Hi there! Welcome to a space which encourages thinking outside what is expected in all areas of life. Not parking what has come before, but dissecting it in a way that enables an understanding of what has truely worked in the past to enable individual, business and civil society growth, and integrating that with your own personal life experiences joined with creativity so we can be truely innovative and leave behind a world for future generations we can be proud.
To move ourselves away from the task driven and helicopter management style of the industrial age, and truely move to a more intelligent environment for individuals, business and civil society. It is important to expand and explore horizons with a creative mindset, ensuring decisions are not driven from inside an insular bubble, or taken directly from a charismatic leader, or famous book but to take this knowledge and apply the learnings within the context, environment, experiences of the individual to enable creative and intelligence to lead the way.
Formal and informal training, whether an MBA or in-house coaching course, are fundamentally built on the theory from writings by famous authors. This isn’t a bad thing, however the information provided should only ever be a guide, never a cut and paste. In 2024 the most popular authors of good business practice are below. Note that at the top is still Covey from 1989.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People written by Stephen R. Covey in 1989. This ‘self-help’ book has influenced decades of leaders, it outlines a principle-centred approach for solving personal and professional problems, emphasising timeless principles of effectiveness and integrity.
Covey then wrote the 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. This book serves as a sequel to the above earlier work and focuses on the importance of finding one’s voice and inspiring others to find theirs in a rapidly changing world.
Principles: Life and Work written by Ray Dalio published in 2017. the book outlines the principles he developed while leading Bridgewater Associates and others insights into decision-making and organisational culture.
Measure What Matters by John Doerr published in 2018. It discusses the goal-setting framework known as Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and includes case studies featuring notable figures like Bono and Bill Gates.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth published in 2016 explores the concept of grit as a key factor in achieving success, emphasising the importance of passion and perseverance over innate talent.
Mindset: Changing The Way You Think To Fulfil Your Potential by Carol Dweck was published in 2017. The book explores the concepts of fixed and growth mindsets, emphasising how these attitudes can influence personal and professional success. Dweck explains why it’s not just our abilities and talent that bring us success-but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn’t foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may actually jeopardise success.
Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice by Timothy Ferriss published in 2017 complies shares the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure book-a compilation of tools, tactics, and habits from the world’s best mentors.