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Selected books for college and career planning, skills and personal improvement, research -- or just for your enjoyment! Let us know if you have a favorite you think should be added here. If you see a book you like here, just click on the link and you can buy it through Amazon.  Lincoln on Leadership : Executive Strategies for Tough Times Here's a management book that's also great reading. Lincoln on Leadership is a book written for managers by a manager who has successfully implemented these techniques in his own career. It's also a fascinating glimpse into the character of one of America's strongest leaders. Although much has been written about Abraham Lincoln, there is little focus on Lincoln as a leader. This book offers a unique perspective into Lincoln's leadership style. Donald Phillips has studied Lincoln's presidency to identify those personal characteristics that made him such a charismatic leader. This would be interesting in itself. But Phillips goes further to infuse these traits with life in the context of modern management issues. It is a very effective approach. As Phillips points out, teaching leadership can be difficult. Leadership books and training are often short on specifics and long on generalizations. What's needed is a role model. And Lincoln proves to be an admirable example. He had an inauspicious beginning. Still relatively unknown and unsupported at the time of his inauguration, Lincoln faced the daunting task of holding together a nation on the brink of division. He managed to gain the respect of the nation through his persuasive, hands-on, personal approach and his dedication to the rights of the individual. Phillips divides his book into a series of key lessons, each based on one of Lincoln's characteristic leadership traits and illustrated by specific examples. At the end of each lesson, he summarizes the Lincoln principles as they apply to managers today.  It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now If someone told you your life was just beginning at 40, would you believe it? I didn't. That's why I started Barbara Sher's book with a healthy dose of skepticism. But it wasn't long before it dawned on me that not only did Sher's words ring true, I was living proof! Without thinking of it in the same terms - as a "second life" - I have been taking charge of my life and turning it in a completely new direction since my early 40s. It hasn't been by careful plan, but through a series of nearly imperceptible decisions. Suddenly, I began paying closer attention to Sher's words, and was gripped by the promise of freedom, a promise I was already fulfilling. This second life brings freedom from convention, from the need to please, from the fear of failure. It's a freedom to define your own dreams and goals. It's the freedom to "think of the coming years as a time for one dream after another to come true." Most important, this second half of life is not a time to disengage. It's a time to re-engage, to learn, and to rediscover your "original self." But be patient. It's not always an "aha now I can start over," but a step-by-step process. One day you too may look back and say, "How could I ever have thought my life would be downhill after 40…50…60…70?" I recommend that you take Sher's book along for the journey. She's been there. She's helped others get there. And she can guide you through these uncharted waters.  Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life Whether you've just lost your job, you're unhappy in your present job, or you're exploring career options, you'll find inspiration and practical guidance in this book. The author encourages you to take the initiative in your own career development. The book includes several questionnaires to help you assess your own situation, together with constructive exercises to guide you through a major career decision. But at its heart, this is much more than just another "how-to" book. Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life relates your work life to the whole of your life, taking full account of the stages of personality development and their transitions. It's not a short book. You'll want to take it section by section, spend some time with each one, and gain control over your career. |
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