More than 11,000 business books are published every year—an overwhelming choice for busy professionals. Therefore, in partnership with getAbstract, Training brings you January’stop three business books recommended to our readers.
“WE. Men, Women, and the Decisive Formula for Winning at Work” by Rania H. Anderson (Wiley, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN: 9781119524694; $29.95)
The corporate world’s success depends on diversity. Corporate leadership still underrepresents women because men don’t know how to address the problem of equality. Executive business coach Rania H. Anderson offers men the WE 4.0 Framework—“Eliminate, Expand, Encourage, and Engage”—as a guide to the support and mentorship women need to succeed. Anderson relies on her experiences, not on primary research or comparative studies. As the #MeToo movement has shown, she says, professional conduct needs to go further than simply not exploiting and subjugating working women. Anderson urges men to use their power and influence to elevate women, help them fulfill their potential, and build a professional environment in which everyone thrives. Institutional improvements aren’t sufficient; men need to engage women one-on-one to transform corporate culture. Anderson’s framework is deceptively simple, but her call to action is serious: Male leaders must address the gender equality gap, and they must start with respect.
Rating (out of 10): 6
Applicability: 7
Innovation: 6
Style: 6
“The Playmaker’s Advantage. How to Raise Your Mental Game to the Next Level” by Leonard Zaichkowsky and Daniel Peterson (Gallery Books, 2018, 320 pages, ISBN: 9781501181863; $26)
Sports consultants Leonard Zaichkowsky and Daniel Peterson assert that athletes’ mental and emotional training is as crucial as their technical training. They examine top athletes in hockey, basketball, football, soccer, and other sports to determine what makes someone a “playmaker,” the team member who can see the field and make quick, effective decisions. The authors focus on developing team athletes between 10 and 20 years old and discuss how neuroscience explains what makes someone a truly elite athlete. They draw from detailed, complex research as they debunk multiple myths of child-adolescent coaching practices. While their text sometimes can be dense, their stories and athlete interviews make the academic elements relatable. Their main messages include: Don’t yell at your kids from the sidelines; if you want soccer stars, introduce your kids to many sports; and achievement in team sports correlates with achievement at school and in the workforce.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 8
Innovation: 8
Style: 9
“Mentoring Executives and Directors” by David Clutterbuck and David Megginson (Routledge, 1999, 176 pages, ISBN: 9780750636957; $62.95)
Human resources experts David Clutterbuck and David Megginson—and the experts they interviewed—stress the importance of mentoring and coaching at the executive and board level. Mentors who work with executives and board members may delve into career guidance, competency building, relationships, wellness, spirituality, and many other areas. Coaching also can encompass a variety of relationships, goals and outcomes. Written in 1999 and updated in 2011, this book has some ideas that seem dated. However, its mentoring principles are timeless. Its 22 case studies explore the benefits of becoming a mentor and illuminate what having a mentor does and can do for leaders and board members. getAbstract recommends this bright, short read to anyone interested in mentoring.
Rating (out of 10): 7
Applicability: 8
Innovation: 6
Style: 7
For five-page summaries of these and more than 15,000 other titles, visit http://www.getabstract.com/affiliate/trainingmagazine
