Wonders Untold

A blog about life, arts and culture

Of life, arts and culture.

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Questions at the heart of leadership today

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For my end of year retreat, I’ll be reading Leading in a Non-Linear World, by Jean Gomes.

This book poses some of the questions that will become increasingly important in the years ahead. Here are a few of them:

  • “Can we keep working longer and more continuously?”
  • “How will artificial intelligence (AI) or automation change career paths?”
  • “How will a workforce of four very different generations, skill sets, and values synergise, and what does that mean for the future?”
  • “What if decade-old assumptions about the sustainability of our global economic system no longer hold true?”

There are no easy answers to these questions, and a lot will have to do with how we lead. First, how we lead ourselves – for example, what conscious efforts we make in cultivating a mindset that would be of much benefit to us. Also, how we lead our organisations and our communities.

Looking forward to reading this book.

Quiet, by Susan Cain

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Recently been re-reading Quiet.

I first read it several years ago. So many new insights I’m picking up this time.

Of course, re-reading a book often provides new revelations. In the case of Quiet, I think it’s due to increased self-awareness. Some things I glossed over in the past have now taken on much significance. Perhaps it’s because, thanks to increased self-knowledge, some things have become clearer. Or maybe new life experiences have sparked recognition in old places.

Whatever the reason, this book is coming alive in different ways. I still identify with much of what I read before, but these new revelations are precious as well.

I’m sure I will discover more insights when I re-read this book again, a few years down the road. To me, that’s the hallmark of a great book – new treasures every time, something new to marvel at, something new to learn.

Reading list – August 2022

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Here’s what I’m reading during August:

The Pyramid of Lies, by Duncan Mavin. This is the story of Lex Greensill, and the collapse of the eponymous bank. The Greensill scandal shook the UK finance industry, and dented the reputation of a former British Prime Minister. So how were things allowed to get so out of hand? Duncan Mavin does a great research job here, and he is an easy storyteller. A good read.

Plus two books I carried over from last month:

  • The Nowhere Office, by Julia Hobsbawm. An interesting book about the new culture of remote working. Great book for managers of organisations as they lead their staff through a massive culture shift.

Reading list – July 2022

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Here’s my reading list for the month:

  • The Nowhere Office – Reinventing Work and the Workplace of the Future, by Julia Hobsbawm;
  • The Complete Whisky Course: a Comprehensive Tasting School in Ten Classes, by Robin Robinson;
  • Four Thousand Weeks, by Oliver Burkeman.