Books that most influenced my work in 2023
As I teetered on the edge of breaking my six-year streak of sharing book recommendations, a timely message from a friend expressing anticipation for my annual list spurred me to carry on. So, without further ado, here are the four books, loosely tied to strategy and innovation, that significantly influenced my work in 2023.
“La lumière est dans le livre. Ouvrez le livre tout grand. Laissez-le rayonner, laissez-le faire.” Victor Hugo
Better Business Better Future, by Elisabet Lagerstedt. (link)
I had the privilege of meeting Elisabet at the Strategyzer bootcamp in 2016 and I have been closely following her work ever since. So I was eagerly anticipating the synthesis of her research into a comprehensive book. "Better Business, Better Future" exceeded my expectations.
This book is a must-read for entrepreneurs, senior leaders, board members, and strategists who aspire to integrate sustainability into the core of their business and accelerate the journey toward a better future. Elisabet guides the reader through the sustainability revolution, offering valuable insights from purpose-led sustainability pioneers like Patagonia, Interface, Ørsted, Unilever, IKEA, Oatly, and many others.
I wish every CEO would now use this transformative guide to reshape their approach to business for a more sustainable and impactful future for all of us.
Shortly after the release of her book, Elisabet Lagerstedt introduced an online training program, "The Better Business Acceleration Program," which I also highly recommend. This program not only encapsulates the key ideas from the book but also enhances the learning experience with multimedia assets, links to key articles, and thought-provoking reflection questions. It's a critical resource to help leaders face the business challenges of the 21st century and a true inspiration for action.
“As business leaders, we can go far beyond demonstrating in the streets. We can move capital, minds and action, and cooperate to nudge consumers into making choices that co-create the healthy future that we want and need for our business, humanity and the generations to come—our own children and grandchildren included.” Elisabet Lagerstedt
This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends, by Nicole Perlroth. (link)
This book is a gripping exploration of the world of cyberweapons and the escalating threat of cyber warfare. Nicole Perlroth, a New York Times cybersecurity reporter, takes readers on a journey through the shadowy realm of hackers, espionage, and the global market for zero-day vulnerabilities.
The book provides a chilling account of how governments, intelligence agencies, and criminal organizations exploit software vulnerabilities to launch cyberattacks. Perlroth delves into the vulnerabilities market, where hackers sell information about software weaknesses to the highest bidder.
The narrative exposes the geopolitical implications of cyber weapons, shedding light on the complex landscape of digital warfare and the inadequacies of current cybersecurity measures. As she uncovers the risks and consequences of our interconnected world, Perlroth prompts readers to question the future of digital security and the urgent need for global cooperation to address the evolving threats in cyberspace.
The book was a strong recommendation from my wife Eglantine who, as a Chief Technology Officer, has to deal with regular cybersecurity threats. Her recommendation and the subsequent reading of this book opened my eyes to a world I was dangerously unaware of. While reading this book you'‘re guaranteed to feel the irrepressible urge to change all your passwords…
“And yet here we were, entrusting our entire digital lives—passwords, texts, love letters, banking records, health records, credit cards, sources, and deepest thoughts—to this mystery box, whose inner circuitry most of us would never vet, run by code written in a language most of us will never fully understand.” Nicole Perlroth
21 lessons for the 21st century, by Yuval Noah Harari. (link)
And he’s back on my list once more!
In this book, Yuval Noah Harari explores a spectrum of issues, from artificial intelligence to politics, truth, and resilience. The book serves as a guide for understanding and engaging with the complexities of the 21st century.
Released in 2018, its relevance endures, providing critical perspectives for navigating the ever-evolving landscape of our contemporary era.
Given everything that was going on in 2023 I felt compelled to read it again and I would encourage as many people as possible to do the same…
“So the best advice I can give a fifteen-year-old stuck in an outdated school somewhere in Mexico, India, or Alabama is: don’t rely on the adults too much. Most of them mean well, but they just don’t understand the world. In the past, it was a relatively safe bet to follow the adults, because they knew the world quite well, and the world changed slowly. But the twenty-first century is going to be different. Because of the increasing pace of change, you can never be certain whether what the adults are telling you is timeless wisdom or outdated bias.” Yuval Noah Harari
Le Monde Sans Fin, by Jean-Marc Jancovivi and Christophe Blain. (link)
An intelligent and humour-infused exploration, this comic book (in French), whose subtitle could be "When a Comic Strip Artist Meets a Climate Specialist," delves into the profound changes our planet is undergoing. Climate expert Jean-Marc Jancovici navigates core issues of energy and climate change, weaving in economic, ecological, and societal challenges.
Addressing topics like the relentless pursuit of growth and the intricacies of energy transition, the narrative sparks reflection. This comic book offers essential insights for a better understanding of our world, presenting complex issues in an engaging and accessible format, ideal for those daunted by traditional climate change literature.
The comic book is available in French already and an English version will be released in July 2024.
That’s it for now! Hopefully those books are available at your local library, or easily downloadable on your smartphone/tablet.
What’s next on your reading list?
Happy reading everyone!
