Conquering Crisis by William McRaven

CONQUERING CRISIS by best-selling author and retired Admiral William McRaven (Sea Stories and Make Your Bed amongst others) is subtitled “Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them.”  McRaven once again shares insightful advice based largely on his varied military career where he says, “I learned early on what actions must be taken to resolve the crisis quickly and come out with one's professional and personal reputation intact.” In this new collection he describes what he sees as five phases of a crisis: assessment, reporting, containment, shaping the outcome, and managing. For example, his first lesson is “First Reports Are Always Wrong,” and he notes that in a chaotic crisis there frequently is early inaccurate or misleading information, using both the WWII Battle of the Bulge and a 1983 exercise near Chile to illustrate the point. Subsequent lessons include ideas like “Bad News Doesn't Get Better with Age” or “Weaponize the Truth.” In addition to the memorable examples (McRaven is a great storyteller), each chapter/lesson is summarized with a few key points. Publishers Weekly says, “leaders looking for an edge in high-pressure situations will find value here.” I concur.

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALS by Oliver Burkeman (Four Thousand Weeks) is subtitled “Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.” The publisher describes this title as “a guiding philosophy of life Oliver Burkeman calls imperfectionism.” What stood out for me was the question: “How do we shed the illusion that life will really begin as soon as we can get on top of everything?” Ironically, I truly need to carve out some time to spend reflecting on this text, but I did attend – and thoroughly enjoyed – the discussion between Burkeman and Daniel Pink recently which was hosted by Family Action Network. Their far-ranging conversation covered many of Burkeman’s suggestions like crafting a done list or try not to picture a “bucket” that needs to be emptied, but instead a river of choices. There was a great emphasis on not overanalyzing and “just doing it” or finishing a task to fully benefit from the resulting endorphins. Burkeman, a British author and journalist, wrote “This Column Will Change Your Life” for The Guardian until 2020. More recently, The Wall Street Journal published a short excerpt about freedom from MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALS which notes “Once you begin to approach life as a matter of trade-offs and consequences, it’s easier to say no to things you might not previously have dared to turn down.” And Burkeman writes further for Fast Company, extolling the virtues of “why ‘daily-ish’ habits can be better than everyday routines.” Much to ponder.

Erasing the Finish Line by Ana Homayoun

ERASING THE FINISH LINE by Ana Homayoun is subtitled “The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades and College Admission.” The only dispute I have with that is: is this really “new”? Homayoun points out the importance of developing a system, connections, perspective, and acceptance. She rightly stresses the importance and impact of executive functioning skills like organization, planning, and prioritizing, plus self-motivation (starting and completing tasks, meeting deadlines), adaptable thinking, and feeling comfortable with asking for help. These are all key life skills which we practice in high school again and again, particularly on a big, individual project like Junior Theme. Each chapter begins with an anecdote introducing a former student, like Nira, excited to be admitted to Notre Dame, who says, “the hardest part of college was learning to manage time and keep track of what I was responsible for and holding myself accountable when ... there was no one there to wake me up in the morning.” Good advice from a peer of sorts, and at one point Homayoun also includes several strategies to “help children [emphasis added; why choose that term?] develop multiple circles of connection.” Overall, however, her work is very text heavy and could benefit from more bullet points, checklists, and even sample exercises to further support the students she seeks to help. It seems likely that Homayoun has resisted this more directed guidance because she specifically says, “rather than doggedly pursuing the never-ending list of “must dos” and “should dos,” it's time for us to accept that there is not one “perfect” way to find success.” Yes, hard to argue with that; we have had Homayoun’s earlier work (That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week) in our collection and will likely be adding ERASING THE FINISH LINE, also. Approximately ten percent of the book is devoted to references and notes which will interest researchers and those curious readers wishing to learn more. Also worth considering: 6 Super Skills for Executive Functioning by Lara Honos-Webb. 

Organization and Motivation ... part 3

These two titles deal with emotions: anger and fear and how those can often stand in the way of  accomplishment and better organization.

ZERO TO 60 by Michael A. Tompkins is subtitled “A Teen’s Guide to Manage Frustration, Anger, and Everyday Irritations.” Its primary focus is on dealing with anger and explaining cognitive and behavioral strategies to promote better communication and the de-escalation of situations where aggressive behavior can get out of control. Unfortunately, there was no table of contents in the eBook preview, but the author does make an effort to speak directly to troubled teens; “zero to sixty” is just the first of many analogies to driving a car. Tompkins, a licensed psychologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Berkeley, emphasizes reducing speed to regain control, pulling over, and leaving anger by the side of the road. ZERO TO 60 received positive reviews from Booklist (“a must for social-emotional learning collections”) and Kirkus (“a welcome workbook for teens wishing to get a handle on their anger issues”). Each chapter contains worksheets to help with anger management skills as well as a summary of key points; near the end there are several pages with lists of helpful resources (books, web sites, etc.) for teens, families, and educators. (APA/Magination Press) ordered – 4 stars

