Suggested Reading

Hello,

The books listed below are the ones I feel most influenced the content of this website. Almost all of the books listed are Kindle/iBooks editions (sadly the print versions they replaced are languishing in storage somewhere). Over 45 years I have read a lot of these books cover-to-cover but many were textbooks used for directed reading. Thanks to modern technology I now use all of them as 'instant' reference books.

Being able to reference these books, for me, is very important. This is because I am now finding it increasingly difficult to cite specific examples, of what I have read. So, in company, when something erudite and educated is required, my brain ceases to function as a library and instead it produces a series of attitudes, observations and stories. I don't think this is an age thing, the point I am making is that, everything I have learned has not brought clarity, indeed sometimes I have so many conflicting thoughts I find it almost impossible to come up with 'simple-truths' or 'hard-facts' or 'practical-advice': I find myself applying different perspectives, suggesting polar alternatives and posing unanswerable questions. This lack of clarity is troublesome to me.

As a younger person things seemed so clear-cut: I would tell people (with absolute confidence) "Do this and this will happen!" Now my advice has become "...everyone has to find their own way, but here are some pointers". The result? For people needing to be told what to do, I am virtually useless. As an example: on almost every page of this website, I advise people to 'Be happy' BUT I never tell them how to do it! Instead I point to things like; I believe that, part, of finding true happiness is down to a person truly knowing themselves and accepting who they are without judgement.

All I can do now is to declare that the 'validation' for everything, on which I express an opinion, can be found somewhere in my library, my formal studies and now this website.

James.
2017 - 2018

PS. The books listed have been specifically chosen because they have helped me find my way in the world of business and finance and coaching. I hope they help you.

NOTE: I use the following informal layout to identify the work of others -

'Title'. Author's Name, Date of Publication, Publishers.

The bullet point(s) in each section highlight thoughts and ideas I have taken from each of the books.

I must stress that the highlighted points that accompany each book title come from MY understanding of some very complicated issues covered in the books. For this reason everything written should be taken as a non-factual commentary. My understanding may not be accurate and should not be taken as accurately reflecting the views of the authors and/or publishers. This is just a list of books with my ideas; it is not meant to suggest any relationship to or support from the authors and/or publishers Please email me if you find any inconsistencies, errors or anything likely to cause confusion or offence.

What I'm Reading Now.

1. 'Declutter Your Mind'. B Davenport & S J Scott, 2016.

I have found confused thoughts lead to negative attitudes.

2. 'The Essential Chomsky'. Noam Chomsky, 2008, The Bodley Head.
I have come across the views of Noam Chomsky and am aware of his almost legendary academic status but I have never read anything he has written. This selected compilation of his works is a bit of a cheat but I am a fan of well written study-guide type texts so, I'm hoping this will be a good read.

3. 'Handbook of Self-Regulation'. KD Vohs, R Baumeister, 2011, The Guildford Press.

4. 'Outliers'. Malcolm Gladwell, 2008, Penguin.
I am aware of the criticism that Mr Gladwell (Journalist & non-fiction writer) oversimplifies things and relies too heavily on anecdotal evidence, but he has received a lot of praise for his writing style and the unique perspective he brings to his topics. I am looking forward to making my own mind up.

The List.

'1,227 QI Facts To Blow Your Socks Off'. John Lloyd, John Mitchinson & James Harkin, 2012, Faber & Faber.
I love books like this one fact that caught my eye was -

Look up James Naismith and the basket.

'24 Hour Mindfulness'. Rohan Gunatillake, 2015, Blubird.

WATCH VIDEO.

I was drawn to this book because the author Rohan Gunatillake is the founder of one of my favourite apps Buddhify. designed to be used as a reference book rather than being read from cover-to-cover it gives the reader a way of being mindful throughout their day. Rohan asks questions that have stuck with me -

Find the pages that refer to our own story vs the story of others?

My passage to meditation wasn't difficult. Being involved with sport allowed me to see, first-hand, the power of visualisation, the benefits of stretching through yoga and power of managing performance anxiety through controlled breathing. Mindfulness and meditation was not a big leap. Like most my early practice involved 'guided' meditations where someone leads you through a meditation that's fixed in time and has a particular theme (Buddhify). Now I find myself relying almost entirely on music to create peace and strengthen my focus..

'30-Second Philosophies'. Ed. Barry Loewer, 2010, Icon Books.
This book is one resource I use to remind me of the central philosophical theories that have helped shape my worldview.

One of the problems of having studied full-time in the 1970’s is - it's a long time ago! I often talk and write about my 'worldview’ with absolute confidence but the difficulty is, that most of the theories my views are based on, are now, all bound together (in my mind) in a chaotic mess. Therefore whenever I am asked a question or want to explain things in more depth, I need help in remembering who said what and why they said it. For example; the other day I was explaining the drawbacks of traditional, reflective practice. I think, waiting until a session ends, before evaluating what's happened may not be as effective as, monitoring your practice continually and making adjustments to what you are doing in 'real-time'. All good until someone asked me for some background, to give some 'proof' to what I was saying. I have no idea - i will get back to you! I know Dewey is in there somewhere and that in the 80's, American Donald Schon, was banging on about something but that's it. To find out the rest of it I need a quick recap, a burst of knowledge and that's where this sort of book is excellent.

NOTE: Ironically Dewey & Schon don't seem to be in ,30-Second Philosophies'. However I did some more digging and according to my understanding of an open university text - Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’ Linda Finlay, Phd, BA(Hons), DipCOT. Schon differentiated between reflection applied after the fact and reflection occurring as events unfolds -

The differential being the merits of reflecting on past practice to improve what you offer in the future versus the examination of events and experiences as they occur to allow for 'real-time' adjustments. My abiding feeling is that the answer lies with the expertise/experience of the practitioner. Fortunately it seems to be a feeling supported by Schon in his text.

'50 Self-Help Classics'. Tom Butler-Bowdon, 2003, Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
We are surrounded by self-help books and it is hard to tell the good from the bad. I read generally good reviews on how this book summarises some fairly heavy topics and I have not been disappointed. I tend to use this sort of book as a prompt/starting point for new work.

A thread running all through my work is the danger of accepting feelings/emotions as facts; dig-in and find out some of the reasons why.

'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'. Stephen R. Covey, 2013, Rosetta Books.

WATCH VIDEO

This book has sold over 25 million copies worldwide and I can see why. Written by Stephen Covey, a professor at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business and one of Time Magazine's 25 most influential Americans (19996) the book is stimulating and can be applied to life generally.

Whilst reading consider the premiss that not all people place money at the heart of their universe .

'The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You'. John C Maxwel, 1999, Thomas Nelson.

WATCH VIDEO

I’m always looking at good books on leadership, but I try to be selective. Finding a book endorsed by NFL Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry and Golden State Warriors professional basketball player Harrison Barnes proved to me it was worth a look.

Consider the difference between leading yourself and leading others.
Ask yourself is there a difference between authority and power?

'A Theory Of Human Motivation'. A H Maslow, 2014, Sublime Books.

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Originally published as an article in a scientific journal ‘A Theory of Human Motivation’ presents a model showing motivation is a product of our needs. These needs can be ranked in a so-called ‘hierarchy’ and unless our basic needs (food, shelter, friendship) are met we will not think even think about things like realising our own potential.

NOTE: “Self Actualisation” (where we reach our potential) is at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy and a state that, apparently, very few of us attain.

As in everything there is criticism of this approach; for me I have always found it a good reminder of how I should treat people I coach. People I lead need to feel physically safe and, have job security and, feel supported in their personal life and, be confident they have my support and understand that I value creativity, open-mindedness and a good moral sense.

'The Analects of Confucius'. Confucius, 2008, Project Gutenberg.

WATCH VIDEO

Not necessarily written by Confucius this collection, is a great insight into thoughts still influencing the modern world. The text is a little heavy and I tend to dip-in-and-out helped by the ‘Sayings of Confucius’.
Be prepared some of the common quotes can be hard to find in the original text.

As you read think about the problems we create, for ourselves and others, when we assume things, prequalify future events are obstinate in our demeanour or arrogant in our approach.

Note: The writings of Confucius can be difficult to access so I will try to describe what I have taken from this giant philosopher (The video used is based on a slightly different translation to my book in the reading list).

