Contributors to the May 2021 issue of TD magazine offer their book recommendations.

Dana Vogelmeier

Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving With Grace by Gordon MacKenzie

The author talks about the masks we wear at work. He shares an approach he used with his team to give everyone security and comfort in removing their metaphoric masks and getting more comfortable with one another.

David Solot

Predictive Analytics for Dummies by Anasse Bari, Mohamed Chaouchi, and Tommy Jung

The authors cover everything from gathering data to regression analysis, and they discuss reasons for using data analytics. The book is not HR specific, so it’s better to read it once you have an understanding of how you want to use analytics in your organization or practice.

The Practical Guide to HR Analytics: Using Data to Inform, Transform, and Empower HR Decisions by Rachael Johnson-Murray, Lindsay McFarlane, Valerie Streets, and Shonna Waters

This is especially good for anyone, like me, who has been in the field since before the Big Data revolution.

Emily Wood

Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui

This book has a fantastic description of flow state versus zone state and details the effect exercise, specifically swimming, has on mental processing and dealing with trauma. This book inspired me to find an open-water swim club and start swimming in the wild.

Communicate Like a Leader: Connecting Strategically to Coach, Inspire, and Get Things Done by Dianna Booher

Communication is key right now to keep people engaged. Booher is a training and writing legend, and I am re-reading her book for strategies to help my clients motivate their people in these tough times.

Matthew Daniel

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

In a disruptive environment, its generalists with a wide range of skills and approaches who are best prepared to survive and thrive. Epstein takes a historical look into why the skills we need are less deep and are increasingly widening.