Discover the books that are making waves and transforming lives. Our Bestsellers collection features the most impactful, reader-loved titles across leadership, personal growth, workplace transformation, and social change. These standout books have resonated with audiences around the world—delivering timeless wisdom, actionable strategies, and bold ideas that spark real change. Whether you’re new to Berrett-Koehler or looking for your next great read, this is the perfect place to start.
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WE ARE ALL in the people business because we deal with other people all the time. But do you sometimes reach out to others only to find your efforts misunderstood or rejected? Do you wish your relationships with people close to you were more harmonious and fulfilling? PeopleSmart is a practical guide for anyone who asks these questions, which means most of us at some time or other. It reveals a powerful plan for making your relationships more productive and rewarding-whether they are with a supervisor and coworkers or a spouse, relatives, and friends-by developing your interpersonal intelligence.
Part Alice in Wonderland and part business fable, this creatively illustrated work about the adventures of a new hire's introduction to the fantastical company of Zenobia (and its elusive Room 133A) helps business leaders and entrepreneurs find energy in risk, opportunity in the unknown, and possibility in the people all around them-to believe in something that is not yet there.
War and peace are the two main ways that people try to solve our toughest group, community, and societal conflicts. Kahane shows why neither approach works and offers a different, better way – combining love and power – to solve these conflicts.
A revised and updated edition of an acknowledged classic of the Organizational Development literature. Over 30,000 of first and second editions sold.
The bestselling coauthor of The Serving Leader (over 90,000 copies sold) provides a roadmap that all leaders can use to create and align entire organizations around an inspiring purpose that drives superior performance.
Bestselling author Margaret Wheatley and long-time Berkana Institute collaborator Deborah Frieze take readers on a learning journey into seven diverse communities that have walked out of limiting beliefs and practices and walked on to something new. From Brazil to Ohio, they demonstrate how each of these communities made a conscious choice to develop a healthier, more resilient world based on the idea to “create with what we have.”
Entrepreneur and executive development expert Mike Dulworth's THE CONNECT EFFECT provides readers with a simple framework and practical tools for developing that crucial competitive advantage: a high-quality personal, professional/organizational and virtual network.
The most successful organizations add a healthy dose of play into their daily or weekly routines. In fact, research has shown that when people actually enjoy their jobs they're more creative, more productive, and more committed to doing their jobs well. Companies like the Colorado Health Sciences Center and Southwest Airlines attest to the positive effect of fun at work. Both trace increased job satisfaction and decreased employee downtime to concerted efforts to make fun a part of their corporate identity.
With 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work , Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes offer a complete resource anyone can use to create a dynamic workplace that encourages and inspires fun-and-games camaraderie among employees. It combines thorough research with practical hands-on tools, and features hundreds of ideas real companies have used to lighten up the workplace.
The authors surveyed over 1,500 individuals from organizations around the world and received enthusiastic responses that yielded a broad range of ways to spice up the work day. The suggestions in 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work include humorous training films, dress-up and dress-down days, silly job titles, awards for people who go "above and beyond the call of duty" when a coworker is on vacation, "ritual dances" at the completion of a project, a fashion show when it's time to choose a new uniform-even foam dart fights after meetings.
Hemsath and Yerkes offer ideas for instilling an element of fun into various business functions-from office environment, to meetings, training, communication, hiring, recognition, team building, and "simple acts of fun." In addition to the fun ideas in these chapters, a series of side bars, called "fun facts," "fun quotes," and "fun resources" offer humorous and interesting facts and statements about the effects of fun on workplace performance and job satisfaction, and direct readers to useful sources for products and services to enhance workplace "funativity."
Hemsath and Yerkes show that creating a fun atmosphere in the workplace increases productivity and morale and has a positive effect on the bottom line. Most importantly, they give readers the tools to have more fun at work, no matter where they work, or what position they're in.
With 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work , Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes offer a complete resource anyone can use to create a dynamic workplace that encourages and inspires fun-and-games camaraderie among employees. It combines thorough research with practical hands-on tools, and features hundreds of ideas real companies have used to lighten up the workplace.
