Books
My favorite books! I love sharing these with my clients because they've impacted my life both personally and professionally, and I've watched them do the same for others. Each one offers practical wisdom you can use right away.
Building Better Habits
Foundation for all professional growth - start here for creating sustainable change
"Atomic Habits"
by James Clear
Why I Love It
The perfect breakdown of how small changes lead to big results. I use these strategies with clients to help them build new habits that stick and break old patterns that aren't serving them.
Key Message
Clear shows how tiny improvements add up to remarkable results.
Practical Use
Great for creating new routines, breaking through plateaus, and making sustainable changes.
"The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business"
by Charles Duhigg
Why I Love It
This book reveals the science behind why we do what we do. Understanding the habit loop is a game-changer for making real behavioral changes.
Key Message
Understanding the cue-routine-reward pattern behind habits.
Practical Use
Perfect for understanding your patterns and creating new, more effective routines.
Leadership & Professional Growth
Build on good habits by understanding and leveraging your natural talents
"Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow"
by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie
Why I Love It
Instead of trying to fix weaknesses, this book shows the power of doubling down on what makes you unique. As someone who spent years trying to be "well-rounded," discovering this strengths-based approach was liberating. It gave me permission to embrace my natural talents and taught me how to leverage them for greater impact. The included CliftonStrengths assessment is a game-changer for understanding your unique leadership fingerprint.
Key Message
Great leaders invest in strengths - both their own and their team members'. The research shows that the most effective leaders know their own strengths and understand how to complement them with the right people and partnerships. The book outlines four domains of leadership strength:
Executing: Making things happen
Influencing: Reaching a broader audience
Relationship Building: Holding teams together
Strategic Thinking: Focusing on what could be
Practical Use
This isn't just theory - it's a practical guide for leveraging your unique strengths in leadership. The framework helps you:
Understand which of the four leadership domains you naturally gravitate toward
Build teams that balance and complement your strengths
Stop trying to be good at everything and focus on being extraordinary at your natural talents
Lead authentically by working with (not against) your natural style
Professional Effectiveness
Tools and frameworks for maximizing your impact - whether leading teams or advancing your career
"Who: The A Method for Hiring"
by Geoff Smart and Randy Street
Why I Love It
Having implemented this method at both Adobe and Slack, I've seen firsthand how it transforms the hiring process. What makes it uniquely valuable is that it works from both sides of the table - whether you're hiring or being interviewed. The structured approach takes the guesswork out of hiring decisions and helps candidates prepare more effectively for behavioral interviews.
Key Message
Past performance is the best predictor of future success. By using a structured, chronological approach to understanding someone's career history, you can make better hiring decisions and, as a candidate, tell your story more compellingly. The method replaces gut feelings with a systematic evaluation process.
Practical Use
For hiring managers: Provides a clear framework for conducting thorough interviews that reveal both competency and fit. The scorecard approach ensures alignment before you start recruiting.
For candidates: Helps you prepare for behavioral interviews by organizing your career story and achievements in a way that clearly demonstrates your impact. Understanding this method gives you insight into what interviewers are looking for and how to present your experience effectively.
Modern Workplace
Navigate the future of work with intention and purpose
"How the Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams To Do The Best Work of Their Lives"
by by Brian Elliott, Sheela Subramanian, and Helen Kupp
Why I Love It
Having worked at Slack, I experienced firsthand how this team's research and insights shaped the future of work. Their data-driven approach to flexible work isn't just theory - it's backed by extensive research and real-world implementation. The frameworks they provide for building trust, maintaining culture, and driving innovation in a flexible environment are invaluable.
Key Message
The future of work isn't about location - it's about intentionally designing work practices that enhance both productivity and employee experience. Success comes from focusing on outcomes rather than traditional measures of performance.
Practical Use
Perfect for leaders and professionals navigating the evolving workplace. Whether you're building a flexible work policy, leading distributed teams, or wanting to be more effective in a hybrid environment, this book provides concrete strategies and proven approaches.
Career Navigation
Apply your strengths and habits to find/create your ideal career path
"What Color Is Your Parachute?: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success"
by Richard N. Bolles
Why I Love It
I use this book's unique approach with clients to help them discover their true career path. The Flower Exercise is particularly powerful for understanding your transferable skills and ideal work environment.
Career success comes from understanding your unique strengths and finding work that aligns with your values and skills.
Key Message
Practical Use
Perfect for career transitions, job searches, and discovering work that truly fits who you are. The practical exercises help you make concrete decisions about your next career move.
Personal Brand
Complete the picture by aligning your external presence with your authentic self
"Wear It Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed"
by Allison Bornstein
Why I Love It
This book was a game-changer for me during a time when I was struggling to reconnect with myself. After years of balancing motherhood and a demanding career, I had lost touch with my personal identity. The book taught me that being intentional about how we present ourselves is deeply connected to feeling grounded in who we are and owning our unique strengths.
Key Message
Your personal style is more than just clothes—it's a powerful tool for building confidence and owning your authentic self in every setting.
Practical Use
The book provides a clear framework for building a wardrobe that truly reflects who you are. Through this intentional approach to personal style, you naturally become more grounded in your authentic self, leading to greater confidence and helping combat those moments of self-doubt and imposter syndrome we may face.