Conflict, burnout, career: 10 books about our relationship with work

In today’s society of workaholics obsessed with work, manuals on how to succeed are in high demand. Biographies and tips from successful businessmen sell better than romance novels and detective stories. Our rating of the best motivational books that will tell you how to make a career and not lose yourself.

1. “Passion for work: How to learn to love and enjoy your work”

Wilmar Schaufeli, Pieternel Dijkstra, Tatiana Ivanova

The subtitle of the book is clearly addressed to those who did not fall into the ranks of the lucky ones who go to work as if it were a holiday. However, the authors, an international team of psychologists, are convinced that things can be fixed. First of all, do not confuse the passion for work with workaholism. To do this, the book gives clear definitions of all kinds of our relationship with work.

Find out the difference between professional burnout and extinction and take the test “Are you obsessed with work?”. And then you can move on to the exercises – by the way, they are addressed not only to employees, but also to managers. And if by this point readers have not yet said goodbye to skepticism (“even if something changes at first, then in a couple of weeks everything will return to normal”), they are waiting for the final chapter, which tells about positive spirals and that passion can reproduce yourself to infinity.

Cogito Center, 2015.

2. “Conflicts at work. The Art of Overcoming Disagreements»

Kenneth Clock, Joan Goldsmith

American conflict resolution specialists Kenneth Klock and Joan Goldsmith do not give ready-made instructions: they are sure that there are no general principles for resolving conflicts, and an attempt to approach the situation rationally cannot be successful.

In disputable situations there are no unambiguous choices, and everyone needs to live, suffer, tune in to another person, understand and accept his emotions. Describing different cases of conflict, they enable readers to find their own meaning in them. And at the same time experience the joy of their permission.

Pretext, 2013.

3. “Three signs of a boring job”

Patrick Lencion

Work seems unbearable to us when we do not feel a personal interest in it, do not understand the criteria for evaluating our work and do not feel the significance of our work for other people, says Patrick Lencioni, coach, founder and president of the consulting company Table Group.

In the book, using the example of the life of a talented top manager Brian Bailey, a fictional, collective character, he talks about how you can make the company’s work successful and the life of its employees happy.

Alpina Publisher, 2010.

4. “Don’t work with f…ducks. And what if they are around you”

Robert Sutton

The central idea of ​​the author of the book, a management teacher at Stanford University (USA), is simple: even the most qualified specialist, if he behaves disrespectfully towards colleagues and subordinates, is harmful to the company. And the best thing you can do is get rid of it as soon as possible.

That is if you are a leader. But what if you yourself are that malevolent character and think that aggressive behavior will help you advance your career? This is partly true, the author agrees. Perhaps you will get to a responsible position – but there you must change your style, otherwise you will fail: you will frustrate your subordinates, and your partners will not be able to trust you.

Third position: you are stuck in a company where you are surrounded and dominated by boors and scoundrels. In this case, you will receive advice on how to survive in a toxic environment until you find yourself a place in another company among decent people. The author’s recommendations are practical and effective, and, as the title of the book suggests, he is not shy about calling a spade a spade. Which in many cases is therapeutic in itself.

Mann, Ivanov & Ferber, 2015.

5. “Less, but better: you need to work not 12 hours, but with your head”

Martin Biaugo, Jordan Milne

British entrepreneurs, creators of the “startup factory” Rainmaiking Martin Byaugo and Jordan Milne thought about how successful businessmen build their lives today. It turned out that hard labor 24 hours a day without holidays and days off with the family is not at all among their priorities.

On the contrary, the heroes of their book leave a lot of time for themselves, actively travel and are not going to make heavy sacrifices in the name of a successful career. All this is quite real, according to Byaugo and Milne. You just need to rebuild your life: give up unnecessary activities like watching the news, focus on what you really want, connect with those who inspire, learn to think simply and clearly.

By the way, there are Russian businessmen among the role models (rather, study) selected in the book.

Alpina Publisher, 2015.

6. “Burnout Syndrome”

Martin Grabe

Burnout syndrome is considered one of the main psychological problems of our time: according to sociologists, almost half of working Europeans feel its symptoms to one degree or another. Among the main signs of this disease are chronic fatigue, a drop in efficiency and interest in work, a cynical and indifferent attitude to what you do and to your colleagues.

Burnout can result in prolonged depression, health problems, and even temporary disability. A small book by the German psychotherapist Martin Grabe will become a kind of reminder for the reader: it will help in the early stages to recognize the approach of emotional burnout and stop it.

Speech, 2008.

7. “Mental traps at work”

Mark Goulston

Work is not limited to salary, there is also such an element as self-respect, and no company can give us this feeling,” warns Mark Goulston, psychologist, trainer of FBI negotiators. “Self-respect, like success, must be achieved independently.”

How to deal with your defeatist behavior, how to break the cycle of entrenched negative assumptions and gain self-confidence? Go through Goulston’s book, chapter by chapter (Infinite Delays, Going on the Defensive, Inability to Forgive), especially the end of each one (What to Do), learn from your mistakes, and move forward. As a reward for perseverance, we will learn not to interfere with ourselves – to find new opportunities to live and work interestingly.

Mann, Ivanov & Ferber, 2011.

8. “The joys and sorrows of work”

Alain de Botton

A popular writer and businessman, a graduate of Harvard, Swiss Alain de Botton traveled around the world for two years, talking to representatives of different professions. He talks about ten of them in this book, once again making you think about the meaning of modern work and about what is more important: prosperity or self-realization?

The variety of fields of activity that the author introduces us to is amazing: from the production of cookies to rocket science. The narrative is accompanied by many author’s photographs, sometimes unexpected. The chapter “Accounting”, for example, is illustrated by three white urinals, a woman in an elevator, and a man on an escalator.

United Press, 2014.

9. “Right off the bat”

Natalia Krivitskaya

Parents of teenagers should definitely show this book to their children, even if they are not going to conquer the cruel world of business. It is for those who are starting to work for the first time. Practical, understandable and fun tips on how to have fun and succeed while competing with more experienced colleagues.

The book was published in the series “Young Managers. Fights without rules. The project was unique in that the same young, but quite experienced and successful managers wrote for young professionals. Unfortunately, after 2006 the book was not republished.

Top, 2006.

10. “How to love a job you hate”

Jane Boucher

“To work with love is to put your soul into everything you do,” reads the epigraph to this book. For those who have not yet been able to put this wonderful formula into practice, American business consultant Jane Boucher has written a well-structured guide that will largely change our views on “unloved work.”

The titles of the sections speak for themselves: 12 Ways to Love Your Job, 3 Key Strategies for Dealing with Annoying Bosses, 8 Techniques for Dealing with Employees That Annoy You… In addition, the book contains additional recommendations that will help it is right for the reader to quit his old job, get a new one and competently ask for a raise in salary.

Eksmo, 2006.