CA Library: Look at a farther horizon
Use these resources from the CA Library to focus on a longer-term view that works for both your community and your career.
In brief
- In Stakeholder Capitalism, World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab argues that the pandemic is an opportunity to return to the shared prosperity model used post WWII.
- Other titles look at how to free yourself from the shackles of overwork and how to charge what your advice is actually worth.
- All library services, excluding the cost of returning books, are free to CA ANZ members.
By Paul Robinson
Stakeholder Capitalism: A global economy that works for progress, people and planet
By Klaus Schwab and Peter Vanham (Wiley), ebook
Stakeholder capitalism – the idea that businesses shouldn’t be run just for profit but also for the benefit of stakeholders such as employees and the community – isn’t new. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, introduced the concept in 1971 in Modern Enterprise Management in Mechanical Engineering.
In his latest book, Schwab is hopeful that the world will emerge from the pandemic with a fairer, more long-term mindset.
He argues that the current economic system is broken and identifies as key flaws rising global income inequality, increasing market monopolies, a slowdown in growth, innovation and productivity, rising debt and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Schwab offers solutions to glue the fractured chalice back together – sourced from best practices in a diverse range of countries. He suggests post COVID is the ideal time for a back-to-the-future approach that revisits the shared prosperity model that followed WWII.
Interestingly, Schwab acknowledges the limitations of globalisation. He maintains that it’s more effective when countries reject total subservience to free trade’s “level playing field” and retain national control, such as in Indonesia; and when technology plays to a nation’s strengths, as in Singapore. Without these, globalisation “leads more often to unequal progress and sometimes even decadence or disruption”.
According to Schwab, the most viable stakeholder model is one in which government, business and individuals collaborate, where longer-term planning is the norm and the focus moves beyond short-term profit and GDP. What are the chances?
Win at Work and Succeed at Life: Five principles to free yourself from the cult of overwork
By Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller, (BakerBooks), ebook and audiobook
Leadership development expert Michael Hyatt couldn’t be more obvious about where he’s coming from. “The cult of overwork is a powerful tide that can pull you far from shore if you’re not aware of its force,” he writes.
Professional accomplishments are personally fulfilling, but the cost may be catastrophic on your relationships, health and wellbeing. Hyatt, however, says you don’t have to choose between career and family life.
He sees work and life as a partnership. Succeeding on the personal front delivers a clear, creative mind and a rested body, making it easier to focus on the business side of the equation. It’s what he tags the “double win”.
At the core of this book are five principles – backed with insights from psychological and organisational science – to rethink work and productivity from the beginning. They include the value of “non-achievement” (for example, hobbies) and sufficient rest, setting inviolable boundaries to the working day, and understanding that work is just one of many ways to orientate your life. The authors illustrate these with case studies from across the business spectrum and their own clients.
Leading from the Middle: A playbook for managers to influence up, down and across the organization
By Scott Mautz (Wiley), ebook and audiobook
Middle managers can be the backbone of an organisation. But being in “the middle” is a mixed blessing. It can mean having to manage up and down, which is tricky if you feel your career is tied to the success of your manager and your team. Such a tightrope act can leave middle managers feeling underserved and underappreciated.
Former Procter & Gamble senior executive Scott Mautz, named a CEO thought leader by the Chief Executives Guild, has compiled a practical guide for middle management leaders based on years of research including some 3000 interviews.
The key points of this toolkit include how to develop a winning mindset and the necessary skills to manage in both directions. This lets you effectively influence up the chain of command, down to your direct reports and the teams who report to you, and across your peers and teams you have no formal authority over.
There is also specific advice for how to influence beyond your manager and how to build a relationship with your boss – which includes disagreeing with him/her and supplying feedback without causing offence.
Also recommended
Read
The Art of Selling Your Business
By John Warrillow (An Inc. Original), ebook and audiobook
What’s the secret to successfully selling a business? Writer and entrepreneur John Warrillow offers insights into business valuation, how to create a bidding war, how you can position your business to maximise its appeal and much more.
Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Lessons in data-driven leadership in an age of disruption, big data, and AI
By Randy Bean (Wiley), ebook
With the world in a race to become datadriven why are so many companies failing to progress in this area? Randy Bean examines the challenges businesses face, offers strategies to embrace data and details examples of companies that are getting it right.
Value-Based Fees: How to charge what you’re worth and get what you charge
By Alan Weiss (Wiley), ebook
Consultant, speaker and author Alan Weiss tells us time-and-materials pricing systems are outdated and inadequate, and offers strategies to convert to a new value-based fee model. A comprehensive guide for small consulting firms, this book covers a lot of ground, from how to determine your unique value and create consulting products to how to rebut fee objections.
Listen
Talent Makers: How the best organizations win through structured and inclusive hiring
By Daniel Chait and Jon Stross (Wiley), audiobook
Run time: 7 hours, 45 mins
This audiobook provides actionable advice and a step-by-step plan to transform hiring practices and successfully compete for top talent and build winning teams.
The Practice of Groundedness: A transformative path to success that feeds – not crushes – your soul
By Brad Stulberg, (Penguin Random House), audiobook
Run time: 7 hours, 3 mins
Best-selling writer Brad Stulberg draws on case studies, modern science and ancient traditions such as Buddhism, Stoicism and Taoism to teach readers how to cultivate healthy habits and practices to lead a more grounded life.
Watch
Three Secrets of Resilient People
By Lucy Hone, Ted Talks, online video
Run time: 16 mins
Dr Lucy Hone was researching resilience when she was catapulted into the reality of grief by her daughter’s death. In this short talk she offers three critical strategies for developing the capacity to brave adversity of all kinds.
Find out more
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