Books

Originally posted in our May 2021 Top of Mind Newsletter. I never, indeed, wavered in the conviction that happiness is the test of all rules of conduct, and the end of life. But I now thought that this end was only to be attained by not making it the direct end. Those only are happy (I thought) who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness; on the happiness of others,…

by William R. Miller This bestselling work for professionals and students is the authoritative presentation of motivational interviewing (MI), the powerful approach to facilitating change. The book elucidates the four processes of MI–engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning–and vividly demonstrates what they look like in action. A wealth of vignettes and interview examples illustrate the “dos and don’ts” of successful implementation in diverse contexts. Buy the book here

by William Derseiwicz As a professor at Yale, William Deresiewicz saw something that troubled him deeply. His students, some of the nation’s brightest minds, were adrift when it came to the big questions: how to think critically and creatively and how to find a sense of purpose. Now, he argues that elite colleges are turning out conformists without a compass. Excellent Sheep takes a sharp look at the high-pressure conveyor belt that begins with parents…

by Clayton Christensen How do companies know how to grow? How can they create products that they are sure customers want to buy? Can innovation be more than a game of hit and miss? Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen has the answer. A generation ago, Christensen revolutionized business with his groundbreaking theory of disruptive innovation. Now, he goes further, offering powerful new insights. Buy the book here

by John W. Gardner This is above all a book about the individual. Individuals create societies and make them vital; and individuals bring them to moldering ruin. So this is a book about you. Buy the book here