Tomorrowmind by Gabriella Rosen Kellerman and Martin Seligman Book Review

As a (now retired) bookstore owner caught unprepared at the introduction of the ebook and the subsequent popularity, I understand the need to survive and thrive in a changing work and business environment. I really appreciate the work of Kellerman and Seligman in studying workers all over the world, identifying five traits or psychological powers critical for future survival.

I like to read books on productivity and was surprised to see this one had a bit of a different take. Rather than just introducing the necessary personal qualities, the authors discuss them in the context of behavioral science. I appreciate finding out why some of these characteristics are hard for us. An example being that our brains did not develop to thrive in the repetitive work introduced in the industrial revolution. But now we have the opportunity to revive the ancient abilities of the brain, like searching the landscape, looking for change.

I was happy too see we can develop those five necessary characteristics. We can become increasingly resilient, find meaning and purpose in our work, learn communication techniques for rapid rapport, exercise our imagination to become prospective, and we can grow in our most unique human ability and be creative. Corporations can provide the atmosphere for these qualities to flourish too.

This is a good book for those wanting to survive and thrive in the ever changing landscape of the work force and the corporate world. Individuals, team leaders and managers, and corporate managers would all do well to be familiar with the principles given in this book.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Gabriella Rosen Kellerman, MD, has served as chief product officer and chief innovation officer at BetterUp, founding CEO of LifeLink, and an advisor to healthcare, coaching, and behavior change technology companies. Trained in psychiatry and fMRI research, she holds an MD with honors from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and a BA summa cum laude from Harvard University. Her work has been published and featured in The Atlantic Online, Harvard Business Review, Inc., Forbes, and many more. Tomorrowmind is her first book. Photo by Larry Wong.

Martin Seligman, PhD, is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, director of the Positive Psychology Center, and former president of the American Psychological Association. He received his BA in philosophy from Princeton University, and his PhD in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and holds ten honorary doctorates. He was named the most influential psychologist in the world by Academic Influence. Along with writing for numerous scholarly publications and appearing in The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, and many others, he is also the author and coauthor of over thirty books, including Flourish, Authentic Happiness, and Tomorrowmind. Photo by Mandy Seligman.

Atria Books, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the Publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)