The authors surveyed over 1,500 individuals from organizations around the world and received enthusiastic responses that yielded a broad range of ways to spice up the work day. The suggestions in 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work include humorous training films, dress-up and dress-down days, silly job titles, awards for people who go "above and beyond the call of duty" when a coworker is on vacation, "ritual dances" at the completion of a project, a fashion show when it's time to choose a new uniform-even foam dart fights after meetings.
Hemsath and Yerkes offer ideas for instilling an element of fun into various business functions-from office environment, to meetings, training, communication, hiring, recognition, team building, and "simple acts of fun." In addition to the fun ideas in these chapters, a series of side bars, called "fun facts," "fun quotes," and "fun resources" offer humorous and interesting facts and statements about the effects of fun on workplace performance and job satisfaction, and direct readers to useful sources for products and services to enhance workplace "funativity."
Hemsath and Yerkes show that creating a fun atmosphere in the workplace increases productivity and morale and has a positive effect on the bottom line. Most importantly, they give readers the tools to have more fun at work, no matter where they work, or what position they're in.
We live in the midst of one of the greatest technological revolutions in history, an era of deep-seated transformation-a macroshift in civilization, says preeminent scholar and futurist Ervin Laszlo. Its signs and manifestations are all around us, from the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic sweeping Africa and the dangerous fire-trap sweatshops routinely killing workers in Bangladesh, to the environmental havoc created by genetic engineering, power plant pollution and mechanized agriculture. The application of new technologies has turned into a double-edged sword.
The world is growing together in some respects, but is coming apart in others. Worldwide economic globalization, another sign of the macroshift, all too often benefits the few rather than the many. Hundreds of millions live at a higher material standard of living, but thousands of millions are pressed into abject poverty. The richest 20% earn ninety times the income of the poorest 20%, consume eleven times as much energy, and eat eleven times as much meat.
There have been other macroshifts in human history, but they spanned centuries, allowing cultural values, beliefs, and change to occur gradually. Today, technology has reduced our time to adapt; the entire critical period of change is compressed into the lifetime of a generation.
Today's macroshift, explains Laszlo, harbors great promise, as well as grave danger. He outlines two possible scenarios: "The Breakdown," where we choose to drift without a change in our current direction toward chaos, anarchy, and destruction, or "The Breakthrough," where we collectively transform our thinking and behavior to produce creative, sustainable solutions to dangerous global problems. And he shows what each of us can do-politically, professionally, and privately-to bring about the Breakthrough and shape a humane and sustainable global future.
While technology is what drives the unprecedented speed of this macroshift, it is our vision, values, and actions now that will ultimately determine the outcome. The choice is up to us-the power is in our hands.
The world is growing together in some respects, but is coming apart in others. Worldwide economic globalization, another sign of the macroshift, all too often benefits the few rather than the many. Hundreds of millions live at a higher material standard of living, but thousands of millions are pressed into abject poverty. The richest 20% earn ninety times the income of the poorest 20%, consume eleven times as much energy, and eat eleven times as much meat.
There have been other macroshifts in human history, but they spanned centuries, allowing cultural values, beliefs, and change to occur gradually. Today, technology has reduced our time to adapt; the entire critical period of change is compressed into the lifetime of a generation.
Today's macroshift, explains Laszlo, harbors great promise, as well as grave danger. He outlines two possible scenarios: "The Breakdown," where we choose to drift without a change in our current direction toward chaos, anarchy, and destruction, or "The Breakthrough," where we collectively transform our thinking and behavior to produce creative, sustainable solutions to dangerous global problems. And he shows what each of us can do-politically, professionally, and privately-to bring about the Breakthrough and shape a humane and sustainable global future.
While technology is what drives the unprecedented speed of this macroshift, it is our vision, values, and actions now that will ultimately determine the outcome. The choice is up to us-the power is in our hands.
In this short, easy-to-read fable, bestselling author Mark Miller reveals five habits that underlie leadership character and that determine a leader's success - and he teaches leaders how to develop these habits.
Every organization dreams of having enough leaders, and yet so few do; bestselling author Mark Miller shows how any organization can build its leadership capacity from the ground up to the C-suite.
The most important attribute high-performing organizations have in common is that they are well led. Every organization dreams of having enough leaders. Yet too many organizations take a haphazard or inconsistent approach to leadership development. The result is a dearth of leaders and a failure to leverage the full capacity of the enterprise.
