Summer Reading Recommendations

John Kime

Lately, I have been reading about the history of calculating risk and chance. It is a much more recent phenomenon than you might think. It still is, how many workplaces even now use actual statistics to make decisions? A historical reference, when the Romans played dice (which they did a lot) every bet was an even bet, no odds. Why are there so many Roman buildings and bridges still standing? Simple answer, they overbuilt because they could not calculate stress. Ever try doing math with Roman Numerals? It wasn't until the 1700s that the art of calculating odds (risk) really became sophisticated. A good first read would be “Pure Luck: The Role of Chance in History” by Ashley Cowie from the website Ancient Origins. 

Rebekah Jones 

"Shift Yes" with Galen Emanuele.  

I LOVE this YouTube channel because he offers microlearning for leaders, for managers, for employers and business owners — and they are all about how to treat your employees better. And he's FUNNY.  So there's that! :)   

10/10 recommend.  

Dean Priebe 

My summer book pick is “Washington Beer: A Heady History of Evergreen State Brewing” by Michael Rizzo.  It's a fun read that describes brewing in the Evergreen State from the beginning to 2015.  You'll find a collection of short stories that highlight the colorful characters that have produced beer in Washington State.  Enjoy it cover to cover and then keep it as a reference when a question arises about a Washington brewery.

Chastity Walck

"Brave Leadership" by  Kimberly Davis 

I thought this book was an honest and refreshing take on what it means to let go of fear as a leader and take challenges head-on. It offered some purposeful and actionable ways to be authentic and not lose sight of your confident self while making sure you are deeply honoring the talents and contributions of those around you. Braveleadershipbook.com

PDC Staff

Self-reflection and personal growth can also be highly valuable and important subjects to explore. Growth-oriented readers may be interested in one of the following recommendations. 

"The Fifth Discipline" by Peter M. Senge is a great dive into the importance of systems thinking and the need for organizations to be learning organizations - always evaluating and changing, both as an organization and as growth-oriented individuals.

William Bridges's "Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes" is a more personal take on change management than his main book ("Managing Transitions"), but is valuable in both personal and professional settings. 

We all have dreams, and we all have fears. For a lot of workplaces, making an impact is going to require being ready to “make trouble”. In her new book “Professional Troublemaker: The Fear Fighter Manual”, Luvvie Ajayi Jones provides readers with encouragement and explanations about how to face their fears and disrupt for the greater good.   

Are you dreading opening your email box when you return from vacation? Does your to-do list make you overwhelmed? We are all in a time crunch and often the technology that is supposed to be helping effectively manage your time is not being used to its fullest potential. Carson Tate’s “Work Simply” helps you understand your productivity style and build systems into your workday for you to increase productivity and efficiency with the tools that are right for you.

What are you reading this summer?