23EssentialBooks&Podcasts

forHRLeadersin2023

Itwillchallengeyou.Itwillchangeyou.Itwillcreatenewwaysofthinking,working,andliving.Yes,we’retalkingabouttheessentialreadingandlisteninglistforHRandpeopleleadersin2023.

Selectedbyouremployeeexperienceexperts,theseare23ofthemostinspiring,thought-provoking,andsometimeslaughter-inducingresourcesforyourlineofwork.

Gleanthelessonsfromthesereadsandlistens,sharethemwithyourteams,andapplythemtoyouremployeeexperienceplaybook.Wecan’twaittoseehowyouhelpyourpeoplethrivein2023.

NoHardFeelings:TheSecretPowerofEmbracingEmotionsatWork

By:LizFosslien,MollieWestDu?y

Format:Book,Audiobook

Synopsis:Wedon’tswitchouremotionalselveso?intheworkplace,althoughwemightsometimeswantto.Theauthorsshinealightonawayforwardthatbalancespersonalauthenticityandprofessionalisminawaythatstrengthensproductivityandconnection.

Whyweloveit:It’saninnovative,entertaining,andhighlyusefulguidetoemotionalintelligencefortheprofessionalwho’dlovetobebulletproof,butremainsfully,imperfectly,andbrilliantlyhuman.

Re:ThinkingwithAdamGrant

Format:Podcast

Synopsis:Greatmindsdon’tthinkalike,theythinkdi?erently–andchallengeotherstodothesame.Inhisweeklypodcast,AdamGrantexploresnewwaysofthinkinginconversationwithsomeoftoday’smostsuccessfulentrepreneurs,artists,athletes,andmore.

Whyweloveit:AdamGrantisoneofthegreatthinkersofourtimes,andhispodcastthoughtfullychallengesustorethinkideaswetakeforgranted.

CultureRenovation:18LeadershipActionstoBuildanUnshakeableCompany

By:KevinOakes

Format:Book

Synopsis:Atacticalguidetorebuildingyourcorporateculturewithcareandexpertise,drawnfromdata-driveninsightsandadvicefromsomeoftheworld’stopCEOsandHRleaders.

Whyweloveit:Thisbookdeliverseverythingyouneedtoplan,build,andmaintainacorporateculturethatdrivesyourtopandbottomlines.

TalentTectonics

By:StevenT.Hunt,Phd

Format:Book

Synopsis:Anewde?nitiveguidetodesigningtheworkplacewiththemodernemployeeexperienceinmind.

Whyweloveit:Manyofusoperatewheretechnologicaladvancementandimprovingtheemployeeexperiencemeet.Dr.Hunttellsushowwecanhelpourorganizationsthriveinthisever-changing(andaccelerating)landscape.

IHateitHere

By:HebbaYoussef

Format:Newsletter

Synopsis:AweeklynewsletterforHRprofessionalsthatdelivers“insights,learnings,andadviceonhowtobuildcompaniesandculturesthatpeopleactuallylove.”

Whyweloveit:Youssef’sno-nonsenseapproachgivesyoupermissiontolaughatthesome-times-chaoticnatureofworkinginHR,whilearmingyouwiththetoolsyouneedtodoyourjobwell(andremindingwhyyouchoseacareerinthis?eldinthe?rstplace).

AsWeWork

By:WallStreetJournal

Format:Podcast

Synopsis:Aweeklypodcastcoveringthefutureofwork.Hearfromrealemployeesandindustryexpertswhosharedata-backedinsightsontopicslikeremotework,commuting,theplightofthemiddlemanager,andmuchmore.

Whyweloveit:Realpeople.Real-lifeissues.Tackledinrealtime.It’stheadviceyouneednow,re:yourcareerandbeyond.

XMProsCommunityPick

DataStory:ExplainDataandInspireActionThroughStory

By:NancyDuarte

Format:Book

Synopsis:DataStoryteachesyouthemoste?ectivewaystoturnyourdataintonarrativesthatblendthepoweroflanguage,numbers,andgraphics.

Whyweloveit:Scientistshaveproventhatstoriesmakethebrainlightupinwaysnootherformofcommunicationdoes.Usingstoryframeworksasacommunicationdevicefordatawillnotonlyhelpmakeyourrecommendationsstick,butinspireaction,aswell.

TheEmployeeExperienceAdvantage

By:JacobMorgan

Format:Book

Synopsis:Backedbyextensiveresearch,thisbookexplainsthethreeenvironmentsthatmakeuptheemployeeexperienceateveryorganization–andhowtodesignforthem.

Whyweloveit:Youhadusat“the#1priorityforbusinessleadersaroundtheworld.”

Subtract

By:LeidyKoltz

Format:Book

Synopsis:Thisresearch-backedbookexplainshowwedefaulttoaddingmoreandmoretoourlives,andhowreversingthetrendsometimescanbene?tusall.

Whyweloveit:Ourmodern-daylifestylerequiresustoprioritize,andachievemorewithless.Makingaskingourselveswhatwewillstop–nay,subtract–morecriticalthanever.Thisbookgetstotheheartofthisnotion,applyingittoeverythingfromquotidiandetailstomajorlifedecisions.

WhyDoSoManyIncompetentMenBecomeLeaders?(AndHowtoFixFit)

By:TomasChamorro-Premuzic

Format:Book

Synopsis:Withclarityandenthusiasm,TomasChamorro-Premuzicilluminateswhatitreallytakestolead,andhownewsystemsandprocessescanhelporganizationsputtherightpeopleincharge.Whyweloveit:Thisbook–atonceaneasyread,butalsocrammedwithdeepresearch–makesusrealizehowproneoursystemsaretobiasandhowit'snotresultingintherightpeoplebeingselectedfortherightroles.

