Books Conversation is King

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While there are only a few books dedicated to the subject of Conversational Leadership, there are many related books on topics such as conversation, dialogue, leadership, complexity, and more. These books can provide insights and ideas to enhance the understanding of Conversational Leadership.

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    25 April, 2018
    12 Rules for Life: an Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B Peterson (2018)
    In this book, 12 Rules for Life, Jordan Peterson provides twelve profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, from setting your house in order before criticizing others to comparing yourself to who you were yesterday, not someone else today. ... Continue reading



    A Leaders Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative by Steve Denning (2005)
    In this book, A Leaders Guide to Storytelling, Steve Denning explains how you can learn to tell the right story at the right time. Whoever you are in the organization CEO, middle management, or someone on the front lines you can lead by using stories to effect change. ... Continue reading



    A More Beautiful Question: the Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by Warren Berger (2016)
    In this book, A More Beautiful Question, Warren Berger shows that one of the most powerful forces for igniting change in business and in our daily lives is a simple, under-appreciated tool - one that has been available to us since childhood. Questioning - deeply, imaginatively, "beautifully" - can help us identify and solve problems, come up with game-changing ideas, and pursue fresh ... Continue reading



    03 June, 2020
    Agenda for a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth by David Korten (2010)
    In this book, Agenda for a New Economy, David Korten has fleshed out his vision of the alternative to the corporate Wall Street economy: a Main Street economy based on locally owned, community-oriented “living enterprises” whose success is measured as much by their positive impact on people and the environment as by their positive balance sheet. We will lose nothing in the process because, ... Continue reading



    An Intimate History of Humanity by Theodore Zeldin (1995)



    01 January, 2020
    Authentic Conversations: Moving From Manipulation to Truth and Commitment by James Showkeir



    25 November, 1999
    Awareness: the Perils and Opportunities of Reality by Anthony De Mello (1992)
    In this book, Awareness, Anthony de Mello, uses humor, compassion, and insight to help us understand the importance of "awareness" in understanding ourselves and the world around us. Awareness tackles life's big questions — love, anger and fear, change, suffering, happiness, and loss. ... Continue reading



    10 January, 2022
    ★ Beyond Knowledge: How Technology Is Driving an Age of Consciousness by William E. Halal (2021)
    The Knowledge Age of the past two decades is passing today as the digital revolution and artificial intelligence replace knowledge work. William Halal’s study of social evolution explains how this marks the passage to a new frontier beyond poorly understood knowledge — an “Age of Consciousness” is here. But more pandemics, climate change, gross inequality, gridlock, and other ... Continue reading



    Changing Consciousness by David Bohm & Mark Edwards (1991)
    In this book, Changing Consciousness, David Bohm and Mark Edwards show how we need to adopt a new way of thinking in order to solve the crises facing the planet. Their thesis is presented in dialogue form, accompanied by a photo essay. Through the examination of a totality or whole system, they suggest that we may learn more than by examining its parts. Bohm Consciousness Seminar | David Bohm ... Continue reading



    Changing Conversations in Organizations: A Complexity Approach to Change by Patricia Shaw (2002)
    The book "Changing Conversations in Organizations" by Patricia Shaw explores a complexity-informed approach to organizational change that focuses on the self-organizing and emergent properties of conversation. Shaw suggests that real change happens through the ongoing, everyday conversations and interactions between people in organizations rather than through structured change programs or ... Continue reading



    Clean Language: Revealing Metaphors and Opening Minds by Wendy Sullivan, Judy Rees (2008)



    22 August, 2019
    ★ Closing the Mind Gap: Making Smarter Decisions in a Hypercomplex World by Ted Cadsby (2014)
    We have always struggled as human beings. But our struggle today is exacerbated by a gap between the increasingly complicated world we have created and the default ways we think about it. Twenty-first-century challenges are qualitatively different from those that generations of our ancestors faced, yet our thinking has not evolved to keep pace. We need to catch up. To make smarter decisions — ... Continue reading



    Cognitive Surplus: How Technology Makes Consumers Into Collaborators Clay Shirky (2010)
    "Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age" is a non-fiction book written by Clay Shirky, originally published in 2010. It explores the concept of cognitive surplus, which refers to the free time and potential for creative engagement that has emerged as a result of our increasing connectivity and access to information and technology. Shirky argues that throughout history, ... Continue reading



    15 September, 2015
    ★ Community: the Structure of Belonging by Peter Block (2018)
    As a response to the increasing violence in our culture, the widening ideological divides, and the growing gap in economic well-being, there is greater awareness that a deeper sense of community is desperately needed. But even as we acknowledge the need to build community, the dominant on-the-ground practices about how to engage people, civically and organizationally, remain essentially ... Continue reading



    Complex Responsive Processes in Organizations: Learning and Knowledge Creation by Ralph Stacey (2001)
    Ralph Stacey's book, "Complex Responsive Processes in Organizations: Learning and Knowledge Creation," delves into the intricacies of organizational dynamics, focusing on the interplay between human behavior, decision-making, and knowledge generation within complex systems. Drawing from complexity theory, Stacey explores how organizations are not merely static structures but evolving, adaptive ... Continue reading



