For some, holidays can be stressful. But if we’re fortunate enough to have loved ones who embrace us wholly, we have the freedom to be our authentic selves and thrive in our sense of belonging. Now is the time when we gather with friends and family to feast, reflect, and make memories together. We mark the end of another season while expressing our gratitude and begin to usher in a new chapter that gives us reason to be merry.
But if you need to wind down from the festivities and pick up a book for quiet contemplation, these five reads may be what you’re looking for. Whether you want to dive into a heart-wrenching memoir about searching for community or learn more about meaningful allyship, our list has got you covered.
How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong
As a speaker and writer, Mia Birdsong regularly meets with leaders who, despite their achievements, reveal feelings of deep, unshakeable loneliness. Many people face the misconception that once they hit their definition of success, there will always be a community ready to celebrate and support them. While this may be true for some, it isn’t always a universal experience.
How We Show Up challenges our tendency for individualism, where we try to conquer mountains alone and refuse to ask for a lifeline no matter how desperately we need one. Birdsong argues against this form of hyper-independence, stating that we actually have a greater potential to thrive when embracing vulnerability and connection rather than turning away from it.
Birdsong teaches us that when existing systems and cultural expectations fail us and leave us to roam without direction, community is the lighthouse that guides us back to ourselves and each other.
Lead Like an Ally by Julie Kratz
Everyone has the opportunity to be an ally—whether in the face of social inequities or when addressing office politics. In Lead Like an Ally, Julie Kratz guides leaders who recognize the need to reinvent company culture to be more inclusive, but lack the tools to bring their efforts to fruition. As key culture influencers they have the responsibility to phase out antiquated, exclusionary practices while integrating strategies that prioritize inclusivity.
Kratz achieves two things in her book. First, she writes about the barriers that often prevent women and other underrepresented groups from achieving their goals. By spotlighting their experiences, she shows why allyship is necessary in Corporate America: without solidarity and advocacy, people are robbed of well-deserved opportunities.
Then, at the end of every chapter, she includes a manager toolkit that spurs immediate action. Education and application go hand-in-hand, and true allyship is about more than just acknowledging prejudice—it’s about working towards a future that bears the fruit of our labor.
The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace
by Lindsey Pollak
Millennials are becoming the largest generation in the U.S. workforce, and as more Gen Z-ers start their careers it’s likely they won’t lag too far behind. As young workers become the overwhelming majority, their diverse perspectives, working styles, and expectations inevitably bring a culture shift that might skew differently from that of Baby Boomers and Gen X.
How can companies adapt their workplaces to be inclusive of all generations and still lead them to collective success? Lindsey Pollak navigates our differences with respect and optimism, expertly demonstrating each generation’s strengths and how they can come together to make a company shine. Like Kratz, Pollak supplements her writing with digestible takeaways and action steps while painting a hopeful picture of what a healthy multigenerational workforce might look like—and how leaders can take the steps to get there.
An Other World by Hanif Fazal
Author and co-founder of the Center for Equity & Inclusion, Hanif Fazal, takes readers on an incredibly vulnerable journey through his life as a person of color in predominantly white spaces. Having been “othered” for over 20 years, he explains how every invalidating experience has ignited his passion for creating a sanctuary for others who persevere through similar challenges.
Fazal doesn’t hesitate to criticize current DEIA processes that fail to go beyond the surface. However, he also invites BIPOC people to reflect and work toward a solution instead of being consumed by prejudice, allowing them to grow and thrive in a world that often doesn’t listen to their needs.
Through powerful and resonant storytelling, An Other World emphasizes a resounding truth: community, in all of its imperfection, is the loud, beating heart of belonging and must be the driving force that brings meaningful change into our fragmented society.
DEI Deconstructed by Lily Zheng
DEI is a loaded acronym. People may be familiar with diversity, equity, and inclusion as separate entities, but they sometimes require further explanation when presented as one. As a diversity, equity and inclusion expert, Lily Zheng deconstructs DEI to its bare bones, making it less amorphous and more tangible for any reader, regardless of their level of understanding.
Superficial practices in this space can cause more harm to the very people they seek to empower. By introducing research and evidence-based solutions, Zheng presents practical ways for people to become real changemakers within their spheres of influence without getting too bogged down by their responsibilities.
Looking to nurture belonging in the workplace and beyond?
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As you dive into one (or more!) of these books on belonging, we hope that you find the insight you need to further your personal and professional journey.
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