Among the flurry of webcasts, podcasts, online webinars and newsletters, a book can offer a source of comfort. It’s a place to be quiet with your thoughts. With increased stress all around and a focus on well-being, I wanted to share a reading list of books to help manage through the pandemic — and provide benefit well beyond. I recommend the following 6 books for now and all seasons:
Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This is the book, and the author, who is almost singularly responsible for bringing mindfulness into the world of medicine and mainstream healthcare. Designed to be the textbook for one of the first courses on mindful meditation, it stands alone as a tool to help manage stress. As the book points out, you can’t eliminate stress, but you can learn to manage it. This book has been in print for almost 30 years and is routinely a best seller. The book’s title comes from the movie Zorba the Greek — when Zorba references being married, having children, and a house — the full catastrophe.
Jon Kabat-Zin, the author, is practical and down to earth. The book addresses everyday life as well as unique stresses coming with so many different circumstances, including illness and work.
I have had a copy of this book on my nightstand for 20 years. I think about some aspect of it almost every day. Interestingly, it is one of those books you can just open to any page and find something helpful.
A great resource for our uncertain times.
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Think of this as the cousin to Full Catastrophe Living. The book focuses on bringing mindfulness into our daily lives — even busy professionals. You can read almost any section or chapter and learn something helpful — or just be reminded.
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick) by Seth Godin
This book is more about being successful, but is a good metaphor for realizing we are in what Seth Godin calls a “dip” — the hard part of the something new which may not be fun or exciting anymore — and how to help get through it.
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D.
This highly readable book can be digested in an hour or so. 2 mice and 2 people deal with change, complacency, contentment, and the obstacles to change—presented as a story about the different approaches to the dwindling cheese supply. Amusing and thought-provoking, this book is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary. It spent 5 years on the New York Times bestseller list.
On the business front, there is no better time to understand clients, client relationships, client service, and business development. My recommended reading would not be complete without including:
The Mad Clientist’s ABCs of Client Service by Michael Rynowecer
This fully illustrated book is a light-hearted look at a deadly serious skill: learning how to improve client service. The Mad Clientist distilled 14,000 in-depth interviews with top executives into 26 pithy, pointed actions for you to start using today. Spend just 26 minutes with The Mad Clientist and his ABCs of Client Service and improve your client service immediately.
Clientelligence: How Superior Client Relationships Fuel Growth and Profits by Michael Rynowecer
Learn how to drive growth and develop the best relationships with clients — based on in-depth research with 14,000 top decision makers who hire professional services firms. The decision makers point to 17 activities described within Clientelligence as driving superior client relationships, service, and new business.
Learn and enjoy.
MBR
The MAD Clientist
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