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

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

This month’s collection covers a variety of essentials, including continuous learning, networking, relationship building and more, all briefed to be enjoyed in minutes.

The Power of One More: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Success
Ed Mylett

Summary: Often, all it takes to achieve what you want in life is one more: one more phone call, one more job interview, one more relationship. In The Power of One More, Ed Mylett explains how your willingness to do just one more thing in pursuit of your goals can help you achieve them. Mylett provides easy-to-follow proven principles and strategies for living a One More life.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Goals & Priorities
• Results Driven

Connectable: How Leaders Can Move Teams from Isolated to All In
Ryan Jenkins and Steven Van Cohen

Summary: Today’s global workforce is lonelier than ever before, resulting in disengaged, dissatisfied, and disloyal employees. In Connectable, global leadership speakers and consultants Ryan Jenkins and Steven Van Cohen explore the modern causes of loneliness at work and present strategies leaders can use to reduce loneliness in their teams. A team on a mission is a powerful force, and by using their framework, you can create an environment where people feel valued and able to perform at their best. Cultivating a culture of belonging takes intentional effort, but that effort will pay off for your organization.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Managing Teams
• Networking & Relationship Building
• Communicating Effectively

Larger Than Yourself
Thibault Manekin

Summary: Movements link people together to bridge divides and accomplish remarkable things. In Larger Than Yourself, Thibault Manekin shares powerful stories that show how small ideas can become big movements that change people’s lives for the better. In sharing these stories, he uncovers patterns that act as instructive best practices for bringing a movement to life.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Continuous Learning
• Cross-Cultural Leadership
• Networking & Relationship Building
• Engaging & Motivating Others

Two-Career Families
Harvard Business Review

Summary: If you’re a working parent, and so is your partner, you know that it’s challenging to juggle the priorities of your personal and professional lives. While there’s no single path that will fit every family, best practices do exist that can help you chart a course. Two-Career Families, which is part of the HBR Working Parents series, offers a curated selection of relevant articles from a wide range of experts who offer advice on how to approach your working and parenting life with confidence and intent.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Time Management
• Stress Management
• Adaptability

The Pursuit of Excellence
Ryan Hawk

Summary: While individual success is often measured against the success of others, achieving excellence requires constant measurement of your accomplishments against your own potential. In The Pursuit of Excellence, Ryan Hawk compiles stories and observations from interviews with dozens of successful individuals. He presents a practical guide for changing your mindset to one that drives you to pursue excellence.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Continuous Learning
• Goals & Priorities
• Networking & Relationship Building
• Bias for Action

Uncommon Accountability: A Radical New Approach to Greater Success and Fulfillment
Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

Summary: Accountability is the foundation upon which all personal success is built. In Uncommon Accountability, New York Times best-selling authors and execution experts Brain P. Moran and Michael Lennington explore what it means to be accountable. You’ll learn how to harness accountability to drive growth, learning, and results; shift from an “I have to” mindset to an “I choose to” mindset; and stop managing by negative consequences.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Accountability
• Management Essentials

The Success Factor: Developing the Mindset and Skillset for Peak Business Performance
Ruth Gotian

Summary: In The Success Factor, Ruth Gotian discusses the traits that successful high achievers share and how you can enhance those traits to build a foundation for success. The book explores the styles of adult learning, steps for finding a network of mentors, and methods for continuous learning beyond the classroom.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Continuous Learning
• Goals & Priorities
• Networking & Relationship Building

Emotional Agility
Susan David

Summary: Many of us suffer from emotional rigidity. We find ourselves “hooked” by thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that undermine our confidence and ability to lead productive lives. In her book Emotional Agility, Harvard Medical School psychologist Susan David explains that introducing new actions, “loosening up,” and living with more intention are some of the keys to leading a happy, positive, productive life that supports our well-being and brings about success. Leaning into her own experiences as an executive coach and psychologist, she shares why rigidity comes so easily to us and shows us how to “unhook” from those unhelpful responses as we lead our lives, perform in our work roles, and parent the next generation.

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Emotional Intelligence
• Adaptability
• Resilience

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
Ed Catmull

Summary: Pixar Animation Studios is known for its creativity. With animated movie successes such as Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Cars, and, more recently, Lightyear, the company has formed and refined an artistic, technical, and collaborative process that’s all its own. As the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios and former president of both Pixar Animation and Disney Animation, Academy Award winner Ed Catmull was an integral part of this process. In Creativity, Inc., he shares the magic behind Pixar’s process and explains how we can use it in our own daily work to spark the magic, innovation, collaboration, and creativity we need to thrive as leaders, contributors, and solo performers

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Creativity
• Innovation

Start with Why
Simon Sinek

Summary: In every industry, there are people who lead, manage, innovate, and envision better than the leaders around them. We’ve seen these leaders show up throughout history, as we did with Wilbur and Orville Wright and Martin Luther King Jr. We’ve also spotted them in recent years, as we did with Steve Jobs, Air Force General Lori Robinson, and other leaders who’ve created, marketed, and led people in inspiring ways, all while being rewarded with loyalty, followership, and higher levels of profitability in the companies they serve. These leaders excelled by all measures for one simple reason: they started with why. Best-selling author and popular TED talk speaker Simon Sinek explains that people won’t buy into our products or messaging until they understand the why behind them. He goes on to say that the why must serve as the framework for how we create new ideas, inspire action, and foster loyalty in this era. He challenges us to create lasting success by using his framework and remembering to ask the simple question, “why?”

For those looking to improve upon these competencies:

• Leadership Essentials
• Customer Focus
• Influencing Others