WB Reading List: Bad things, bad feedback, and real skills

When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner

This is an important read and message for anyone who has suffered loss, questioned why things happen, or who works in HR (where all those things happen on the regular).

Takeaways: There is hope. It is okay to question. God is not to blame and likely neither are you.

“Human beings are God’s language.”

When Your Boss Gives You Bad Feedback, Badly by Kim Scott, Liz Fosslien, and Mollie West Duffy

These brilliant leaders tackle this topic by first asking “how can you navigate your own emotional responses to different types of feedback?” Their answer: “The only way out of feeling bad about critical feedback is through.” Yes.

Takeaways: They offer “5 key steps to take when you get poorly delivered feedback.” All are practical and they provide specific examples of how to use the 5 steps with different types of poorly delivered feedback.

“It’s difficult to manage your feelings when getting feedback that feels too harsh, overly nice, or somehow dishonest. We all struggle with feedback, so extend a little grace to yourself for having strong emotions, and to the other person for initiating a difficult conversation.”

Let’s stop calling them “soft skills” – and call them “real skills” instead by Seth Godin

I agree with Mr. Godin, what we have called “soft skills” are critical to success and are just as important has “hard” or “technical” skills. However, while they are real, I think a better word is foundational skills. They are foundational to all other skills and without them you don’t have leadership.

Takeaways: “The foundation of all real skills is this one: the confidence and permission to talk to one another. Not to manage, belittle, intimidate or control. Simply to seek to be understood and to do the work to understand.”