The war-torn China that Confucius was born into was the most advanced civilisation in the world.
Centuries after he died he was considered enough of a threat to be declared 'an enemy of communism'
Society is artificial people should look to form a bond with nature and the universe.
Lao-Tzu and the Dao was coming to prominence around this time.
The past informs the future and if great things have happened in the past they can happen in the future no matter how bleak the outlook.
Everyone should seek humanity, harmony and order.
Virtue is at the heart of everything and virtuous emotions lead to virtuous actions.
Creating a virtuous leader creates a virtuous society. Only the most virtuous people should become leaders.
People should learn to think for themselves.

Confucius 'Golden Rule' - 'What you don't wish for yourself don't do to others'.

Note: For more take a look at; “The Golden Rule” by Bill Puka, The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ISSN 2161-0002, http://www.iep.utm.edu/,

'The Academic Coach'. Richard Hill, 2016, Blingo Publishing.
This is a new book in my library and I am currently working through it. It came to me through my studies on the ‘commodification’ of education. The book is biased towards academia/higher education but can be used in a wider context. I am however in danger of only highlighting the bits that agree with my views. This sort of ‘confirmatory bias’ is bad and should be avoided (unless I’m the one doing it).

One issue worth your thought is the notion of spending time on people unwilling to learn as opposed to the merits of working solely with those wanting to improve.

'An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth'. Chris Hadfield, 2013, Macmillan.

WATCH VIDEO

Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield was a colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces (Royal Canadian Air Force) and has the distinction of being the first Canadian to walk in space. This New York Times bestseller is an account of his professional life -

Look for references that promote living in the moment.

'The Analysis of Mind'. Bertrand Russell, 2008, Project Gutenberg.
Influenced by Plato Russell is thought of as on of the main founders of analytic philosophy a 'closed-shop' sort of philosophy that engages mostly in the examination of concepts and propositions. To know anything we need to observe everything acting upon it social and physical and any meanings being subscribed to it -

"I believe that the discovery of our own motives can only be made by the same process by which we discover other people's, namely, the process of observing our actions and inferring the desire which could prompt them."

'The Art of War'. Sun Tzu, 1963, Oxford University Press.
I was introduced to this book in the 70's and, to this day, it remains an influence on my coaching style.

State of mind -

Think about the role of deception.

Strategy -

Look at when and where to engage the enemy.

Preparation -

Find out about what happens to people that don't prepare.

'As a Man Thinketh'. James Allen, 1903, Project Gutenberg.
I think I came to this book through the quote -

"As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking."

My recollection is the question of 'right thinking'. Right thinking according to whom? More recently I looked to the book '50 Self-Help Classics' to 'help' me to decide where management and leadership studies end and the 'industry' that has become 'self-help' begins. This excellent reference book opens with a chapter on James Allen who seems to suggest our actions are as much to do with the unconscious as the conscious.

‘The Ascent Of Man’. Jacob Bronowski, 2011, Ebury Publishing (Kindle Edition).

I came to this book, as a teenager, through the BBC television series - The Ascent Of Man - broadcast in 1973. I remember being absolutely absorbed by the 13 part show and being motivated to save up and buy the original hardback published the same year. My notes and any quotes I use come from the excellent Kindle edition, which is set out in 13 chapters to mirror the TV presentation.

I think Chapter Eight, The Drive For Power is still my favourite. Here Dr Bronowski talks about the Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution and the French Revolution as "...social revolutions" fuelled by poverty, power and enquiring minds.

In 1974 Dr Bronowski was interviewed by Michael Parkinson. I have a vague memory of that broadcast but I have just watched an archived recording (which is now available online via the BBC website). In this remarkable interview Dr Bronowski talks about scientists needing to be "...questioning and rebellious..." The Ascent of man is spoken about from around the 19th minute and a few of things stuck in my mind . The idea that clogging up our minds with irrelevancies is not good amused me. He woke up to find himself 55 years old and realising he had 10 good thinking years left so he took himself off to America in search of a new challenge. This struck a chord with me from two points of view. Firstly as we get older our attention span lessens; I have started to forget the specifics of what I have learned. As my overall understanding of my combined knowledge improves my ability to quote pure facts and sources diminishes. Secondly that even now (at past 55) I am always looking for something new to challenge me. I suppose this goes with my desire to grow old gracefully and never letting a day go by without learning something new.

All of that said; I remain in awe of Dr Bronowski, who died six months after the Parkinson interview was aired (aged 66), and I am even more aware of my vastly inferior intellect and ability.

Think about the legacy of mans creativity.

Consider the thought that war is theft and not all problems are new problems.

Note: The second half of the interview is a discussion of crime, and punishment, and morals, and intelligence, which is worth watching and thinking about because it is eerily relevant in the world we now live in eg. he predicts that eventually parents will be able to select the sex of a child and this will create moral dilemmas, the implication (I take) being that such questions should be thought through before it all happens.

'Auguste Comte and Positivism'. John Stewart Mill, 1865, Project Gutenberg
Auguste Comte, French philosopher and sociologist - 1798– 1857 - the founder of (the annoyingly complicated) positivism, talked mostly about science and factual research based on observation. Things can only be known if they can be observed or counted or measured.

Broadly, the Positivist view, tends to clash with my own thoughts on innate knowledge and the notion of a common consciousness and the idea of intuition. But the positivist view stimulates debate and allows me to ask questions like; Are we born with 'knowledge'? Are we a 'clean-slate' and learn through experience? Why do babies appear to know good from bad?

‘Authority, Responsibility and Education’. R S Peters,1973, George Allen & Unwin.
It was in this book that I first started to look at the nature of authority, especially regarding being 'in authority' and being 'an authority'.

'Autobiography of a Yogi'. Paramhansa Yogananda, 1995, Crystal Clarity.
Wikipedia tells me that this autobiography has been named one of the most Important spiritual books of the 20th Century. For me I came to this late and have only read the passages which relate to my other studies. I am determined to make time to read it cover-to-cover. For now, some food for thought -

Becoming good at something may not bring you closer to your actual goals.
Can a persons shallowness be measured by their lack of empathy.

'The Believing Brain'. Michael Shermer, 2011, Constable & Robinson.

WATCH VIDEO

This is a book that I started to read as a novel but soon found myself using the search facility to bounce around looking for the authors Ideas.

If you have the Kindle edition try the search terms -

'Intuition' - 'faith' - 'Jonathan Haidt'.

The way the author starts each section of the book gave me interesting glimpse of his 'beliefs'. -

PART I JOURNEYS OF BELIEF: A Voltair quote on the difficulties of having original thoughts that take the individual beyond the thoughts of the time they are born in to.

PART II THE BIOLOGY OF BELIEF: A nod to the physicist and teacher Richard Feynman who spoke about the importance of not fooling ourselves.

PART III BELIEF IN THINGS UNSEEN: No quote but Dr. Shermer begins with his concern about a perceived willingness of people to accept popular belief over actual science.

PART IV BELIEF IN THINGS SEEN: A Issac Asimov quote about the nature of wrongness that, to me, refers to the notion of a well founded evolving theory being different to a simple set belief.

One paragraph in the epilogue under the heading Science and Belief jumped out at me as eloquently expressing what I 'believe' -

The complexity of thought we are capable of opens the door to self-delusion.

I'm not sure why (because I enjoyed the book) but, all the talk of science turned my mind to a slightly cruel joke that made the rounds when I was a student. The joke was a sketch on the 'scientific method' which I simplify as: 1. Watch something. 2. Draw a conclusion. 3. Predict future behaviour. 4. Varify results. 5. Publishing findings.

The joke went something like this -

A scientist observed that when they shouted the word ‘run’ their subject spider would run away.

The scientist concluded that the spider could hear them.

The scientist then predicted that if they pulled the legs off the spider it would not run away.

For proof the scientist pulled the legs off many spiders and indeed they did not run away when they shouted.

In writing up the research the scientist concluded that pulling the legs off spiders made them deaf.

'Beyond Good and Evil'. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, 1886, Project Gutenberg.

WATCH VIDEO

Nietzsche once again looks at knowledge, truth, free will and the relevance of a universal morality.

“Exploitation" does not belong to a depraved, or imperfect and primitive society it belongs to the nature of the living being as a primary organic function…
"One loves ultimately one's desires, not the thing desired."

'The Blunders of Our Governments'. A King & I Crewe, 2013, Oneworld Publications.

WATCH VIDEO

Note: The video is not of the full book but looks at Part II 'Horror Stories'

I think of this book often especially when the issue of 'fake news' and the selective memory of our world leaders.

It's especially worth reading Chapter 20 Panic, symbols and sin.

