I am always on the lookout for additional resources for information, connection, renewal, and results.  I’ll share a few of my favorites, and will update this several times a year as new options appear.

Organizations

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility: VBSR is the largest organization of socially-responsible businesses in the country, and provides education, advocacy, and networking with over 1,200 members.  I spent nine years (2002-2011) as a Board member, and am happy to answer any questions you have about this great organization or how to get involved.

Social Venture Network: The Social Venture Network will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2012, and is a diverse and energetic group of around 500 national progressive businesses.  I attend as many of their events as I can, and am always amazed at the ways in which creative business people are truly changing the world through their efforts.

1% for the Planet: a growing global movement of almost 1,400 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 2,673 environmental organizations worldwide.  Their motto is “Keep the earth in business.”

Books

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most—by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, & Sheila Heen.  Penguin Books, 1999.  ISBN #0 14 02.8852 X
My favorite toolbox for understanding how to have better outcomes in all our interpersonal interactions – professional and personal.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity–by David Allen. Penguin Books, 2001.  ISBN #0 14 20.0028 0
A must-read for getting and keeping better balance in an ever-increasing world of stuff to manage and to do.

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom–by Miguel Ruiz. Amber-Allen Publishing, Inc.  ISBN #1-878424-31-9
Who cares if this is authentic Toltec wisdom or a New Age parable – it’s a great perspective on boiling down our stress to a few simple but powerful responses.

Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity–by David Whyte. Riverhead Books, 2001.  ISBN #1-57322-178-3
Whyte talks about our three marriages – to our work, our family, and our selves.  He believes work is a way to understand our deeper growth and identity issues.  I agree!

Organizational Culture and Leadership—by Edgar H. Schein.  Jossey-Bass, 1992.  ISBN #0-7879-0362-0
Not light reading, but a fabulous tool to understand the complexities and opportunities in working with other organizations and their leaders.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable–by Patrick Lencioni.  Jossey-Bass, 2002.  ISBN #0-7879-6075-6
This, and the other Lencioni books in the series, read like fiction but are full of easy to see examples of how to see ourselves and our teammates differently.

Finding Our Way: Leadership For an Uncertain Time–by Margaret Wheatley.  Berrett-Koehler, 2005.  ISBN #978-1-57675-317-0
Wheatley connects chaos theory, quantum physics, and biological paradigms to the organic growth and change of how we view management and organizations.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity–by David Allen.  Penguin Books, 2001.  ISBN #0 14 20.0028 0   
Dealing with the “muck” of workflow in a skilled way can go a long way towards workplace happiness.  Allen’s thinking is fresh and valuable.

Retreat Centers

Esalen: www.esalen.org

Hollyhock: www.hollyhock.ca

Breitenbush: www.breitenbush.com

Omega: www.eomega.org

Whidbey:  www.whidbeyinstitute.org