Susan Kahn - Bounce Back: How to Fail Fast and Be Resilient at Work

What a brilliant subject for a book, courageously chosen and boldly tackled. We all fail. What matters is what we do next, how we cope with it. I will still fail, but after reading Susan Kahns first-rate book I know I can bounce back. And if I can cope more confidently with failure, Im more likely to succeed.

Daniel Finkelstein, Times columnist

Bounce Back: How to fail fast and be resilient at work should be a staple on any entrepreneurs bookshelf. Susan Kahns book is full of practical advice and tools for anyone trying to understand themselves deeper, become a better leader and coworker, and live a balanced life. Not a book to simply be read, but a manual that also gives its reader space for introspection and questioning.

Courtney Carlsson, Co-Founder and CEO, Paradym

In Bounce Back , Susan Kahn provides a comprehensive exploration of our resilience both at work and in our personal lives. Susan skilfully weaves insights from neuroscience, psychoanalysis and positive psychology to create a practical and essential guide to building more resilient behaviours. The book also explores issues of human purpose with the help of Aristotle, Frankl and the Japanese idea of Ikigai, as well as key concepts in leadership (and followership) which explore with kindness and compassion the difficulties that we face leading in the modern world of work. Each chapter finishes with some helpful and readily applicable exercises which can be put into practice straight away by the reader. In short, a thoroughly enjoyable, well-researched and hugely practical book which is essential reading in these uncertain times.

Raul Aparici, coach, consultant and facilitator, and Lead Faculty at The School of Life

Often books like this fall between two types. They are either too to complex and psychological or too quick-fix and simplistic. Dr Susan Kahn has squared that circle by producing a book which mixes real depth and richness with accessible practical advice. Theres no better book on resilience that you could read.

Derek Draper, CEO, CDP Leadership Consultants, and author of Create Space

This wonderful book by Dr Susan Kahn focuses on what many believe to be the key to success at work our psychological resilience and our ability to thrive, rather than crumble, in a changing environment. In Bounce Back , Kahn refers to numerous sources, both ancient and modern, yet writes in an accessible style, making the reader feel she is there for us, as a generous, supportive coach helping us as we tackle todays workplace challenges. Although the book is aimed at the individual, with lots of thoughtful and insightful exercises, it could enrich teams and entire organizations, boosting both their well-being agenda alongside their commercial success.

Kate Davies, CEO, Notting Hill Genesis

Dr Susan Kahn writes of that most human of dichotomies: our drive to succeed and our fear of failure. It is here that she places resilience, not as a binary construct but something malleable, adaptable, flexible and (importantly) something that can be learned and developed. Powerful exercises bring the material to life, and allow for deeper insights. Bounce Back is a deeply compassionate and optimistic work. From Seneca to Emerson, Dickens to Freud, Aristotle to Nietzsche, the book draws on a wide range of thinkers and addresses major issues such as our sense of purpose, who we are and how we can flourish. In a world where our expectations of workplaces, work colleagues, structure, technology, communication, tasks, availability and skill have all been transformed, we are in desperate need for guidance and orientation which is here in abundance.

Prof Andreas Liefooghe PhD, Director, Operation Centaur, and Founder and CEO, Shrink Technologies

Bounce Back is energizing, and expertly and elegantly written. With well-researched explanations and practical exercises to help the reader reflect and advance, Bounce Back will lift you out of stuck and into hopeful and empowered. Every employee should read it. So should their managers and leaders.

Rachel Ellison MBE DUniv, executive leadership coach specializing in global organizations in the private, public and third sectors

Susan Kahn takes us on a journey to better understand how to harness our ability to bounce back. Resilience is a trait to be practiced and developed and reclaimed in our modern world. Easily accessible, her chapters encourage understanding and growth, and dipping into the tasks will create personal development. Her examples encourage us to risk, embrace failure with positivity and bounce back stronger.

Ruth Green, senior counsellor, mentor, trainer and facilitator

Anyone reading Bounce Back cannot fail to pick up highly useful strategies for achieving results. It is steeped in carefully thought through, logically assembled suggestions. The writing style is informative, practical and backed with robust references. This self-help book covers a broad range of accessible, easy to implement ideas. There will be more than one that resonates and that can be actioned to achieve impact.

David Goldstone, Managing Partner, Osprey Clarke, and CEO, Pandion International

In this book, Susan Kahn brings together her considerable experience into a crucial yet fun and practical business book. Bouncing back from failure is what makes great entrepreneurs. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and doing some of the exercises with my colleagues.

Nathaniel Meyohas, Partner, Blandford Capital

A fantastic insight into becoming stronger and more resilient and enabling people to get the best out of their effort and endeavours in the workplace. A really practical self-help guide to develop ones skills and perspective.

Daniel Kattan, Real Estate Investor, K3Invest

For all the vulnerable at work, you can bounce back.

Dr Susan Kahn is a Business Psychologist: a coach, lecturer, consultant and mediator. A committed lifelong learner, she is the Programme Director for the Postgraduate Coaching Certificate at Birkbeck, University of London, teaching leaders how to coach. Susan is an inaugural member of the Business Faculty at The School of Life, where she teaches and facilitates emotional intelligence in the workplace.

Her coaching work helps executives in diverse sectors perform authentically and effectively. She also works with equine coaching and has appeared on the BBC.

She is a speaker and has lectured at conferences globally as a member of ISPSO, the International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations. Susan works as a group relations consultant, exploring and examining group dynamics, particularly those below the surface.

Her first book, Death and the City , tackled loss, mourning and melancholia at work and is an examination of the experience of organizational endings during the financial crisis. Her study using psychoanalytic observation as a research tool was awarded a prize by Birkbeck.

Her latest publication, Bounce Back , brings her work together. Recognising vulnerability in herself and in others lies at the core of all her work.

She lives in London with her husband, family and very noisy dog.

This is a timely and relevant book. The world of work is changing rapidly, and many developments are exciting and full of potential. The ability to transform and adapt to the needs of clients and stakeholders is challenging and energizing. But there is also a fear of trying new things, of failing, even of learning.