    19 July, 2021
    Conflicted: Why Arguments Are Tearing Us Apart and How They Can Bring Us Together by Ian Leslie (2021)
    In this book, Conflicted, Ian Leslie draws essential lessons on how to disagree well from world-class experts: interrogators, hostage negotiators, divorce mediators, diplomats, and addiction counselors. It tells inspiring stories of productive disagreements, from the invention of the airplane to the success of The Rolling Stones, and combines them with fascinating insights from the science of ... Continue reading



    18 April, 2023
    Confronting Our Freedom: Leading a Culture of Chosen Accountability and Belonging by Peter Block, Peter Koestenbaum (2023)
    In this book, Confronting Our Freedom, Peter Block and  Peter Koestenbaum deliver an exciting and engaging new take on management and leadership. Drawing on recent events in the market and in the world, including the Great Resignation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and widespread digital transformation, the authors invite you to reimagine ideas of freedom and accountability in the context of ... Continue reading



    12 October, 2020
    Connected: the Amazing Power of Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives by Nicholas A. Christakis



    Connections: New Ways of Working in the Networked Organization by Lee Sproull, Sara Kiesler (1992)



    Content-area Conversations: How to Plan Discussion-based Lessons for Diverse Language Learners by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Carol Rothenberg



    31 October, 2022
    ★ Conversation: A History of a Declining Art Stephen Miller (2007)
    In the book Conversation: A History of a Declining Art,  Stephen Miller pursues a lifelong interest in conversation by taking a historical and philosophical view of the subject. He chronicles the art of conversation in Western civilization from its beginnings in ancient Greece to its apex in eighteenth-century Britain to its current endangered state in America. As Harry G. Frankfurt ... Continue reading



    ★ Conversation: How Talk Can Change Our Lives by Theodore Zeldin (2000)
    In this book, Conversation: How talk can change our lives, Theodore Zeldin explains what kind of talk charmed and excited people in the past, and why we talk differently today. It explores the art and the history of conversation and how it can be the key to a happier, more interesting future. It shows how women have changed the ways lovers speak, how families avoid silence or boredom, how ... Continue reading



    Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results by Judith E. Glaser



    Conversational Learning: an Experiential Approach to Knowledge Creation by Ann C. Baker, Patricia J. Jensen, David A. Kolb (2002)



    Conversational Wisdom: Strengthening Human Connection Through the Power of Conversation Emily Cosgrove and Sara Hope (2023)
    Conversation: the heartbeat of our organisations. Right now, we’re at risk of losing the art of doing it well. We need to radically change how we talk to each other, to create workplaces where people feel they belong and can thrive. This book will help you understand how to grow your conversational wisdom to create more inclusive and collaborative environments and to make work more ... Continue reading



    02 December, 2022
    ★ Creating Conversational Leadership by John Hovell
    In this book, Creating Conversational Leadership, John Hovell makes the case that our global society needs the new fields of Knowledge Management/Knowledge Services, Organization Development, Diversity & Inclusion, and Conversational Leadership. These are remarkable tools, management methodologies, and personally rewarding techniques for working professionals, managers, and all levels of ... Continue reading



    Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler (2011)



    20 July, 2021
    Curious: the Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It by Ian Leslie (2014)
    In this book, Curious, Ian Leslie makes a passionate case for the cultivation of our “desire to know.” Drawing on fascinating research from psychology, economics, education, and business, Ian looks at what feeds curiosity and what starves it and finds surprising answers. Curiosity is a mental muscle that atrophies without regular exercise and a habit that parents, schools, and ... Continue reading



    20 October, 2020
    Cynefin – Weaving Sense-making Into the Fabric of Our World by Dave Snowden & friends (2020)
    This book Cynefin - Weaving Sense-Making into the Fabric of Our World chronicles the origin story and historical evolution of the Cynefin Framework, including personal vignettes where network members share how it has impacted their lives, and reflections by practitioners on how they have applied it across many diverse contexts. ... Continue reading



    02 September, 2016
    Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich (2000)
    Deschooling Society by  Ivan Illich, first published in 1971 and reissued in 2000, is a seminal critique of the modern education system. Illich argues that institutionalized schooling is counterproductive to genuine learning and perpetuates social inequalities. Here are the key points of his argument: 1. Critique of Institutionalized Education Illich contends that schools have become ... Continue reading



    01 May, 2018
    ★ Dialogic Organization Development: the Theory and Practice of Transformational Change by Gervase R. Bushe, Robert J. Marshak (2015)
    First Int'l Conference on Dialogic Organization Development | Gervase Bushe & Robert Marshak ... Continue reading



    Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together: A Pioneering Approach to Communicating in Business and in Life by William Isaacs



    Dialogue: Rediscover the Transforming Power of Conversation by Linda Ellinor, Glenna Gerard



    Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton , Sheila Heen (1999)



