Loading...

L’ensemble des contenus Business Digest est exclusivement réservé à nos abonnés.
Nous vous remercions de ne pas les partager.

Book synthesis

My team chance, uncertainty, and the unexpected

Here is our summer 2024 selection, a highly subjective one as we’ve decided to have a super summer that rocks! Let’s stop talking about your boredom and lack of mental space… Because we have seen it, read it, and heard it enough.

Instead, we’ve decided to discuss chaos, chance, warming, disrespect, outrage, lies, rebellion, and Terminator. Some great ideas for a fabulous summer! Happy reading!

The art of the big mess (and it’s no big deal) 

Fluke

by Brian Klaas
(John Murray, 2024)

One of our favorites, and a quick read. Fluke explores the real workings of our world, governed by strange interactions and random events… Reality is much wilder and more fascinating than we dared imagine with our desire for control. Brian Klaas delves deep into the phenomenon of chance… TOP! A must-read!

We forgot in 2023 

The Big Fix

by Hal Harvey et Justin Gillis
Simon & Schuster 2023

Are you afraid of global warming and human folly? Emphasizing collective action, international collaboration, and civic engagement, “The Big Fix” offers a practical guide to overcoming these global crises and building a more just and resilient society. But according to ChatGPT in 2024, the best book on climate change remains Drawdown by Paul Hawken (Penguin 2017)!

The Age of Outrage

by Karthik Ramanna
Harvard Business Review Press (coming October 2024)

Or how to decide and lead in a polarized world. Why is society increasingly divided? What are the causes of this growing polarization? Are empathy, active listening, and transparent communication truly the pillars for building bridges between opposing groups, fostering constructive dialogue, and maintaining team cohesion? A must-read.

15 Lies Women are Told at Work

by Bonnie Hammer
Simon & Schuster 2024

Are false beliefs, lousy jokes, and stereotypes blocking you at work? Bonnie Hammer debunks 15 common lies such as “Believe in yourself,” “Trust your gut,” or “You can have it all.” She encourages women to assert themselves, claim their success, and cultivate inclusive and equitable work environments. But is this book only meant for women?

I Respectfully Disagree

by Justin Jones-Fosu
Berret Khoeler Publishers 2024

How to tackle a sensitive subject when everyone is on edge? When disrespect and polarization of ideas undermine every conversation? Let’s not lose sight of basic values: respect and empathy, active listening, and mutual understanding. Or how to defuse tensions, find common ground, and maintain positive relationships in a foolishly polarized world.

The Silent Rebellion

by Chris Lewis and Inez Robinson-Odom
Kogan Page 2024

Is disobedience the new black? Can acts of civil disobedience and non-conformity, often invisible and silent, truly provoke significant social change when modern leadership is at a total standstill? Here are inspiring stories of ordinary people, symbols of modern leadership, who have defied injustice and inspired reform movements.

Slow Productivity

by Cal Newport
AudioBook Penguin 2024

Always in the red? Here comes Cal Newport again to help you do (more or better) without sacrificing your mental health. Criticizing the modern culture of fast productivity, he proposes a thoughtful and sustainable approach to managing time and priorities, valuing rest and reflection. It’s nice, an audiobook, especially on this topic, perfect for summer!

Chasing Hope

by Nicholas Kristof
Knopf 2024

On a different note: through poignant reports on global events, from conflicts to natural disasters, and through personal and professional anecdotes, the author, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the NYT, tells how hope and determination can transform the darkest moments into inspiring stories of change. Never give up!

Chief Bullshit Officer 3.0

by Fix
Diateino 2024

Terrific! And we never get tired of it! Here is the third volume of Fix exploring the evolution of the work world and the rise of hollow postures and speeches in the office: proliferation of grandiose titles, incomprehensible jargon, and superficial managerial practices masking inefficiency and inauthenticity. We meet Léonce again, the indolent manager who takes it easy, and incidentally is responsible for IT, but in the post-ChatGPT version. “AI was the new black.”

Certainly, this new volume talks a lot about AI but also and especially about Bullshit Power, not-so-great visions, overly long meetings, Einstein quotes straight out of

© Copyright Business Digest - All rights reserved

Françoise Tollet
Published by Françoise Tollet
She spent 12 years in industry, working for Bolloré Technologies, among others. She co-founded Business Digest in 1992 and has been running the company since 1998. And she took the Internet plunge in 1996, even before coming on board as part of the BD team.