NYU Stern’s MBA Career Coaches Recommend Reading These Books If You Want To Shift Your Thinking

Reading is an important aspect in developing an individual’s personality, and more so for MBA aspirants who end up reading hordes of cases through the course of an MBA program. Reading can define and develop a person’s character, and can open up the reader to newer avenues and perspectives.

The Career Coaches at NYU Stern have listed down five books that they consider essential if you are looking to change your thinking towards a more positive perspective or just for your personal development.

• Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success (by Adam Grant)
  Adam Grant’s book, “Give and Take”, shines a light on the factors that drive success and focuses on how interaction styles can impact the same. Grant, who’s a lecturer at The Wharton School, uses stories from different people to drive his point, and highlights the importance of networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation and leadership skills have on reaching success.
  
• Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life (by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans)
  Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ book helps readers figure out what they want, and then how to get it. Based on the popular course ‘Designing Your Life’ by the two professors, the book is applicable to a wide variety of people, be it students, mid-career professionals and retired professionals. Career Center for Working Professionals’ senior director, Eliza Shanley, recently hosted a workshop based on the book, on designing your career and life. The workshop focused on several exercises designed to understand the attendees and help improve the quality of their lives by designing a personalized plan for the next five years.
  
• The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels (by Michael Watkins)
  The author, Michael Watkins, outlines proven strategies in his book to negotiate your next move – be it starting a new job, promotions, or even a big assignment. Focusing on the first 90 days of a career transition that are considered very crucial, NYU Stern’s Career Coaches recommend reading the book when you’re adapting to a new job or a promotion.
  
• The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias (by Dolly Chugh)
  Written by NYU Stern’s Professor Dolly Chugh, “The Person You Mean To Be” is an inspiring guide on facing issues such as sexism, racism, inequality and injustice through tools that focus on respectful and effective communication. Dolly Chugh is an Associate Professor in the Management and Organizations Department at NYU Stern. Her research focuses primarily on the psychological restrictions on the quality of decision-making, while also integrating the theories and methods of social psychology, behavioral economics, judgment and decision making, sociology and education.
  
• How to Have a Good Day (by Caroline Webb)
  Written by former McKinsey partner, Caroline Webb, “How To Have A Good Day” applies the latest findings in behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience to improve our everyday life. NYU Stern’s Career Coaches recommend reading “How To Have A Good Day” to make a bigger impact through your daily routine by taking the three big scientific ideas mentioned in the book and applying them step-by-step.

Career Center for Working Professionals

The Career Center for Working Professionals (CCWP) has a number of team members dedicated to providing career support to Langone and Executive MBA students, as well as all Stern alumni.

A team of seven members, the CCWP is led by Eliza Shanley, who’s the Senior Director of the Center. Shanley provides career coaching to Langone and Executive MBA students, as well as Stern alumni. Eliza’s previous work experience includes working as the founder and managing partner of Women@Work – a career counseling and full life-cycle contingency staffing and recruitment agency.

Shanley is joined by Associate Director Julia Macleod, whose previous work experience includes working as the Vice President in the Private Wealth Management Division of Morgan Stanley.

Martha Patton, an Associate Director, is known for engaging in one-on-one as well as group career coaching, while also hosting webinars and industry events, Patton has previously worked in the NYU Stern Office of Career Development as the Director of Career Coaching for full-time MBA students.

Stephanie Tancredi, an Associate Director, provides career coaching to Langone & Executive MBA students and Stern alumni. Tancredi is also responsible for maintaining relationships with employers, while developing programming for the Career Centre. Her previous work experience includes working as the Director of Financial Services recruitment at The Execu|Search Group, an executive search firm in New York.