    08 August, 2020
    Dominion: the Making of the Western Mind Tom Holland



    Embracing Complexity: Strategic Perspectives for an Age of Turbulence by Jean G. Boulton, Peter M. Allen, Cliff Bowman (2015)



    Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman (2005)
    In this book, Daniel Goleman draws on brain and behavioral research to show the factors at work when people of high IQ flounder and those of modest IQ do surprisingly well. These factors, which include self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy, add up to a different way of being smart—and they aren’t fixed at birth. Although shaped by childhood experiences, emotional intelligence can ... Continue reading



    06 March, 2021
    Enlightenment 2.0: Restoring Sanity to Our Politics, Our Economy, and Our Lives by Joseph Heath (2014)
    In the book Enlightenment 2.0,  Joseph Heath outlines a program for a second Enlightenment. The answer, he argues, lies in a new "slow politics." It takes as its point of departure recent psychological and philosophical research that identifies the social and environmental preconditions for the exercise of rational thought. It is impossible to restore sanity merely by being sane and trying ... Continue reading



    11 September, 2019
    Enlightenment Now: the Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker (2019)
    In this book Enlightenment Now, cognitive scientist Steven Pinker assesses the human condition in the third millennium and urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, which play to our psychological biases. Instead, follow the data: In seventy-five graphs, Pinker shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise, not just in ... Continue reading



    Evolutionaries: Unlocking the Spiritual and Cultural Potential of Science’s Greatest Idea Carter Phipps (2012)



    Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work & in Life, One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott (2002)



    From Debate to Dialogue: Using the Understanding Process to Transform Our Conversations by Deborah L. Flick (1998)



    01 October, 2023
    ★ Future Minds: the Rise of Intelligence From the Big Bang to the End of the Universe by Richard Yonck
    In this book, Future Minds, Richard Yonck challenges our assumptions about intelligence — what it is, how it came to exist, and its place in the development of life on Earth and possibly throughout the cosmos. Taking a Big History perspective — over the 14 billion years from the Big Bang to the present and beyond — he draws on recent developments in physics and complexity theory to ... Continue reading



    28 May, 2021
    Future Search: an Action Guide to Finding Common Ground in Organizations and Communities by Marvin Weisbord
    In this book, Future Search, Marvin Weisbord focuses on the evolving future search model. He goes deeply into the sources and rationale, the experiments with tasks and techniques, and examples of how he and many of his colleagues have employed this model and its variations. Credit: Amazon ... Continue reading



    21 August, 1991
    Global Mind Change by Willis Harman (1990)
    In this book,  Global Mind Change, Willis Harman elucidates that revolutions are generally thought of as large-scale, bloody upheavals involving whole countries and societies. But there are quieter revolutions that begin in the individual mind and create the kind of change that may be even more significant. By deliberately changing their internal image of reality, people are transforming the ... Continue reading



    01 January, 2020
    God: A Human History of Religion by Reza Aslan (2018)
    In the book God: A Human History by Reza Aslan, readers are taken on a captivating and ambitious exploration of how humanity has envisioned and understood the concept of God throughout history. Aslan delves into the deep-rooted human tendency to anthropomorphize the divine, demonstrating how people have projected their own characteristics, emotions, desires, and even flaws onto their idea of ... Continue reading



    Good Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter by Daniel Stillman (2020)
    Leadership is the art of designing transformative conversations. Real change is needed now, more than ever. This change can’t happen through force, edict, or persuasion. The future will be built through conversation - and Good Talk will show you how. Good Talk is a step-by-step framework to effect change in your personal and professional conversations. With dozens of tools and interactive ... Continue reading



    11 February, 2021
    Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language by Robin Dunbar (1996)
    In this book Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language, psychologist Robin Dunbar looks at gossip as an instrument of social order and cohesion — much like the endless grooming with which our primate cousins tend to their social relationships. ... Continue reading



    01 May, 2022
    Guns Germs and Steel: A Short History of Everybody for the Last 13,000 Years by Jared Diamond by Jared Diamond (1998)



    05 November, 2021
    Hard to Be Human: Overcoming Our Five Cognitive Design Flaws by Ted Cadsby (2021)
    We are oddly paradoxical creatures who long to be happy while creating our own suffering. We replay past anguish, anticipate future distress, and stew in self-righteous anger. In Hard to Be Human, Ted Cadsby focuses on five cognitive design flaws that foster underthinking and overreacting and reveals powerful strategies to overcome them. Greedy reductionism Addiction to certainty ... Continue reading



    01 May, 2021
    Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow Yuval Noah Harari (2017)
    In this book, Homo Deus, Professor Yuval Noah Harari examines where humankind might be headed. ... Continue reading



    How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work: Seven Languages for Transformation by Robert Kegan (2002)



    14 July, 2020
    ★ How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide by Peter Boghossian and James Lindsay (2019)
    In our current political climate, it seems impossible to have a civil conversation with someone who has a different opinion. Dialogue is shut down when perspectives clash. Heated debates on Facebook and Twitter often lead to shaming, hindering any possibility of productive discourse. In this book, How to Have Impossible Conversations, Peter Boghossian and James Lindsay describe the process of ... Continue reading