'Buddhism For Dummies' (2nd Edition). J Landaw & S Bodian & G Buhnemann, 2011, Wiley Publishing.
As usual I try to simplify a vastly profound subject into the elements that make the most impression on me. I believe all of us have to find our own way and that way is our true path. Buddhist teaching provide signposts to help us find our way.

The Four Noble Truths

1. Identifies the existence of suffering.
2. Looks for the origin of suffering.
3. Seeks the end of suffering.
4. How we end the suffering/The Noble Eightfold Path.

From this I have constantly remind myself to be moral in my life, meditate often and always search for wisdom.

NOTE: It is never my intention to offend. Sometimes I misunderstand the complex relationship between Buddhism and Taoism. This may be because I am searching for a singularity of thought between religions and philosophy. If this simple outline is in any way disrespectful please email me and I will do my best to rectify the matter.

'The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy'. 2nd Edition, Ed. Robert Audi, 1999, Cambridge University Press.
An excellent reference book. A 3rd edition was published in 2015 but I'm too cheap to upgrade.

'Challenging Coaching'. I Day& J Blakey, 2009, Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

WATCH VIDEO

In a world where modern sports lecturers had questioned my using the 'threat' of press-up's as a motivator I was glad to see that not all negatives lead to stress or harm.

'The Chimp Paradox'. Steve Peters, 2012, Random House Group.

WATCH VIDEO

Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton are quoted supporting the authors approach to dealing with performance anxiety and the achievement of defined ambitions.

Logic vs Emotion vs Thought & behaviour.

One of the books principles that I recommend for consideration is; rather than focusing on finding solutions to existing problems we should take time to make sure we know exactly what outcome we want, and then concentrate on creating the steps needed to get it.

'The Cloud Of Unknowing And Other Works'. Tr. A C Spearing, 2001, Penguin Books.
Penguin Books take the view that this book is the work of a 14 Century Carthusian monk. Carthusians were a reclusive order so it is no surprise that this could be described as a work of mystical theology. I came to the book when considering yoga, meditation and their relationship to contemplative prayer. There seemed to be a theological conflict between the three which confused me in that all can involve repeating a word or brief sentence.

'Co-Active Coaching'. H Kimsey-House & K Kimsey-House & L Whitworth, 2011, Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

WATCH VIDEO

I have become interested in the differences between life-coaching, business-coaching and sports-coaching. As this book attracted some great reviews I thought I would take a look.

The online toolkit is a nice touch.

'Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success Playbook'. J Wooden & J Carty , 2005, Regal Books.

WATCH VIDEO

Coach Wooden emphasises the idea that for progress to occur an organisation needs to be continually changing.
Older people sometimes need to be reminded that there is no progress without change.
Being honest is as simple as differentiating good thoughts from bad thoughts.

UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, was the first person to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a coach (1973). A really inspirational coach and speaker John Wooden based his life on a seven point creed from which I have adopted the following:

Being true to myself Making each day the best I can. Looking to help others. Choosing good books to study, Valuing my friendships. Disaster planning for the inevitable problems life throws at me.

This book is a real investment in your future success.

'Coaching for Performance'. John Whitmore, 2009, Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
An international bestseller the books introduction sums up my thoughts -

I recognise the value of coaching.

Coaching needs to be done in a mutually supportive relationship.

'Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies'. R Branch & R Wilson, 2010, John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
See details at dummies.com -

'Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus'. 2011, HarperCollins.
I am of an age when having a good dictionary and thesaurus was vital. Even in a world dominated by google I still like to have access to my own dictionary & thesaurus. The built in Kindle dictionary only seems to allow definition for single words. The stand alone books allow for multiples.

'The Communist Manifesto'. Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx, 1888, Public Domain.

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"The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles."
"Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes, directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat."

"In this sense, the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property."

"WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES, UNITE!"

I came to read the manifesto just recently. I have become interested in the life of Tony Benn and the notion of 'Democratic socialism' - I read based on my understanding that Tony Ben is held the view that the Labour Party without Marx is implausible.

'The Complete Works of Plato'. Plato, 2013, e-artnow.

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The Allegory of the Cave and it’s notion of mistaking appearance for reality was my introduction to Plato. To this day I rely on the principle that in most things we need to understand that ‘shadows’ exist but they are not real; we need find the cause of the shadows to have any hope of finding reality.

Learning about Plato’s Forms was my next step towards understanding the difference between the physical and metaphysical. The concept that there are things, we can only know through thought, and that such knowledge is more reliable than anything our ‘senses’ can convey to us, still gives me a headache!

'The Confessions of St. Augustine'. St. Augustine, 2002, Public Domain.

WATCH VIDEO

I came to this book on reading of the saints interest in Plato and his philosophy - Another book on my suggested reading list 'A New History of Western Philosophy' sees the Christian philosopher and theologian St Augustine as the conduit bringing platonic thought to the Middle Ages.

'Confucianism'. Confucius (Tr. James Legge) 2016, Delphi Classics.
A new book in my collection bringing the works I have read separately, under one title. This book contains the Four Books and Five Classics central to the study of Confucius.

All living things matter.

'The Conquest of Fear' (1921). Basil King, 2006, Project Gutenberg.
I think I came to this book from the quote -

"...It's up to you to do this thing just as if you had all the facilities. Go at it boldly, and you'll find unexpected forces closing round you and Coming to your aid."

This was not a book I pored-over. I did come away with some interesting thoughts -

"We can know God easily so long as we do not feel it necessary to define Him."
"Morals stand for a code of observances; righteousness for a direction of the life."

‘Contemporary Strategy Analysis’. Robert M. Grant, 2005, Blackwell Publishing.

WATCH VIDEO

Before reading this book it may be worth thinking about the relationship between strategy and the need to win.

I have had discussions with several MBA students who have asked my opinion on various things.

This is one of their text books I have 'adopted'. It can be heavy going but the insights are valuable. Referencing Maslow the author writes about many issues including the notion that, we actually need very little to satisfy our basic survival needs most of what we accumulate comes from wanting things, a need to fit in, a desire to show others who we are and as a unique expression of how we see the world.

‘The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English’. 1990, Oxford University Press.
Another dictionary but this time it's a physical book and what a brick it is. It's seldom used these days but it looks good on the shelf.

'Contemporary Theories of Learning'. Knud Illeris, 2009, Routledge.
Unsurprisingly theories of learning have always been interesting to me especially the debate surrounding 'passive' and 'active' learners. Beyond this I find myself taking the following from the author-

People sometimes don't learn what they're suppose to learn.
Often people misunderstand what they have learned.
When people think they know something (especially when it comes from a trusted source) it's hard to dissuade them otherwise.

"Content Machine". Dan Norris, 2015, Dan Norris.
Content marketing is the creation and sharing of online/on social media material with the purpose of stimulating interest in specific products or services. For people looking to develop in this area the book is a must.

The central message I took from this book ie; a great storyteller commands attention and maintains interest. Learning how to frame your message as a great story is an art worth mastering.

‘Corporate Strategy’. Richard Lynch, 2003, FT / Prentice Hall.
Another MBA textbook this one comes with lot's of clearly defined case studies. Having had some dealings with PepsiCo (more accurately, their lawyers) my eye was drawn to - 'PepsiCo: Organising to integrate its acquisitions.' This is not a book for casual reading there are questions and tasks throughout the book designed to lead a student to depths of knowledge most of us will never need. For this reason I tend to 'cherry-pick' ideas and bend them to my will. As an example the author makes a point I try to present to every SME's I deal with -

With growth comes a greater need for structured communication designed to support and encourage the formal coordination of individual actions.

'The Critique of Pure Reason' (1781). Immanuel Kant, 2011, Public Domain.

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"…no knowledge of ours is antecedent to experience, but begins with it.."

Kant has been referred to as a titan of modern philosophy. My introduction to Kant was through his distinction between 'a priori' and 'a posteriori' knowledge. Kant presented a priori knowledge as coming from theoretical deduction, with a posteriori knowledge derived from observations or experiences.

‘The Culture of Education’. Jerome Bruner, 1996, Harvard University Press.

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I need to read this book again! Just going over my notes I am reminded of some of the most important issues in education today.

In one of his last books, eminent psychologist Jerome Bruner, takes a look back at education in the context of his life as an educational researcher.

I simplify a major point as; education cannot be just about the host culture it must include alternative world-views.

This notion of Cultural Psychology and the idea that participation in a culture is vital to development intrigued me. Other thoughts- worth highlighting are -

The term Folk Psychology to describe the almost anecdotal approach to learning theory that was once ingrained in the culture of teaching. This is a term I liken to the wisdom one finds in proverbs e.g. ‘nothing is stronger than its weakest part’. Such knowledge comes from the experience of a huge number of lifetimes.

