Recommended Reads

Enhance both your personal and professional connections in the new year with some of the library's newest reads.

Title: Reset: How to Change What's Not Working

Author: Dan Heath

Call No.: HD58.8 Hea

In Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working, Dan Heath offers a practical framework for diagnosing and improving flawed systems in organisations.

Drawing on research in behavioural science and management, Heath pushes the concept of identifying “leverage points” in organisational systems and processes where small adjustments produce significant impact, and as a result, create meaningful change. Illustrated with accessible case studies in every chapter across different sectors such as education and public service, the book demonstrates how leaders can redesign processes to maximise outputs, even with limited resources. Clear and pragmatic, Reset will be particularly valuable for educators and administrators seeking evidence-informed strategies to address persistent institutional challenges, and to better achieve organisational goals.

Title: The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

Author: Mel Robbins

Call No.: BF637.S4 Rob

The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins presents a simple framework for reducing stress and improving personal agency. Like her 5-Second Rule, the Let Them theory was developed from Robbins’ personal experiences, and it argues that many of our lives’ frustrations arise from attempts to control others’ opinions, decisions, or behaviours.

The Let Them theory is a two-part framework: “Let Them” and “Let Me”: The “Let Them” mindset encourages individuals to release unnecessary control, while asserting control through focusing on their own choices and responses (“Let Me”). Combining personal anecdotes, reader stories, and expert insights, the book offers an accessible perspective on autonomy, emotional regulation, and interpersonal dynamics in both professional and personal settings.

Title: How to Get Along with Anyone: The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and at Home

Authors: John Eliot, Jim Guinn

Call No: BF637.I48 Eli

How to Get Along with Anyone by Dr. John Eliot and Dr. Jim Guinn is the perfect antidote for anyone exhausted by office politics or recurring arguments. The authors explain that human stress responses are subconscious and predictable, categorising them into five distinct conflict styles:

• Avoider

• Competitor

• Analyzer

• Collaborator

• Accommodator

This practical playbook teaches readers how to identify these traits in themselves and others, and build real-time de-escalation strategies. It blends psychology with real-world examples to help identify triggers, defuse emotions, and interact effectively with each conflict style.

Going beyond basic communication advice, it provides a proactive framework for navigating disputes and building stronger relationships at work and at home.