    How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie



    Humble Inquiry: the Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling by Edgar H. Schein (2013)



    ★ Humble Leadership: the Power of Relationships, Openness and Trust by Edgar H. Schein, Peter A. Schein (2018)
    The more traditional forms of leadership based on static hierarchies and professional distance between leaders and followers are growing increasingly outdated and ineffective. As organizations face more complex interdependent tasks, leadership must become more personal to guarantee open, trusting communication that will make collaborative problem solving and innovation possible. ... Continue reading



    25 August, 2025
    Inheritance: the Evolutionary Origins of the Modern World by Harvey Whitehouse (2025)
    We are endowed with an inheritance—a set of ancient biases forged through countless millennia of natural and cultural selection, which shape every facet of our behavior. This inheritance has taken us to ever greater heights for generations, driving the rise of more sophisticated technologies, more organized religions, and more expansive empires. But now, for the first time, it is failing us. ... Continue reading



    Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone by Mark Goulston (2015)



    27 August, 2021
    Knowledge Café: Create an Environment for Successful Knowledge Management by Benjamin C. Anyacho
    The Knowledge Café by Benjamin Anyacho is a mindset and environment for engaging, discussing, and exchanging knowledge within a group either face to face or virtually. At the café, participants can discuss hard-to-solve project issues or resolve a family or community crisis. This metaphorical town square supports knowledge circulation and rejuvenation and increases its velocity—making it a ... Continue reading



    Leadership Conversations: Challenging High Potential Managers to Become Great Leaders by Alan S. Berson, Richard G. Stieglitz



    28 October, 2021
    Leadership in Complexity and Change: for a World in Constant Motion by Sharon Varney (2021)
    In this book, Leadership in Complexity and Change, Sharon Varney draws on complexity science to paint a picture of a world in constant motion, where leadership is enacted in the midst of complexity and continuous change. We must learn to engage with complexity. If not now, when? Part I of this book brings complexity science to life by considering the practical challenges of complexity and its ... Continue reading



    Leadership-as-practice: Theory and Application by Joseph A. Raelin
    This book Leadership-as-Practice by Joe Raelin develops a new paradigm in the field of leadership studies, referred to as the "leadership-as-practice" (L-A-P) movement. Its essence is its conception of leadership as occurring as a practice rather than residing in the traits or behaviours of particular individuals. A practice is a coordinative effort among participants who choose through their ... Continue reading



    Leading Issues in Social Knowledge Management by David Gurteen (2012)
    Introduction to Leading Issues in Social Knowledge Management A brief and personal history of Knowledge Management! In its early days, Knowledge Management (KM) was primarily about capturing all the messy unstructured information in an organization; making it searchable and easily accessible to employees. It’s still what most companies mean when they talk about KM - so much so, that many IT ... Continue reading



    Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach: the Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults by Jane Kathryn Vella



    Learning Together and Alone: Cooperative, Competitive, and Individualistic Learning by David W. Johnson, Roger T. Johnson
    In this book, Learning Together and Alone, the authors integrate cooperative learning with competitive and individualistic learning by providing guidelines for managing critical issues such as teaching social skills, assessing competencies and involvement, and resolving conflict among group members. Each type of learning is clearly defined; the advantages and disadvantages of each are covered, ... Continue reading



    03 February, 2021
    ★ Liars and Outliers: Enabling the Trust That Society Needs to Thrive by Bruce Schneier (2012)
    In the book, Liars and Outliers, Bruce Schneier examines the role of trust in enabling healthy, functioning societies. Schneier argues that some level of trust is essential for large-scale social coordination and cooperation. Without trust, societies cannot thrive, and individuals are forced to avoid interactions or spend heavily on protection from abuse and cheating. The book explores how ... Continue reading



    Life-changing Conversations: 7 Strategies for Talking About What Matters Most by Sarah Rozenthuler



    Listening to the Volcano: Conversations That Open Our Minds to New Possibilities by David Hutchens (2005)



    Listening: the Forgotten Skill by Madelyn Burley-All



    Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America From Our Culture of Contempt: Arthur C. Brooks (2019)
    Divisive politicians. Hateful pundits. Angry campus activists. Twitter trolls. Today in America there is an "outrage industrial complex" that prospers by setting American against American, creating a "culture of contempt"--the habit of seeing people who disagree with us not as merely incorrect, but as worthless and defective. Maybe, like more than nine out of ten Americans, you dislike it. But, ... Continue reading



    Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (1946)
    Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl is a poignant and introspective work that delves into the depths of the human experience. Drawing from his experiences in Nazi concentration camps, Frankl explores the fundamental question of finding meaning and purpose in life. Through his reflections and insights, he illuminates the resilience of the human spirit and the power of maintaining a ... Continue reading



    Moments of Impact: How to Design Strategic Conversations That Accelerate Change by Chris Ertel, Lisa Kay Solomon (2014)