I learn from this that we teach primarily to overcome ignorance or combat a falsehoods.

I contend that, educators need to be sure that what they teach is better than what is already known - do no harm.

Fostering a persons ability to learn has been pushed almost to the exclusion of everything else.

This view came across strongly in my initial teacher-training. I need to confess that teaching people to think critically is still at the centre of my own personal philosophy of teaching. Indeed I was once told, by a very successful professional basketball coach, that what I was doing required too much thought from the players - had I considered just telling them what to do.

I have come to understand that teachers very rarely present plane facts or neutral attitudes. Mostly teachers are driven by and biased towards their own world-view.

Hopefully the teachers message is acceptable to the culture, community etc. The teacher always has an agenda, children don't need to know what it is, they just need to know it's there. I caused some problems for my children in school when I suggested that they just use the teachers to point the way, as guides there to help them make sense of the syllabus, the books and exam system. The responsibility for doing the learning and drawing any conclusions that could be drawn lay with them.

'Democracy and Education' (1916). John Dewey, 2008, Project Gutenberg.

WATCH VIDEO

John Dewey a pragmatist concerned himself primarily with democracy. One point that stands out for me in 'Democracy and Education' is -

"A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience."

"If education is growth, it must progressively realize present possibilities, and thus make individuals better fitted to cope with later requirements."
"Even in a savage tribe, the achievements of adults are far beyond what the immature members would be capable of if left to themselves."
"The bare fact that language consists of sounds which are mutually intelligible is enough of itself to show that its meaning depends upon connection with a shared experience."

'A Dictionary of Sociology'. Ed. J Scott & G Marshall, 2009, Oxford University Press.

‘Dictionary of Word Origins: The Histories of Over 8, 000 Words Explained’. John Ayto, 2001, Bloomsbury Publishing.
When I was young someone told me that the english language has a specific word to express, exactly, every conceivable thought and idea. I still struggle with the language but I have an abiding interest in words their origin and uses.

'Digital Disruption'. James McQuivey, 2013, Forrester Research.

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I and attracted to an idea in the book that Commercial dominance has changed from the industrial age of manufacturing through the era of huge retail chains until the digital age where consumers and data bring power.

'Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences' (1665). Rene Descartes, Public Domain.

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Considered a highly influential text this book was the source of a very well known quote -

"...whilst I thus wished to think that all was false, it was absolutely necessary that I, who thus thought, should be somewhat; and as I observed that this truth, I think, therefore I am (COGITO ERGO SUM)."

'Dream Psychology Psychoanalysis for Beginners'. Sigmund Freud, Public Domain.

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When I think of psychology I think of Freud. Partly because of his fame but mostly because my first steps in psychology brought me to the Id (our lizard brain); Ego (the real us); Superego (what we project to others) and the notion of ‘unconscious conflicts’ being at the root of, among other things, dreams. I accept that Freud's critics consider his theories, vague and pseudo-science, but, as a young student there was a certain attraction to views that equated almost everything human problem with sex.

"Dreams can be divided into three classes according to their relation towards the realization of desire. Firstly come those which exhibit a non-repressed, non-concealed desire; these are dreams of the infantile type, becoming ever rarer among adults. Secondly, dreams which express in veiled form some repressed desire; these constitute by far the larger number of our dreams, and they require analysis for their understanding. Thirdly, these dreams where repression exists, but without or with but slight concealment. These dreams are invariably accompanied by a feeling of dread which brings the dream to an end."

‘Educational Research and Evidence-based Practice’. Martyn Hammersley, 2007, SAGE/The Open University.

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This is the only textbook from my Masters course that I have included in this list. The book itself is a compilation of academic essays and arguments and as such is not an easy read. The reason for it's inclusion is Chapter 9 and specifically the section; 'The reflective practitioner' by Alex Moore..

I believe strongly that we all need to develop our ability to critically examine our thoughts, beliefs and actions; especially where they impact on others.

Learning to reflect effectively improves the quality of all thought.

Note: The video used is to introduce you to Mr Hammersley and my way of looking at things 'qualitative inquiry'.

'An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding'. John Locke, Public Domain
According to Locke knowledge comes from observation and experimentation. The impact of this on my idea of teaching was to suggest learning through instruction and doing and exposure to good examples and the development of good habits.

Through this I came to the idea of coaching through repetition. I have a clear view of the difference between a properly coached player and a gifted but self-taught athlete. When put under pressure a coached player will rely, almost instinctively, on the good habits instilled in them, by their coach. The better the player the better they cope with pressure. The unschooled player will have nothing to fall back on (except their natural ability) and will effectively panic. Taking a simple example from basketball: when a novice basketball player bouncing a ball undefended everything is good, but when they are confronted by someone trying to get the ball, their first instinct is to pick the ball up and turn their back on the threat. The coaches job is to replace the panic with purposeful action. I try, as a coach, to imagine as many eventualities as possible; then I train my players how (in each situation) to respond not think. The aim is to create a semi-automatic type of cruise control that replaces panic.

"Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas:—How comes it to be furnished? Whence comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy of man has painted on it with an almost endless variety? Whence has it all the MATERIALS of reason and knowledge? To this I answer, in one word, from EXPERIENCE."

'The Essence of Tao'. Pamela Ball, 2011, Arcturus Publishing.
I am continually trying to make sense of ‘modern’ mindfulness as a derivative of ancient culture and philosophy. My understanding of this book, in this moment, is probably best explained by this sequence -

The Way
The individual as an entity, and as part of everything.
Action through inaction.
The strength to travel my path.
I am.

NOTE: I often speak of the thought that; 'deliberate inaction is, in itself action. One of the main problems of the world today is sleep deprivation. The pressures we all face can lead us to think that sleep is a luxury and counter-productive in our search for success. So if we think of sleeping as doing nothing, it is invariably accompanied by a sense of guilt. Alternately thinking of sleep as a positive action that makes us stronger and boosts our chances of success, elevates it's purpose and removes negative thoughts.

'Ethics & Education'. R S Peters, 1970, Unwin University Books.
A central book in my studies of education. In my distant memory, I recall meeting R S Peters (either at the Institute of Education, University of London or Goldsmiths College) in the 1970's and being hugely impressed by him and his work. I have just recently replaced my old paperback copy (via amazon used books) and am beginning to realise how much it influenced my thoughts: Eg. I have based my attitude to 'experts' on thoughts like -

Education alone does not guarantee a persons rightness, veracity or commitment to the truth.

Regarding teachers; this may explain my contempt for the self-indulgent and my admiration for those that put truth and their students needs first.

'Funny You Should Say That: Amusing Remarks from Cicero to the Simpsons'. Andrew Martin, 2005, Penguin.
I really like smart joke books. Apparently the book took the author three years to compile and it was certainly worth the effort.

'The Gateless Gate' (Mumon). N Senzaki & P Reps, 2012, Jazzybee Verlag Jurgen Beck.
A selection of Zen stories (Koans) designed to provoke thought about life and the nature of Buddha. I need to say, what is written, is mostly beyond my ability to understand. I had hoped that this venerable book would help me make connections between mindfulness and it's philosophical past. I now believe that this is the sort of spiritual text that needs in-depth study and the guidance of a Zen-Master. But every now and then I read something that makes me smile.

All I can say is good luck with this one. I have included in the list because I have a nagging suspicion it would be worth the effort needed to make sense of it. Maybe one day I will have another go.

'Get Rich Blogging'. Zoe Griffin, 2013, John Blake Publishing.

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I have an ingrained distrust of, 'mass-marketing'. I prefer to know my audience personally. I need the option to engage directly with people even those who disagree with me.

Because of this I limit the number of people I market to and therefore limit my income potential. I understand that this is not a common attitude. Many people I meet, want to exploit the vastness of the internet. So, I do my best to keep up with internet trends. One trends that persists is blogging and Zoe Griffen seems to have a good grasp on how it all works.

'Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In'. R Fisher & W Ury, 2012, Cornerstone Digital.

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I have come to this excellent book very recently and have so far only dipped into it in sections. I find myself referring to it often so it won't take me long to work through the whole book.

Look beyond any posturing.
Don't let personalities hide the real problem.

'The Godfather'. Mario Puzo, 1969, Random House.
Years ago I came across the idea that the the Godfather book/film could be used to stimulate management discussions. I loved the book and film so I set out to take a look. What I found was a 'mash-up' of several philosophies BUT it's wisdom is great fun to quote. Look for -

A unique attitude towards friendships and family.
The way the Godfathers reasons with people.

