This is a great exploration of the type R personality and why this type of person might just be the most important type of person to be in today's world. It really makes you rethink everything you thought you knew.

Taken from the idea of Type A/B people, this book refers to the Type R (transformative resilience) and shares ideas about turning failures into successes. Although the information could have been inspirational to some, I didn't find anything new or enlightening about what I read. In fact, it seemed to be a scrapbook of all the inspirational material shared over the last several decades, neatly edited into 256 pages to create this book. Most of the chapters are pretty redundant and the book could have been cut down to get rid of some of that repetition. *ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Inspiring and helpful book with plenty of real-world examples. Ama and Stephanie are smart and engaging as they explain what resilience means in day to day life. I love the use of personal stories to explain proven psychological concepts. I always ask myself if a book is as well researched as it is easy to read, and it's a resounding 'Yes!' for this book.
I love the emphasis on personal choice and living a purposeful life. This is the book I wish I had in the past during difficult transitions and I hope it finds its way into the hands of the people who need it most. It brings hope to the most difficult times in our lives and shows a way forward.

TYPE R by Ama Marston and Stephanie Marston deals with "Transformative Resilience for Thriving in a Turbulent World." The authors, a mother and daughter, note that this term is different from the traditional sense of the word and define Transformative Resilience as "the ability to learn, grow, and spring forward." They provide examples from their own lives and from their work consulting about stress and leadership. The Marstons argue that there are six stages (seeking comfort, experiencing disruption and chaos, etc.) to this transformation as well as some essential skills (adaptability, control, purposefulness, active engagement, willingness to seek support, and openness to new information.). Suggested actions for individuals and leaders are offered. And since we all seem to face increasing uncertainty and stressors, these stories of turning adversity into growth are certainly very inspiring. They seem to blend well with the growth mindset work we have done, especially at the Northfield campus, in recent years. If this topic interests you, look also at works dealing with resilience by Kenneth Ginsburg, Carol Dweck, or Brene Brown.

Entry or novice level text on the science of resilience

My review will appear in the March-April issue of Global Business and Organizational Excellence. If you contact me via email, I will send a pdf copy of the review as soon as it's available.