The end of the year signals the time for annual Best of Business Books lists compiled by various business and literary publications. With so many titles being published on an annual basis, these lists are helpful in narrowing down which books are worth a professional’s valuable time to read. Within the list of honored business titles, which ones might be of special interest to procurement? Here are a few selected titles chosen for Procurement to consider.
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future, by Kevin Kelly. This book made the Bloomberg and strategy&business-Innovation lists. It covers the 12 technological imperatives that will shape and completely revolutionize the way we buy, work, learn, and communicate with each other in the next 30 years.
Insight: Why We’re Not as Self-Aware as We Think, and How Seeing Ourselves Clearly Helps Us Succeed at Work and in Life , by Tasha Eurich. Being self-aware, and knowing who we are and how others see us, is an important skill to master for thriving in the workplace and in lasting relationships. Ms. Eurich points out that most people don’t see themselves quite as clearly as they could and self-awareness is a surprisingly developable skill. It is included in the strategy+business-Management list.
Principles: Life and Work, by Ray Dalio. This book was Amazon’s pick for the best business and leadership book of the year. It also made CNBC’s list as is a New York Times Bestseller. The lessons in this book are built around Dalio’s cornerstones of “radical truth” and “radical transparency,” and show effective ways for individuals and organizations to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams.
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, by Chip and Dan Heath. Another thought-provoking work by the Heath brothers, this book explores why certain brief experiences are memorable and can change us and how we can learn to create extraordinary moments in our life and work. It made the Inc. Magazine list.
Reimagining Work: Strategies to Disrupt Talent, Lead Change, and Win with a Flexible Workforce, by Rob Biederman and Patrick Petitti. Reimagining Work is a guide to thriving in the new on-demand economy as the skilled workforce demands flexibility and more control over their work. This book shows how companies can restructure current strategies by offering what top talent demands. One step is to reconsider current talent sourcing strategies. This book made the Forbes list.
Thank you for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations, by Thomas Friedman. Understanding that the planet’s three largest forces―Moore’s law (technology), the Market (globalization), and Mother Nature (climate change and biodiversity loss) – are accelerating all at once and are transforming five key realms: the workplace, politics, geopolitics, ethics, and community is the basis of Friedman’s latest book. It made the Bloomberg, and Kirkus Review lists.
Lists cited:
“Best Business and Leadership Books of 2017.” Amazon.com, accessed December 5, 2017
“Best Business Books 2017.” strategy + business. November 7, 2017. https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Best-Business-Books-2017
Buchanan, Leigh. “10 Brilliant Business Books of 2017.” Inc. magazine. December 5, 2017. https://www.inc.com/leigh-buchanan/best-books-2017.html
Clifford, Catherine. “13 of the Best Business Books of 2017.” CNBC.com. November, 9, 2017. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/09/the-best-business-books-of-2017.html
Gibbons, Kelly. “What Seven of the Best Business Books of 2017 Taught Us This Year.” Forbes.com. November 28, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2017/11/28/what-seven-of-the-best-business-books-of-2017-taught-us-this-year/#58ff15d2575b
Verhage, Julie. “The Best Books of 2017.” Bloomberg.com. December 5, 2017. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2017-best-books/