    30 November, 2021
    Moral Courage Rushworth M. Kidder (2006)
    In this book, Moral Courage, Rushworth Kidder reveals that moral courage is the bridge between talking ethics and doing ethics. Defining it as a readiness to endure danger for the sake of principle, he explains that the courage to act is found at the intersection of three elements: action based on core values, awareness of the risks, and a willingness to endure necessary hardship. By ... Continue reading



    New Radical Enlightenment: Philosophy for a Common World By Marina Garcés (2024)
    In the book New Radical Enlightenment by Marina Garcés, philosophy is reimagined as a force born from discussion and the rivalry between worldviews. Emerging from the philosophical ferment of the Enlightenment, the idea of emancipation once symbolized progress, but Garcés urges us to rethink this conflict-driven perspective. She presents the need for critical dissent as a fresh beginning for ... Continue reading



    06 April, 2023
    Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, Cass R. Sunstein (2021)
    Imagine that two doctors in the same city give different diagnoses to identical patients—or that two judges in the same courthouse give markedly different sentences to people who have committed the same crime. Suppose that different interviewers at the same firm make different decisions about indistinguishable job applicants—or that when a company is handling customer complaints, the ... Continue reading



    26 August, 2020
    Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg



    10 December, 2019
    Obliquity By John Kay (2010)



    ★ On Dialogue by David Bohm (2004)
    Never before has there been a greater need for deeper listening and more open communication to cope with the complex problems facing our organizations, businesses, and societies. In this book, On Dialogue, scientist David Bohm believed there was a better way for humanity to discover meaning and achieve harmony. He identified creative dialogue, a sharing of assumptions and understanding, as ... Continue reading



    On Dialogue – an Essay in Free Thought by Robert Grudin (1996)



    14 August, 2022
    Open: How Collaboration and Curiosity Shaped Humankind Johan Norberg



    Organizing Conversations: Preparing Groups to Take on Adaptive Challenges By Mike Burrows (2024)
    The models and processes in this book emerged from Mike Burrows' frustrating, all too common experience of being asked to help a group become more Agile or Lean, only to discover that many in the room had no idea why they were there. To them, he was there not to help but to impose. Trying to impose new ways of organizing on people with no say in what happens is rarely successful; here, it was ... Continue reading



    Overcoming Hate Through Dialogue: Confronting Prejudice, Racism, and Bigotry with Conversation―and Coffee By Özlem Cekic (2020)
    In the book Overcoming Hate Through Dialogue: Confronting Prejudice, Racism, and Bigotry with Conversation―and Coffee by Özlem Cekic, the author explores the transformative power of dialogue in bridging divides and challenging deeply held biases. Cekic, a former Danish parliamentarian of Kurdish descent, shares her journey of engaging in difficult conversations with individuals with ... Continue reading



    Proactive Reviews: How to Make Your Organisation Learn From Experience by Ditte Kolbæk (2012)



    Psychogeography by Merlin Coverley



    Punished by Rewards: the Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes by Alfie Kohn (1999)
    Alfie Kohn's book, "Punished by Rewards," offers a fresh perspective on motivation, challenging the widespread belief that rewards are effective tools for behavior change. Kohn delves into the potential negative consequences of relying on rewards, arguing that they undermine intrinsic motivation and hinder long-term growth. Supported by research and real-life examples, the book prompts readers to ... Continue reading



    Radical Candor: Be a Kick-ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott (2017)



    04 October, 2021
    Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters by Steven Pinker (2021)
    Today humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding–and also appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, medical quackery, and conspiracy theorizing? In this book Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, Steven Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply ... Continue reading



    Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal Beyond Left, Right, and Center by Henry Mintzberg (2015)
    Enough of the imbalance that is causing the degradation of our environment, the demise of our democracies, and the denigration of ourselves. Enough of the pendulum politics of left and right and paralysis in the political center. We require an unprecedented form of radical renewal. In this book, Rebalancing Society,  Henry Mintzberg offers a new understanding of the root of our current crisis ... Continue reading



    12 December, 2019
    Rebel Ideas: the Power of Diverse Thinking Matthew Syed (2019)
    In this book, Rebel Ideas, Matthew Syed examines the power of cognitive diversity — the ability to think differently about the world around us. He explains how to harness our unique perspectives, pool our collective intelligence, and tackle the greatest challenges of our age — from climate change to terrorism. ... Continue reading



    Reclaiming Conversation: the Power of Talk in a Digital Age by Sherry Turkle (2015)



    02 September, 2021
    Red Teaming: How Your Business Can Conquer the Competition by Challenging Everything by Bryce G. Hoffman (2017)
    In this book, Red Teaming, Bryce Hoffman shows how the most innovative and disruptive companies, such as Google and Toyota, employ Red Teaming techniques. A red team is a team that is formed with the objective of subjecting an organization’s plans, programmes, ideas, and assumptions to rigorous analysis and challenge. He also shows how many high-profile business failures, including those ... Continue reading



    Rising Out of Hatred: the Awakening of a Former White Nationalist By Eli Saslow (2018)
    In the book Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow tells the powerful story of Derek Black, once considered a rising star in the American white nationalist movement, as he confronts and ultimately rejects his deeply ingrained beliefs. Through in-depth interviews and personal narratives, Saslow explores Derek’s transformation as he is challenged by ... Continue reading



