Editors' Recommendations

What You Need to Read. And Why.

by getAbstract

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.

Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society

In The Titanium Economy, McKinsey authors Asutosh Padhi, Gaurav Batra and Nick Santhanam explain what you’re missing if you haven’t been paying much attention to what’s happening in US manufacturing. Thanks to technology, they report, a renaissance is underway that spans multiple industries. Manufacturing is where the jobs are, though it faces labor, supply and policy support challenges. The authors see the Titanium Economy as a crucial cog in the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, and they open the factory doors to give readers a well-informed look inside.

Book Summary

The Titanium Economy

The “Titanium Economy” creates specialized products that fill global needs.

Asutosh Padhi, Gaurav Batra and Nick Santhanam Public Affairs

Mara, Personal Development, Management and HR

“Sustainability” may well be one of 2023’s trendiest buzzwords. But with environmental watchdogs worried that greenwashing is fast becoming the new climate denial, it can be challenging to separate feel-good doublespeak from genuinely sustainable business practices. Enter regenerative business models that actively work to restore natural ecosystems at the grassroots level. Journalist Esha Chhabra’s groundbreaking research is chock-full of inspiring, yet refreshingly simple, examples of successful regenerative enterprises. You’ll learn restoring nature and human dignity can be as fun as brewing beer to reduce food waste.

Book Summary

Working to Restore

Regenerative entrepreneurs are creating new business models, designed to restore degraded ecosystems and human dignity.

Esha Chhabra Beacon Press

Paul, Managing Editor: Industries, Marketing and Corporate Communication

AI is never out of the news, and it will impact all of our lives for good or ill. The Age of Risk gives a thoughtful and considered examination of the AI Revolution’s potential impacts on work and society, as well as the potential risks and rewards. Can AI eliminate risk in complicated systems or shift the risk elsewhere? What does an AI-enhanced future hold? Will we be “All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace,” or will the new dawn fade?

Book Summary

The Age of Prediction

The emergence of big data and increasingly accurate machine learning prediction models are disrupting industries and life as you know it, write Igor Tulchinsky and Christopher Mason – learn about what to expect in the “Age of Prediction.”

Christopher Mason and Igor Tulchinsky MIT Press

Mara, Personal Development, Management and HR

Today, 100 million people are displaced – with more than 36 million living as refugees. The sheer volume of incalculable suffering can make many of us feel helpless and disengaged. But in these moments of darkness, individual stories of light can propel us to deeper understanding and action. Immigrant entrepreneur Andrew Leon Hanna weaves together three touching tales of female entrepreneurship inside one refugee camp for Syrians – who constitute the world’s largest refugee population. In the wake of their trauma, dislocation and tremendous loss, these resilient women illustrate that hope dies last, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Book Summary

25 Million Sparks

Refugee entrepreneurs demonstrate grit and determination, transforming their communities under challenging circumstances.

Andrew Leon Hanna Cambridge University Press

Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics

All anyone can talk about these days is AI and its impacts on our lives. But Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson look back at how technologies of all kinds – the cotton gin, railroads and other innovations of the past several centuries – have changed human progress. They also highlight how many of these technologies ended up benefiting only parts of society, so they offer cautions on how to adapt to AI in ways that will work to the advantage of all people. This is a timely and thought-provoking work on the duality of technology.

Book Summary

Power and Progress

Wealth inequality isn’t inevitable, say two noted economists.

Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson John Murray

Dee, Managing Editor: Workplace Skills and Social Skills

Dr. Seuss’s Grinch had an epiphany when he realized that “Maybe Christmas…doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!” Nevertheless, many people stress out about choosing the right gifts for their nearest and dearest during the holiday season. After all, gift-giving can make or break a relationship. To help alleviate some of the anxiety, Angela Haupt, an editor at Time magazine, has done some of the heavy lifting for you. Through interviews with experts in the field of gift-giving, she learned the most common mistakes people make when giving gifts, as well as the types of gifts that recipients enjoy most. Ultimately, giving gifts aims to bring happiness to your loved ones. Insights from gift-giving research can help you achieve that, explains Haupt.

Article Summary

6 Ways to Give Better Gifts – Based on Science

If you’re agonizing about what gifts to give this holiday season, scientific research on “the study of gift-giving” provides some insights.

