Six AHRI members share ideas for what you can read and listen to this summer as we wind down for the holiday season.

Finally have the spare time to dive into a good read, or looking for an interesting podcast to get lost in? 

With the year’s end just around the corner, it’s the opportune moment to wrap up pending tasks, reflect on key lessons from the year and, importantly, take a well-deserved break. 

HRM has collated the top work-related podcast and book recommendations from AHRI members that will engage, entertain and energise your professional goal-setting for the new year ahead. 

Podcasts

Radical Candor podcast 

Recommended by Abigail Yarranton, Senior People Partner, Davidson

Most of us tend to avoid difficult conversations. However, as Brené Brown has famously coined, “clear is kind” – especially when you’re managing potentially emotionally charged interactions as an HR practitioner.

In Radical Candor, Amy Sandler, Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff explore what it means to be ‘radically candid’ in your communications. I’ve applied their learnings to my own practice as they provide:

• Strategies for managing conflict in a constructive and empathetic way, but managing with candor to mitigate friction and misinterpretation.
• Ideas to create workplaces where people are truly comfortable being honest and open, without fear of retribution.
• Case studies of how people have put radical candor into practice, along with what went right and wrong.
• An approach that balances care and support, while challenging and being clear about needs and expectations.

Episodes I recommend: Not sure where to start? Here are a few I regularly go back to:

• Why your meetings suck (and how to fix them)
• How ruinous empathy ruins praise
• The CORE of radical candor: A deep dive into effective feedback

Let’s Take This Offline by AHRI

Recommended by Tiffany Blight CPHR, First Assistant Secretary, People and Culture, Department of Home Affairs

I have to mention the podcast for HR people (and not just because I was recently a guest on it).

If you want to hear practical insights from experienced HR leaders and business experts on the world of HR and work, this is the place to listen. 

Let’s Take This Offline has covered topics including building psychosocial safety, cultivating neuro-inclusive environments and HR’s expanding role. 

Listen to the full episode with Tiffany Blight where she shares her top tips for preparing for an HR leadership position.

HR Debatable podcast by Neelie Verlindenon 

Recommended by Vicky Skretowski, Founder and director, Agile HR

I love listening to the HR Debatable podcast because it feels like a mix of HR therapy and professional insight. The topics are always spot on for what HR practitioners deal with, and even though the guests are often based elsewhere, their insights still hit home for Australian audiences. The conversations ring true whether you’re working in a small business or a massive organisation. 

What I really enjoy is how honest and upfront the discussions are – it’s not the usual polished, company-aligned talk. Instead, it’s a space where people say what they really think about HR issues, without being tied to their employer’s values.

Episodes I recommend: One of my favorite episodes is “Is HR Their Own Worst Enemy?” 

It introduced me to Careen Redman-Matthews and her AI-supported HR-for-HR community. That episode inspired me to reflect on how we can support each other better as HR practitioners, while managing the demands of our own roles. 

The podcast has a way of making you feel seen, heard and a little more energised to tackle the challenges of the job.

Books

The Fearless Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Practitioner by Tom Verghese, Roman Ruzbacky and Fiona Krautil

Recommended by James Hare, Diversity specialist, Equality Group and Diversity and Inclusion Committee co-chair, AHRI

This book has something for every practitioner or anyone committed to driving meaningful change in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) space.

Verghese, Ruzbacky and Krautil do an exceptional job of breaking down DEI concepts into simple yet powerful tools, backed by case studies that really show the impact of putting these ideas into practice. They capture what it means to be a fearless DEI practitioner in a time of uncertainty and resistance.

This book is not just a practical guide but a heartfelt reminder that DEI work, when done fearlessly, can reshape our workplaces and communities.

Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim Grover

Recommended by Andrea Nazzari, Manager of Leadership, Capability and Performance, La Trobe University

Relentless. What a word. A term I once associated with a negative sentiment now feels transformative, thanks to Tim Grover’s Relentless.

Grover, a phenomenal performance coach for athletic legends including Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, offers profound insights on mindset that are particularly powerful for HR professionals. His philosophy of pushing beyond limits, embracing discomfort and committing to the work every single day challenged my previous ways of thinking. 

For anyone aiming to reach their highest potential and find that elusive ‘zone’, this is a superb addition to your HR catalogue (and a must-read for any basketball fan!). It speaks to high performance and doesn’t shy away from the work it takes along the way.

Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership by Kirstin Ferguson

Recommended by Laura Bain, Organisational Development Advisor, Viva Energy Retail

This book is highly practical and easy to digest, with stories of leadership woven throughout. 

With a focus on eight leadership attributes, you’ll learn a lot about what drives you as a leader and how you can enhance these leadership traits in yourself and others. The self-awareness chapter was a highlight with a number of practical examples I’ve shared with stakeholders. 

Read more about Ferguson’s head and heart-based leadership model in this HRM article.

Mastery by Robert Greene

Recommended by Tiffany Blight CPHR, First Assistant Secretary, People and Culture, Department of Home Affairs

Reach for this book (or the audiobook which I listened to) when you need inspiration about how to elevate your HR practice and skills. 

It’s a blueprint on being the very best you can be in your area of expertise. The best part of Greene’s writing is how he draws on the experiences of famous people or historical figures. Each story is captivating, like Einstein and his mental health challenges, Charles Darwin’s observations of nature and how he stumbled into that passion and Da Vinci’s insatiable curiosity. The book makes for fascinating reading/listening.

What’s your go-to work-related book or podcast? Let us know in the comments.