Ariel Halevi

If anything, this is a good book for testing your traditional paradigms on management and human resources. I confess that I found some of her insights and recommendations too definitive and binary, and yet, some key ideas in this book really grabbed my attention: (a) the radical operational freedom from the traditionally heavy authoritarianism of senior management and generally hierarchical organization, which she propanes; (b) the unapologetic rejection of trending approaches to employee satisfaction and HR success metrics; and the insistence on open, direct and candid communication. I found all of these ideas to be refreshing and even inspirational. If you are aspiring to succeed in a leadership position, I believe this book should be part of your education - regardless of how many of her ideas you decide to adopt.

Aside from the glamour of getting an inside view of one of the worlds most successful companies, this book contains powerful insights and statistics on hiring - as a process as well as a ultra-strategic area of focus (which sadly too many organizations today still ignore or under appreciate). It’s also a very interesting read around issues around employee recognition and compensation and generally how to manage expectations in a way that drives happiness and productivity. Although my professional focus in the world of HR hardly ever touches on the art and science of talent acquisition and employee assessment, I found myself making bookmarks in the book every few pages. Like with Patty McCord’s book (“Powerful”), here too I found an intriguing approach to the area of employee training and development which I must confess was not easy for me given by professional background as a founder of a training and consulting firm. If anything, learning about Google is a must in today’s day and age, whether from this book or others. A valuable read.

Like many, I am a fan of Yuval Noah Harari. His book, SAPIENS had a material influence on my own work and understanding of the models and methodologies I teach in the fields of interpersonal communication, persuasion and influence without authority. He (along with thought leaders such as Ray Kurzweil, Sam Harris and others I reference on this site) has been influencing my general focus over the past few years, looking beyond today and tomorrow and into an unknown yet eminent future - trying to figure out how to do that which has enabled us to prosper on this planet as a species: anticipate and adapt. A worthy read.

Humanity has entered into a new age. The exponential age. Linear progress will not due in this age of hyper rapid change. We can no longer simply try to out work our targets. The world is moving too fast for that. We must outsmart our targets, by adopting exponential managerial and operational guidelines - such that are so clearly presented in this wonderful book. It has dramatically shaped my approach to management and decision making in my own company as well as with those I whom I consult.

Aside from being a remarkable macro historical book, what I find so interesting is what it can teach us about many of the interpersonal communication related challenges we face today, in the 21st century. My interest is especially how this affects communication and interface management within and between large enterprises that: a) rely heavily on virtual teams and remote interactions b) span multiple time zones and c) deal with cross cultural gaps. This book provides a very interesting insight into the tremendous gap that exists between our physical and psychological evolution and the tragic price we pay for this gap in the form of diminished trust between people - resulting in limited to no collaboration, chronic escalations and overall burnout. Our "Small Talk? How about BIG Talk!" is based very much on insights from this book.

You don't have to be an animation lover to enjoy this book. What I loved about it were the powerful insights about effective management - especially one that wants to cultivate a powerfully productive culture of creativity and innovation. Another wonderful aspect of this book is the exposure to the incredible emotional rollercoaster the founders went through on their long path to greatness. It's easy to look at the successful outcomes of great companies and individuals and think "it just happened" or was relatively easy. It rarely is! Seeing the difficulties they went through... their failures and continuing uncertainty offers consolation and stands to strengthen any entrepreneur's resolve to stay the course.

The most enjoyable and enlightening book about leadership and decision making that I have had the pleasure of reading. In the story of Lincoln's life and assent to Presidency we discover that while the world seems to be changing at an historically unprecedented rate, some things (human nature) have not changed since the days of this great man and are almost as constant as gravity itself. A powerful book about decision making, team building, overcoming ego and the tragic tradeoff between personal well being and the pursuit of impact and greatness

A must read for any "corporate citizen". Large enterprises used to have the benefit of size. Now, in this rapidly changing world with disruptive innovation coming from every direction and originating from ultra small players who are nimble and fast, size has become a liability. If you wish to help your company find a way to disrupt itself in a way that will help is survive this new exponential era - read this book.

What will our world likely be like in 30 years? How will technological advances such as automation, artificial intelligence and IOT affect the conditions of our existence? As with the book Exponential Organizations, I find this book to be an important read for senior decision makers who's job it is to think beyond the next project or this year's business and operational results. Whether you're an executive in a large enterprise (NGO or even a large fund) or an early stage entrepreneur - the idea is to shape your reality today in preparation for the expected reality tomorrow and this book offers an interesting forecast.

This great Handbook explores the surprising fact that debunking myths can sometimes reinforce the myth in peoples' minds. Communicators need to be aware of the various backfire effects and how to avoid them. 

In a way, many of us know this deep in our gut - but reading this article really brings the idea home. Truth is important. Fact and evidence driven decision making is something worth aspiring to. But understanding human nature and how our brain works is just as important. Especially if you're interested in enhancing your persuasion skills and overall ability to influence without authority. An important read that I often recall every now and again - especially in times of growing frustration - when trying to get a point across and hitting a wall.