time and time again, yet he kept fighting and pushing forward with something he knew could be a success. This is a must-read for any entrepreneur looking for a story of true grit and determination.

Shoe Dog

By Phil Knight,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Shoe Dog as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like ... It's an amazing tale' Bill Gates

'The best book I read last year was Shoe Dog, by Nike's Phil Knight. Phil is a very wise, intelligent and competitive fellow who is also a gifted storyteller' Warren Buffett

In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the boot of his Plymouth, Knight grossed $8000 in his first year. Today, Nike's annual…


Neverwhere

By Neil Gaiman,

Book cover of Neverwhere

Ian Brazee-Cannon Author Of A Day at Georgie and Armand's Place

From the list on messing with reality.

Who am I?

Where does that dark passage really lead? Could that crazy drainage area really be a secret base for small aliens? Just walking down the streets as a child these were the kinds of thoughts that would swirl through my mind. I would see passages to parallel worlds, or the signs of a hidden world everywhere I looked. They really were all around us, kept out of our perception by some spell or grand camouflage device. Part of being a writer I really enjoy is creating secret, hidden worlds, alternate realities, exploring the possibilities, and looking at all the dark passageways to see if there is a portal there.

Ian's book list on messing with reality

Discover why each book is one of Ian's favorite books on messing with reality .

Why this book?

This is Gaiman at his best. I loved his truly original hidden world of 'London Below,’ as it is unlike anything I had ever seen before. We get such a meaningful story with characters that we care about, exploring a fascinating world that is far from safe, lurking right beneath our feet, just beyond our perception.

And I was in awe of all the great characters.

The Marquis de Carabas is just brilliant. Nothing more needs to be said.

I was truly impressed with the bantering between Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, so spot on for creepy hitmen of undetermined supernatural types.

When we get to the end and we are shown the idea of getting to decide your reality, that was just a powerful idea to me that I have always been drawn to.

I have found this to be one book that has something new to discover with…

Neverwhere

By Neil Gaiman,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Neverwhere as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE EXTRAORDINARY FIRST NOVEL BY THE MASTER OF STORYTELLING

'Prose that dances and dazzles . . . Gaiman describes the indescribable' SUSANNA CLARKE

'It's virtually impossible to read more than ten words by Neil Gaiman and not wish he would tell you the rest of the story' OBSERVER

'Much too clever to be caught in the net of a single interpretation' PHILIP PULLMAN

ACCLAIMED BBC RADIO 4 DRAMATISATION WITH ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDING JAMES MCAVOY, NATALIE DORMER, DAVID HAREWOOD, SOPHIE OKONEDO AND BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

---

'I love doors. Anything that leads to possibilities' NEIL GAIMAN

---

Under the streets of London…


Girls Who Run the World

By Diana Kapp, Bijou Karman (illustrator),

Book cover of Girls Who Run the World: 31 CEOs Who Mean Business

Catherine Thimmesh Author Of Girls Solve Everything: Stories of Women Entrepreneurs Building a Better World

From the list on you’ve-got-this-girl young readers.

Who am I?

I’m someone who believes the accomplishments of women have been glossed over for far too long. I'm passionate about sharing the stories of women and girls that the world at large still tends to ignore. It’s critical to share these stores and to give face and voice to women. Social entrepreneurship, the topic of my recent book Girls Solve Everything, has fascinated me for some time:  creative problem solving, tackling problems in our communities and the world, creating a business to find and facilitate the solution. Representation matters. I’m determined to write about and share the stories of strong, innovative, creative women and girls. Our future depends on them.

Catherine's book list on you’ve-got-this-girl young readers

Discover why each book is one of Catherine's favorite books on you’ve-got-this-girl young readers .

Why this book?

This beautifully designed compilation of for-profit business entrepreneurs is engaging and engrossing from start to finish. I loved how each profile was eased into with several, fun, first-person trivia bits (like, “A Weird Thing You’ll Find on (or In) My Desk” and “On My Bucket List”) and continues on with the highs and lows of starting and running a business. Girls Who Run the World is as informative as it is inspiring. And that’s all before you reach the copious back matter that includes a financial case study for starting a business – a great real-world example of one start-up's costs and accounting. I found this to be a fabulous peek into some highly successful companies and the founders/CEOs who run them...all who happen to be women.

Girls Who Run the World

By Diana Kapp, Bijou Karman (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Girls Who Run the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The perfect graduation gift for future entrepreneurs! Part biography, part business how-to, and fully empowering, this book shows that you're never too young to dream BIG! With colorful portraits, fun interviews and DIY tips, Girls Who Run the World features the success stories of 31 leading ladies today of companies like Rent the Runway, PopSugar, and Soul Cycle.

Girls run biotech companies.
Girls run online fashion sites.
Girls run environmental enterprises.
They are creative. They are inventive. They mean business.
Girls run the world.
This collection gives girls of all ages the tools they need to follow their passions, turn…


The New New Thing

By Michael Lewis,

Book cover of The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story

Jeff Davidson Author Of The 60 Second Innovator

From the list on becoming more innovative.

