This year, we launched our Reading List feature to find out what members of the community have been reading (and writing!). Here is a summary of our favourite books from this year, in no particular order:

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Recommended by Yulia Pieskova

The author describes how our mind works in terms of how our personal bias and intuition informs our decision making. Kahneman, who won a Nobel Prize in psychology, introduces the main concept of System 1 and System 2. System 1 is how we react by default, calculated quickly by our past experiences, which may not be rational, and System 2 comes into play when we use awareness to judge situations.

This concept helps us to understand how background influences bias and helps us to work towards gaining awareness, as a coach, and as part of a system.

Love it or Leave It: How to be happy at work by Samantha Clarke

From our “books written by the ORSC UK Community” edition

“The way we work has changed and that change is only accelerating. The advice we were given at school or by parents no longer makes sense in the world of digital nomads, social media overload and zero-hour contracts. Working out what you want to do and pursuing it is no longer as simple as studying the right degree. Even when we think we have our dream job, is it really what we thought it would be?”

Systems Inspired Leadership by Marita & Frank

From our “books written by the ORSC UK Community” edition

“Contributing to the growing trend of collaborative and collective leadership models, one of the unique features of SIL is the recognition that, within any organisation, there is an integrated system, which also has intelligence and a voice. By tapping that collective wisdom, problems of all kinds are more easily overcome while doors to growth and innovation swing open. Rather than forcing solutions that lack context or alignment, SIL creates an environment where answers can emerge naturally.”

The 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work by John M. Gottman

From the “Books That Inspired ORSC” edition

When I started working at CRR UK to do marketing, Nairy, CRR UK’s CEO, suggested I read this book. At first, I was dubious because I was 22 years old at the time… and not married, so I wondered how I would be able to relate. However, so much of this book has stayed with me and I would recommend it to anybody in or outside the world of coaching. It was very eye opening as to how habits and behaviours can result in healthy and fulfilling relationships, or unsatisfying ones. (Description written by Wyse Lockyer, CRR UK)

Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra

From the “Books That Inspired ORSC” edition

This book opens up a way of seeing the world which is a big influence on what ORSC teaches. It introduces the reader to the concept of not being attached to any reality, because there is a dynamic and ever-changing reality within every system. We all hold a bias and can only ever partially understand “the truth” and this book shows us that modern physics is the way to spiritual knowledge and self-realisation.

This book provides a systemic framework of thinking that challenges the accepted norms and identifies the constraints of logical thinking alone. Systems thinking transcends disciplines and cultures and when it is done correctly, it over arches history. When we see the relationship between structure and behaviour we can begin to understand how systems work, what makes them produce poor results and how to shift them into better behaviour patterns.

Radical Help by Hilary Cottam

Recommended by Jen Parkin

From the “Steering Group” edition

This book paints a brilliant picture of as to how the current welfare state, and the thinking that’s driven our concept of the welfare state, is floored. A lot of the structures in place to help people who need help can even make people’s lives worse. The book presents a radical and alternative approach to how people and communities can help themselves. Although the book is not associated with ORSC, it will reconnect you to why ORSC is important in the first place. For those interested in pursuing their “world work” (world work – commitment to leaving the world in a better place than you found it using ORSC skills working for a cause that resonates with you), this book is practically helpful to help you harness ORSC in a meaningful way and channel it into a cause.

Systems thinking for social change by David Peter Stroh

Recommended by Stephane Kolinsky

From the “Steering Group” edition

The concepts in this book provide a language and methodology that compliment ORSC. It takes systems thinking to another level of tangible application. It’s a way of stepping outside the ORSC framework, while taking key concepts from ORSC and applying them to multi stakeholder work around complex real-world social problems. Using a form of deep democracy by hearing all the voices within the system, the book walks through creating a system map that can be used to uncover issues within it. This book is great for anybody who is ORSC trained and experienced in the ideas of systems thinking, but it’s also very accessible for those who are new to the concept.

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