Reviews by Beth Wallace and Alexandra Johnson

The Adventure of Sustainable Performance: Beyond ESG Compliance to Leadership in the New Era

By Stuart McLachlan and Dean Sanders (Wiley, 2023), ebook

With existing business and economic models crumbling amidst the escalating climate crisis and other societal challenges, The Adventure of Sustainable Performance seeks to help organisations evolve, so they can create new forms of value in a more sustainable world.

Throughout the book, the authors advocate for organisations to move beyond ‘box-ticking’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance exercises if they want their actions to have meaningful impact.

They encourage businesses to reflect on why and how they will generate superior value in the new era, and why consideration of the entire value chain – what they refer to as ‘total value system’ integration – is imperative. They also explore the role impact-weighted accounting will have on measuring value according to environmental and social factors, as well as financial performance.

Alongside interviews with business leaders who are already finding innovative ways to redefine value, the authors share anecdotes from their own experiences as sustainability consultants. They propose actionable steps that businesses can take to remain relevant and valuable in the future. These include breaking existing strongholds, moving from a linear to circular business model, promoting inclusivity and transparency, and shifting from a shareholder-focused system to a stakeholder model of capitalism. All of this requires courageous leadership, from people who are willing to strike a balance between profit and purpose.

It’s no small feat, but the authors are optimistic about the opportunities today’s challenges give businesses to be part of something as exciting as it is hopeful, and to deliver the transformational change needed at this pivotal moment in time.

The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying About What People Think of You

By Michael Gervais with Kevin Lake (Harvard Business Review Press, 2023), ebook

As humans, we have a natural desire to feel connected; it’s critical to our mental and emotional wellbeing. Yet this need has morphed into a debilitating condition: fear of people’s opinions (FOPO).

Author and psychologist Michael Gervais calls it a hidden epidemic and possibly one of the greatest constrictors of human potential.

In The First Rule of Mastery, he outlines how FOPO can negatively impact our lives: stifling performance, lowering self-esteem, diverting attention away from the present and altering our true opinions and thoughts.

Gervais explains why FOPO is so irrational and counterproductive; and suggests strategies to overcome it, or at least use it as an opening for self-reflection. He shares fascinating research, together with the stories of elite athletes, musicians and business leaders who have experienced FOPO and either freed themselves from, or succumbed to, its shackles.

A core theme of the book is to focus on what we can control, rather than wasting time and energy on what we can’t – including other people’s opinions.

Given that FOPO can be the enemy of independent thought and creativity, this is a valuable resource for any leader seeking to inspire a culture of authenticity and innovation. It also provides tools for individuals who want to stop giving so much weight to what others think, so they can act in line with their true values.

Tokens: The Future of Money in the Age of the Platform

By Rachel O’Dwyer (Verso, 2023), audiobook.
Run time: 12 hrs 56 mins

If you’re curious about tokens – or what the future of money might look like – this book presents food for thought, introducing a mind-boggling assortment of things that are almost but not quite money.

Author Rachel O’Dwyer, a lecturer in digital cultures at Dublin’s National College of Art and Design, describes them as money-ish; money with a wink and a nudge.

Of course, tokens are nothing new. Throughout history, humans have used them as forms of payment, ranging from farming communities tracking stocks of grain and precious metals thousands of years ago, to customers at ancient Roman brothels and other venues where official coinage was not permitted.

Numerous examples highlight the many ways money is now being replaced by online tokens; not just non-fungible tokens (NFTs), bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, but additional money-like assets such as gift vouchers, phone credit and customer data.

O’Dwyer raises some interesting questions. Who is responsible for controlling this new world of online tokens? What impact will digital platforms such as Facebook and Amazon have as they create their own tokens, and become ‘the new banks’? And how are tokens being used to exploit workers – with some groups already (alarmingly) being paid in gift cards and other non-monetary tender.

Though there are sections of the book in which you’d be forgiven for thinking the author has switched to fiction (such as when delving into the complex economies of virtual gaming and streaming), it’s merely a sign of the massive breadth of today’s alternative payment systems.

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Also recommended

The Essential Entrepreneur: What It Takes to Start, Scale and Sell a Successful Business

By Richard Turner (Wiley, 2023), ebook

Richard Turner delivers a practical approach to starting and growing a thriving business. He looks into how to take advantage of market weaknesses, disrupt the status quo, manage growth and finances, and much more.

Curious Habits: Why We Do What We Do and How to Change if We Want To

By Luke Mathers (Major Street Publishing, 2022), ebook

A finalist in the 2023 Australian Business Book Awards, Luke Mathers offers a different take on habits and how to approach them. He advocates using the power of your own curiosity to unpack habits, from procrastination to perfectionism, to help you reset for a happier and more fulfilling life.

The Greatness Mindset: Unlock the Power of Your Mind and Live Your Best Life Today

By Lewis Howes (Hay House, 2023), ebook

New York Times bestselling author Lewis Howes – who was recognised by former US president Barack Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs under 30 – offers advice and science-backed strategies to inspire you to become unstuck, convert your fears into fuel and build a powerful vision for your future.

Zero to IPO: Over $1 Trillion of Actionable Advice From the World’s Most Successful Entrepreneurs

By Frederik Kerrest (McGraw Hill, 2022), ebook and audiobook.
Run time: 8 hrs 5 mins

From the co-founder of US$40 billion software company Okta comes Zero to IPO, a business guide drawing advice from hundreds of successful business leaders and investors. Frederik Kerrest offers strategies to take an organisation to initial public offering (IPO) and beyond.

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Listen

Arrive and Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership

By Susan MacKenty Brady, Janet Foutty and Lynn Perry Wooten (McGraw Hill, 2022), audiobook.
Run time: 6 hrs 28 mins

Janet Foutty, an executive chair of Deloitte’s US board, teams up with two eminent women leaders to offer seven practices to pave a path to success.

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New complimentary magazine collection

More offerings from the CA Library

From Australia’s Money magazine to New Scientist and The New Yorker, CA ANZ members can now tap into a selection of popular magazines. Read online or download the award-winning Libby app to access free, fresh-off-the-press, business, current affairs, health and science publications, including the New Zealand Listener, The Guardian Weekly and TIME.

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CA Library

A wealth of information in a single location.

Did you know the CA Library offers services and on-demand resources to members at no charge?

The titles featured here are available to download directly from the library catalogue, along with a comprehensive collection of technical and soft-skill ebooks, audiobooks, articles and online resources.

Members can also access the online database which includes The Australian Financial Review and The Harvard Business Review.

The CA Library’s resources can help you meet your non-verifiable continuing professional development (CPD) hours.

Need help finding information? To take advantage of the free research service, simply get in touch with the library team with your query.

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