My No Chemistry Book List
by Kevin Owens
This is somewhat of an eclectic mix—and not necessarily the books I would pack into the next Pioneer spacecraft (in electronic format, or course) heading for the furthest reaches of the universe, to be read by some civilization in a galaxy far, far away as representative of the pinnacle of the greatest writings of the human race. That disclaimer made, these books are absolutely interesting and deserving of consideration next time you are in the library or bookstore. And you know—there's not a chemistry book amongst them—I'll need to remember that for the next list.
The Art of Teaching by Jay Parini (Oxford University Press, 2005) is a joyful little book—packed with the joy of someone who obviously truly loves teaching. Parini is currently an English professor at Middlebury College, a poet and novelist, locked in a continuing struggle to ''find his own voice'' and perfect the art of teaching. His description of his own life experiences and how they have shaped his interactions with his own students are inspiring. While my own experiences ''growing up'' as a scientist (particularly a chemist) are almost completely unlike what Parini describes, what I could absolutely relate to was the growth of his deep love of language and literature. For anyone interested in a future in teaching, this book will make you think.
I can't recommend the book Good to Great by Jim Collins (Harper Collins Publishers, 2001) strongly enough. Written after extensive research on what were the common themes that made a select group of companies (including Abbott, Circuit City, and Kroger) stand out—not only from their peers, but from all companies on the market—there are some conclusions here that will likely not be what you predict (even the author was surprised by some of what they discovered). Compare the situations that exist at these companies to the one you find yourself in on a daily basis. Do you have a level 5 leader? Is your company following the hedgehog concept? Do the messengers survive—are even the ugly truths heard at the top? This book will open up your mind to the possibilities—the means to the end seem simple—but apparently are fairly uncommon. The book was written before the ''new economy'' bubble was deflated—it would be interesting to see an update on how these same companies have fared. Nevertheless, this is a stimulating read.
John C. Maxwell's The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001) is another one for the nightstand. I picked this up because it struck a chord—I believe everything is possible with true teamwork. One possible path to success is to collect a bunch of stars and wait for a stellar outcome. However, it may not materialize. On the other hand, you just might be surprised by what an ''ordinary'' group of people—each excelling at what each knows—can do when they are pulling together in the same direction. If you've ever coached a group of 9 year olds in their first year of kid—pitch you'll understand the law of the bench (that all good organizations have depth at all positions). Yes, the writing is sometimes optimistic—but there are some interesting examples drawn from a wide variety of areas—you'll likely find something that resonates with whatever situation you find yourself in.
For anyone with a little bit of experience with the Myers—Briggs Personality Type Index (MBTI) the book Type Talk at Work: How the 16 Personality Types Determine Your Success on the Job (Otto Kroeger with Janet Thuesen and Hile Rutledge, Tilden Press, 2002) will help you improve your interpersonal relationships in the workplace. I've only come upon the MBTI recently at the recommendation of a friend. The first thing to understand is that we don't all process the input we encounter in the world in the same way. Are you an Introvert or Extrovert? That one is probably easy. Are you an Intuitive or Sensor? Thinker or Feeler? Judger or Perceiver? What you will realize is that there's a place in the workplace world for all types. Understanding the MBTI will help you better understand your coworkers, your supervisors, your students. With greater understanding you can learn how to improve communication—I can't imagine anywhere where that wouldn't help?
You know—looking at all of these together a common thread emerges—one of the importance of effective communication. Interesting ...
Kevin Owens is the Associate Department Head of Chemistry.