More than 11,000 business books are published every year—an overwhelming choice for busy professionals. Therefore, in partnership with getAbstract, Training brings you April’s top three business books recommended to our readers.
“Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For. A Guide for New Leaders” by William Gentry, Ph.D. (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2016, 216 pages, ISBN: 9781626566255; $15.93)
Most new leaders get almost no training. Psychologist William Gentry helps fill this void with tools, advice, and guidance for “entry-level and first-level supervisors, managers, and directors.” His goal is to help you “flip your script”—to invert “mind-set, skill set, relationships, attitude, perspective, and focus” to become an effective leader. Though his tips may not be groundbreaking, Gentry draws from solid research and relevant personal experience. The book includes practical exercises for learning the leadership skills he discusses. getAbstract recommends the sensible guidebook to anyone newly promoted into a leadership position and to those who train leaders.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 8
Innovation: 7
Style: 8
“Presence. Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges” by Amy Cuddy (Little, Brown & Company, Inc., 2015, 304 pages, ISBN: 9780316256575; $19.93)
Social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk has attracted more than 38 million viewers, and her book is a New York Times bestseller. She makes a simple, powerful argument: Your body language drives stress, anxiety, confidence, poise, and intelligence. Her thoroughly researched, if somewhat repetitive, treatise on the power of body over mind will have you practicing your breathing, posing in expansive ways, and sitting up straight. Cuddy explains the science behind presence and how you can use it to perform in challenging situations. getAbstract finds that Cuddy’s insights could benefit almost every reader.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 8
Innovation: 8
Style: 7
“Mission Critical. Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce” by Michael Abrams and Julia Taylor Kennedy (Rare Bird Books, 2015, 125 pages, ISBN: 9781942600541; $12.22)
Because of their maturity, discipline, dedication, resiliency, and can-do attitude, veterans can make fine contributions as civilian employees. Yet veterans with new civilian jobs often miss the camaraderie of military life and the sense of noble mission they felt while serving their country. Many veterans believe their civilian colleagues feel alienated from them, and often veterans quit within their first year in a civilian job. Former U.S. Marine Michael Abrams and workplace innovation expert Julia Taylor Kennedy surveyed 1,022 veterans and conducted interviews and focus groups to learn what veterans need from their employers to feel comfortable in the workforce. The authors share workable suggestions on how companies can ease veterans’ entry into civilian work. getAbstract recommends this small but important and focused book to employers and to veterans who want to tap into all the available resources.
Rating (out of 10): 9
Applicability: 9
Innovation: 9
Style: 8
For five-page summaries of these and more than 15,000 other titles, visit http://www.getabstract.com/affiliate/trainingmagazine
