*This review was read and written honestly and voluntarily. Possible spoilers ahead.

Are you chronically curious about how to build trust and create a psychologically safe space for your team? Do you have elephantine areas of avoidance in the workplace? 

Don’t Feed the Elephants by Sarah Noll Wilson will take you on a ‘plurposeful’ journey of discovering the elephants of avoidance created within your team culture. Learn the ways you continuously feed your elephants and strategies for sending these pachyderms on their merry way. 

Now, let’s free the Elephants!

About Don’t Feed the Elephants

This book takes an in-depth look at “overcoming the art of avoidance to build powerful partnerships” through the commonly referred to elephant in the room scenario. 

Throughout the book, you will learn elephants are not the uncomfortable topics we avoid but rather the avoidant behavior itself. Readers will learn the names of various “elephants” and the “peanuts” they need to continue to live and oftentimes thrive within the team culture. 

By the end of this chronically curious journey, you will have a toolkit of strategies to develop a productive team culture.

Kathleen’s Honest Review

I loved this book! An absolute page-turner for anyone who is seeking to be effective in partnerships across personal and professional spaces. 

Don’t Feed the Elephants is a must-have for building successful teams and keeping them from turning into an absolute frenzy of avoidance-comfortable players. The journey to honoring human complexity and fostering a productive work environment is told through case studies, anecdotes, and personal experiences while giving credit to other researchers and stories from the field. 

In true relationship-building fashion, the author has created a space in each chapter to lean into reflective practice with curious and thought-provoking questions. Readers will learn the “9 Ways to Introduce Elephants to Your Team” and assist them with identifying their own team culture and possibly being credited with discovering unique and as yet undocumented elephants. As a relationship builder, team leader, or support professional, the reader will be encouraged to create elephant free, psychologically safe spaces. What an adventure!

I highly recommend a quick post-read shopping trip to sarahnollwilson.com where you can stock up on curious and playfully brave merchandise. 

Kathleen’s Favorite Quotes

“I love my amygdala!”  Because of course, who doesn’t? And yes, please, on the t-shirt!”

“Honor the emotion, coach the behavior”, really sums up how to best support others in times of stress, especially in the workplace.”

“Relationships are built in the land of discovery.”

Book Cover Rating

The bright deep colors, bold graphic, and midrange casual illustration will grab your attention. 

I was drawn in by the stark bold font for the title. It tells the reader how to behave in contrast to the full bowl of peanuts beneath the enquiring gray trunk of an elephant looking for a snack! 

This cover design perfectly aligns with the book’s content which encourages the reader to quit leaving random bowls of peanuts lying around the office. By doing so, they avoid feeding the pesky and oftentimes free-ranging “elephants” that interfere with partnership productivity. Those who know of elephants’ emotional intelligence know they have motivations, and it can be a challenge reigning in an elephant with an agenda.

Overall Rating: A 

Other Publishing Information

• Publish Date: February 2022
• Publisher: Lioncrest Publishing
• ISBN: 978-1544525129
• Workplace Culture, Professional Development, Leadership, Business

More from the Sarah Noll Wilson

Sarah Noll Wilson is an executive coach and leadership development consultant who’s been freeing elephants for fifteen years. Sarah works with leaders to develop more powerful partnerships and helps teams spot patterns that are keeping them from higher performance. 

An in-demand keynote speaker, Sarah leads workshops and team retreats for leaders and HR professionals. Previously, Sarah worked in management and as the talent development leader for an insurance company, giving her firsthand insight into the challenges of corporate leadership. She holds several coaching certifications and has a master’s in leadership development from Drake University. Learn more at sarahnollwilson.com 

Shop with Sarah for fun and engaging items to move the elephant message forward in your professional or personal life. Need that amygdala t-shirt or a giant stress peanut? 

Learn more about Sarah or visit her store at sarahnollwilson.com.