'The Golden Sayings of Epictetus' - Epictetus, 2012, Hastings Crossley.
Epictetus is another Greek philosopher we know largely through the writings of others. I am not sure how I came upon the text and have not studied it closely but, some thoughts have influenced me if only in that they support my own personal ethics -

Be careful when dealing with people who refuse to educate themselves.
Consider what's good and evil within ourselves.

Good Strategy/Bad Strategy'. Richard Rumelt, 2011, Profile Books.

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University of California professor, Richard Rumelt is an expert in all aspects of strategy. This enjoyable book where academia meets business and we all win.

The relationship between ambition and strategy.
How a realistic assessment problems and a detailed plan to overcome them are important parts of any good strategy.
Any strategy based solely on popular opinion is flawed.

'Handbook of Emotion Regulation' (Second Edition). James J. Gross, 2014, The Guildford Press.

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Understanding the difference between emotions and feelings is important.
The notion that we may be able to control our emotional responses by controlling what we think about, is in itself thought provoking.

‘Handbook of Strategy and Management’. Andrew Pettigre et al, 2002, Sage Publications.

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This is essentially a book of academic/theoretical essays covering every conceivable facet of strategic management. I have only skimmed this book but Chapter 11 'Top Management, Company Directors and Corporate Control' caught my eye because of it's description of the broadening of critical "top management" in major corporations.

Again not a book for the casual reader but great for those wanting to study management and organisational strategy in a global context.

'The Happiness Trap'. Russ Harris, 2008, Constable & Robinson.

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Evolution has helped us to survive dangers, hidden or otherwise, through the awareness of our mind.
From the Dalai Lama down, we are told to look for happiness.
It's easy for our mind to assume that everyone around us has the happiness that we are looking for.

'Hegel's Philosophy of Mind'. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, 2012, Project Gutenberg.
For the most part I haven’t got a clue what Hegel and his "Absolute Spirit" was getting at, but, his writing gave me my first look at the philosophical tradition of contradictory argument. This and Hegel’s construct of ; Thesis - Antithesis - Synthesis; is still at the heart of almost every proposal or essay I write. Presentation an idea - Consider the idea critically - Present a conclusion/solution

'Help the Helper'. K Pritchard & J Eliot, 2012, Penguin.

Commitment to helping the team through personal development is a key element to success.
People who commitment to helping others succeed often find themselves in successful teams.

'How Many Friends Does One Person Need?' Robin Dunbar, 2010, Faber and Faber.

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An interesting book from a Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology about our evolutionary history and how it affects everything we do.

Are our minds evolving quickly enough to keep up with the impact of technological advancements?

'How to be a Productivity Ninja'. Graham Allcott, 2014, Icon Books.

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I'm not sure how this book came to my attention other than time management remains a big issue especially for the self-employed.
This book has added to my understanding of the problem, in one key respect - it recognises the need to control ourselves when it comes to the internet and social media.

What is the relationship between our attention-span and productivity?

How do we manage ourselves to cope with the information-age where we are constantly bombarded with data and often available two others 24/7?

'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. Dale Carnegie, 2006, Random House.
Considered by some as timeless, this was probably the first self-help book I read. Dale Carnegie was not, I discovered, related to the rich Carnegie's he was just a great communicator; he didn't need much else. There are many quotes around what are now familiar thoughts -

Agitating the bees may not be the best way to collect honey.
Avoiding an argument is the only real way to win an argument.
For the greatest progress use praise not criticism.

'Incognito'. David Eagleman, 2011, Canongate.

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What is the role of our subconscious in decision making?
Are habits and automated responses more or less important to the success of a professional athlete?

'Influence'. RB Cialdini PhD, 2009, Harper Collins.

To what extent are we driven to help the people who have help does?
How important are the thoughts of others when making the decision?
Which motivates as more, the possible loss of something or the thought of something we might gain?

'The Inner Game of Tennis'. W Timothy Gallwey, 2015, Pan Books.

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To what extent do our notions of good and bad help or hinder our ability to be objective when judging our own accomplishments?
How does our ability to focus affect our ability to perform?
Is our sense achievement related to the difficulties overcome?

'The Interpretation of Dreams'. Sigmund Freud, 2012, Dead Dodo Publishing.

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Apart from the fact that this was a really good book to be seen with, Freud’s early work on the conscious mind, the unconscious mind, and the preconscious mind was truly innovational. Focussing on the ‘unconscious’, which he saw as the keeper of all of our bad thoughts and emotions, in a function he termed repression. We repress thoughts that threaten us. Later in life Freud presented the now famous Id, Ego and Superego.

I have always been fascinated by the idea that it doesn't matter how weird our dreams get they are somehow connected to our own psychic reality.

'Introducing Sport Psychology'. Arnold LeUnes, 2011, Icon Books.
Arnold LeUnes (Professor of Psychology) is an expert in sport psychology and his research focuses almost totally on sport-related issues.

‘The King's English’. Kingsley Amis, 1997, Harper Collins.
Sir Kingsley Amis was one of the most successful and influential of the post-war period. A preeminent author and poet he had strong opinions on the use and abuse of the english language. This book expresses his opinions brilliantly. On a personal note: being a victim of the 'Phonics method' and mildly dyslexic I find myself quickly irritated by people who consider spelling and 'strict-grammar' more important than content and self-expression. Of the noted lexicographer H W Fowler, Amis comments on the ability to blend knowledge with common sense.

Which I suggests underpins my assertion -

The purpose of any communication is understanding. The written word needs no correction if it conveys the writers thoughts accurately, and without ambiguity.

For context; a teacher once beat me with a stick because I wrote, 'ov' instead of 'of'. What would they have done if I had attempted to sound-out the word 'yacht'? In my defence I did not see many pleasure boats around the bomb-sites of London.

NOTES:

I am sensitive to what Sir Amis would call 'rules without a reasons'. But, I'm not a complete barbarian. I accept that (in written work) poor spelling and bad grammar can be distracting and may undermine the impact of what is being said. Because of this I always have my work proof-read by those with the appropriate skills. So if you find any mistakes please email me.
This was bought for me as a birthday present shortly after it original release and I have just purchased the Kindle edition but I will probably hang onto the hardback.

'The Knowledge'. Lewis Dartnell, 2014, Random House.

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A bit of light reading from a UK Space Agency researcher.

Nuclear war, influenza pandemic or being hit by a big rock from outer space; whatever the cause, civilisation is gone. What do we need to know to start again?

'Leading'. Alex Ferguson, 2015, Hodder & Stoughton.

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I was motivated to buy this book when I saw that Sir Alex's was the subject of a Harvard Business School study in 2012. One of the greatest leaders in the history of sport it is a worthwhile read.

'Legacy'. James Kerr, 2013, Constable & Robinson.

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A study of the All Blacks, one of the most successful sports teams in the world, led the author to suggests some lessons in leadership.

There is a direct correlation between a persons ability to deal with pressure and their ability to make good decisions whilst under pressure.

'The Life of Reason / The Phases of Human Progress'. George Santayana, 2005, Project Gutenberg.
Written by Harvard Professor of Philosophy George Santayana (1863-1952) this book is an expression of his naturalistic views. "Human beings, according to Santayana, are animals in a material world..." Cambs. Dictionary Philosophy 2005.

I was drawn to his work by the quote -

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child."

'The Little Book of Mindfulness'. Tiddy Rowan, 2013, Quadrille Publishing.
My introduction to Mindfulness was through the work of Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn University of Massachusetts Medical School and Professor Mark Williams University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry. After all of this formality it was time for a couple of popular books - this is one of those.

Tiddy Rowan a long term practitioner of mindfulness has come up with a compendium of ideas giving easy access to a complex subject.

Reality only exists in the moment.
Mindfulness can lead you to a good place and help keep you there.
Practising mindfulness is like exercising a muscle it should be done everyday.

‘The Logic of Education’. P H Hirst & R S Peters. 1970, Routledge & Kegan Paul.
The book was a central text in my teacher training and had me questioning education in terms of it’s nature and the interplay between knowledge and understanding. I seem to remember my first look into this book was, Ch 2. Section 2: Aims of education. This, even today, gives me a very practical sense of teaching, having lofty aims as an educationalist or coach is fine, but what is more urgently needed is a clear idea of what we are aiming to do within the lesson, course and syllabus.

The author differentiates between the specific day-to-day aims of a teacher and the overall aim education.
A teacher may know exactly what there aims are but have a poor understanding of how best to achieve them.

