More than 11,000 business books are published every year—an overwhelming choice for busy professionals. Therefore, in partnership with getAbstract, Training brings you December’s top three business books recommended to our readers.
“Flex: The New Playbook for Managing Across Differences” by Jane Hyun and Audrey S. Lee (HarperBusiness, 2014, 295 Pages, ISBN: 9780062248527; $20.19)
The topic of diversity makes many managers uncomfortable: Men hesitate to talk to women. Baby Boomer managers sometimes can’t relate to tech-knowledgeable, independent Generation Yers. The assertiveness of Western culture can be a problem for employees from other cultures. Authors Jane Hyun and Audrey S. Lee believe people should acknowledge and embrace their differences. They show leaders how to “flex” or adapt their communications, and how to understand status differences or “power gaps.” They emphasize ways to close power gaps between people of different genders, cultures, and ages. getAbstract recommends their approach to HR professionals, department heads, and line managers, especially those with a diverse workforce.
Rating (out of 10): 7
Applicability: 8
Innovation: 7
Style: 7
“Making Thinking Visible. How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners” by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison (Jossey-Bass, 2011, 320 Pages, ISBN: 9780470915516; $16.92)
Innovative teachers and researchers Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison present vibrant teaching examples from real classroom applications. They offer 21 strategies for engaging students and encouraging them to think more creatively and to share their thoughts. These techniques also promote a better understanding of exactly how students think. Teachers will find practical exercises and routines they can use in many situations to elicit discussion, debate, reflection, and creative thought. The authors’ approach also has relevance for educational administrators and for adult educators, who can apply variations of many of the exercises for older learners in the workplace. getAbstract recommends these worthwhile methods to teachers needing proven thought-provoking, class-participation tools.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 9
Innovation: 8
Style: 7
“The Glass Closet. Why Coming Out Is Good Business” by John Browne (HarperBusiness, 2014, 240 Pages, ISBN: 9780062316974; $19.24)
Back in 2007, author John Browne, then CEO of BP, resigned after a British paper bought a story from a former boyfriend and outed him as gay. Rights for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) since have made important strides. Browne’s experience almost may seem to belong to another age. But, as he states clearly, equality for homosexuals is not a fact of life in the corporate world. Many LGBT people feel they still must guard their sexual orientation closely. With unique insight, Browne explains why discrimination—overt or covert—against LGBT employees hurts a firm’s bottom line. He shares LGBT workers’ stories, and presents strategies to prevent discrimination and foster inclusion. getAbstract recommends this thoughtful discussion of openness to executives, HR officials, LGBT people in the workforce, their colleagues, and the people who care about them.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 9
Innovation: 8
Style: 7
For five-page summaries of these and more than 10,000 other titles, visit http://www.getabstract.com/affiliate/trainingmagazine
