Harvard Business Review Books Essentials

Some of the business books on the planet from a leading publisher and experienced authors – Harvard Business Review is a super-brand in itself. Doitinvest.com is a long-standing review partner of their business books – we started our collaboration in October 2010 (how time flies…). Below our book reviews:

 

HBR 40 – “When More Is Not Better: Overcoming America’s Obsession With Economic Efficiency” by Roger L. Martin

America’s capitalism model, widely adopted around the world, is at risk. Roger L. Martin takes the classical neo-liberal capitalist philosophy and gives it a spin – where is it heading and what can we do to improve our societies?

HBR 39 – “Strategic Analytics – the Insights You Need”

Nowadays it is not enough to have a good strategy – the options around it are so large, that you have to focus it somehow. This is where strategic analytics come into play – leveraging the technology, the latest strategic insights and the new data science experts raising around us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 38 – “Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You” by Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss

Too much accent on creating a comfortable environment for everybody can deliver great results. But what about being really focused on what really matters? Some leaders do just that – find out with what results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 37 – “The Context Marketing Revolution – How To Motivate Buyers in the Age of Infinite Media” by Mathhew Sweezey

We are living in a new marketing paradigm – one where the classical advertising is irrelevant and the new one – looking a lot like self-promotion. How do you put your products or services ahead of the competition’s?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 36 – “HBRs 10 Must Reads – On Negotiation”

You like it or not, you negotiate every day. Harvard Business Review has put together some of their best articles ever published on negotiating, with some very interesting angles covered. My favorite was on negotiating a win-win agreement – something that is rarely achieved in the real-life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 35 – “Out-Innovate – How Global Entrepreneurs from Delhi to Detroit Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley” by Alexandre Lazarow

Silicon Valley is not the only place where innovation springs out – and actually some of the emerging markets are taking the lead. How can you overtake the tech giants without their resources? The answer is simple – “out-innovate” them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 34 – “Emotional Intelligence – Mindfulness”

In a hyper-defocused society, where everything rotates fast, one should try a different approach. Re-focusing on the moment and on what is valuable to those around us will never get old, so becoming a more balanced society should start with focusing on mindfulness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 33 – „Competing in the Age of AI: Strategy and Leadership When Algorithms and Networks Run the World” by Marco Iansiti and Kharim R. Lakhani

AI is not only changing the IT world, but also a lot of business models. Iansiti and Lakhani apply the latest strategic thinking to how the new technologies will revolutionize companies – from operations to market interactions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 32 – „HBR Emotional Intelligence Series – Influence + Persuasion“

Soft vs. formal influence – we are really pushing the limits of persuasion since the beginning of the mankind. Can you leverage insights from various experts? Certainly you can…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 31 – “Think for Yourself – Restoring Common Sense in the Age of Experts and Artificial Intelligence“ by Vikram Manshamarani

We are surrounded by experts and AI systems that tell us what to do, how to do it and when. But is this the right way to go?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 30 – „The Art of Being Indispensable at Work – Win Influence, Beat Overcommitment and Get the Right Things Done“ by Bruce Tulgan

To be or not to be… successful? Do you know that colleague that seems always on top of things? Does not work as much as the others but seems to achieve more? He must have read this book…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 29 – “HBRs 10 Must Reads – On Communication”

Most management gurus agree – if there is something a leader should be good at, it is at communicating. Even better – what do you think about the best 10 articles on communication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 28 – “HBR’s 10 Must Reads – CEOs”

Best articles on the CEO’s priorities and focus points – combed by Harvard Business Review’s editors. Do you want to know why your strategy needs a strategy? How to innovate and elevate in the same time?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 27 – “Blockchain: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review”

The Insights series from HBR take a close look to various hot topics – this one at the blockchain. The technology has still yet to mature – and your organization should keep it on its radar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 26 – „Time Smart – How To Reclaim Your Life And Live A Happier Life“ by Ashley Whilllans

Time management was revisited again and again – yet Ashley Whillans manages to bring new perspectives into it. Stop making poor trade-offs and maximize your happiness factor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 25 – “Fit to Compete – Why Honest Conversations about Your Company’s Capabilities Are the Key to a Winning Strategy” – by Michael Beer

A company can hardly win if politics prevail – or if it is unable to address fast the ugly market truths. Honest flowing feedback is key – but how can you encourage it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 24 – “Parents Who Lead – The Leadership Approach You Need to Parent wih Purpose, Fuel Your Career and Create a Richer Life” by Alyssa F. Westring and Stewart D. Friedman

