Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence

By: Erica Dhawan and Saj-Nicole Joni

Connectional Intelligence is the ability to combine knowledge, ambition and human capital, forging connections on a global scale that create unprecedented value and meaning.

The definition may sound complicated but Dhawan and Joni do a beautiful job of giving detailed examples of how Connectional Intelligence is changing the landscape of business, academia, and education.

Connectional Intelligence will eventually be as recognizable as Emotional Intelligence.

The book begins with a story about the world’s largest pumpkin. Need I say more?

Why We Work

By Barry Schwartz

Barry Schwartz can do no wrong in my eyes and I have been a fan of his work for over a decade. In his latest book, Schwartz pushes back on Adam Smith’s original theory of human motivation. The book explores how and why certain people give discretionary effort while others view work as a transaction.

Unlike other business books, Schwartz doesn’t simply highlight what motivates people to be better investment bankers, lawyers, consultants, etc. He looks at a variety of occupations including janitors in order to shed light on the similarities between all workers.

Unfinished Business

By Anne-Marie Slaughter

Her name may sound familiar because she wrote one of the most-read, and most highly debated, stories ever for The Atlantic. In her article “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” she discusses the systemic issues facing women in the workforce. In her new book, Slaughter talks about what individuals and organizations can do to bring equality into the workforce in a way that’s good for people and good for the bottom line.

Notable Mentions:

Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler

Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance