In the social wellbeing definition, we mentioned the following keywords, belonging, being valued, connections, and meaningful relationships.
Also we’ve talked about the 2 main tools included in the social wellbeing dimension which area communication skills, and parenting, and we’ve said each contain many tools.
Today I’m going to share with you 15 books that can help you improve your social wellbeing, either by covering keywords mentioned in the definition, or the main toolkits and their subsequent tools.
Below is a handy table that you can use to filter content as per price, benefit, or rating, noting that pricing and rating shared below are based on the time this article was published and it is subjected to be changed.
| Book | Benefit | Stars | No. of Ratings | Price $ | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to talk so kids will listen | Parenting | 4.7 | 7476 | 10.58 | https://amzn.to/3zFkdB3 |
| What do you really want for your children | Parenting | 4.6 | 125 | 17.95 | https://amzn.to/3sX8YBp |
| The art of gathering | Meaningful Relations | 4.6 | 1283 | 9.19 | https://amzn.to/3yttSZT |
| Braving the wilderness | Belonging, Meaningful Relations | 4.7 | 7146 | 8.73 | https://amzn.to/3kCfFEY |
| Connected | Meaningful Relations, Making friends | 4.3 | 238 | 18.99 | https://amzn.to/3yrBLiD |
| Talk like TED | Speaking - Communication | 4.6 | 2091 | 9 | https://amzn.to/38jnGcp |
| Speaker, leader, Champion | Speaking - Communication | 4.4 | 65 | 5.44 | https://amzn.to/3yq9JE5 |
| Getting to yes | Negotiation - Communication | 4.6 | 5382 | 11.88 | https://amzn.to/3yriE87 |
| 7 habits of highly effective people | Meaningful relations, Communication | 4.8 | 4104 | 12.53 | https://amzn.to/3zqIXg0 |
| How to talk to anyone | Making Friends, Communication, Meaningful relations | 4.5 | 3746 | 12.3 | https://amzn.to/3yrPsOc |
| How to win friends and influence people | Meaningful Relations, Making friends | 4.7 | 54496 | 9.37 | https://amzn.to/3jpZdsd |
| How to speak, how to listen | Listening and Speaking - Communication | 4.5 | 236 | 12.96 | https://amzn.to/3joAPa9 |
| Just listen | Listening - Communication | 4.7 | 1245 | 8.01 | https://amzn.to/3mJ8IVw |
| Belong | Belonging | 4.6 | 299 | 9.89 | https://amzn.to/3DqPObQ |
| The Seven principles for making marriage work | Meaningful Relations | 4.7 | 7989 | 7.05 | https://amzn.to/3BqXyIV |
1- Just listen
Description
Just listen by Mark Goulston is a magnificent book you’ll encounter about one of the most important communication skills needed, listening.
Mark is a psychiatrist, a business consultant, a coach and has experience with FBI in negotiation events.
Just Listen is full of tools you can use to improve your communication skills, specially listening and it reveals how to:
- Make a powerful and positive first impression
- Listen effectively
- Talk an angry or aggressive person away from an unproductive reaction and toward a more rational mindset
- Achieve buy-in–the linchpin of all persuasion, negotiation, and sales
Benefit
This book will cover the listening skill tool which is part of the main communication toolkit in social wellbeing.
2- How to talk so kids will listen
Description
How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk is a masterpiece by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish provides 7 profound basics for parenting
I personally call it the parenting manual, and the Boston Globe calls it the bible of parenting.
“This parenting book actually made me a better parent.”
Lydia Kiesling, The New York Times
This is one of the books that I came across in my 1 book per week reading phase, but it forced me to stop and listen to it again to apply its content.
It’s full of practical tips to act on and exercises and homework to do if you want to take your parenting to the next level like I did
Benefit
This book covers parenting toolkit. The 2nd main toolkit in the social wellbeing dimension. As well as creating meaningful relations with your kids.
3- What do you really want for your children
Description
What do you really want for your children by Wayne Dyer is an awakening call to all parents, sending a message that your children aren’t your products to control, rather they are your legacy to take care of and nurture.
I stumbled on the audiobook version of this book when I first subscribed to audible and it was the perfect start for my journey.
I really recommend listening to this book rather than reading it because:
- Dr. Wayne’s deep voice is an added value there along with his different tones that convey the message stronger.
- You’ll feel present in that interview even though it took place years ago.
- Laughs are genuine and improve your experience while listening
Benefit
This book also covers the parenting toolkit. The 2nd main toolkit in the social wellbeing dimension. As well as creating meaningful relations with your kids.
4- How to speak, how to listen
Description
How to speak, how to listen by Mortimer J. Adler is your manual to have effective relationships with others as it improves your main face to face communication, speaking and listening
When I first listened to this book, I was amazed by its structure and the value it presents.
It teaches you how to speak in its different formats, like speaking, presenting, sales, discussions, teaching or lecturing, and handling questions and answers.
It also teaches you the value of listening and how to implement it effectively.
Benefit
This book covers speaking and listening. 2 main tools in the communication skills toolkit.
5- Belong
Description
Belong by Radha Agrawal is a powerful book that teaches you how to belong the right way by starting from within.
It is composed of two parts, the first one is discovering who you are, then part 2 teaches you how to take what you discovered and put it into action to find or create the right group to belong to.
“If you want to belong, read this book.”
Deepak Chopra, MD
Benefit
This book covers the belonging piece of the social wellbeing definition.
6- How to talk to anyone
Description
How to talk to anyone: 92 little tricks for big success in relationships by Leil Lowndes is a toolbox full of tools, 92 to be exact, about communication skills, making friends, and creating meaningful ones.
It has tools like speaking, listening, introducing yourself, creating small talks, presenting, and others.
They are very practical and when you find the missing tool, you can just start applying it
Benefit
This covers communication skills, making friends, and creating meaningful relationships.
7- The art of gathering
Description
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker explores the reasons why today’s gatherings are ineffective in serving their intended purposes despite the fact that we, humans, crave social interaction.
When it comes to friends, it’s not about quantity and how many you’re meeting, rather it’s about the quality you get when you meet them
Benefit
This book covers creating meaningful relations.
8- Braving the wilderness
Description
Another masterpiece by Brene Brown. Braving the Wilderness talks about the importance of you focusing on who you are and embracing it into your relations
If you’re trying to fit in by changing who you are, then this book is for you. Be who you are and look for those who are okay with it.
Benefit
This book covers belonging and creating meaningful relations.
9- Connected
Description
Connected by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler is an intriguing book on how we have powerful influence on one another’s lives.
You’ll burn some fuses knowing how your neighbor has more impact on you than your spouse. We have a saying of choosing your neighbor before choosing your home and here you’ll know why
In Connected, the authors explain why emotions are contagious, how health behaviors spread, why the rich get richer, even how we find and choose our partners.
Benefit
This book covers making friends and creating meaningful relations.
10- 7 habits of highly effective people
Description
A classical must read and apply book by Stephen R. Covey. The 7 habits of highly effective people is a rich manual for success which includes dealing with others.
It’s comprised of 2 parts with 3 habits each. The first part is about your intra-personal relation with yourself. The second part is about your inter-personal relations with others.
The 3 habits it’ll cover in the 2nd part are: Think win/win, seek first to understand then to be understood, and synergize
Aside from the main and obvious 3 habits, the book is full of pearls of wisdom and habits mentioned between chapters that will have a similar impact on your life
Benefit
This book covers communication skills, and meaningful relations.
11- How to win friends and influence people
Description
Another classical must read and apply by Dale Carnegie. How to win friends and influence people is still an applicable manual for making friends and creating meaningful relations.
In this book you’ll learn27 tools:
- 6 ways to make people like you
- 12 ways to win people to your way of thinking
- 9 ways to change people without arousing resentment
Benefit
This book covers making friends, and creating meaningful relations.
12- Getting to yes
Description
Getting to yes by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, and Bruce Patton is going to be your negotiation tool in your utility belt.
Negotiation, whether you like it or not, is part of our daily routine with spouses, kids, colleagues, managers, sellers, buyers, drivers, and the list goes on and on.
That’s why it’s only important to be equipped with the tools to win your negotiations, and better off, to have a similar win for your opponent.
Afterall, Think win/win is one of the habits you’ll learn in the 7 habits book
Benefit
This book covers negotiation skills tool which is part of the main communication toolkit in the social wellbeing dimension.
13- Talk like Ted
Description
Talk like TED by Carmine Gallo offers 9 lessons learned by studying hundreds of TED talks and interviewing TED presenters, and researchers in the fields of psychology, communications, and neuroscience.
It is the right manual for you to use to deliver an engaging, persuasive, and memorable presentation or speech, no matter where you are in the public speaking spectrum
Benefit
This book covers speaking skill, one of the tools in the main communication toolkit in social wellbeing.
14- Speaker, leader, Champion
Description
Speaker, leader, champion by Jeremey Donovan and Ryan Avery provides guaranteed techniques to deliver an effective presentation or speech.
When I say guaranteed, it’s because the authors are distinguished Toastmasters and public speaking world champions. So believe me, it’s guaranteed 😀
“Speaker, Leader, Champion demystifies what makes a presentation extraordinary. This engaging, actionable book will teach you how to go from appreciating a powerful speech to delivering one yourself.”
Adam Grant, professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and New York Times bestselling author of Give and Take
Benefit
This book covers speaking skill, one of the tools in the main communication toolkit in social wellbeing.
15- The Seven principles for making marriage work
Description
A New York Times bestseller by John Gottman and Nan Silver. The seven principles for making marriage work is indeed your practical guide with its seven principles to improve your marriage.
It’s main principle of why it’s working, is that it emphasizes on the importance of building emotional intelligence between couples.
“An eminently practical guide to an emotionally intelligent—and long-lasting—marriage.”
Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence
Results are backed up by studies and research so it’s one of the guaranteed sources to use.
Benefit
This book covers creating meaningful relations with your spouse.