Welcome to the HR Lounge

A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled by Ruby Wax Mindfulness can sound a little tree huggy, but not the way Ruby Wax writes about it. It's a very practical guide to dealing with stress and how to change things in a positive way. It's also as you would expect really funny and incredibly open and honest. Well worth a read to give you some options for reducing your own stress and helping those around you manage change.

The Choice by Edith Eger is an extraordinary story of how a woman survived being sent to Auschwitz when she was 16. She shares her experiences of the Holocaust and the stories of the people she has helped since then as an internationally acclaimed psychologist. She talks about how most of us live our lives within a mind that has become a prison and shows us how to find freedom. A quite remarkable book that had me alternating between sorrow and joy as I read it. A warm and compassionate examination of the human spirit. 

Herminia Ibarra – an expert on professional leadership and development and a professor at INSEAD, a leading international business school – shows how managers and executives at all levels can step up to leadership by making small but crucial changes in their jobs, their networks, and themselves. In "Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader," she offers advice to help redefine your job in order to make more strategic contributions; Diversify your network so that you connect to, and learn from, a bigger range of stakeholders;

Packed with self-assessments and practical advice to help define your most pressing leadership challenges, this book will help you devise a plan of action to become a better leader and move your career to the next level. Its an easy read and lots of practical suggestions , well worth reading when you are stepping up to a leadership role.

The five dysfunctions of a team, Patrick Lencioni

I know this book has been around for a while but well worth a dip into again. It tells the story of a leadership team with a new CEO and the 5 critical areas for their development as a team. The five dysfunctions are often those that are touched on  in organisationas with anecdotes but rarely tackled. There are some deceptively simple and powerful messages for all of those who are striving to build their teams and to participate fully as a leadership team member.

 Playing Big, Tara Mohr

Tara Mohr is an expert in leadership and began to see patterns in her work with women. She saw talented women with great ideas and aspiration  “playing small “ in their lives and work. She devised a step by step programme to assist them. A great book for advice on how to be less stressed and get more out of your life. A really good read for HR people who want to create more opportunities for women and gain a greater understanding of the issues at play.

The power of habit, Charles Duhigg 

New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg’s book on the scientific study of habits is fascinating. He examines why some people and companies struggle to change despite years of trying whilst others seem to remake themselves overnight. He visits laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where exactly they reside in the brain and he uncovers the right habits that were crucial to the success of many well know people such as Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg

Had to read this twice to get beyond my prejudice that she had it easy and therefore might not have much to say. However I was wrong and there are some important professional and life lessons here. It's also at times quite humble and funny and not what I expected. Give it a try.

The Culture Builders, Jane Sparrow 
We are all looking for ways to improve employee performance and Jane shares many of the skills and techniques she has learnt over the years. A perceptive and rich look at leadership strategy and its application which can be used by the reader to make a difference in the workplace. Lots of great examples from a range of organisations. A must for those serious about improving the ROI of their leadership development.

Effective NLP skills, Richard and Christina Youell
My favourite book about NLP just re printed. This is a down to earth practical  approach to NLP without a tree to hug in sight. It's a short read and packed with great ideas that can be implemented today. A must for managers at all levels who want to understand themselves, their staff and their stakeholders. Picks up on the nuances of body language, beliefs and communications theories in an easy to follow way. A little gem.