    17 January, 2020
    Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Yuval Noah Harari (2015)
    In this book, Sapiens, Professor Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical — and sometimes devastating — breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural, and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, paleontology, and economics, and incorporating full-color illustrations throughout the text, he ... Continue reading



    Science Order & Creativity by David Bohm, David Peat



    16 April, 2021
    Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don’t by Julia Galef (2021)
    In this book, The Scout Mindset, Julia Galef explains that we see what we want to see when it comes to what we believe. In other words, we have what Julia Galef calls a "soldier" mindset. From tribalism and wishful thinking to rationalizing in our personal lives and everything in between, we are driven to defend the ideas we most want to believe — and shoot down those we don't. But if we ... Continue reading



    Sense-making Methodology Reader: Selected Writings of Brenda Dervin by Brenda Dervin (2003)
    This book by Brenda Dervin is intended for studying users, audiences, patrons, patients, and clients in a variety of fields such as communication, cultural studies, library and information science, environmental studies, arts policy and education, and nursing. ... Continue reading



    22 September, 2020
    Sensemaking: What Makes Human Intelligence Essential in the Age of the Algorithm by Christian Madsbjerg



    Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono



    Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect by Matthew D. Lieberman



    08 August, 2020
    Speak Up: Say What Needs to Be Said and Hear What Needs to Be Heard by Megan Reitz and John Higgins (2019)
    Our day-to-day conversations define how we see ourselves and how we’re seen. The choices we make about what to say and who to say it to are decisive factors in whether we get promoted, or side-lined. Whether we steer clear of trouble or find ourselves in it up to our necks. With daily scandals hitting the headlines and the continuous need to innovate to survive, creating a more honest, open, ... Continue reading



    Storytelling in Organizations by Steve Denning, John Seely Brown, Katalina Groh and Larry Prusak (2004)
    This book, Storytelling in Organizations, is the story of how four busy executives, from different backgrounds and different perspectives, were surprised to find themselves converging on the idea of narrative as an extraordinarily valuable lens for understanding and managing organizations in the twenty-first century. The idea that narrative and storytelling could be so powerful a tool in the ... Continue reading



    ★ Strategic Conversations: Creating and Directing the Entrepreneurial Workforce by J.-C. Spender, Bruce A. Strong (2014)



    Strategy: A History by Lawrence Freedman (2013)



    01 May, 2022
    Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias by Pragya Agarwal (2021)



    Talk Is Not! Cheap: the Art of Conversation Leadership by Jim McCann (2014)



    ★ Talk, Inc.: How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power Their Organizations by Boris Groysberg, Michael Slind (2012)
    How can leaders make their big or growing companies feel small again? How can they recapture the “magic” — the tight strategic alignment, the high level of employee engagement—that drove and animated their organization when it was a start-up? As more and more executives have discovered in recent years, the answer to this conundrum lies in the power of conversation. In the book, Talk, ... Continue reading



    Talk: the Science of Conversation By Elizabeth Stokoe (2018)



    28 April, 2023
    Talking Cure: an Essay on the Civilizing Power of Conversation by Paula Marantz Cohen (2023)
    In this book, Talking Cure by Paula Marantz Cohen reveals how conversation connects us in ways that social media never can and explains why simply talking to each other freely and without guile may be the cure to what ails our troubled society. Drawing on her lifelong immersion in literature and culture and her decades of experience as a teacher and critic, Cohen argues that we learn to ... Continue reading



    03 September, 2021
    The Argument Culture: Stopping America’s War of Words by Deborah Tannen (1999)
    In this book, The Argument Culture, Deborah Tannen examines how we communicate in public — in the media, politics, courtrooms, and classrooms — letting us see in a new way forces that have powerfully shaped our lives. The war on drugs, the battle of the sexes, political turf combat — in the argument culture, war metaphors pervade our talk and influence our thinking. We approach ... Continue reading



    The Art of Conversation by Catherine Blyth (2008)



    The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker (2018)



    The Art of Listening by Erich Fromm (1998)



    The Cluetrain Manifesto: the End of Business as Usual by David Weinberger, Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls



    05 April, 2023
    The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt, Greg Lukianoff (2018)
    First Amendment expert Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt show how the new problems on campus have their origins in three terrible ideas that have become increasingly woven into American childhood and education: What doesn’t kill you makes you weaker; always trust your feelings; and life is a battle between good people and evil people. These three Great Untruths contradict ... Continue reading



    27 December, 2023
    The Concept of Conversation: From Cicero’s Sermo to the Grand Siecle’s Conversation David Randall (2019)
    In "The Concept of Conversation," David Randall argues conversation, often overlooked in history, profoundly shaped early modern Europe. He reveals how it transformed from elite philosophical discourse to encompass friendship, salons, the press, and even women's voices. Challenging Habermas's view, Randall sees conversation, not just rational public debate, as central to intellectual ... Continue reading



