Bookworm Friday: Five Books Recommendations from Roberta Geres

In this series, we ask our William Hill colleagues to share their favourite book recommendations and tell us what specifically they learned from them. Today we present 5 recommendations from Roberta Geres. Have a good read!

On a daily basis, Roberta works as the Chief HR Officer for William Hill International, based in warm and sunny Malta. She says: "In my role, I ensure we continue fostering a company culture that is based on trust, learning, collaboration, inclusivity and belonging. Employee engagement and personal growth is of utmost importance to us, as we continue to maintain our position and thrive as a great place to work where people love to join and colleagues want to stay. Since I am very fascinated by how the brain and our subconscious work, but I am equally captivated by art and creativity, today I will share with you a combination of book titles I recommend in these two categories."

Check out her five books recommendations!

1. I’m OK you are OK – Thomas A Harris

This is a great book everyone should read, especially if you want to succeed in building and maintaing optimal relationships, whether at home with family, with friends or at work. Using the concepts of the Child, Parent and Adult in transactional analysis this helps to guide through conflict, negative thoughts or other circumstances in a more realistic assessment of one’s abilities. By discarding old patterns of behaviour and making new positive experiences, people can arrive at a new position. This concept works awesomely well with teenage kids – tried and tested!

2. The courage to be disliked – Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

This is another awesome book that I recommend quite often to people who are at crossroads and are seeking a new meaning or fulfillment in their life.  
People choose their own specific outlooks on life and are resistant to thinking otherwise.  However, this book opens one’s mind to freeing oneself, change one’s life and achieve real happiness. One should never feel stuck in being who they are as they can change and develop as much as they are willing to do so.

3. The Creative thinking handbook – Chris Griffiths and Melina Costi

An easy read and a step-by-step guide to problem-solving in business. Creativity might feel like a talent for some who are gifted by it, but in truth, it is a talent that can be nurture by all. Thinking differently and working through the process from start to finish develops the skills to take on any challenge creatively and effectively. Certainly worth a read!

4. Subliminal – How your unconscious mind rules your behaviour – Leonard Mlodinow

This is another favourite book of mine. If you are interested in neuroscience or social psychology this is the book for you! As much as we are unaware of how our unconscious works, this book shows us the unconscious mind is in charge and working away while we are going on with our lives. Various studies, science experiments and examples in this book are a clear indication that our decisions are influenced by our unconscious mind: from choosing a friend, to what clothes or food to buy, and what projects to take on. Impressive!

5. Swearing is good for you - The Amazing Science of bad language – Emma Byrne

I am sure we have all been there, some time or other and quite often too! We swear to express our emotions whether we are angry, frustrated or even excited and happy. I am not trying to advocate swearing by this recommendation - by no means most especially in the workplace! But the science behind why we swear and how it makes us feel is truly fascinating.
Swearing existed from the beginning of time when the earliest humans began to communicate. It has shown to reduce physical pain and manage stress! This is all backed by fascinating research and historical case studies of how swearing affects our bodies and minds. "It’s not just normal it’s actually good for you!", as the author fervently concludes.