★★★★

In Rituals Roadmap, Erica Keswin outlines what makes a ritual, how rituals at work enhance performance, and the moments in the employee life cycle where rituals make sense. What makes this book especially helpful are the many, MANY examples of team rituals that promote a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Together, the examples illustrate the habits and behaviors that mark a strong and positive work culture. And, they draw a picture of how great culture feels to employees. (If you don’t have time to read the book, I strongly recommend Keswin’s appearance on Ideo’s Creative Confidence Podcast.)

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“Rituals help us pulse our attention, pause, and prevent burnout.”

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★★★★

In Out of Office, Anne Helen Peterson and Charlie Warzel take on the future of work, primarily the sea change in knowledge labor that was sparked by the pandemic shift to home offices. A guiding question seems to be: how can professionals make the experience of work—especially remote work—suck less? The primary reason to make work better, they say, is not to produce more and more for our companies, but to become liberated and live fuller lives for ourselves. Peterson and Warzel emphasize flexibility, positive org. culture, and the thoughtful application of technologies as a way through the morass. I found the chapter on culture and the discussion of middle managers to be particularly helpful.

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“A healthy work culture creates the circumstances for all employees to do their very best work. But a sustainable, resilient one understands and eagerly invites them to have lives outside it.”

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★★★½

Listen Like You Mean It is a solid resource on communication. I was impressed by both how thorough and how accessible the book is…even skimming it will provide a good framework for the listening skillset. I’ve been through a lot of training on listening, so I didn’t find a lot of new-new information here. However, I did flag exercises for clients and took notes on how Vengoechea organizes and then demystifies a complicated “soft” skill. I’m glad to add this title to my professional quiver. (This review was originally posted in August 2022.)

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“Too often, we “solve” for miscommunication by focusing only on what we say and how we’re saying: if only we could get our message across, things would be much easier. As a result, we may decide to adjust our messaging or turn up the volume. But when we focus solely on our capabilities as speakers, we risk turning our conversation partners into an audience rather than equal collaborators.”

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★★★ ½

Parker has written a modern guide for gatherings that is opinionated about hosting, brimming with examples, and full of heart. At times, I noticed myself bristling at the prescriptive tone, which taunted my inner rebel. However, I can’t argue with Parker’s passion for creating special experiences that deepen the connection between everyone present. One thing I loved about this book is that it can apply to gatherings of all shapes and sizes. From status meetings to family reunions to formal affairs, you’ll find something here that transcends.

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“Ichi-go ichi-e. The master told me it roughly translates to “one meeting, one moment in your life that will never happen again.” She explained further: ‘We could meet again, but you have to praise this moment because in one year, we’ll have a new experience, and we will be different people and will be bringing new experiences with us, because we are also changed.’”

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★★★ ½

This is a helpful book that outlines the questions and core habits of coaching. It is easy to skim, and I think that’s fine. Written for managers, its core wisdom is: Give less advice; ask more questions. Done well, this teaches and empowers your team—which in turn frees your time for high-value activities. I landed on 3.5 stars because I wanted even more on listening skills. These questions will fall flat if they are not matched by attentive, open ears. Otherwise, however, this guide is solid. If you suspect the coaching habit would be good for you and your team, grab a copy. This book could also be illuminating for parents, particularly those with older kids.

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“The real secret sauce here is building a habit of curiosity.”

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★★★★

This book is a survey of various chaplaincy roles and the throughlines between them in one city (Boston). I found it helpful, but I wish workplace/office chaplains had been included. I'm trying to make my way in that particular space post-CPE, and I feel quite alone. That being said, Cadge named and provided context for major thematic issues I'm encountering, and which the profession must navigate: invisible labor, liminal spaces, code switching, improvisation, institutional vs. entrepreneurial possibilities (and limitations), ethics, financial models, and the tension between presence and outcomes. While this book didn't answer my specific questions, it did reinforce my connection to the profession as a whole. Most of all, it helped me remember that not-knowing and inhabiting "the spaces between" are core to the chaplain's endeavor. All in all, I feel stronger for the discernment ahead of me. Seems fitting for a book about chaplaincy, now that I think of it. :)

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“There is a tenderness and a kind of noticing that chaplains do that can make a world of difference.”

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★★★★

I loved and needed this small but mighty book. Parker Palmer describes a true self that is hiding in plain sight amid cultural conditioning, others’ expectations, and the ego. He invites readers to listen with intention, to consider both the light and the shadow of their souls, and to know they are whole. He also shares his personal learning journey, which winds through his work, his spiritual life, and his struggle with depression. In the end, Palmer prompts a quiet faith that each person’s purpose is simply to become exactly who they are. 🎧

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“Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already posses." 

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★★★★½

This book recounts Nawal El Saadawi's arrest and imprisonment for the crime of having an opinion in Anwar Sadat's Egypt. In it, El Saadawi explores the essence of democracy and free speech within the nitty gritty, day-to-day experience of life as a political prisoner. *Memoirs From a Women's Prison* took me to new places geographically and politically. And, it taught me how beauty can take root in bleak environments. Stirring and strong.

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“The most dangerous shackles are the invisible ones, because they deceive people into believing they are free.”

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★★★★

An accessible and hopeful outline of the possibilities and practices of forest healing, from the founder of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. Part guidebook, part romance, part call to ethics, this book will give you a solid 101. Note that this is a Western, modern, therapeutic application of an ancient tradition with roots in Japanese culture.

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“To bathe in the forest is to be immersed in a grace that permeates the world, to feel an immanent power and beauty that is everywhere, whispering.”

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