BAG THE ELEPHANT by Steve Kaplan

[Read in Vietnamese]

At first glance, it seemed like just another sales book, but it turned out to be exactly what I needed.

The author shares his journey from being a small business dealing with corporate giants and he suggests focusing on becoming an excellent long-term vendor for one massive client. Nice approaches! When I felt overwhelmed by endless paperwork and complex processes, his perspective helped shift my mindset – the tougher the rules, the bigger the competitive edge once you master them.

The most valuable part wasn't just about winning contracts – it was understanding how large organizations really work. From different functional roles to corporate politics (viewed practically, not negatively), the book helped me navigate difficult moments as a small fish in a big pond. It's straightforward and practical, exactly what I needed when dealing with corporate decision-makers.

THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO by Atul Gawande

[Read in Vietnamese]

In our daily work, when things get hectic or emotional, a simple checklist can prevent crucial mistakes.

As a surgeon, Atul Gawande brings real-world insight into something we often overlook – checklists. Through his medical practice, he reveals how our brain switches to autopilot under pressure, making us prone to mistakes in even the most routine tasks.

What drew me in was how he thoroughly explores both sides of using checklists in life. Yes, they're powerful when emotions override rational thinking, like in surgery or aviation. But he also shows when they don't work, which is just as important. It's like he's saying "here's a tool, but let me also tell you when not to use it."

Key lesson from reading experience: no solution works everywhere, and understanding where, when and why tools work matters.

ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear

[Read in both VN & English]

You find "Atomic Habits" everywhere, translated into many languages. At first, I dismissed it as just another mainstream book, but after reading my niece's copy, I was struck by Clear's brilliance. He takes complex behavioral science and makes it accessible.

His core message: don't aim for dramatic changes. Instead, break tasks down into such tiny pieces that you can't help but do them, finding joy in small daily progress. His examples are so practical and human – like instead of fighting the urge to watch TV, just remove it from your bedroom.

Whether you're in UX, CX or Product: building personal habits, shaping team behaviors, or creating sticky products, this book works well – respects human nature while showing us how to work with it, not against it.

THE ART OF ASKING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS by Linda Elder & Richard Paul

[Read in English]

A surprisingly thin book – just about 100 pages! Whenever I recommend it to my learners, they love it. Questions are the foundation of critical thinking, and this book perfectly captures their role.

While some might find the content theoretical at first, unsure how to apply it to their processes. Yes, because this book isn't meant for direct implementation, it's about developing a questioning mindset – the foundation for critical and systems thinking.

After all, good processes come from people who know how to question well, challenge assumptions, and think deeply. For building these fundamental thinking skills, this small book delivers big value.

THE RIVER OF CONSCIOUSNESS by Oliver Sacks

[Read in Vietnamese and sometimes English]

Such a beautiful book that I've read cover-to-cover 2-3 times. The way he writes about science feels like poetry – seeing beauty in neural pathways just as one sees beauty in art.

I often return to specific essays when feeling stressed or overwhelmed by complex human relationships. It's become my intellectual sanctuary. The author writes about people's quirks and mental states not as deficiencies, but with understanding and warmth, while maintaining critical thinking rather than simple acceptance.

This book led me to explore more of Sacks's works – The Mind's Eye, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and Musicophilia. His life story itself inspires me – showing how one can remain devoted to both science and human connection through life's ups and downs.

THE SCIENCE OF TRUST by John Gottman

[Read in English]

I discovered Gottman through his podcast with his wife – they're this delightful pair of scientists who make relationship research surprisingly entertaining. What drew me to "The Science of Trust" was how they run their Love Lab like a business while keeping their academic rigor – smart yet approachable.

While the book focuses on romantic relationships, its insights apply wonderfully to all important relationships in life. I particularly love his concepts of "emotional bid banks" and "turning away bids" – frameworks that help understand how we build or break trust in daily interactions, whether with friends, family, or partners.

This book shows how these patterns play out in everyday conversations, super funny and resonate with our silly ruptures ;

COUNSELLING FOR TOADS by Robert de Board

[Read in Vietnamese]

Using characters from The Wind in the Willows, this book beautifully illustrates the therapy journey through Toad's counseling sessions.

The story resonated with me during my early days of exploring therapy with a curious mind – when I didn't yet understand my childhood trauma and was navigating a whole new world.

The book helped me understand why long-term therapy approaches sometimes appear 'silent' at first, especially when working with unconscious patterns. This insight gave me patience during my years of journey learning more about psychology, particularly during those initial uncertain sessions.

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk

[Read in both VN & English]

The book helped me understand the deep pain I couldn't express before – my childhood grief over death and losing. I spent hours with every footnote, finding pieces of myself in those pages.

Trauma isn't about external events – it's about what happened too much, too little, or what was missing within us. I was drawn to how the author brought together both dedicated science and good heart. Even when writing about the darkest experiences, the author stayed focused on how people keep going.

While you can get the key ideas from The Diary of CEO podcast interview, I'd say the full read is worth it if you're ready to deep dive.