Each year, getAbstract’s Editorial team sorts through thousands of books to select and summarize the very best titles for business leaders and their teams. Below you’ll find our weekly highlights from the library. Take a moment to read why our managing editors think these titles are top of the class.
Heather, Head of Global Editorial
Are you a procrastinator? If so, you’re in good company – even Mozart was known to put things off until the last minute. If you’re ready to become a “today” person, this summary can help. You’ll learn about the negative effects of procrastination on your physical and mental health and how to empathize with your future self to overcome the habit. And who knows? Maybe you’ll be inspired to write an overture in just three hours like Mozart – just make sure you’re not too busy engaging in “trifling amusement” the night before!
The Time Traveling Mistake We Make When We Procrastinate
Behavioral Scientist
Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society
The historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii burned to the ground in Maui’s wildfires, and Rustic Cedar Key nearly washed away in Florida’s Hurricane Idalia – and that was just in August 2023. In this gripping account, Juliette Kayyem says to stop being surprised by natural disasters. Instead, accept that this is an age of calamity and catastrophe – some, but not all, due to climate change’s unabated onslaught – and get prepared. From cyberattacks to the pandemic, society can no longer see disasters as shocking discrete events with dire consequences. They are no longer improbable – note the headlines – and they are almost always tragic, but they keep coming. Instead of giving in, Kayyem urges companies and jurisdictions to undertake smart, adaptable planning before calamity strikes to minimize the consequences. Assume disaster can occur, build “situational awareness,” address your organization’s risks, see near disasters as warnings, and know beforehand what you will do when – not quite if – disaster strikes.
Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics
This podcast episode offers some common-sense, practical ideas for tackling the ongoing issue of immigration: its costs, benefits and role in America’s future.
Hillary, Managing Editor: Career, Innovation and L&D
In this game-changing guide, CEO of Forbes Books Adam Witty and Zilker Media founder Rusty Shelton share the secrets of establishing yourself as an authority in your industry. The authors explain how to gain a competitive edge in the digital age by building a compelling personal brand and using various content to showcase your knowledge, communicate your value and attract clients. They argue that you need a solid strategy to exert positive influence in the public sphere, but if you can pull it off – with their help – you’ll find that true competence is more important now than ever.
Dee, Managing Editor: Workplace Skills and Social Skills
According to 19th-century essayist Joseph Joubert, “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” NBC journalist and anchor Mehdi Hasan concurs. Debates are vital to a healthy democracy, he says, yet many people shy away from heated arguments. Hasan’s superb book shows you how to fine-tune your flair for public speaking and debating, and how to gain confidence in stating your case – two vital soft skills for career advancement. With vivid real-life examples from politics, sports, entertainment and beyond, Hasan illustrates the fundamentals of debate and the tricks of the trade. Adopting Hasan’s research-backed tactics can make you “a champion of debate, a master of rhetoric, a winner in the art of argument.”
Paul, Managing Editor: Industries, Marketing and Corporate Communication
Donald Clark discusses how human curiosity fuels learning technologies, disrupting learning institutions, classrooms and everyday life. From pre-history to AI and the metaverse, this book gives context about the drivers and consequences of technological changes in learning. Relevant to today’s fast-changing developments, Donald Clark is known as, “The No.1 expert on AI in learning.” Learning technology is a valuable resource for L&D professionals.
Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics
Edible Economics by Ha-Joon Chang is a gourmand’s look at economics. Chang explores how food formed the basis for many countries’ development and debunks some popular myths. Here you’ll learn appetizing facts about banana republics, corn laws and the impacts of garlic and chocolate (not necessarily consumed together!) on societies, cultures and economies.
Hendrik, Managing Editor: Science and Technology
Artificial intelligence can potentially transform our world in profound ways. But how can we ensure that it aligns with our values and goals? In this episode, Lex Fridman talks to Max Tegmark, a physicist and AI researcher, who explores the possibilities and challenges of creating superintelligent machines. They discuss the existential risks and ethical dilemmas they pose, the role of humans in shaping the destiny of life in the universe, and the vision of the future we want.
– August 2023 –
Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society
Former Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Marina Nitze and former U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer Nick Sinai penned a basic manual on how to navigate bureaucracy successfully. The authors maintain that if you learn to work within a system, you can hack it to your advantage. From making the most of loopholes to forging valuable alliances, they explain how to get around the red tape.
Heather, Head of Global Editorial
Are you looking for practical, actionable ways to improve your communication skills? If so, Lift Your Impact is the perfect guidebook for you. Richard Newman, a renowned speechwriter and communication expert, shares his decades of experience and strategies to help readers transform their impact, success and fulfillment. The summary will teach you how to craft powerful messages and deliver them with confidence.
