Career Development Corner with Carrie Seto #3 (7 June 2024)

Summer is fast approaching, and before we all jet off on holidays, I’d like to share some book ideas and what I’ll be reading this summer. Maybe this is one way to hold myself accountable and make me read more this summer!

The Tao of Alibaba by Brian A. Wong

I am thrilled to share a recent encounter that embodies the spirit of our GBA Dream. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Brian Wong, a new member of the CIS parent community, who generously offered insights from his remarkable journey with Alibaba.

Brian’s story is one of pioneering spirit and innovation. As Alibaba’s first American employee, he joined forces with CEO Jack Ma in 1999, the year this visionary e-commerce titan was launched. In this book, he unveils the “secret sauce” that propelled Alibaba to its meteoric success.

More than just a corporate narrative, Brian argues that Alibaba’s unique blend of Eastern wisdom and Western entrepreneurial principles offers a model not just for aspiring businesses, but also as a catalyst for global betterment. His insights provide a fascinating lens through which we can view our own mission to foster positive change.

I invite you to delve into Brian’s story and draw inspiration from his experiences as we continue to advance our shared goals.

An opportunity to meet Brian in person and hear about his remarkable journey is in the works – watch this space for more details to come!

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviours that lead to remarkable results.

If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Working It Out: Career Family and You by Jayne Anderson

As a mother of two, I always love to find out how to juggle the work life balance, but more importantly how to have a successful career, care for a family and still have time to dedicate to the things YOU love. In Working It Out a variety of women discuss how they focus on their career while raising children.

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

This book is perfect for recent graduates, but it’s also applicable to anyone who wants to take stock of their career and relationships and change them for the better. Taking the title from a course they teach at Stanford, in Designing Your Life Burnett and Evans teach ‘design thinking,’ an approach typically used in design to improve an object like a lampshade or a website, an apply it to careers and relationships.