More than 11,000 business books are published every year—an overwhelming choice for busy professionals. Therefore, in partnership with getAbstract, Training brings you May’s top three business books recommended to our readers.
“What Works. Gender Equality by Design” by Iris Bohnet (Belknap Press, 2016, 400 pages, ISBN: 9780674089037; $26.95)
Harvard professor Iris Bohnet seeks to determine “what works” when it comes to increasing gender equality. In that pursuit, she offers a focused, meticulous review of efforts to change human behavior to foster inclusion and ethical practice. Bohnet analyzes surveys, lab studies, corporate actions, meta studies, and the law from an array of disciplines: politics, business, social science, gender studies, and more. The result can be overwhelming, but her prose is always engaging and useful. The author is exceptionally honest. She flatly states how ineffective certain well-intended programs have been. This clarifies her ethical commitment and makes her conclusions more persuasive. getAbstract recommends Bohnet’s insight to anyone interested in clear thinking, social science, and a more inclusive society.
Rating (out of 10): 9
Applicability: 9
Innovation: 9
Style: 8
“Good People, Bad Managers. How Work Culture Corrupts Good Intentions” by Samuel A. Culbert (Oxford University Press (USA), 2017, 176 pages, ISBN: 9780190652395; $24.95)
Samuel A. Culbert, a UCLA management professor and frequent author, examines the systemic nature of management problems and their roots in cultural habits. Reading the first two parts of his manual may make you cringe at your own behavior—or at your boss’—but these difficult sections provide a meaningful set up and context for Culbert’s recommendations for positive change. The not-so-subtle title calls for initiating a meaningful, productive conversation with your boss when you’re ready to implement the changes Culbert suggests. getAbstract recommends Culbert’s intelligent, workable method to HR managers seeking to improve corporate morale, culture, and internal communications; to self-aware leaders and to young professionals intent on moving up the managerial chain.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 9
Innovation: 7
Style: 8
“What’s Your Presentation Persona? Discover Your Unique Communication Style and Succeed in Any Arena” by Scott Schwertly and Sunday Mancini (McGraw-Hill Education, 2017, 288 pages, ISBN: 9781259860638; $26)
To make a successful presentation, you need to identify your primary presentation style, which is an expression of your psychological makeup. You cannot present well or connect with your audience if you don’t know who you are. Presentation experts Scott Schwertly and Sunday Mancini introduce 16 basic “presentation personas” and list their defining personality traits. Their informative manual provides useful tips on how to identify your innate style so you can become a better presenter. To help determine where you fit within the 16 personas, try Schwertly’s and Mancini’s free online self-assessment tool, the “Badge.” It explains how your personality assets shape your public speaking and how to work with your strengths. getAbstract recommends this outstanding guide to everyone who makes presentations, and to those who manage them.
Rating (out of 10): 8
Applicability: 9
Innovation: 8
Style: 8
For five-page summaries of these and more than 15,000 other titles, visit http://www.getabstract.com/affiliate/trainingmagazine
