Marcos Moret
How to open up new competitor-free environments (‘Blue Oceans') for your brands. Convincing.
Good intro to the hybrid quality improvement methodology, covering the ‘four keys' - delight your customers with speed and quality; improve your processes; work together for maximum gain; base decisions on data and facts.
Useful in the way it gets you thinking about- and builds understanding of - probability when it comes to the incidence of everything around us and the events that affect us.
Short, easy-to-read book about the telegraph and how it was a bit like the internet of it's day.
Lewis (of Liar's Poker fame) is such a top writer - he makes the business side of a sport I don't even fully understand the rules of (let alone follow) fascinating. It's all about using data to make decisions, rather than relying on human perception and emotions...so topical stuff. Soon to come out as a film, starring Brad Pitt, aparrently(!)
Brilliantly-written, inspiring, full of memorable examples. Can't recommend this enough! (Thanks to Liz Sivell for the recommendation).
All about the factors that have led to some countries and continents doing better than others - full of fascinating insights that answer questions like ‘why weren't European invaders repelled by rhino-riding African shock troops' (the answer in brief - the shape of the African continent, the relative shortage of domesticable African plants, and the fact rhinos can't be domesticated but European horses were). Can't recommend this enough.
One of the best business biographies I've read - up there with Andy Grove, Henry Ford and Sam Walton. And definitely the most honest and heartfelt. Brilliant.
Rich in wisdom and deeply humanistic, Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull is a life-long student of what makes organisations ‘work', and this book is an absolute treasure trove of insights and learnings. Aside from that it's a fascinating behind-the-scenes account that goes a very long way to explain how Pixar so consistently makes such brilliant films. Essential reading for anyone interested in management and innovation.
All about the interconectedness within a system - useful way of looking at how the world around us works.
Some great guidance on using lean principles to optimise the chances of your start-ups success - useful as it can also be applied to startups within large companies.
All about how to make it easier for people to make decisions beneficial to themselves, without telling them what to do. Might sound dull, but lots of applications in everyday life, so an interesting read.
Great, concise biography of the man that discovered the fundamental mechanics of the universe, from the author of the excellent ‘The Information'.
Detailed run-through of the Toyota Production System / the Toyota Way / Lean Production. Full of wisdom, easy to read, some good case studies - definitely recommend this whether you've got production problems or just generally interested in how to get things done more efficiently and effectively.”