Angela Haupt Time

Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics

Most discussions about inequality focus on its economic causes and impacts. But in this episode of the popular podcast The Ezra Klein Show, legal scholar Katharina Pistor delves into the legal frameworks that underlie the capitalist system and are at the root of today’s broad inequality. While early lawmakers sought to codify property ownership for the benefit of society, they also enshrined mechanisms that unfairly distribute risk. Her calls for legal reform that recognizes and corrects systemic inequities will give you a new perspective on this pressing societal issue.

Podcast Summary

A Guide to the ‘Legal Fictions’ That Create Wealth, Inequality and Economic Crises

Capital is a function of laws that assign it specific characteristics and privileges, both good and bad.

Ezra Klein, Katharina Pistor and Rogé Karma The New York Times

Hendrik, Managing Editor: Science and Technology

Nick Shackleton-Jones believes in a new theory of learning that focuses on the importance of emotions. While his approach contains many practical ideas, dismissing everything people thought they knew about learning seems extreme.

He says people learn only when they care about the subject. When they already care, offer resources they can “pull” from. If they don’t care yet, “push” them to care. This, of course, is easier said than done.

Book Summary

How People Learn

Failing schools and corporate learning systems must design education that addresses learners’ priorities.

Nick Shackleton-Jones Kogan Page Publishers

Heather, Head of Global Editorial

“Hey, I know it’s 4:45 p.m., but it would be great if you could have that report on my desk by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow.”

“Well, I am on carpool duty for the kids’ dance class tonight, and I have to get my taxes done, and all I want to do is blob out and binge-watch Netflix, but I guess I could just sleep four hours tonight instead of six. Sure, of course, no problem, happy to help…”

If this exchange sounds familiar, you likely know the perils of being a people pleaser. This summary provides some great, straightforward tips on how to say “no” without the guilt (at least with a little less guilt).

Article Summary

How to say no

I’m done being a people pleaser, if everyone’s OK with that.

Shayla Love Psyche

Paul, Managing Editor: Industries, Marketing and Corporate Communication

Micah Solomon gives a practical guide to providing iconic customer service and the benefits of turning customers into fans. This book outlines the changes that need to occur in individuals and teams to create a culture that turns customer service into a driver of revenue growth. All employees, from the CEO downward, must unite with purpose on a customer-centric journey.

Book Summary

Can Your Customer Service Do This?

Step up your customer service game with a customer-centric approach that turns your ideal customers into loyal fans.

Micah Solomon McGraw-Hill Education

Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society

If you’ve always thought that sports have much to teach nonathletes about business, hard effort, professionalism, leadership, and the role of natural ability (not as big as you might think), sportswriter Sally Jenkins provides high-scoring insights. A Pulitzer prize finalist, she packs a lot of great storytelling into her rundown of the seven factors that add up to success in athletic competition,work and life: conditioning, practice, discipline, candor, culture, failure as a learning opportunity, and intention, a pivotal element of trust and credibility.

Book Summary

The Right Call

Sportswriter Sally Jenkins distills the secrets of athletic success into leadership lessons.

Sally Jenkins Gallery Books

Hillary, Managing Editor: Career, Innovation and L&D

Feeling stuck in your day-to-day? Author Kevin Dickinson explores how a curious mind-set can lead to new knowledge, scientific breakthroughs and even a happier, more fulfilling life. In this short guide, he suggests adopting five habits, such as asking better questions and understanding your motivations, that can give you the courage to explore the unknown with a fresh perspective.

Today, more than ever, people need trusted sources of knowledge.

Article Summary

Want to be more curious? Experts recommend these 5 habits

Enhance your curiosity by adopting five transformative habits.

Kevin Dickinson big think

Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics

Financial hardships are taking a toll on many workers, and employers are responding through new benefit programs that can help their staff confront these problems. Financially stressed workers tend to be less productive and more apt to change jobs, so companies should consider offering financial wellness programs. PwC conducts an annual report on employee finances, and this year’s edition finds that more employers are offering resources and that more employees are taking advantage of that help. If you’re considering this employee benefit, this text is a good place to start your research.

Article Summary

PwC’s 2023 Employee Financial Wellness Survey

Employers can take measures to ease the financial stress their employees face.