'Managing Anxiety with CBT For Dummies'. Graham C. Davey et al, 2012, For Dummies.

Cognitive behavioural therapy has proven itself valuable for dealing with a range of mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
Not all anxiety is bad.
Understanding the power of bad habits is important.
Our feeling of well-being comes from the physical, mental and social aspects of our life.

'Marketing For Dummies', (3rd Edition). Ruth Mortimer et al, 2012, For Dummies.

A good marketing plan depends on planned and coordinated activities.
Finding out what your customers want is the most important part of product creation.
The book suggests a marketing process called seven Ps of marketing. I have seen several variations of this. I suggest a quick internet search to expand on the ideas of product; description, placement and promotion.

'Meditations'. Marcus Aurelius, 2008, Project Gutenberg.

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Emperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius was a Stoic. Consider, before you read the book, the view that to be happy we must learn to accept what we have in life and follow accepted rules of nature.

"If it were thine act and in thine own power, wouldest thou do it? If it were not, whom dost tin accuse? the atoms, or the Gods? For to do either, the part of a mad man. Thou must therefore blame nobody, but if it be in thy power, redress what is amiss; if it be not, to what end is it to complain? For nothing should be done but to some certain end."

'The Mindful Way through Depression'. Mark Williams, 2007, The Guilford Press.

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Depression is not central to what I do or advise on but, it is an issue that affects many people. I was interested to find out what an author I trust had to say about it.

NOTE: The video here is not specifically about the book but it starts with a nice beginners mindful meditation. Keep in mind that the National Institute for Clinical excellence now recognises the mindful approach as a valid alternative to drugs.

'Mindfulness: A Practical Guide To Finding Peace In A Frantic World'. M Williams & D Penman, 2011, Hachette'.

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The video here is not specifically about the book but it starts with a history of Mindfulness - the National Institute for Clinical excellence now recognises the mindful approach as a valid alternative to drugs.

Negative thoughts have a habit of spiralling out of control - through acceptance and understand mindfulness can help.

'A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook'. B Stahl & E Goldstein, 2010, New Harbinger Publications.

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Bob Stahl, Ph.D. can be found on the faculty page; University of Massachusetts Medical School: Centre for Mindfulness. Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. is co-founder of The Center for Mindful Living in Los Angeles.

An introduction to the practice of mindfulness meditation.

'Mindfulness: Be Mindful. Live In The Moment'. Gill Hasson, 2013, Capstone Publishing.

Constantly reliving the past or continually disaster planning for the future always denies us the present.

'Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays'. Bertrand Russell, 2008, Project Gutenberg.

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Bertrand Russell's 'sensibilia' refers to the ‘common sense’ view that objects exist even when they are not being observed (sense data).

“I shall give the name sensibilia to those objects which have the same metaphysical and physical status as sense-data, without necessarily being data to any mind.”

I could never understand the idea, that things only exist whilst they are being observed, or grasp the question, can things exist independently of the ‘mind’?

But I did make a connection with verbal communication based on images/thoughts. So, if two people from the same society are discussing a ‘chair’ they can both understand what is being discussed, ‘a chair’, without ever knowing ‘the chair’ being discussed. For casual conversations a vague understanding of the subject, a chair, is adequate; the problem comes when a particular chair is being discussed or more importantly when discussing ideas. It is then that everything needs to be defined.

I recommend that when making any kind of presentation, start by defining clearly defining the subject and explaining your usage of any specific, peculiar or technical terms. At the time of writing I came across a simple example of this. A UK colleague of mine was asked to give a talk overseas. In a lighthearted introduction he refereed to a ‘bung’. He meant it in the sense of a bribe but the laughter in the room made it clear the audience had used a different definition.

NOTE: The video is a look at the man and not related to the book I'm not sure why the address seems to be repeated.

‘Nicomachean Ethics’. Aristotle, 2017, Enhanced Media Publishing.

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Happiness virtue and living a good life.

Consider the relationship between the body and the soul and happiness.
To what extent do our actions determine our happiness?

'A New History of Western Philosophy'. Anthony Kenny, 2010, Oxford University Press.
Sir Anthony Kenny DPhil Oxford University lecturer has made this a very easy book to read. - considering the subject-matter not an easy feat. It needs some work but no real background in philosophy. I use it almost entirely as a reference book but have read almost every page.

In our studies; is philosophy a part of the arts or sciences?
Can individuals be held accountable for (their) involuntary or compulsive acts?

'On Liberty'. John Stewart Mill, 1859, Public Domain.

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'On the origin of species'. Charles Darwin, 1859, Public Domain.

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Without a doubt Charles Darwin was one of the most influential 'thinkers' of the 19th century and he certainly stirred up a storm (especially in the American school system).

By the time I got around to reading the book Darwins theories had been enhanced by advances in genetics and I, along with most other people, had accepted natural selection as a truth.

Later I became interested in the apparent sidelining of Alfred Russell Wallace and how Darwins theory was based (at least in part) on the ideas of others. Take a look at the philosopher Empedocles and the theory of the four classical elements. Also Carl Linnaeus, a hugely influential Swedish naturalist who viewed man as a type of animal and thought that all animals have souls.

'The Organized Mind'. Daniel Levitin: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload, 2015, Viking.

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Daniel J Levitin, is James McGill Professor Emeritus of psychology and behavioral neuroscience at McGill University, Montreal Canada.

Retrieval not memory may be the big problem.
How often have you relied on information that has proved to be false?
This book tries to help us understand how our brain processes information. Armed with this knowledge we may be able to more fully utilise our mental capacity.

‘Organizational Behaviour: An Introductory Text’. D A Buchanan, A Huczynski, 2003, Financial Times Management.

This is a very big book. Fortunately the text is large and 'there are many pictures'. The way the book is presented means that the chapters are stand-alone and can be read randomly. I confess whilst I have spent some hours working through the glossary the main text is mostly used for specific research. Chapter 8 'Motivation' has good coverage of Maslow (content theory) and relates it to the organisational process.

'Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs', (6th Edition). Jennifer Speake, 2015, Oxford University Press.
Observation is an accepted method for gathering 'knowledge'. I believe, KNOWLEDGE + EXPERIENCE = WISDOM. To me proverbs gives us access to a huge collective wisdom that has stood the test of time.

Whilst these 'pearls-of-wisdom' may have become, cliched, glib, auto-responses, they still have power when given a modern context -

I believe that if someone asks me to do my job for them they need to pay me. I'm a consultant so I am happy to give you may 'expert' opinion for free. The minute you want me to prove my case or suggest ways to change things -

Paying the fiddler?

Todays technology has made it easier than ever to get a message out to unimaginable numbers of people. The problem is that it is very easy to hide malicious messages among all of the good ones. Indeed one of the methods for 'hacking' computer networks is called a 'Trojan Horse'. Today we are tempted by hundreds of amazing looking offers, money for nothing. My advice is -

Fearing Greeks?

In my opinion no business can afford to employ people who don't have the good of the company at heart. Businesses need people who will act when they see a problem, not stand by and watch because it's not their problem or worse still, they can't be bothered -

"Jack's relationship with his master?

NOTE: I especially like the ‘Thematic Index’ at the back of this book.

'Oxford Modern English Grammar'. Bas Aarts, 2011, Oxford University Press.

A long while ago, I got so sick of people quoting non-existent 'rules' of grammar, I decided to look into the whole issue. My findings can be summed-up as - understanding. Did you understand what was written? Language is a living thing that changes as it evolves. The only rule I am willing to accept, without reservation, is that, there should only be one meaning to any sentence. If a sentence is open to interpretation, it is a bad sentence. To anyone howling at the screen (from an ivory tower), I have three things to say

On this matter, I don't care if you think I am wrong.
I accept your right to disagree with me.
You need to accept my right not to care.

This book introduces itself as aiming to describe the modern use of language not the authoritarian rules of old.

Having selected this passage I realised it (the passage) contained a good example of what I mean. The passage uses the 'long dash' to make a point: I use hyphens differently. I use the 'short dash' often with a space!

What about hyphen’s joining a compound modifier - I DON"T CARE.
What about the fact that one doesn’t normally hyphenate an adverb or a preposition - I DON"T CARE.
What about the fact that the ‘long dash’ is more to do with the use of typewriters and type setting - I DO CARE!

Anyway: I'm not without feeling. I understand some rules are needed and this book is an excellent resource.

NOTE: By saying all of this I open myself up to ridicule - SO - if you spot any glaring mistakes (on this website) please email me.

