Check out our top 8 book recommendations for learning and development professionals to read in 2022:
- “Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.”
- “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable”
- “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”
- “How You Learn Is How You Live: Using Nine Ways of Learning to Transform Your Life”
- “Fierce Conversations”
- “The Dip”
- “Talking To Strangers”
- “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy”
“Continuous personal and professional development is your key to the future.” — Brian Tracy, motivational speaker and self-development author.
Are you looking to fuel your professional growth in 2022? A good read may be exactly what you need!
Our team at Roundtable Learning has assembled a list of the top 8 professional development books for L&D professionals to read in 2022. This list covers topics from holding critical conversations with teams to empowering female leaders through a blueprint for growth.
This article will explore the top 8 professional development books that Roundtable Learning recommends to L&D professionals for 2022.
8 Must-Read Professional Development Books
1. “Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.”
Author: Brené Brown
Recommended by: Rose Robertson, Director of Learning Solutions
A #1 New York Times Bestseller, “Dare To Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.” is for existing leaders or those who aspire to work into a leadership role. Throughout this book, Brené Brown provides readers with strategies to step up and confidently lead their teams.
2. “Purple Cow: Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable”
Author: Seth Godin
Recommended by: Nick Day, VP of Client Solutions
In this book, marketing guru Seth Godin argues that remarkable products must be built directly into an organization to catch the attention of consumers. By covering stories about revolutionary companies, Godin explains how organizations need to rethink their marketing strategy to make their product truly noticeable to consumers.
3. “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”
Authors: Sheryl Sandberg and Nell Scovell
Recommended by: Maria Pappas, Senior Instructional Designer
“Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead” uses data, firsthand stories, and research to encourage women to lean into the workplace. By providing guidance on how to lead a fulfilling, productive professional career as a woman, Sandberg and Scovell shine a light on gender differences in the workforce and empower women to assert themselves at their workplace.
4. “How You Learn Is How You Live: Using Nine Ways of Learning to Transform Your Life”
Authors: David Kolb and Kay Peterson
Recommended by: Anne Blum, Senior Instructional Designer
This book explores one of the secrets to happiness, success, and fulfillment: lifelong learning. By offering insight into the ideal process of learning, Kolb and Peterson help readers identify their personal learning style to overcome challenges and build crucial professional skills.
5. “Fierce Conversations”
Author: Susan Scott
Recommended by: Maria Pappas, Senior Instructional Designer
“Fierce Conversations” helps empower individuals to take part in meaningful conversations with others. At the core of Scott’s discussion is the importance of listening to and processing others’ words, rather than engaging our minds in what we respond with.
6. “The Dip”
Author: Seth Godin
Recommended by: Nick Day, VP of Client Solutions
Our second book by Godin on the list, this book explains why there’s a “dip” throughout a person’s journey that may force them to quit without persevering through challenges. By exploring the differences between strategic quitting and compulsive quitting, Godin helps readers determine when it’s best to do each and overcome setbacks accordingly.
7. “Talking To Strangers”
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
Recommended by: Anne Blum, Senior Instructional Designer
As the title suggests, “Talking To Strangers” is about why it may be difficult to understand and connect with others. Throughout this book, Gladwell highlights the complexity of strangers by exploring several issues with talking to strangers, including truth default theory and transparency.
8. “Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy”
Author: Sheryl Sandberg
Recommended by: Maria Pappas, Senior Instructional Designer
“Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy” combines stories, advice, and eye-opening research to help readers build strength and resiliency when facing life’s obstacles. Sandberg explores the idea of coping with tragedy by moving forward with Option B, a strategy that can be applied to the corporate training world to keep organizations in motion.
What Professional Development Books Would You Add To Our List?
This article has overviewed 8 books that our team at Roundtable Learning recommends you read in 2022. Whether you’re looking to improve your leadership skills, focus your marketing efforts, or improve your communication skills, we hope this article has helped you discover books that can help you grow professionally.
Looking to get in touch with our team to learn more about professional development opportunities? Contact one of our experts or check out more resources in our resource center.