Dee, Managing Editor: Workplace Skills and Social Skills
Technology has radically shifted the ways in which people consume media and information. Nowadays, individuals are exposed to countless distractions and a constant stream of content, and you must battle for consumers’ attention. Yet the delivery of content has not bent to changes in consumption, and no one is paying attention.
In this environment, how can your message cut through the noise? Simple: You must adapt your communications style to reflect how people consume content. Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz, founders of news website Axios, share their Smart Brevity approach, a system for preparing salient, pithy messages. They believe that, to wield meaningful impact, all communications should contain four elements – a tease, a lede, context and a choice. Be heard. If you want to make your commercial stand out or attract readers to your blog or have your boss click on your email, adopt the Smart Brevity approach.
Hillary, Managing Editor: Career, Innovation and L&D
Everyday discourse on innovation portrays creativity as a rare and innate gift, but is that really the case? Not according to Columbia Business School professor Sheena Iyengar. For those wondering if (or worrying that) they’re simply not born with the capacity for innovation, Iyengar’s Think Bigger method, which breaks the real-life creative process into six concrete, actionable steps, may well feel like a lifeline.
Mara, Managing Editor: Management, Personal Development and HR
Viral Justice, by Princeton University African-American studies professor Ruha Benjamin, takes a poetic look at what each of us can do in our own lives and communities to help overcome systems of oppression and spread kindness and goodwill to everyone we encounter. This eloquent book offers hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, and the writing made my heart soar. Enjoy!
Paul, Managing Editor: Industries, Marketing and Corporate Communication
Dr. Eleonora Cattaneo gives a practical guide to branding strategies for luxury goods. The highly readable essays in the book cover issues including the integration of digital technology, reputation management and creating secure supply chains. Although particularly relevant to high-value products, there are lessons here for anyone involved in the consumer goods industry.
Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society
Rose Patten, Chancellor of the University of Toronto, reports on the results of 25 weeks of intense discussions at the Rotman School of Business about eight pivotal leadership capabilities: adaptability, strategic ability, self-renewal, character, empathy, communication, collaboration and developing other leaders.
Dee, Managing Editor: Workplace Skills and Social Skills
The metaphorical concept of the human mind is a tricky idea to grasp. Hindu priest Dandapani describes the mind as a dark, vast cave, which you can navigate armed with a torchlight – your awareness. This notion may seem ethereal, but Dandapani makes it accessible even to laypeople with no experience in mindfulness, meditation or spiritual practices. He doesn’t suggest starting yoga or Pilates; these are noble pursuits, but who has time to add something new to their day? Instead, he advocates for practicing mindfulness during your existing “non-negotiable recurring events” – daily tasks you already do every day, such as brushing your teeth or conversing with your partner. By learning to hone your awareness, you can achieve focus, which is a prerequisite for discovering your purpose, happiness and more.
Heather, Head of Global Editorial
How to Think by Dr. Tom Chatfield is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to elevate their thinking skills. With a delightful blend of practical techniques and engaging prose, Chatfield empowers readers to enhance their critical thinking abilities. This thought-provoking guide transcends the boundaries of academia, appealing to curious minds from all walks of life. Through a seamless interplay of clarity and coherence, Chatfield equips readers with the tools to navigate complex ideas and articulate their thoughts with precision.
Paul, Managing Editor: Industries, Marketing and Corporate Communication
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have come to the forefront in recent months with a gold rush scramble for new products, applications and use cases. Data journalist Meredith Broussard dispels myths of tech neutrality and shows that AI comes loaded with assumptions and biases too. The author provides practical advice on how to develop products and processes saddled with fewer prejudices to create better functioning and more widely applicable applications for customers.
– July 2023 –
Hillary, Managing Editor: Career, Innovation and L&D
This book is for everyone looking to get inside the heads of their employers ‒ to understand what your company values are, how your work fits within that schema, and, therefore, what you should focus on to get ahead in your career. While many career books stress that hard work alone won’t get you a corner office, author Tessa White’s advice to spend time understanding which problems truly matter to your employers and then cultivating influence accordingly is particularly insightful. Her breakdown of best practices for each of the five main stages of a person’s career can act as a useful reference to which readers can return as they progress up the corporate ladder.
Mara, Managing Editor: Management, Personal Development and HR
Broken, by Southern New Hampshire University president Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc, provides a deeply researched examination of successful, cutting-edge business models that place people at their center. It also offers an original proposal to create socially responsible jobs that address human needs on a scale, to assuage the impending labor market upheaval resulting from automation.
What Does a Managing Editor Do?
getAbstract’s managing editors are each responsible for selecting, summarizing and editing content in their designated subject areas. Have you read a summary on getAbstract? It was curated by a managing editor.
