Diversify to change YOUR world
In the middle of 2020, I vowed to make an effort to read more books by female authors. I tend to love the business, psychology and philosophy sections of Exclusive Books. Still, it hit me. I read almost predominately male-written books.
I grew up in an all-female household, and I adore the beautiful link between compassion and power a woman can have. I try to emulate my leadership style based on the more “softer” servant style of leadership. Who I am was deeply influenced by my upbringing.
Women face unique challenges in their battle for business success. So their voices are amazing, and this needs to be amplified.
A report from 2020, done by McKinsey, ascertained that the more diverse companies perform better, hire better talent, have more engaged employees, and retain workers better than companies that do not focus on diversity and inclusion. Diversity of opinion and experience is essential to this.
Here are three books by exceptional females I would recommend:
*Thrive by Arianna Huffington *
Arianna has written over 15 books, co-founded The Huffington Post and is the CEO of Thrive Global.
In the book Thrive, Arianna challenges the core metrics of success of money and power and states there has to be a third to hold up the two: wellness. This third metric is the foundation layer.
In our incredibly fast-paced world of new technology, we are addicts. Technology is an incredible tool, but it can become a nasty addiction if you don’t guard against it. In this always-on culture of abundance and instant gratification, we lose sight of the hurt it can cause us.
This book is about the great reset. The book teaches how to remain present and calm and manage time effectively through the caring lens of self-love.
*No More Feedback: Cultivate Consciousness at Work — Carol Sanford*
Carol Sanford has consulted with the most prominent companies globally, Google, Intel, Proctor and Gamble. She is passionate about changing the very fabric of work entirely. Carol wants to flip the status quo whereby organisations mould around the development of their people.
In No More Feedback, Carol questions the working feedback loops that are used by staff. We have often been told that these feedback loops result in a dynamic and growing team. By its very nature, Carol says feedback is biased and laced with a personal take on the moment and person. No matter how astute you think you are or how explicitly aware of cognitive biases themselves, it’s still just about impossible to act without being influenced by a cognitive bias in one way or another.
So if feedback is not the answer, how do we grow? Self-reflection. Self-reflection became a core tenet of how I operate in the work I do. The book makes me as one question, after every meeting, after every one to one, after every piece of execution work:
“How much did I achieve in the work I just did, relative to what I know I am capable of and what I know I hope to do?”
When I do this assessment, I have to be honest, making me a more mindful and present leader.
*Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility by Patty McCord*
Netflix’s culture has earned folklore status in Silicon Valley. Every tech company has seen, discussed and tried pieces of the 129-page Netflix Culture deck. Netflix releases their public thoughts on culture and people regularly. It is the voice on the cutting edge of dealing with people.
Patty McCord wrote the manifesto, and she drove the cultural paradigm. She changed the face of company culture forever.
For more on her story, written by another female, Erin Meyer, read No Rules Rules.
No Rules Rules is the tale of how the Netflix founder, Reed Hastings, decided to change the script and create a culture based on freedom and fewer rules. The book is a story of how to treat employees like adults to maximise their potential. This book is a challenge to everything you thought you knew about corporate success and people management. This is the challenge created by Patty McCord.
*Reframing Ideology*
Diversity in the workplace is critical, but so is the variety of the content you consume. If you pigeonhole yourself into reading only the things you have always read, you will now grow.
First published on SAICA’s Accountancy South Africa magazine: ASA August
Also on: www.tramayne.co.za