Before we are managers we are often part of a family – and we grow into our values. What can you learn from your parenting? How can you better and humanly grow your organization?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 23 – “The Real Business of Blockchain – How Leaders Can Create Value in a New Digital Age” by David Furlonger and Christophe Uzureau

One of the best books on the theory and applications of blockchains in business. Powered by Gartner (a leading IT research company) know-how.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 22 – “Doing Agile Right: Transformation Without Chaos” By Darell Rigby, Sarah Elk and Steve Berez

Bain and Co. knows it too well – too many companies migrating to the agile methodology end up doing it poorly and with low motivated employees. The authors dare to show a different path.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 21 – “Bring Your Brain to Work – Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well and Advance Your Career” by Art Markman

One of the best books on self-development, especially when it comes to interviews approaches (as a candidate). Also great stuff about advancing your career after…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 20 – “The Leader You Want to Be” by Amy Jen Su

How will you leave a footprint and a true legacy, without being perceived as over the top? How will your associates remember you? How do you accelerate your leadership?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 19 – “Connected Strategy: Building Continuous Customer Relationships for Competitive Advantage” by Nikolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch

Two Wharton professors on how to hyper-link your strategy pieces to beat any market competitor. Really interesting economics and competition book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 18 – “Nine Lies About Work – A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World” by Markus Buckingam and Ashley Goodall

The common organization’s workplace is filled with myths: we crave feedback, fail to plan is plan to fail etc. The authors did some of the most serious research available on the workplace truths, so give it a shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 17 – ”Reinventing the Organisation” by Arthur Yeung & Dave Ulrich

How to future proof a company in the brave new disrupted world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 16 – “Everyday Chaos – Technology, Complexity and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility ” – by David Weinberger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An exciting story on how the internet got out of hand and yet became an essential part of our lives, by one of its master theorists.

 

HBR 15  – “Master Your Next Move” – by Michael Watkins – going beyond your first 90 days as a sustainable leader.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 14 – “How Finance Works – an MBA Masterclass” – by Mihir Desai – a crash course on modern finance from a Harvard Business School Professor.

 

 

HBR 13 – “Good Charts Workbook” by Scott Berinato – a fascinating journey in the mind, tools and results of a dataviz – and on how to visualize your data.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to become a convincing Dataviz – and thus a more valued member of any organizational team.

 

 

HBR 12 – “Leading Transformation – How to Take Charge of Your Company’s Future” – by Nathan Furr, Kyle Nel and Thomas Zoega Ramsoy

 

 

HBR 11 – “8 Steps to High Performance“ Focus On What You Can Change (Ignore the Rest)” by Marc Effron

 

Do you imagine yourself as a brilliant leader, who always delivers despite the adversities? Then you probably are a great leader – and this is not enough – this book shows you how to go beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 10 – “Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI” – book by Paul Daugherty and H. James Wilson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To paraphrase a famous song – „Are we humans or are we machines“? And how will AI change the future of work? Read on to find out.

 

HBR 9 – Entering StartUpLand“ By Jeffrey Busgang

HBR 8 –  “Prediction Machines – The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence” by Ajay Agraval, Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb

These Rotman School of Management professors gave machine learning and AI a new twist – an economical one. Do you want to know how machine learning will really help out your business? Read on then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HBR 7 – “Six Simple Rules – How to Manage Complexity without Getting Complicated” by Yves Morieux

HBR 6 – “Power Cues – The Subtle Science of Leading Groups” by Nick Morgan

HBR 5 – “The First Mile: A Launch Manual for Getting Great Ideas into the Market”, by Scott Anthony” – by Scott Anthony

HBR 4 – “Big Data at Work” by Thomas Davenport

HBR 3 – “Global Dexterity – Hot to Adapt Your Behaviour across Markets without Losing Yourself in the Process” by Andy Molinski

HBR 2 –  “Project Management for Profit” by Knight, Thomas and Angus – a Book Review

HBR 1 – “Playing to Win – How Strategy Really Works” by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

Other financial and business books worth reading:

“Why I Left Goldman Sachs: A Wall Street Story” by Greg Smith

“Derivatives- Principles and Practice” by Rangarajan K. Sundaram and Sanjiv R. Das

“The Battle of Bretton Woods”, by Benn Steil