Hello there, Fans of Plans! Well summer is in full swing (if only someone would tell the weather that) and we are rapidly marching towards the new school year. I know I’ve been out of full time education for 20 years, but there is still the anticipation you get when September rolls around – or is that just me?! Well, for this fortnight’s blog, let’s take a look and see what we have been carrying around in our book bag (again, is that just me?) and what working well tips we can learn from fiction and non-fiction alike! Fern Brady – Strong Female Character After first seeing Fern Brady on a series of Taskmaster (if you haven’t watched it, it’s definitely one to put on your TV viewing list); I was intrigued to read her autobiography. That title also really drew me in and made me want to find out more. This book is a total eye-opener into Fern’s life as a female with autism. Autism can present itself very differently in females to that of the stereotype we often hear about in society. Indeed, Fern explains the difficult road to diagnosis women face. In the workplace, we should be making alterations to be able to cater for colleagues and customers with learning differences and this book is a reminder that a blanket approach will not work. We need to look at the individual and see what we can be doing to make their experience with our organisation as easy and inclusive as possible. Bonnie Garmus -Lessons in Chemistry This book has been on my ‘to read’ list for a while. It’s about a female scientist in the 1950s called Elizabeth Zott and all the pitfalls she faces as a woman in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) at that time. While the book is at brilliantly written and funny; it has the darker undertone of the struggles women faced in the workplace at that time (and what many may still go through today). This book certainly made me look back on my own career to date and what it means to be a female in the working world. It’s a timely reminder that while things have undoubtedly improved there is a long way to go for women to feel equity in the workplace. As organisation leaders and influencers, we need to keep on looking at the issues of equality, diversity and inclusion to make sure that our organisations are drawing from a wide base of knowledge, skills and backgrounds – as this will ultimately make our businesses stronger. What books have you been reading this summer? Why not let us know on our social media channels – here at MMAP, we’re always looking for the next good read! Happy Planning.