Looking to accelerate your career? Read these three books
The world is awash with self-help and career advice books. Sadly many can leave you rather disappointed that they didn’t quite hit the spot or were treading over familiar ground in familiar ways.
So how do you know which to choose? We at Women-Space have picked out three that we think are amongst the best. But don’t believe us. Here is what you, our wonderful subscribers, have to say.
Marcia Devlin’s Beating the Odds: Navigating Sexism in the Australian University
If you are not working in an Australian University, don’t let the title put you off. Everything Marcia has to say is relevant to other contexts. This is the only career guide I know that focuses on university work and it is definitely a winner.
Indeed, as Rachel Hale says:
The book is fantastic! So many transferrable insights for women in academia in the UK (and worldwide, I suspect). I would definitely recommend this book as an essential read for all female academics. I've already started noticing some of the issues that Marcia talks about (in addition to the ones that I had noticed already) and I'm trying to implement some of her tips for dealing with them.
Sarah Otner agrees. Here is what she learnt from reading this book:
* Don't accept a deputy/acting position, or stay in one for too long, if it is preventing you from getting the actual leadership role. Document what you have done and its impact, that is distinct from the existing leader's.
* There was good data on senior leadership roles disaggregated by gender. Not a single female VC got there as an internal candidate (in other words, they all had to move institutions). This is frustratingly unfair, but it can help recalibrate expectations until things change.
*"Time since previous promotion" is not a criterion in any formal promotions policy.
*Consider framing your record as "achievement measured viz. opportunity"
Tara Mohr Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women who Want to Speak Up, Create and Lead
From dealing with your inner critic and finding your inner mentor to unhooking yourself from praise and criticism, Tara’s text is a global bestseller. And I’m not surprised. This one covers all bases and has a wonderful self-coaching style.
Megan Bruce liked it so much she bought a copy for her friend:
The theme of this book really resonated with me: finding ways to amplify important messages and overcoming hesitation in speaking up is something I want to do better. Tara Mohr’s book is an engaging and highly readable exploration of the different aspects of what holds women back and how we can recognise and address these in our own working lives. I particularly found chapter 5 useful, which explored how the same qualities which are praised when we are a student turn out to be the ones that hold us back when we take on a leadership role. I took something useful from each chapter of this book and have bought a copy for a friend so we can discuss it in more detail together!
I don’t know anyone who has not watched a Brene Brown YouTube video and not fallen in love with her. Deep, thoughtful and based on original research, Brene talks powerfully about how we need to accept our own, and others, vulnerability if we are going to thrive.
These are Jathurshika Vigneswaran’s key take-aways:
As a Physician Associate and Clinical Lecturer, I found the book incredibly inspiring and practical. It taught me the importance of vulnerability in leadership, the power of empathy, and the necessity of building trust with my team and patients. Brené Brown's insights will undoubtedly enhance my professional growth and positively impact my interactions in both clinical and educational settings. In summary, here are some key takeaways:
Vulnerability is Strength: Embracing vulnerability is crucial for authentic leadership. It fosters trust and opens the door to meaningful connections with colleagues and students.
Courageous Leadership: True leadership requires the courage to have difficult conversations, make bold decisions, and stand by your values, even when it's uncomfortable.
Empathy and Connection: Leading with empathy strengthens relationships and enhances team dynamics, which is essential in both clinical practice and educational settings.
Rumbling with Vulnerability: Engaging in honest and productive dialogues, even when it feels risky, leads to stronger, more resilient teams.
Living into Your Values: Identifying and living by your core values provides a clear compass for decision-making and leadership behaviour.
And Claire Munalio similarly found it of immense value:
I have been so intentional to read through this book without rushing it as its so full of golden nuggets. I have really benefitted from who Brene discusses the subject of vulnerability and getting rid of the armour. This is something that many of us struggle with especially when there have been elements of betrayal or abuse emanating from vulnerability. I loved the who idea of rumbling and was intrigued by the whole concept of the permission slip. I have been able to work on really narrowing down my values and glad I can now identify two key values that are key to me. I feel so much equipped first to lead myself as this is the best form of leadership and governance and then being able to lead others too. I will be passing the book to the other people around me to read it as I think it is such a great tool for leadership.
I hope you agree with our choices.
If you have a great book you would like to recommend, get in touch. We would love to hear.
with lots of good wishes,
Christina
Founder and CEO Women-Space Limited