    The Conversational Enlightenment: the Reconception of Rhetoric in Eighteenth-century Thought David Randall (2020)
    David Randall's "Conversational Enlightenment" explores the 18th century's "conversation boom" in literature, philosophy, art, and society. He shows how conversation expanded beyond elites, influencing politeness, public opinion, and even art. He argues it wasn't just chatter but a tool for shaping ideas & the Enlightenment itself. He challenges traditional views, highlighting salons ... Continue reading



    The Conversational Firm: Rethinking Bureaucracy in the Age of Social Media By Catherine Turco (2018)



    19 July, 2022
    The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow (2022)



    The De-voicing of Society: Why We Don’t Talk to Each Other Anymore by John L. Locke



    The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking by Stephen D. Brookfield and Stephen Preskill (2016)



    12 March, 2021
    The Empathic Civilization: the Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis Jeremy Rifkin (2010)
    In this book The Empathic Civilization, Jeremy Rifkin tells the story of the extension of human empathy from the rise of the first great theological civilizations, to the ideological age that dominated the 18th and 19th centuries, the psychological era that characterized much of the 20th century and the emerging dramaturgical period of the 21st century. Credit: Adapted from  Amazon The ... Continue reading



    06 May, 2021
    ★ The Enigma of Reason: A New Theory of Human Understanding by Dan Sperber and Hugo Mercier (2018)
    In this book, The Enigma of Reason, Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber argue that reason is not geared to solitary use, to arriving at better beliefs and decisions on our own. Reason, we are told, is what makes us human, the source of our knowledge and wisdom. If reason is so valuable, why didn't it also evolve in other animals? If reason is that reliable, why do we produce so much thoroughly ... Continue reading



    26 September, 2021
    ★ The Extended Mind: the Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Annie Murphy Paul (2021)
    Over many years of elementary school, high school, and even college and graduate school, we’re never explicitly taught to think outside the brain; we’re not shown how to employ our bodies and spaces and relationships in the service of intelligent thought. Yet this instruction is available if we know where to look; our teachers are the artists and scientists and authors who have figured out ... Continue reading



    The Fifth Discipline: the Art & Practice of the Learning Organization by Peter Senge (2006)



    22 December, 2021
    ★ The Fourth Economy: Inventing Western Civilization by Ron Davison (2011)
    The premise of this book, The Fourth Economy by Ron Davison, is that a fourth entrepreneurial economy is emerging. This will be as different from the information economy as the industrial economy before it. Last century we popularized knowledge work, transforming from an industrial economy dependent on child labor to an information economy dependent on adult education. This century we will ... Continue reading



    The Great Unheard at Work: Understanding Voice and Silence in Organisations Mark Cole and John Higgins (2023)
    The Great Unheard at Work by Mark Cole and John Higgins makes the case that silence always has something to say – it’s never neutral and speaks volumes if people are willing to hear. Our response to silence is often to dismiss or end it, to block it out with noise. Instead, silence needs to be taken seriously. This book explores the importance of understanding silence and shows how we can ... Continue reading



    The Human Swarm: How Our Societies Arise, Thrive, and Fall by Mark W. Moffett (2019)
    If a chimpanzee ventures into the territory of a different group, it will almost certainly be killed. But a New Yorker can fly to Los Angeles--or Borneo--with very little fear. Psychologists have done little to explain this: for years, they have held that our biology puts a hard upper limit--about 150 people--on the size of our social groups. But human societies are in fact vastly larger. How do ... Continue reading



    23 October, 2022
    The Journey Beyond Fear: Leverage the Three Pillars of Positivity to Build Your Success John Hagel (2021)
    Whether you’re running a business, building a career, raising a family, or attending school, uncertainty has been the name of the game for years―and the feeling reached an all-time high when COVID-19 hit. Even the savviest, smartest, toughest people are understandably feeling enormous pressure and often feeling paralyzed by fear. The Journey Beyond Fear by John Hagel provides everything ... Continue reading



    The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone by Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach (2018)
    The Knowledge Illusion | Steven Sloman ... Continue reading



    15 June, 2021
    The Learning-driven Business: How to Develop an Organizational Learning Ecosystem Alaa Garad and Jeff Gold (2021)
    In any kind of organization, learning has become a vital part of the growth and development process, but it only produces effective results if it is pursued strategically and embedded deeply into the culture of the workplace. In recent years, there has been a growing consensus that, for many organizations, learning is their only sustainable competitive advantage – ensuring a committed and ... Continue reading



    The Living Company: Growth, Learning and Longevity in Business by Arie de Geus



    01 March, 2020
    The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity by Douglas Murray (2019)
    In this book The Madness of Crowds, Douglas Murray examines the 21st century’s most divisive issues: sexuality, gender, technology, and race. He reveals the new culture wars playing out in our workplaces, universities, schools, and homes in the names of social justice, identity politics, and 'intersectionality'. Credit: Amazon ... Continue reading



    The Magic of Dialogue: Transforming Conflict Into Cooperation by Daniel Yankelovich