PwC PricewaterhouseCoopers

– November 2023 –

Hendrik, Managing Editor: Science and Technology

The internet offers a blend of high-quality and low-quality, even deceptive content. The authors believe traditional critical thinking is insufficient for discerning valuable information online. Instead, they propose a new approach called “critical ignoring.” It involves: (1) Customizing the online environment to your needs. For example, turning off notifications and safeguarding personal data. (2) Verifying content credibility by cross-checking it across multiple sources, “lateral reading.” And (3) not giving attention to “trolls,” as it further amplifies their reach.

Today, more than ever, people need trusted sources of knowledge.

Article Summary

When Critical Thinking Isn’t Enough: To Beat Information Overload, We Need to Learn “Critical Ignoring”

To cope with information overload, learn “critical ignoring.”

Ralph Hertwig, Anastasia Kozyreva, Sam Wineburg and Stephan Lewandowsky The Conversation

Heather, Head of Global Editorial

As an ’80s child growing up on Staten Island, most businesses my family shopped at were owned and operated by our neighbors. When customers walked into Dick’s Deli, Denino’s Pizza or Delco Drugs, the owners knew by name; they’d grown up together and would ask how their mother is recovering from bronchitis or how the kids’ Little League team is doing this year. The influx of nationwide chains put an enormous strain on these mom-and-pops, but even more destructive force was COVID-19. Gary Rivlin’s Saving Main Street lays out the unimaginable challenges small businesses face.

Book Summary

Saving Main Street

A gripping, revealing look at the challenges faced by US micro-entrepreneurs, and the grit and determination of their owners, particularly in the wake of COVID-19.

Gary Rivlin Harper

Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society

You’re no dummy, but if you have always wondered what design thinking is all about – and, more importantly, how to use it – here’s the information you need. Christian Müller-Roterberg explains the philosophy, tools and applications of design thinking. In a nutshell, in design thinking, users’ needs drive decision-making. This is a very useful place to begin if you want to generate and test new ideas, become more customer-focused, or get a handle on solving complex problems.

Book Summary

Design Thinking For Dummies

Design thinking improves your creativity and helps you develop innovative solutions.

Christian Müller-Roterberg Wiley

Paul, Managing Editor: Industries, Marketing and Corporate Communication

Business reputations are hard-won and easily lost. This practical guide sets out steps for companies to identify and resolve problem issues before they develop into crises. Although the focus is on communications teams, this book also offers actionable advice for all staff in an age when every customer, user and employee is one click away from interactions that can damage your business or tarnish your brand.

Book Summary

Everyday Communication Strategies

Don’t panic if an issue is threatening your business and its reputation – issues management expertise can help you avoid a crisis.

Amanda Coleman Kogan Page Publishers

Hillary, Managing Editor: Career, Innovation and L&D

Are you looking to up your mentorship game? In this thoughtful text, leadership coach Scott Miller draws on his expansive experience and insights to develop a comprehensive pathway to becoming a mentor who truly supports growth. He guides you through 13 diverse roles you can embody to support a mentee’s journey while enhancing your understanding and empathy. Whether you are a seasoned mentor or just stepping into the position, this guide’s invaluable advice can help you avoid common pitfalls and foster deep, rewarding mentoring relationships.

Book Summary

The Ultimate Guide to Great Mentorship

Engage in transformative mentorship by fostering relationships that empower and inspire.

Scott Jeffrey Miller HarperCollins Leadership

Dee, Managing Editor: Workplace Skills and Social Skills

During a conflict, do you throw tantrums, give others silent treatment, ghost people or become brutally mean? Such responses are attempts at self-preservation. When a relationship breaks down, blaming the other person is tempting. But sometimes you’re the problem. Learn to take accountability for your conflicts and to handle them with compassion and grace. Relationship expert Jayson Gaddis says improving your conflict management skills is an investment in your personal growth. He offers tips to help you “get to zero” – reaching a peaceful, contented resolution within yourself and with others. Don’t let negative early childhood experiences determine the quality of your relationships, Gaddis urges. Start showing up and presenting a better version of yourself in your relationships today.

Book Summary

Getting to Zero

Stop clashing with loved ones and take control of your relationships today, with actionable tools and strategies.

