My top 5 books for 2021
Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing by Pete Davis
Dedicated is a gem in a world of constant distractions, choices, and lack of dedication and loyalty. The author raises valid points not only for work and career development but also for daily habits. Although there is a tendency to celebrate quick wins, there is a lot to learn from those who commit and succeed.
Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and how you can achieve yours by Shirzad Chamine
In his book, Shirzad Chamine introduces a set of Saboteurs (Judge, Controller, Victim, Avoider, and Pleaser), ways to identify them, and techniques to address them. Additionally, he provides a way to measure your Positive Intelligence score, which reflects the percentage of time your mind is serving you as opposed to sabotaging you.
In combination with IQ and EQ, Positive Intelligence (PQ) determines how much of your potential you actually achieve. Which is what makes this a brilliant book for self-reflection and personal development.
Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing your Career by Herminia Ibarra
Both Positive Intelligence and Working Identity were recommended to me by one of my coaches.
Working Identity is about career reinvention and a reminder that, in order to find what you are looking for, you need to experiment and act rather than think too much. I found this book a nice complement to Pete Davis’s Dedicated; they may sound diametrically opposite but they both stress the importance of being focused and giving things time.
Vaxxers: The Inside Story of the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine and the Race Against the Virus by Sarah Gilbert and Catherine Green
Vaxxers is the behind the scenes story for AstraZeneca’s vaccine by two key scientists who worked around the clock to fight with the devastating pandemic. Funding, scaling production at unprecedented levels and speed, politics, and all sorts of challenges which most of us underestimate and only a handful of people were tasked to solve.
Staff Engineer: Leadership beyond the management track by Will Larson
There are numerous books for career progression in the management path, but not many for the Individual Contributor (IC) track. Will Larson’s Staff Engineer was an excellent read on how to navigate the IC path. Technical and non-technical skills required for Senior+ roles, and interviews with engineers from top companies make this book a must read for engineers.
