Future Work/Life is a weekly newsletter that casts a positive eye to the future. I bring you interesting stories and articles, analyse industry trends and offer tips on designing a better work/life. If you enjoy reading it, please share it!
Wow, what happened to September?! It has disappeared in a flash.
It's been great to hear how so many businesses have responded positively to the challenge to develop a strategy for flexible and hybrid work. It's not universal, of course, and for those struggling, I'd suggest starting by reading my last newsletter and then getting in touch with me via my website – futureworklife.com.
I've been too busy to start the fifth series of my podcast, Take My Advice (I'm Not Using It), but I'm excited about launching it in October. Some brilliant guests will be joining me to discuss themes like peak performance, side hustles, how emerging technologies will shape work in the future, and the power of behavioural science on how we design our work/lives.
As ever, the guest list is inspired by my reading, and as I know so many Future Work/Life subscribers like a good book recommendation, today I'm going to share ten of the best that I’ve read since I last shared a list in February. Most of the authors have either appeared on the show or will be featuring during the forthcoming series.
Right, after a two-year absence, I'm back in Ibiza, so with that, I'll return to the pool and see you back here in a couple of weeks.
Until then, happy reading.
Ollie
8 Steps to High Performance: Focus On What You Can Change (Ignore the Rest) by Marc Effron
You know that thing you've heard about a growth mindset? Well, it's not true. As Marc Effron reminds us in his excellently succinct and to-the-point book, the 'growth mindset' idea is neat but unproven. Instead, he advises focusing on tried, tested, and practical techniques that lead to consistent and sustained results - when combined with hard work, of course. You'll be familiar with some of these – setting big goals, building networks, avoiding distractions – but some either present something unexpected – why high performance occasionally requires faking it, for example – or offer a new take – the importance of sleep and the 70/20/10 rule.
Exponential: How To Bridge The Gap Between Technology and Society by Azeem Azhar
If you heard Azeem on the podcast in May or are an Exponential View subscriber, you know how thoughtful he is on the future impact of technology on our lives. In the book, he explains how a gap between the power of new technology and humans' ability to keep up explains some of the world's most pressing problems, ranging from the gulf between established businesses and fast-growing digital platforms to the inability of nation-states to deal with new forms of cyberwarfare. He also offers ideas on how to flip this around and harness the power of tech to serve our fundamental needs - fostering new ways of doing business, innovative forms of politics, and fresh approaches to national defence.
Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought A.I. to Google, Facebook, and the World by Cade Metz
Cade Metz has been reporting on the comings and goings of Silicon Valley for decades. In this history of artificial intelligence, he shares how the scientific community confined it to the fringes for so long before it became one of the most significant technological developments of our age. In the process, the author tells the human story of the people responsible for ensuring it crossed into the mainstream and became an international battleground between the largest companies in the world. He also discusses where A.I. will take us next and whether systems with genuinely human intelligence are on the horizon.
How To Make The World Add Up: Ten Rules For Thinking Differently About Numbers by Tim Harford
Tim Harford, or the Undercover Economist as you might know him, used his lockdown period last year wisely, creating a book about the power of numbers and the effect they can have on our decision-making – for better or worse. He shares ten rules with us, drawing on many of the fascinating stories he covers in his Cautionary Tales podcast. These include the importance of searching your feelings, avoiding premature enumeration, getting the back story before making your judgement, demanding transparency when the computer says '‘o'‘ and not taking statistical bedrocks for granted. His golden rule is one that II'mcertainly on board with: stay curious.
Side Hustle in Progress: A Practical Guide to Kickstarting Your Business by Elizabeth Ogabi
Liz is the founder of For Working Ladies, a digital media platform focused on equipping women with the information and tools they need to start a successful business. She'salso the host of How I Made It Happen, a podcast focused on sharing advice from women who are entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders. The book is a practical handbook for those of you looking to pursue that idea yyou'vebeen sitting on for too long. IIt'sfull of ideas on getting started, how to build a support network, and case studies from female founders who have been through the process and thrived.
Tarzan Economics: Eight Principles for Pivoting Through Disruption by Will Page
Will Page entered the music industry in the mid-2000s when piracy was ravaging the established business model. Written after leaving his role as Chief Economist at Spotify, the book shares his experience of what it took to turn that existential threat into an opportunity for innovation. Will examines the eight principles that companies in any sector can apply when facing this kind of disruption. Among them are spotting major technological and societal shifts, identifying your strengths as a business, and being prepared to rebuild entire organisations and business models to take advantage of where the two overlap. Listen to our podcast chat HERE.
The A.I. First Company: How to Compete and Win with Artificial Intelligence by Ash Fontana
If only a book could tell you how to implement artificial intelligence into your business successfully. Well, that was precisely the aim of Ash Fontana, tech founder and venture capitalist, drawing on his extensive experience of growing and investing in some of the most forward-thinking companies. HHe'screated a practical playbook that will help you identify the data you need, how to create teams that can build A.I. capabilities while integrating them into your existing process, as well as effectively measuring and communicating its effectiveness. If yyou'restruggling to know where to start, pick up a copy.
The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Fix It by Jennifer Moss
Jen and I had a fascinating chat about burnout, amongst other things, on the podcast in March. Sadly, burnout has been one of the top talking points among businesses II'vespoken to over the past 18 months. Of course, another way to look at it is that open conversations are the first step towards solving any issue. For those of you who want to reduce the risk of burnout in your team, yyou'llfind the book offers various practical strategies and tactics. By stepping back from the day-to-day challenges, it shares what leaders can do to develop a healthier culture that prioritises resilience and curiosity. I’ve been looking forward to reading Jen’s book all year and whizzed through it in less than two days, which is always a good sign.
According to Naomi Shragai, a business psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience, we replay and re-enact conflicts, dynamics, and relationships from our past every working day. she's. By posing some challenging questions and sharing intimate stories from people who have struggled and overcome these issues, she's hoping to help us tackle the most prevalent issues - from imposter syndrome and fear of conflict to perfectionism and anxiety.
Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want by Grace Lordan
You know I love a bit of behavioural science, and in this book, you'll find an evidence-based approach to designing your work and personal life. Dr Gracyou'vean is the Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative at the LSE and advised the government on skills and productivity. If you've struggled to build positive habits and have been unsuccessful when developing goals, then Think Big should help. Focusing on six key areas - your time, goal planning, self-narratives, other people, your environment, and resilience – it offers actionable insights and tips that build on the idea of ongoing and incremental changes to your behaviour.