Jayson Gaddis Hachette

Hendrik, Managing Editor: Science and Technology

How will new AI developments transform society? In this interview hosted by Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton-Beddoes, historian Yuval Noah Harari and DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman paint a vision. The conversation underscores the need for a cautious, proactive approach to AI development, regulation, and deployment, emphasizing this powerful technology’s challenges and potential benefits.

Video Summary

What Does the AI Revolution Mean for Our Future?

As innovation and risk accelerate, AI takes baby steps toward an impactful but uncertain evolution.

Mustafa Suleyman, Yuval Noah Harari and Zanny Minton-Beddoes The Economist

– October 2023 –

Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics

A sobering look at an important paradox: Globalization should have brought nations together, but it instead has sparked geopolitical discord and chaos. Leonard’s take on the future may be bleak, but it’s also instructive on what may lie ahead.

Book Summary

The Age of Unpeace

Political scientist Mark Leonard explains why chaos is a feature – not a bug – of globalization.

Mark Leonard Bantam

Heather, Head of Global Editorial

What is the secret to a happy life? Is it good health or lots of money? Is it boundless love, simple pleasures or finding your purpose? At one time or another, it’s a question we all ask ourselves.
According to researchers Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz, the key lies in nurturing relationships at every stage of life. As I rapidly approach mid-life, I realize how important all my communities – family, friends, work and village – are to my well-being. This summary offers no quick fixes but provides a clear and actionable pathway to a contented life.

Book Summary

The Good Life

Relationships are crucial to happiness. Learning to relate to others enhances your contentment.

Robert Waldinger M.D. and Marc Schulz Ph.D Simon & Schuster

Gaby, Managing Editor: Economics, Finance and Politics

This report from the professionals at a16z looks at the game-changing potential of generative AI in consumer finance. Financial institutions of all stripes are already exploiting their massive troves of data to streamline the customer experience, and AI will up the ante. But the authors caution that human intervention will continue to be crucial in providing people with the right financial tools.

Report Summary

Financial Services Will Embrace Generative AI Faster Than You Think

Generative AI presents a watershed moment for financial services, though the human touch will endure.

Anish Acharya, Sumeet Singh, Angela Strange, Alex Rampell, Marc Andrusko, Joe Schmidt, David Haber and Seema Amble a16z

Erica, Senior Managing Editor: Leadership, Management, Sales, Manufacturing and Society

Author Carolyn Chen cites Silicon Valley as a stand-in for today’s technological society, and she uses “religion” as shorthand for having a spiritual life, as well as a personal life outside of all-consuming work. Chen sees competitive, all-engrossing tech jobs as representing the kind of careerism that can preclude having a life of meaning and fulfillment. She tracks the societal ills Robert Putnam identified in Bowling Alone in 2009 and updates the picture by including the grasp tech companies’ competitiveness, perks and bonuses have on their workers. She asks if work is replacing community and congregations as a locus of identity and belonging while pointing out what a sad mistake that would be.

Book Summary

Work Pray Code

Has Silicon Valley’s corporate secularization led its workers to abandon religion and community?

Carolyn Chen Princeton UP

Dee, Managing Editor: Workplace Skills and Social Skills

By expecting your brain to be the secretary of your life, you are doing your cerebrum a disservice. Promote your brain to CEO, and let technology take care of the daily minutiae that exhaust so much of your time, attention and brain power. So says productivity expert Tiago Forte, who presents his “second brain” solution. In essence, the second brain is a commonplace book on steroids – a digital whiteboard where you can paste every relevant quote, article, video, song lyric, book chapter, and so on that you encounter, squirreling it away for a time in the future when you will need to refer to it quickly and seamlessly. At a time when knowledge workers spend 26% of a typical workday searching for information across various systems and then consolidating it, Forte’s helpful system is just the right antidote to information overload. Forte offers step-by-step instructions on organizing the second brain system so you always have the precise knowledge you need at your fingertips.

Book Summary

Building a Second Brain

Harness the power of technology to keep track of what’s essential to fuel your creative work.

Tiago Forte Profile Books

Hendrik, Managing Editor: Science and Technology

Geoff White tells the story of hacking, from its birth in the 1970s to its current role as a global threat and a force for change. He not only shows us how hackers have become criminals and spies who can influence elections, steal data, and disrupt systems but also how we can protect ourselves and our society from the dangers of hacking and harness its positive potential for innovation and creativity.

