Recently I reached out to The Muse team to see what books they’re reading to boost their careers. The list impressed me; I work with very ambitious people.
But what inspired me even more were the titles they’re hoping to start soon. Because as soon as one book’s wrapped up around here, it’s time to pick up another. So, to help you curate your own list, I rounded up the best of those picks.
1. People Over Profit: Break the System, Live with Purpose, Be More Successful by Dale Partridge
Dale Partridge is an entrepreneur who started the socially-focused company Sevenly. I’m really excited to learn how he built his businesses and turned traditional leadership on its head, cultivating a thriving culture [where] impact stretches farther than the bottom line. For someone who aspires to one day own her own business, I know his wisdom regarding authenticity, transparency, and generosity will give me a lot to think about!
2. How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life by Caroline Webb
I’m excited to check this one out because it covers a practical topic and will help me create more great days for myself! Who doesn’t want to have a good day? Plus, Caroline Webb’s a McKinsey veteran, which means her approach and recommendations will be fully explained and supported. Not to mention, the topic itself can impact people from all walks of life, not just people in my industry.
3. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
I’m excited to hear Sheryl Sandberg’s insights about why she thinks women aren’t currently filling more leadership roles (despite us being awesome), and what tips she has to be viewed as more of a leader (without that bossy cliché that everyone seems to want to avoid so desperately). Also, I feel like I’m just going to finish the book and want to yell, “Girl power!” everywhere. Because, Sheryl Sandberg.
4. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
Getting Things Done is supposed to truly make you more productive with actual tools you can apply to your life. I’m hoping I can pull out ideas to become even more productive at work, because there is always room for me to get better at that!
5. Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, and Braden Kowitz
Here at The Muse, we have some ambitious goals for the product and are always striving to do more for our users. I’m excited to read Sprint to see if there are any techniques we could apply to help that happen even faster, and to accelerate our learning process when testing new hypotheses.
What’s on your upcoming career book reading list? Let me know on Twitter!