I get a lot of questions about the resources I rely on–what are the essential books, journals and websites I turn to to do this work. I am a firm believer that you can find relevance anywhere you choose to look for it. I am also a firm believer that all knowledge makes you better at what you do, period. So I recently received an email from a relatively new FHO reader asking about my go-to non-clinical resources, in response to a conversation we’d been having about program management issues. A few of these I’ve mentioned before, but I don’t think I’ve ever done a single list of these resources, so without further delay, a new 10 Things: Non-Clinical Resources.
- Fast Company: I treat myself to a hard copy of this magazine when I travel, but I subscribe to their twitter feed, so I also see a lot of what they print online. You’ve probably noticed links to their articles from time to time on this site. It’s tech-heavy, and some of it goes completely over my head. But their articles about management and innovation are often spot-on.
- Harvard Business Review blog: This is probably my number one management resource. I get their newsletter delivered by email and I subscribe to their twitter feed, as well, so finding information that piques my interest couldn’t be easier. In my rich internal fantasy life I’m the kind of person that happily spend $169/year on a magazine, but in my actual life I prefer to spend that money on shoes. So for now I stick to the free content and still manage to get a tremendous amount of value from it.
- The Sunday New York Times: I read one newspaper in print, and I only do it one day a week. Aside from keeping current with what’s happening in the world, getting the Sunday times delivered feeds my limited need for ritual. If you ignore my obsessive addiction to jasmine pearl tea every morning, this is really my only one. And having that ritual means that for a couple of hours on Sunday mornings my household divvies up this paper, reads out loud to each other as someone (me) makes breakfast, and just generally engages in interesting conversation that very often has little do with what we all do for a living. A definite way to recharge for sure.
- TED: Always a good source for inspiration. When I’m stuck, I often find myself surfing their videos, looking for that mental kick in the pants. Usually works, too.
- Andy Goodman’s Free Range Thinking: I’ve mentioned this several times on this site and I’ve been reading it for years. Some fantastic guidance on being an effective communicator, using storytelling to gain support for your cause. If you have ever had to present to your agency’s Board or a group of potential funders, this should be a resource for you, too. I can’t afford his webinars or live courses, but his monthly online newsletter is free.
- The Oatmeal: Because, seriously, we all need to laugh just a little more.
- Scott Berkun blog: I especially like his work on being a more effective presenter, but I am currently toying with my bio based on one of his posts from earlier this year, so I find his site enriches several aspects of my professional life. Confessions of a Public Speaker is still a frequent recommendation I make, as well.
- iDoneThis blog: The newest resource in my Feedly reader, this site has some thought-provoking posts and links on management, usually pretty concise and pretty on point. I also follow them on Twitter.
- Crucial Skills newsletter: Don’t think you need to work on your ethical communication skills? You’re wrong. This is a skill that requires lifelong learning and the Crucial Skills newsletter provides some great (and usable) suggestions. I think it’s a must for those of you who manage people, but really, if you interact with people at any level, it’s probably a good resource for you. The newsletter is based on the work in their books, including the widely read Crucial Conversations, which I would also recommend.
- Rachel Simmons blog: I don’t read a lot of parenting books or sites, but at the end of the day I am, in fact, a mom with an almost teenage girl child, and that scares the hell out of me. I turn to this particular site to give me better ideas about how to talk with my daughter, think about the world in which I am raising her, and occasionally help assuage the mom guilt that so many of us walk around with. And while Rachel touches on issues such as violence and bullying, there’s a pretty broad spectrum of ideas on the site, all of which center on the radical notion that we have a hand in cultivating leadership and resilience in the girls we are raising (and the girls with whom we come in contact). Author of Odd Girl Out, among others.