Don’t miss our interview with the author.

Book Summary

Crime Dot Com

A detailed, nontechnical history of internet crime.

Geoff White Reaktion Books

– September 2023 –

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!

Article Summary

The Time Traveling Mistake We Make When We Procrastinate

To quit procrastinating, show some love for your future self.

Hal Hershfield 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.

Book Summary

The Devil Never Sleeps

Disasters are inevitable. The right actions can minimize their consequences.

Juliette Kayyem Public Affairs

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.

Podcast Summary

Why Immigrants Are America’s Superpower

Immigration has a net positive effect on America’s economy.

Wendy Edelberg and David Dollar Brookings Institution

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.

Book Summary

The Authority Advantage

Use expert personal branding to attract more clients and gain widespread credibility.

Adam Witty and Rusty Shelton ForbesBooks

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.”

Book Summary

Win Every Argument

Learn to argue better using debate tactics grounded in scientific research and ancient wisdom.

Mehdi Hasan Macmillan Publishers

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.

Book Summary

Learning Technology

Discover how learning technology has been changing life since prehistory and how it will continue impacting humanity’s future.

Donald Clark Kogan Page Publishers

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.

Book Summary

Edible Economics

A gastronomic approach to macroeconomics

Ha-Joon Chang Public Affairs

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.

Podcast Summary

Max Tegmark: The Case for Halting AI Development

Humanity’s wake-up call grows louder as existential AI dangers threaten to spiral out of control.

Max Tegmark and Lex Fridman Lex Fridman Podcast

– 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.

Book Summary

Hack Your Bureaucracy

You can shatter the immovable wall of bureaucracy.

Marina Nitze and Nick Sinai Hachette

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.

Book Summary

Lift Your Impact

Revamp your mind-set, expand your influence and build a better future with the Lift method.

Richard Newman McGraw-Hill Education

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.

Book Summary

Smart Brevity

Adopt a system for composing messages that get noticed, read and remembered, from the founders of Axios.

Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz Workman Publishing

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.

Book Summary

Think Bigger

With a good road map, big, creative ideas are within your reach.

Sheena Iyengar Columbia Business School Publishing

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.

Book Summary

Intentional Leadership

In difficult circumstances, the “Big 8” leadership capabilities are essential.

Rose M. Patten University of Toronto Press

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.

Book Summary

Managing Luxury Brands

Learn how to keep a luxury brand relevant as consumer expectations and behaviors evolve.

Eleonora Cattaneo Kogan Page Publishers

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.

Book Summary

How to Think

A tech philosopher’s guide to thinking critically, questioning assumptions and dispelling bias.

Tom Chatfield SAGE Publications

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.

Video Summary

The Power of Unwavering Focus

Your mind is a vast space, and your focus directs the lantern that lights its most useful spaces.

Dandapani and Shilpa Maniar Talks at Google

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.

Book Summary

More than a Glitch

Learn about machine bias, its impact across industries and communities and how it perpetuates the status quo.

Meredith Broussard MIT Press

– 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.

Book Summary

The Unspoken Truths for Career Success

Want more promotions and a more satisfying career? Take the right steps to get ahead at work.

Tessa White HarperCollins Leadership

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What You Need to Read. And Why.

One in five people are neurodivergent. Neurodiversity expert Maureen Dunne calls neurodivergence an “untapped resource” for many companies. In this interview, she explains why neurodivergent people make a company future-proof and what a corporate culture that fosters neurodiversity looks like.

What You Need to Read. And Why.

Boards do not have to reinvent good AI governance. However, if they neglect the issue, they risk destroying the necessary success factor of any product or service: trust. AI expert Dominique Shelton Leipzig explains what needs to be taken into account.

What You Need to Read. And Why.

In The Digital Coaching Revolution, professors Anna Tavis and Woody Woodward examined how rapidly digital coaching has developed. Now, they explain how the AI-powered coaching boom will unfold.

What You Need to Read. And Why.

Economist R. Jisung Park has investigated the subtle effects of global warming and concludes in Slow Burn that even small temperature changes significantly impact learning and working behavior, productivity and equality.