STOP AVOIDING STUFF by Matthew S. Boone, Jennifer Gregg and Lisa W. Coyne reviews “25 Microskills to Face Your Fears and Do It Anyway.” The authors’ credentials, a social worker, professor of Psychology at San Jose State, and a practicing clinical psychologist, are impressive. They bring much needed insight to overcoming fears with practical suggestions in sections designed to build awareness, feel your feelings, free yourself of fearful thoughts, shift your view, and take small steps. Noting that avoidance is about control, the authors use each of the 25 short chapters (e.g., take perspective or practice gratitude) to describe a microskill by using stories and scientific background. This means there are many words, but, unfortunately, few images or diagrams appear to be interspersed. (New Harbinger)  3 stars  

Organization and Motivation ... part 2

These two texts are designed for high school students and older, offering suggestions about career choice, networking and juggling school and work projects. 

WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE 2021 by Richard N. Bolles and Katharine Brooks is “fully revised and expanded for 2021,” the fiftieth anniversary edition (we reviewed earlier versions in 2015 and 2018). Subtitled “Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success,” this text explains that the process begins with you – not with the job market. Here, too, the authors point out the value of building confidence, taking actions, setting goals, and getting help when needed (a significant skill our students need to practice more often). In addition, Bolles and Brooks provide a self-inventory (Flower Exercise) and offer tips on creating resumes (transforming skills to action verbs) and conversing at job interviews. A valuable resource for any age, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE 2021 may be of particular interest to the many students who are contemplating a gap year after high school. (Ten Speed Press)  4 stars

HOW TO DO IT NOW BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING AWAY by Leslie Josel is described as “An Expert Guide to Getting Stuff Done.” School Library Journal referred to this text as a “solid purchase.” I would be curious to see student reactions, but I do like the discussion of technology and frequent practical suggestions (turn off autoplay; close unnecessary windows; limit notifications) for its use.  There is a chapter on each of these topics: Time Management; Homework; Study Skills; Planning; Routines & Ritual; Organizing; Distraction; and Motivation. Josel, a human resources professional and entrepreneurial life coach, employs a conversational, inspiring tone ("to get the most out of this book, go through it at your own pace, on your own time and in your own way"). She acknowledges that students procrastinate for different reasons than adults. I thought Josel's suggestions for building habits and routines were very helpful, especially the ten questions she includes near the end (e.g., What are my priorities today? What could get in my way today? What is the smallest thing I am willing to do? How am I going to remember to remember?) And, like many Lerner publications, this one makes liberal use of diagrams, charts and images, further engaging students. Josel also offers several time management tips for students in this blog post and I was especially surprised to learn that her company’s award winning Academic Planner: A Tool for Time Management is completely sold out. Our school chose not to offer planners for sale this year and I am not sure why as they do seem to be a helpful tool for many.  (Lerner (Zest))  4 stars 

Organization and Motivation ... part 1

We have all seen the news in the past few months about the difficulty that students are having with motivation and managing their workload in a remote learning environment. Of course, we see some of these issues every year with teenagers since learning how to learn is one of the most important skills we teach and reinforce. Therefore, I am posting reviews of a number of new books from different publishers (several small ones, included) which offer tips, tricks, and advice for setting goals (a common theme) and avoiding procrastination. Some are directed at students themselves and others to the concerned adults in their lives.  

EAT THAT FROG! FOR STUDENTS by Brian Tracy with Anna Leinberger has a truly attention-grabbing title, doesn’t it? The authors (a motivational speaker and a former high school teacher) build on previous works written for a business setting in order to outline “22 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Excel in School.” For example, they concentrate on actionable steps and begin with three key pillars: self-esteem, personal responsibility, and setting goals. Subsequent sections review structuring time, establishing a study pattern, and handling the pressure to achieve.  There is a separate section on stress which advocates planning ahead, preparation and the intentional use of technology.  All good ideas, of course. I especially like the emphasis on tackling your major task first; however, I do wish there were more diagrams and images so as to create a more engaging space for potential teen readers.  (Berrett-Koehler)  3 stars

6 SUPER SKILLS FOR EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING by Lara Honos-Webb is one of my favorites in this group of posts and is right on target for executive functioning skills as it aims to provide “Tools to Help Teens Improve Focus, Stay Organized, and Reach Their Goals.” The six super skills discussed in the text are finding gifts, setting goals, chunking, boosting motivation, managing moods, and finding focus; all are key as we try to help students navigate remote learning.  Honos-Webb, a clinical psychologist who has written several books about ADHD, notes that “research shows that self-discipline predicts your grades twice as much as IQ [does]”and she also points out how difficult it is to learn when one is especially anxious. Most schools are seeing an increase in failing (or near failing grades) and I think using some of the mini-exercises here (during advisery or homeroom time?) could really have a positive impact by increasing self-awareness and helping to reduce anxiety. Honos-Webb defines executive functioning and describes the importance of attention, planning, flexible thinking, emotional regulation, and impulse control. If nothing else, this text could build a vocabulary and mental checklist that will really benefit readers and students as they transition to lifelong learners.  (New Harbinger) 4.5 stars  ordered