TheFiveDysfunctionsofaTeam

By:PatrickLencioni

Format:Book

Synopsis:Thede?nitiveguidetoteamleadershipthat’sequalpartshandbookandfable.Whyweloveit:Structuredlikeastorysoit'saquick,butimpactfulread.Perfectforateamorbookclubpick!

HowtoFailwithElizabethDay

By:ElizabethDay

Format:Podcast

Synopsis:ElizabethDayexaminesthewhat,why,andhowoffailure:what’sgonewrong,whyweshouldcelebrateit,andhowtosucceedbetterthenexttime.

Whyweloveit:Ashumans,we’regenerallyquitebadatbeingvulnerable,admittingtoandowningmistakes,andlearningfromthemaspartoflife.Thispodcast?ipsthescript,celebratingourfailuresandencouragingusto?ndthetakeaways–nowinits16thseason.

BraveNewWork

By:AaronDignan

Format:Book

Synopsis:Theauthor’sprovenapproachforeliminatingredtape,dissolvingbureaucracy,anddoingthebestworkofyourlife.

Whyweloveit:AdamGrantrecommendsyoureadit–now–andpassitalongtoyourmanagerwhenyou’redone,too.

Humor,Seriously

By:JenniferAakerandNaomiBagdonas

Format:Book

Synopsis:Aguidetoembracingthepoweroflaughter–inbusinessandinlife.

Whyweloveit:Inthisentertainingbook,authorsJenniferAakerandNaomiBagdonasexplainwhyhumorisimportantinallfacetsoflife,andhelpyouassessyourhumorstyle(there’sevenanassessmentyoucantake).

MakingNumbersCount:TheArtandScienceofCommunicatingNumber

By:ChipHeathandKarlaStarr

Format:Book

Synopsis:Bringmoredata,morenaturally,intoyourdailydecisions–andinparticular,thoseyoumakeintheworkplace.

Whyweloveit:Welovedata,butweknownoteveryonefeelsthatway.Thisbookspeakstobothaudiences,o?eringinsightsandguidanceformoredigestibledata-baseddecisionmaking.

Upstream:TheQuesttoSolveProblemsBeforeTheyHappen

By:DanHeath

Format:Book

Synopsis:DanHeathexploreshowtopreventproblemsbeforetheyhappen,drawingoninsightsfromhundredsofinterviewswithunconventionalproblemsolvers.

Whyweloveit:Wereturnagainandagaintothispracticalguidethatdemonstratesthepowerofpreventingproblems,ratherthanreactingtothem.

InvisibleWomen:DataBiasinaWorldDesignedforMen

By:CarolineCriadoPerez

Format:Book

Synopsis:Dataunderliesjustabouteveryimportantdecisionwenowmake,fromnationalpoliciestobusinessstrategies.Butwhatiftheassumptionsbehindourdatadefaulttomaleperspectives,leavinghalfthepopulationasanafterthought?

Whyweloveit:Instaggeringdepthanddetail,thisbookchroniclesthepervasiveandoftenshock-ingrami?cationsofgenderdatainequality.You’llneverlookattheworldinquitethesamewayafterreadingthistourdeforce.

CharterWorks

By:Charter

Format:EmailNewsletter

Synopsis:Thehandbookforthefutureofwork.

Whyweloveit:Thisfreenewslettersynthesizesmanagementtipsandtrends,breakingdownwhatyouneedtoknowaboutwhat’shappeningnow–andnext–inthemodernworkplace.

HRBrew

By:n/a

Format:Newsletter

Synopsis:ThenewsHRprosneednow(andwhattodoaboutit).

Whyweloveit:Smart.Relevant.Digestible.Wewouldn’tstartourmorningswithoutit.

YourBrainatWork

By:NeuroleadershipInstitute

Format:Podcast

Synopsis:Apodcastthatdelvesdeepintohowbrainsciencecanhelpleaderssolvetheirorganizations’mostpressingpeopleproblems.

Whyweloveit:Ifyou’reanorganizationalpsychnerd(likeus!),thispodcast’sforyou.Theyusedevidence-basedresearchtodriveaconversationaboutthecomplex,nuanced,andhumanchallengeswewrestlewithinorganizations.

LoveandWork:HowtoFindWhatYouLove,LoveWhatYouDo,andDoItfortheRestofYourLife

By:MarcusBuckingham

Format:Book

Synopsis:Thispracticalguidehelpsreadersredesigntheirlives(andwork)aroundwhattheylove.

Whyweloveit:We’velongbeentold,“dowhatyoulove.”Butformanyofus,that’snotpossible–untilnow.Thisbookhelpsyoudiscoveryouruniquegifts,andhowtohelpothersdothesame.

ReinventingOrganizations

By:FrédéricLaloux

Format:Book

Synopsis:BusinessconsultantFrédéricLalouxidenti?esanemergingbreedofcompanythatoperatesfromanewsetofrules.Insteadofservinganego-drivenfocusonpower,thesevisionaryorganizationsembodyprinciplesofself-directionandindividualauthenticitywhilefollowingacollectivehigherpurpose.

Whyweloveit:Lalouxbelievesthathumanityisonthecuspofanewparadigminhowweorganizeourselvesandmakessuggestionsforhowtoadapttothistransitiontoelevatehowwework–andhowwelive.

ExponentialOrganizations:Whyneworganizationsaretentimesbetter,faster,andcheaperthanyours(andwhattodoaboutit)

By:SalimIsmailwithMichaelS.MaloneandYurivanGeest

Format:Book

Synopsis:Theauthorsexplainhowtoleveragenewinnovationsintechnologyandbusinesspracticetobuildhugelysuccessfulcom