Leadership guru and Chick-fil-A executive Mark Miller describes how any organization can create a culture in which leaders are routinely and systematically developed, resulting in a surplus of leaders. Miller details how to nurture leaders throughout the organization, from the front lines to the executive ranks. He provides a game plan for organizations to create a deep leadership bench.
To help bring the ideas to life, Miller uses the story of Charles, a new executive, as he and his team discover best practices from around the world to ensure a continuous supply of capable leaders. Charles and his team then translate their findings into a practical plan that any organization can use to create a leadership culture that will assure a sustainable competitive advantage and long-term success.
The most important attribute high-performing organizations have in common is that they are well led. Every organization dreams of having enough leaders. Yet too many organizations take a haphazard or inconsistent approach to leadership development. The result is a dearth of leaders and a failure to leverage the full capacity of the enterprise.
Leadership guru and Chick-fil-A executive Mark Miller describes how any organization can create a culture in which leaders are routinely and systematically developed, resulting in a surplus of leaders. Miller details how to nurture leaders throughout the organization, from the front lines to the executive ranks. He provides a game plan for organizations to create a deep leadership bench.
To help bring the ideas to life, Miller uses the story of Charles, a new executive, as he and his team discover best practices from around the world to ensure a continuous supply of capable leaders. Charles and his team then translate their findings into a practical plan that any organization can use to create a leadership culture that will assure a sustainable competitive advantage and long-term success.
Previous editions of Affluenza described the early symptoms of the disease that led to a nearly fatal shutdown of all our financial systems in 2008. This new edition puts more focus on the behavior changes we need to make to be certain that the Great Recession does not become a prelude to something worse.
"We had no vehicle. We didn't know how or if we could continue heading south. I was in a vast, seemingly endless desert. I didn't know when or if we'd make it to the other side. I didn't even know where the other side was. It wasn't in Algeria. I knew that much. Was it in Niger? Where does the Sahara actually end?"
We live in a culture, Donahue writes, which loves "climbing mountains." We want to see the peak, map out a route, and follow it to the top. Sometimes this approach works, but not always, particularly when we are enduring a personal crisis-divorce, job loss, addiction, illness, or death. We may not know exactly where we are going, how to get there, or even how we'll know we've arrived.
And it's not just in times of crisis. There are many deserts in our lives, situations with no clear paths or boundaries. Finding a job is usually a mountain, but changing careers can be a desert. Having a baby is a mountain, especially for the mom. But raising a child is a desert. Battling cancer is a mountain. Living with a chronic illness is a desert.
In the desert, we need to follow different rules than we follow when conquering a mountain. We need to be more intuitive, more patient, more spontaneous. Donahue outlines six "rules of desert travel" that will help us discover our direction by wandering, find our own personal oases, and cross our self-imposed borders.
"The sun appears like a silent explosion, a slow motion fireworks display dazzling the volcanic crags of the Hoggar. I stand up and walk to the path and begin descending to Klaus' car. I've made my decision. Tallis and I will travel, somehow, to Agadez. I don't have a logical explanation for my decision or a plan to get to the last oasis. I know I am on the right journey-I am following my compass."
Shifting Sands shows us how to slow down, reflect, and embrace the changes of life graciously, naturally, and courageously.
We live in a culture, Donahue writes, which loves "climbing mountains." We want to see the peak, map out a route, and follow it to the top. Sometimes this approach works, but not always, particularly when we are enduring a personal crisis-divorce, job loss, addiction, illness, or death. We may not know exactly where we are going, how to get there, or even how we'll know we've arrived.
And it's not just in times of crisis. There are many deserts in our lives, situations with no clear paths or boundaries. Finding a job is usually a mountain, but changing careers can be a desert. Having a baby is a mountain, especially for the mom. But raising a child is a desert. Battling cancer is a mountain. Living with a chronic illness is a desert.
In the desert, we need to follow different rules than we follow when conquering a mountain. We need to be more intuitive, more patient, more spontaneous. Donahue outlines six "rules of desert travel" that will help us discover our direction by wandering, find our own personal oases, and cross our self-imposed borders.