Who am I?

I am the recognized expert on work-life balance, harmony, and integrative issues, and since 2009, hold the registered trademark from the USPTO as the “Work-Life Balance Expert®." My books have been featured in 68 of the top 75 American newspapers and, in two instances, advertised in Time Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. In all, 16 of my books are published in Chinese, among them Simpler Living, appearing as a 3-volume set, Everyday Project Management, The 60 Second Innovator, The 60 Second Organizer, The 60 Second Self-Starter, Ten Minute Guide to Time Management, and Ten Minute Guide to Project Management. I also have 13 books published in Arabic.

Jeff's book list on becoming more innovative

Discover why each book is one of Jeff's favorite books on becoming more innovative .

Why this book?

It is easier to say what the ‘new, new thing’ is not than to say what it is. It is not necessarily a new invention. It is not necessarily a new idea – most everything has been considered by someone, at some point. The author explains that the new, new thing is a notion, poised to be taken seriously in the marketplace. It is an item that is a tiny push away from general acceptance and when it gets that push, will change the world.

In 1921, Thorsted Veblen predicted that engineers would one day rule the U.S. economy. He argued that the economy was premised on technology and that engineers (in today’s terms, ‘computer science majors’) were the only ones who understood how technology worked. So, inevitably they would use their superior knowledge to seize power from the financiers, captains of industry, and other business elites.

New growth theory…

The New New Thing

By Michael Lewis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The New New Thing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the weird glow of the dying millennium, Michael Lewis set out on a safari through Silicon Valley to find the world's most important technology entrepreneur. He found this in Jim Clark, a man whose achievements include the founding of three separate billion-dollar companies. Lewis also found much more, and the result-the best-selling book The New New Thing-is an ingeniously conceived history of the Internet revolution.


Can You Keep a Secret?

By Sophie Kinsella,

Book cover of Can You Keep a Secret?

Victoria Browne Author Of Gut Feeling

From the list on vacation reads about love and friendship.

Who am I?

Romance and chick-lit books hooked me as a young adult. It was this genre that inspired me to write. Since publishing my first book Gut Feeling in 2012 I’ve since written three chick-lit novels and a holiday rom-com screenplay. The fiction world of perfectly unperfect romance never fails.   

Victoria's book list on vacation reads about love and friendship

Discover why each book is one of Victoria's favorite books on vacation reads about love and friendship .

Why this book?

This was the book that inspired me to write chick lit and romance novels. After reading Can You Keep a Secret?, I went on to read every book Kinsella wrote. Timeless. But there’s something about this one that is special. A touch of excitement us romance readers love when a bigshot highflyer falls in love with the normal girl on the street. Classic.

Can You Keep a Secret?

By Sophie Kinsella,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Can You Keep a Secret? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The hilarious romantic comedy from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR Sophie Kinsella . . . soon to be a major motion picture!

Emma is like every girl in the world. She has a few little secrets.

Secrets from her mother:
1. I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom to Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching TV.

... From her boyfriend:
2. I'm a size twelve. Not a size eight, like Connor thinks.
3. I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.

... From her colleagues:
4. When Artemis really annoys me…


Get Your Career in Shape

By Candace Steele Flippin,

Book cover of Get Your Career in Shape: A Five-Step Guide to Achieve the Success You Need, Want, and Deserve

Zakiya Akerele Author Of Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom

From the list on managing your career and finances after college.

Who am I?

Many degree holders experience career and financial challenges they aren't prepared to handle. I know this first hand because after completing my Ph.D., I faced joblessness and massive student loan debt, and after becoming a professor, I saw my students encounter similar situations. This prompted me to write, Dump Your Degree: How to Repurpose Your Education, Control Your Career, and Gain Financial Freedom. My mission is to provide tangible solutions to students and early career professionals so that they stop solely relying on their degrees but instead learn how to use the sum of their knowledge, skills, and talents in unique ways to create meaningful, viable careers.

Zakiya's book list on managing your career and finances after college

Discover why each book is one of Zakiya's favorite books on managing your career and finances after college .

Why this book?

This insightful guide gives readers relatable, practical advice on developing their careers. Its message is empowering and rooted in proven methods that lead to success. Dr. Steele Flippin's SHAPE framework presents the importance of having solid finances, the true meaning of hard work, how to be your own advocate in the workplace, perseverance, and continued learning. Get Your Career in Shape is an invaluable resource for career success. 

Get Your Career in Shape

By Candace Steele Flippin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Get Your Career in Shape as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Instead of holding our careers down or back, women can rise―on our terms. Are you ready to own your power and take the next step in your career?

With groundbreaking research on women's leadership, Dr. Candace Steele Flippin's guidebook empowers women to "challenge the glass ceiling system within their own minds" (Tyree C. Daniels, executive chairman at Memphis College Preparatory).

Women's careers are held back by cultural norms, gender bias, sexism, and self-policing.

And too often, their self-efficacy―the belief in their ability to be successful―is at risk.

TEDx speaker Dr. Candace Steele Flippin has been recognized as one of the…


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