Accel5®’s Business Book Summaries of the Month: April 2022

Add these summarized business books from Accel5 to your April reading list.

This month’s collection covers a variety of topics, including diversity, leadership, goal setting, management and more, all briefed to be enjoyed in minutes.

Becoming
Michelle Obama

Summary: Though she may be best known as a two-term First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama has had many successes in her own right. After graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, she worked for a prestigious law firm, served in Chicago’s mayor’s office, and held positions at the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Medical Center. She also led the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an organization that readies young adults for lives in public service and championed many initiatives throughout her time in the White House.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Diversity

Living Beyond “What If?”
Dr. Shirley Davis

Summary: Dr. Shirley Davis, human resources and leadership coach, shares her journey of self-growth and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Dr. Davis contends that what holds us back the most is ourselves — the limiting thoughts that keep us from having the audacity to dream with the freedom we had when we were children. But getting there takes intentional investment, both in our own development and in our network. To progress in your own personal journey, you need to clearly define your goals and the steps it will take to achieve them while weathering the barriers that appear along the way.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Goal Setting & Priorities
• Managing Self
• Resilience

You’re Kind of a Big Deal
Erin King

Summary: What do you do when you stand next to a massive barrier? Some cry from frustration. Many others throw in the towel. Only a few find the drive they need to overcome the tough moments and make their visions a reality. That drive often stems from audacity. In You’re Kind of a Big Deal, Erin King explains that for most women it takes more than confidence, preparation, and hard work to succeed. It takes “big deal energy” to own your vision — and your obstacle  — and come out on top.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Diversity
• Managing Self
• Positive Outlook

Dear White Friend
Melvin J. Gravely, II

Summary: The issue of race in the United States is complicated. In Dear White Friend, Melvin J. Gravely, II presents his thoughts, aspirations for the future, and potential solutions to racial inequity based on his experiences working with White friends and colleagues. Through 19 letters, he offers information, challenges readers’ thinking, and outlines a path forward.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Diversity

The Live Enterprise
Jeff Kavanaugh & Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar

Summary: As companies race to determine the new recipe for success amid the ongoing digital revolution, one key ingredient is clear: the flexibility to adapt quickly and effectively to change. In The Live Enterprise, Jeff Kavanaugh and Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar offer an eight-part model that goes beyond the dynamics of industrial age capitalism’s “invisible hand” and reframes digital age success as a function of an “invisible brain.”

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Continuous Improvement
• Managing Change

Manage to Engage
Pamela Hackett

Summary: No matter what your company’s goals, there’s one indispensable tool for achieving them: people. Without people, plans and solutions are little more than ideas. If you want to maximize your business, you need to maximize your workforce. In Manage to Engage, Pamela Hackett details methods to motivate people and keep them engaged. This guide is for anyone who wants to improve workforce performance by making engagement a foundation of his or her organization.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Managing Others
• Motivating Others

Resilient
Sevetri Wilson

Summary: At the age of 22, Sevetri Wilson transformed her new business with zero capital into a seven-figure enterprise, becoming a rising star among a new generation of entrepreneurs. In Resilient, Wilson shares private journal entries and commentary on her journey to map out a path — from early planning to capital success — for other aspiring entrepreneurs.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Managing Self
• Resilience

The Next Rules of Work
Gary A. Bolles

Summary: In The Next Rules of Work, Gary A. Bolles provides a roadmap for creating a new and better work environment in which people can thrive while incorporating the disruptive technologies pervasive in our culture today. A practical guide for reimagining jobs, solving problems, building teams, and shaping organizational cultures, the book examines new skills, tools, and mindsets needed to create leaders who will build more inclusive, productive, and diverse workplaces. Bolles provides clear strategies and actionable steps for transforming organizations with no human left behind.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Business Acumen
• Managing Change
• Strategic Thinking

Turnaround
Lisa Gable

Summary: In the business world, it’s common for projects, teams, and organizations to run into obstacles and roadblocks that can hinder their performance. Good leaders understand how to confront these situations, however, and get things back on track. In Turnaround, Lisa Gable shares a proven, four-step method for dealing with challenging situations in the workplace.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Leadership
• Managing Others

Work Better Together
Jen Fisher & Anh Phillips

Summary: Research shows that working remotely and relying too much on digital communication has created a loneliness epidemic. In Work Better Together, Jen Fisher and Anh Phillips argue that to combat this problem, you must create a company culture that prioritizes meaningful relationships among coworkers. By cultivating authentic, trust-based teams throughout your company, you’ll improve not only your employees’ productivity but also their happiness and health.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Collaboration
• Managing Others
• Networking & Relationship Building