Book recommendations for an inspiring business year
1. “Our Iceberg is Melting”
Book recommendation by Nicolas Maréchal, Head of Content
How can you and your team overcome seemingly major obstacles and do all of that using clever tactics? The book “Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Circumstances” by John Kotter is about a penguin colony that is in danger and has to quickly rethink things in order to survive.
“I really liked reading this book because it’s original and easy to read. It looks at the ways we deal with change – but told in an entertaining way using the story of a penguin,” says Nicolas Maréchal, Head of Content at OpenUp. “The book describes the obstacles and different personalities you may come across when introducing a necessary change at a company.”
2. “The Culture Map”
Book recommendation by Gijs Groeneveld, CPO
Germans are used to hierarchical structures, but in Scandinavia everyone wants to have a say. Americans prefer to sugar-coat even negative feedback and the Dutch are (almost rudely!) direct. Working in an international organisation can be challenging. Comments aren’t always taken as they’re intended. That’s why Gijs Groeneveld, CPO at OpenUp, recommends the book “The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Culture” by Erin Meyer. It helps you to understand and manage cultural differences, not just at work, but also in your private life.
3. “The Fearless Organization”
Book recommendation by Rik Plender, COO
In order to remain competitive, many organisations invest in talent that is supposed to increase performance. However, it’s often more comfortable to acclimatise and just go along with things than it is to remain innovative and look for new solutions. The book “The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth” by Amy C. Edmundson is about how leaders can create an open corporate culture that thrives on freedom of expression and promoting ideas. “Through reading this book, I learned more about how to create an environment of trust, give the support and be the leader that our teams need,” says Rik Plender, COO at OpenUp.