Finally: I love the old joke relating the, I before E, except after C, rule and the word WEIRD.

‘The Philosophy of Education’. Ed. R S Peters, 1973, Oxford University Press.
A central book in my studies of education. A selection of works edited by R S Peters this is where I first became aware of the work of P H Hurst and his article entitled 'What Is Teaching?' -

One has to look closely at the validity of new all popular theories in education.
Teaching activities, by their very nature, should be identifiable and specific.
Understanding teaching is impossible without an understanding of learning

I realise now that my own criticism of teaching and teachers has grown, at least in part from these questions. How do we validate new theories in education? How do we differentiate between a teacher, an instructor or a coach? Is it true that bad teachers can be successful in modern schools?

'Please Understand Me II'. David Keirsey, 1998, Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.
"David West Keirsey …was an American psychologist, a professor emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, and the author of several books. In his most popular publications, Please Understand Me (1978, co-authored by Marilyn Bates) and the revised and expanded second volume Please Understand Me II (1998), he laid out a self-assessed personality questionnaire, known as the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, which links human behavioral patterns to four temperaments and sixteen character types. Both volumes of Please Understand Me contain the questionnaire for type evaluation with detailed portraits and a systematic treatment of descriptions of temperament traits and personality characteristics." David Keirsey, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Keirsey&oldid=812760924 (last visited Feb. 21, 2018).

I became interested in personality testing as an aid to team-building in sports. Now when I test, this is what I use.

'Political Ideals'. Bertrand Russell, 2009, Project Gutenberg.
Most of this book I know from directed-reading. Reviewing it today I am struck how many of the points made align with what I have come to believe. Here are three -

"So far as it lies in a man's own power, his life will realize its best possibilities if it has three things: creative rather than possessive impulses, reverence for others, and respect for the fundamental impulse in himself."

Do no harm - Respect everyone - Know yourself. Don't criticise yourself. Accept who you are and what you have done as part of your life. It is part of what makes you, you.

"Fatigue produces the illusion that only rest is needed for happiness; but when men have rested for a time, boredom drives them to renewed activity. For this reason, a happy life must be one in which there is activity."

Value your work and prioritise your career.

"If a majority in every civilized country so desired, we could, within twenty years, abolish all abject poverty, quite half the illness in the world, the whole economic slavery which binds down nine tenths of our population..."

Not one of my central thoughts but I believe there is enough wealth at the top of the 'civilised' world to take care of those that can't take care of themselves.

'Predatory Thinking'. Dave Trott, 2013, Macmillan.

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In a book with a lot of stories you must read, Part One 'The Ship of Theseus'. I can't remember when or where I came upon this paradox all I know is I have bored people with it for years.

'Predictably Irrational'. Dan Ariely, 2009, Harper Collins e-books.

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Dan Ariely is Professor of Behavioral Economics at MIT.

The notion of 'quid pro quo' is important to people especially between employer and employee.
Money is not always the best motivator.

‘Principles of Marketing’ (European Edition). Kotler et al, 1998, Financial Times/ Prentice Hall.

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The book is massive! 11" x 8"x 2" and over a 1000 pages. No wonder I have moved to Kindle. One of the plaudits on the back page of this tome comes from Prof. Michael J. founder of the Department of Marketing at Strathclyde Business School and National Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Marketing - he says it’s a great book, who am I to argue?

My only comment in 2017, is that a book on marketing written in 1998 is by definition out-of-date. BUT the case studies are fascinating and still useful. One of my favourites is - ‘Selling Business Jets: The Ultimate Executive Toy (P.273) - selling excitement.

'The Problems of Philosophy'. Bertrand Russell, 2013, Project Gutenberg.
In many ways this is an easy to read introductory text. I am convinced it was Russell's thoughts that started my fascination of two things -

The difference between what people think they know and what they actually know.
To what extent leaders make strategy based on thoughts that have no basis no factual or theoretical basis..

"...one of the distinctions that cause most trouble in philosophy—the distinction between 'appearance' and 'reality', between what things seem to be and what they are."

I'm not sure how relevant it is but, when I think about these things, I often think about 'Russell's chicken'. The story (as I remember it) is -

A chicken observed that every day the farmer came to the coop, looked around and chose a chicken for the cooking-pot. So every day the chicken kept to the back of the coop. After several years the chicken determined that because the farmer had never chosen them they were safe. Because of this the chicken became less cautious - it did not end well for the chicken!

In going back over the book for this introduction I found the story written as -

"The man who has fed the chicken every day throughout its life at last wrings its neck instead..."

The point?

"The mere fact that something has happened a certain number of times causes animals and men to expect that it will happen again."
"...in spite of frequent repetitions there sometimes is a failure at the last, as in the case of the chicken whose neck is wrung. Thus probability is all we ought to seek."

'The Psychology Book (Big Ideas)'. Nigel Benson, 2012, Dorling Kindersley.
Because I don't read/discuss/study educational theory every day I find that all of the ideas blend together. I mostly get around this lack of clarity, by drawing a big line between theories that see learners as passive, and those that see learners as ' primary agents' in there own learning.

Most of the time this approach works but, occasionally, I need to reference theories more fully. As an example I was asked recently, to differentiate between Pavlov and Skinner. My brain managed to pull up, behaviourists and conditioning, then it stops working! Thats where publications like 'The Psychology Book' are so useful. They provide triggers. Without having to re-read text-books that give me a headache, I can find what I need presented in a simple, clear and accurate way -

Pavlov and conditioning - Watson and stimuli - Skinner and outcomes.

So: Pavlov conditioned the response up-front and Skinner rewards learners once they have done well - job done, time for a cookie!

'Quiet'. Susan Cain, 2012, Penguin.

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Like most extroverts I lacked sensitivity. Looking back I can see how my one-size-fits-all approach was, on occasion, counter productive. I came to the conclusion that I should find out how the 'other-half' think so when this book was recommended to me, I thought, better-late-than-never.

An author of psychological non-fiction, Susan Cain also has a blog on psychologytoday.com,

'The Reality Slap'. Russ Harris, 2011, Constable & Robinson.
The second book from Russ Harris on my list.

Fulfilment through purpose.

'Rich Dad Poor Dad'. Robert T. Kiyosaki, 2011, Plata Publishing.

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I have just started reading this excellent book again to see how my age/experience has changed my perspective and/or affected my view of this work. At first glance I realise I am much more risk averse than I once was and now understand there are some fundamental differences between the US & UK when it comes to personal finances. That is not to be taken as criticism but as a note of caution on what is a very influential book.

One practical issue is viewing property as a liability may be more relevant in a country where house prices do not tend to rise as they do in the UK. Whilst it is wise not to think of your 'home' as an investment, property, generally, deserves consideration when planning for future wealth.

Interestingly I found 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' quoted in a recent Open University Course I was reviewing (Manage My Money 2019). The point in question was the problem with buying a main residence bigger/more expensive than we need. This references a wider question of a residence being an asset or liability.

'Sadhana'. Rabindranath Tagore, 1916, Public Domain.
A poet and Nobel Prizewinner for Literature in 1913. I am absorbed by the views -

"We can look upon a road from two different points of view. One regards it as dividing us from the object of our desire; in that case we count every step of our journey over it as something attained by force in the face of obstruction. The other sees it as the road which leads us to our destination; and as such it is part of our goal."
"You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water."

'The Sayings Of Confucius'. Leonard A. Lyall, Public Domain.
I tend to use this book to check 'common' quotations which often lead me to other 'gems' -

"The Master said, Have I in truth wisdom? I have no wisdom. But when a common fellow emptily asks me anything, I tap it on this side and that, and sift it to the bottom."
"There are three friends that help us, and three that do us harm. The friends that help us are a straight friend, an outspoken friend, and a friend that has heard much. The friends that harm us are plausible friends, friends that like to flatter, and friends with a glib tongue."

'The Score Takes Care of Itself'. Bill Walsh, 2009, Penguin.

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American football coach Bill Walsh, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers won three Super Bowls on his way to the NFL Hall of Fame. In my opinion his view on leadership works as well for business as it did in professional sport.

The effects of motivational speech are short lived.
Positive relationships require a positive outlook.
Employees need clear and thorough and unambiguous guidelines detailing what is expected of them.

'The Social Construction of Reality'. PL. Berger & T Luckman, 1991, Penguin.

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I have not studied Sociology. Someone I trusted told me that this was a weakness. They suggested this book, and I am glad they did. Peter Berger is Professor of Sociology at Boston University.