    The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge By Peter B. Kaufman (2021)
    In the book The New Enlightenment and the Fight to Free Knowledge by Peter B. Kaufman, the author asks a critical question: How do we create a universe of truthful and verifiable information accessible to everyone? Kaufman, who leads MIT Open Learning, explores the powerful forces throughout history that have deliberately obstructed humanity's efforts to share knowledge openly and freely. From ... Continue reading



    The Power of Mindful Learning by Ellen J. Langer
    Radical in its implications, this original and important work may change forever the views we hold about the nature of learning. In The Power of Mindful Learning, Ellen Langer uses her innovative theory of mindfulness, introduced in her influential earlier book, to dramatically enhance the way we learn. Our learning is hobbled by certain antiquated and pervasive misconceptions in business, ... Continue reading



    The Power of Positive Deviance: How Unlikely Innovators Solve the World’s Toughest Problems by Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin, Monique Sternin



    25 March, 2022
    The Power of Pull: How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion by John Hagel, John Seely Brown and Lang Davison (2010)
    We live in a world dominated by push. We learn in an educational system that dictates what we need to know and pushes this knowledge to us for twelve or more years. We work in companies that forecast demand and then push products to the people and places where demand is expected to materialize. We consume in forms that are packaged, programmed, and pushed to us based on our expected ... Continue reading



    The Power of Strangers: the Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World Joe Keohane (2021)
    In this book, The Power of Strangers, Joe Keohane explores the benefits of talking with strangers. He examines how even fleeting interactions can improve empathy, happiness, and cognitive development, ease loneliness and deepen our sense of belonging. ... Continue reading



    The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World by Ronald Heifetz, Marty Linsky and Alexander Grashow



    18 February, 2022
    The Printing Press as an Agent of Change by Elizabeth L. Eisenstein (1980)
    In this book, The printing press as an agent of change, Elizabeth Eisenstein conducts an extensive survey of the literature on the three intellectual and social movements of the period 1400–1700: the Italian Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution. She also examines the major hypotheses as to their causes and progress and reassesses them in terms of the impact of ... Continue reading



    The Pursuit of Attention: Power and Ego in Everyday Life by Charles Derber (2000)



    25 March, 2023
    ★ The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion Jonathan Haidt (2013)
    In this book, The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt shows how moral judgments arise not from reason but from gut feelings. He shows why liberals, conservatives, and libertarians have such different intuitions about right and wrong, and he shows why each side is actually right about many of its central concerns. Credit: Amazon The Righteous Mind animated The Righteous Mind | Jonathan ... Continue reading



    The Road Less Traveled M. Scott Peck (1978)
    The Road Less Traveled, first published in 1978, is a self-help and psychology book by M. Scott Peck. It covers topics like discipline, love, religion, and grace. The book's overarching theme is that spiritual and psychological growth requires effort, or work, on the part of the individual. Peck argues that life is difficult and that confronting life's challenges is how one achieves personal ... Continue reading



    The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character Ethic by Stephen R. Covey (1990)
    The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey is a self-help book that outlines a framework for developing habits that can lead to success personally and professionally. The 7 habits are: 1. Be Proactive - Take initiative and responsibility for your life rather than blame others. 2. Begin with the End in Mind - Define your mission, values, and goals to guide your decisions. 3. ... Continue reading



    The SPEED of Trust: the One Thing That Changes Everything By Stephen M. R. Covey (2006)
    The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey explores the role of trust in business, organizations, and personal relationships. The main concept of the book is that trust is the basis of successful relationships, leadership, business, and society as a whole. Covey argues that trust can provide organizations and individuals with immense competitive advantages, including speed and low cost. On the ... Continue reading



    10 March, 2005
    The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in Knowledge-era Organizations Steve Denning (2000)



    The Talking Revolution: How Creative Conversation Can Change the World by Peter Osborn, Eddy Canfor-Dumas (2018)



    The Village Effect: How Face-to-face Contact Can Make Us Healthier, Happier, and Smarter by Susan Pinker



    The World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter by Juanita Brown, David Isaacs (2005)



    12 July, 2022
    Think Again: the Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant (2021)



    24 January, 2020
    Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman (2012)



    Time to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind by Nancy Kline



    Treading Lightly: the Hidden Wisdom of the World’s Oldest People by Karl-Erik Sveiby (2007)
    Australian Aboriginals taught themselves thousands of years ago how to build a sustainable society in our fragile landscape. In a unique collaboration, a Swedish knowledge management professor finds out from an Aboriginal cultural custodian how they did it, and what we can learn from them. We are consuming more than our earth can provide. In Australia, cities and towns struggle to maintain a ... Continue reading



    Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future by Margaret J. Wheatley (2002)



    Value(s): Building a Better World for All Mark Carney (2021)
    In this book, Value(s): Building a Better World for All, Mark Carney (an economist and former banker) reflects on his experiences that examine the shortcomings and challenges of the market in the past decade, which he argues has led to rampant, public distrust and the need for radical change. ... Continue reading



    Walden, or Life in the Woods Henry David Thoreau (1854)



    Worldview Dynamics and the Well-being of Nations Richard Barrett (2020)


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