Recommended Reading

Being on professional development leave has afforded me the luxury of time with which  to read! I have enjoyed several books that I would highly recommend for those interested in cultural competency and leadership.

"The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down:  A Hmong child, her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures",  by Anne Fadiman
is the winner of the National Book Critics Award for Non-Fiction.  Excellent book, engages your interest from the first page and holds you rapt til the finish.  The author is brilliant at presenting a highly sensitive topic objectively and with empathy for both the family and the medicals teams.   Highly recommended for anyone who works with families in most any capacity.
I was especially rewarded to read the culminating thoughts on page 261 in which Dr. Kleinman discusses ending the use of the term "non-compliant" when working with families who have chosen not to follow professional recommendations.  He is quoted as saying, " ...get rid of the term 'compliance'.  It's a lousy term. It implies moral hegemony.  You don't want a command from a general, you want a colloquy." I wrote about my feelings on the use of this term in my blog entry "Family Involvement: Ideas to make it real" .

"Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard" - by Chip and Dan Heath
This book is quick reading and gets you excited.   Many examples from a variety of fields gives you the means to see how their recommendations can apply to you both in your personal life and professional fields.  Geared for big system change; their focus on needing to move people at their emotional level is a welcome change from most leadership texts.    Thanks to the AMCHP conference for providing a copy to all attendees.  This one I will re-read when next working to make big system change.

"Little Bee" by Chris Cleave  -  Deeply moving.  Tough to take and tough to put down. Little Bee tells a culture clash story of epic proportions.  He writes from the view of both female protagonists expertly in clipped cutting prose.  Another essential reading for anyone wanting to expand their view of culture.

"Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes" by Tamim Ansary    This is a must read for every American.  What we don't know and therefore don't understand about Islam is stunning.  While this is not specifically a book regarding working with families from differing cultures, it broadens your perspective and  lets you see where your prejudices may lie.

"Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box" by the Arbinger Institute -  This surprising  and exciting  book was recommended in an AMCHP session  by one of the speakers who eloquently shared about her own journey of forgiveness. I immediately related to the concept of seeing everyone we come in contact with in all circumstances as a person with hopes, dreams, issues, concerns, plans etc.  rather than as an obstacle, an irritant, a "thing" to objectify.  This "out f the box" thinking is the way I was raised by my amazing mother, whom everyone respects and loves.  In no circumstance I can ever recall,  did she see anyone as anything less that human deserving of respect.  She always taught us that people were more important than things and that quality  relationships and forgiveness was the foundation of everything.  I wish I could say that I was a successful at living and relating to everyone as my mother has been;  I have not - but I "get it" and can immediately increase my accountability at work, at home and in my community.

I am curious and intrigued about how to bring this concept into the  workplace.  For myself personally, I can see many ways to improve my supervision skills by owning accountability and staying out of the box. How to bring this to my co=workers will take some thought and planning.  More to come on this.

If you have any other books that you would recommend, please comment.