'Sports Coaching' A Reference Guide for Students, Coaches and Competitors. Ed. Anita Navin, 2011, Crowood press.
Editor Dr. Anita Navin has coached in the high performance and netball super league for 10 years. She has also supported a range of national governing bodies in their development of coaching and leadership.

I am a believer in keeping up with new ideas especially in sports coaching. The problem is finding books worth reading, this is one of those books. That said, experienced coaches will find much of the advice given has been around a long time, the real value comes in the critical description of modern theories. As an example, it ought not come as a surprise to a working coach that they should manage group sizes, but reading an academic view about the rise of empowerment coaching is, in itself, empowering.

Player behaviour, it Is in part, a result of the culture created by the coach.
We seem to be competing in time where winning is everything.
Low participation rates in sport highlight areas where there is hey disconnect between policy and delivery.

'Superbosses'. Sydney Finkelstein, 2016, Penguin.

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I came to this book partly because I have been a Harvard Business Review subscriber, partly because I use Harvard videos on this website and partly because of he mentions Bill Walsh someone I often refer to.

'Supercoach'. Michael Neill, 2010, Hay House.
As part of an exercise the author asks that we make one unreasonable request every day for 30 days. The one that caught my eye suggested that we ask for a discount at the checkout. Why? Because a few years ago I went through a stage where I asked for discount on everything. In part I wanted a bargain but mostly I wanted to see the response. Often it was a polite no BUT a few of shopkeepers said yes and I saved a surprising amount of money. Largely because my wife kept walking off, I eventually stopped 'haggling' with everyone. But there was one conversation I will not forget -

I wanted to buy a music CD and had been looking online for a good price, from a reputable seller. Later that day, I passed a major high street record store, so i went in to check on prices. I was amazed by the fact that the CD I wanted was almost double the online price. As I told the manager, I understand paying a premium for shopping in a physical store, but double? So, as was my habit, I offered a few pounds less just to see what happened. Almost apologetically the manager said he had no leeway on prices and he did not understand why they were so expensive. The saddest thing is, I remember the young man agreeing with me that at those prices they could not survive. Sadly not long after that the chain went into liquidation - evolve or die (maybe I should have put this story under the Darwin segment).

'Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu (Darrell D. Lau) 1974, Penguin.

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My route to the The Tao-te ching was my study of the principles behind mindfulness. Today I am fascinated by an enigmatic philosophy where straightness appears bent.

If you decide to read this amazing book, keep in mind that , ‘The Tao-te ching’, is also called ‘The Lao-tzu’ after it’s author Lao Tzu. To confuse things even further when Lao tau is mentioned it is never clear whether it refers to the the book or author.

‘Teaching Today’. Geoff Petty, 2014, Oxford University Press.
As I have said before I am a believer in keeping up with new ideas. This book is a current teacher training text and was, for me, an excellent resource.

'Theory and Practice of Education: An Introduction'. M E Downey & A V Kelly, 1975, Harper & Row.
A text specifically for the development of classroom teachers and an early text in my training. The authors acknowledged the difficulty of containing educational theory in the sense that it is a complicated mix of practical and theoretical studies.

'The Three Levels of Leadership'. James Scouller, 2014, Management Books 2000 Ltd.

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Leaders need a clear idea of what leadership actually is.
Leaders do not have to be omnipotent.
Communicating clear and achievable goals is a key part of good leadership.

'Thus Spake Zarathustra'. Friedrich Nietzsche, R J Hollingdale, 1969, Penguin.
Nietzsche's most famous work and introduces the ideas of 'supermen' (bigger, stronger) the overhaul of Christian values (Nihilism) and 'eternal return' (everything recurs and will continue to recur). Unfortunately statements like "God is dead" and the adoption of his views by the Nazi Party had made Nietzsche a somewhat controversial figure. What cannot be doubted is the influence he exerted on western philosophy.

'Toward a Psychology of Being'. Abraham H. Maslow, 2012, Start Publishing.

Humanistic psychology concerns itself with how the individual achieves and give voice to their unique Self.

'Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus'. Ludwig Wittgenstein, 2011, Wilder Publications.

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This is basically, a book of ‘notes’ written by a serving soldier (WW1) and subsequent prisoner of war who just happened to be one of the worlds greatest philosophers.

'Tribal Leadership' (Revised Edition). Dave Logan, 2011, Harper Collins e-books.

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In the foreword Warren Bennis highlights questions posed in the book about the nature of leadership in terms of success and failure.

Lack of leadership leads to mediocracy.

'Triggers'. Marshall Goldsmith, 2016, Profile Books.

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Marshall Goldsmith has a PhD from UCLA .

This book covers adult behavioural change as impacted on by stimuli such as environment.

'The Twelve Hidden Laws of Performance'. Don Macnaughton, 2012, North Highland Publishing.

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Don MacNaughton has worked with the Scottish and Irish Football Association, Rugby Football League and the British Association of Ski Instructors.

Sports psychology can be extremely useful in the business environment.

'Ubuntu Life Lessons'. Johann Broodryk, 2015, Ubuntu Research.

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In 2016 the team I was working with adopted 'Ubuntu' as a motivational principle to guide them through the season. As a result of this I read up on the 'philosophy' and this book was a great introduction. Everyone should read this book especially those involved in team-building. One of the principles that I will always remember is -

If, as the owner of two cows, you find the milk from your first cow is enough to meet your own needs, it is your duty to distribute the milk from the second cow, to those less fortunate than yourself. The emphasis is on giving the milk away for free. There is no requirement for the owner to give the cow away.

'Utilitarianism'. John Stuart Mill, 1861, Public Domain.

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Mill was influenced by philosopher Jeremy Bentham (so-called founder of modern Utilitarianism) “greatest happiness of the greatest number”.

"Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.”

I always find it interesting when I hear of decisions seemingly made on how they affect the good of the majority. I always consider the rights of the individual, the morality of hedonism and the exact relationship between pain, pleasure and happiness.

One hypothetical that always sticks with me from my student days is, 'the runaway train. The Dilemma States:

You are the driver on a runaway train. You are heading for five people working on the track. You realise that you can switch the train to another track where only one man is working. Do you make the switch?

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There are many variations; this one interests me -

A runaway train. The driver has the ability to switch tracks. On one track there are five people working. On the other track sit's the drivers baby. Which track should the driver choose?

My interest in this variation comes from the ability to change the option from 'baby' to wife or mother or brother or hated enemy or mugger or murderer or historical figure etc.

Changing the potential victims takes away from the simplicity of the hypothetical, but it does lead to much a wider discussion of morals, perception and emotion.

'Walden'. Henry David Thoreau, 1854, Public Domain.

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A transcendentalist for whom Understanding (unproven thought) vs Reason (philosophical truth) is central.

The book describes the authors time in a cabin near Waldon Pond, Massachusetts. Having spent some time in that area I am intrigued by the book especially the lesser known passage -

"I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of."

Today in New England one can find many examples of families with lots of land but little money. I have come to know this as 'land rich - cash poor'.

As an older person I have often pondered what Thoreau would see as a simple life in nature v's the 'desperate existence' of a sophisticated life -

"Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them."

'Wooden on Leadership'. J Wooden & S Jamison, 2015, McGraw-Hill.

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UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, was the first person to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a coach (1973).

'Will It Fly'. Pat Flynn, 2016, SPI Publications.

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This Wall Street Journal bestseller starts with the idea that entrepreneurs get a lot of ideas that they 'abandon' and others that just don't work. In this very practical book, Pat Flynn lays out a way to refine your thoughts, plan your actions and follow your ideas through to completion. Some of the highlights for me were:

Read about the importance of interpersonal relationships, the value of telling people what you are doing, why it's so important to ignore criticism, the strength of 1000 true followers, the power of story telling, treating your customers well and enjoying yourself.

'Zen and the Art of Running'. Larry Shapiro, 2009, Adams Media.

I can't remember how I came to this book by Professor Shapiro but looking through my 100+ research notes the principles of, focus and being in the 'zone', dominate,

A disciplined mind is self-aware.

'The Zen Experience'. Thomas Hoover, 2010, Penguin.

I came to this as part of my attempt to link modern 'mindfulness' with the ancient philosophy of Zen. I found that book a very enjoyable history of Zen and the 'masters' that promote it's practice.

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'Success through team building and motivation...'

Content pages are stand-alone presentations designed to introduce a topic and suggest ways that I can help with the issues raised. My intention is to provoke thought, motivate members to email me specific questions and do the best I can to present practical real-world answers and solutions.

James 2019.

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