"The sun appears like a silent explosion, a slow motion fireworks display dazzling the volcanic crags of the Hoggar. I stand up and walk to the path and begin descending to Klaus' car. I've made my decision. Tallis and I will travel, somehow, to Agadez. I don't have a logical explanation for my decision or a plan to get to the last oasis. I know I am on the right journey-I am following my compass."
Shifting Sands shows us how to slow down, reflect, and embrace the changes of life graciously, naturally, and courageously.
The international bestseller that's transformed more than half a million lives returns with new tools for thriving in the digital age through the power of better questions.
Discover how the proven Choice Map framework and Question Thinking methodology drive breakthrough results in business leadership, workplace culture transformation, and team performance across all organizational levels.
In this updated fifth edition, Dr. Marilee Adams shares powerful Question Thinking tools that help shift from a limiting Judger mindset to an expansive Learner perspective.
Through an engaging business fable following manager Ben Knight’s workplace transformation journey, readers learn to recognize when they’re trapped in the Judger Pit of blame, stress, and limitation—and how to escape using the revolutionary Choice Map visual framework. This proven decision-making tool illustrates exactly how different questions lead to dramatically different leadership outcomes and workplace results.
This expanded edition includes the following new material:
Discover how the proven Choice Map framework and Question Thinking methodology drive breakthrough results in business leadership, workplace culture transformation, and team performance across all organizational levels.
In this updated fifth edition, Dr. Marilee Adams shares powerful Question Thinking tools that help shift from a limiting Judger mindset to an expansive Learner perspective.
Through an engaging business fable following manager Ben Knight’s workplace transformation journey, readers learn to recognize when they’re trapped in the Judger Pit of blame, stress, and limitation—and how to escape using the revolutionary Choice Map visual framework. This proven decision-making tool illustrates exactly how different questions lead to dramatically different leadership outcomes and workplace results.
This expanded edition includes the following new material:
- A new chapter on how to use AI with Question Thinking ethically and for the common good
- All new practical tools based on the latest emotional intelligence research
- Fresh insights for applying these principles in a technology-driven world
"What might happen," John Izzo writes, "if we began to think of innocence as a quality we bring to our lives, a perspective and a way of looking at the world, which is not replaced by experience but which influences our experience? When we choose innocence as a frame to experience the world, the qualities of hope, idealism, openness, and faith nurture the experience of wonder and joy in our lives."
In the tradition of Robert Fulgham and Richard Carlson, Izzo uses his experiences as a son, husband, father, employee, minister, author and corporate speaker to inspire readers to see the world from this new, rejuvenating perspective. Chapters with titles like Full Speed Ahead In The Wrong Direction, Choose Your Glasses Carefully, Getting Past Your Expiration Date, The Burned-Out Buddha and The Power of Not Now explore how to reclaim our innocence in four realms --- daily life, faith, work, and relationships.
"It is not that experience should not shape our idealism", Izzo tells us. "In fact, our initial innocence must be shaped by our experiences. To hold on to our innocence is a life long process and it is our ability to foster the quality of innocence that continues to bring us to the edge of what is possible in our lives and in our communities. That we may choose innocence and idealism while incorporating the harder experiences of living is the core premise of this book."
Both practical and inspiring, Second Innocence combines wonderful stories with an inspiring philosophy to help us maintain our idealism and enthusiasm throughout our lives.
In the tradition of Robert Fulgham and Richard Carlson, Izzo uses his experiences as a son, husband, father, employee, minister, author and corporate speaker to inspire readers to see the world from this new, rejuvenating perspective. Chapters with titles like Full Speed Ahead In The Wrong Direction, Choose Your Glasses Carefully, Getting Past Your Expiration Date, The Burned-Out Buddha and The Power of Not Now explore how to reclaim our innocence in four realms --- daily life, faith, work, and relationships.
"It is not that experience should not shape our idealism", Izzo tells us. "In fact, our initial innocence must be shaped by our experiences. To hold on to our innocence is a life long process and it is our ability to foster the quality of innocence that continues to bring us to the edge of what is possible in our lives and in our communities. That we may choose innocence and idealism while incorporating the harder experiences of living is the core premise of this book."
Both practical and inspiring, Second Innocence combines wonderful stories with an inspiring philosophy to help us maintain our idealism and enthusiasm throughout our lives.