Tag: management

Simon Sinek “Leaders Eat Last”

1 comment

The book Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek initially caught my attention because of its title. It immediately sparks different images in your mind, and you start imagining what the author meant by such a title… so it was worth reading to find out.

I read it almost in one go and took more notes than with any other book I’ve read. However, I struggled for a long time to decide what rating to give the book, as well as what I really liked and what still needs further thought. That’s why I’m writing this review three weeks after finishing the book.

The book is about what it means to be a leader and what the right company culture should look like.

Read more

Richard Rumelt “Good Strategy, Bad Strategy”

2 comments

Some books come into your life at just the right time. I first noticed Richard Rumelt’s Good Strategy, Bad Strategy a few years ago and bought it immediately. I didn’t get around to reading it right away, but once I started, it suddenly became very popular among my colleagues, which gave me the chance to discuss various points with them.

A year passed, my thoughts settled, and I realized that the book was so good that it deserved a more thoughtful re-read. So that’s what I did this time.

So what is this book about, and why did I read it twice in roughly a year and a half?

Read more

Roman Pichler “Agile Product Management with Scrum. Creating Products that Customers Love”

No comments

The book Product Management with Scrum by Roman Pichler was recommended to me by some great colleagues with the comment, “it’s clear and to the point.” It’s hard to disagree with that assessment, but my expectations, based on such a recommendation, didn’t quite match the book’s content.

No, it’s not that the ideas or methods described in the book are wrong—everything is fine in that regard. However, I’m left wondering who the target audience is. Who exactly is this book for?

The book’s main goal is to explain Scrum from the perspective of the role of the Product Owner. It begins by describing who the Product Owner is, then goes on to detail what is expected from them at different stages of working on a product using the Scrum methodology.

Read more

Erin Mayer “The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business”

3 comments
519hd9dyIKL

Let’s consider an example: an employee (French) and her boss (American) are discussing her work performance. The employee leaves the conversation feeling inspired—she’s exceeding expectations, and she is one of the best. Meanwhile, the boss is left puzzled—he’s tried every way possible to point out how many issues there are in her work, her behavior is inappropriate, but she seems to be ignoring everything he’s said. Think this couldn’t happen? Oh, it certainly can! They’re both acting and interpreting each other based on the cultural codes they absorbed growing up.

I would’ve been just as puzzled myself if I hadn’t interacted with people from all over the world at work. I’ve seen and experienced situations like this firsthand. Knowing just a common language isn’t enough because your personal experiences and cultural background unconsciously shape your behavior, and you evaluate others through the lens of your own cultural perspective.

Read more

Maxim Dorofeev “Jedi Techniques: How to Tame Your Monkey, Empty Your Inbox, and Save Mental Fuel”

1 comment

Max Dorofeev’s training on the “empty inbox” technique has recently become very popular among many of my colleagues and in the IT sphere overall. Probably because many of us are familiar with the feeling of having too many emails, too many tasks, with everyone working at full speed, yet the workload only seems to increase. At some point, many realize that things can’t continue like this.

This leads to a frantic search for books on self-organization, time management, and various “silver bullet” methods that promise to solve everything.

Before writing his book, Max Dorofeev successfully toured with his training sessions and also conducted webinars on the same topic. I participated in one of them myself, but I was curious to see what he compiled under the cover of the book.

Read more

Robert Sutton “The No Asshole Rule”

1 comment

The book is quite interesting. First, the author isn’t afraid to call things by their real names, without falling into political correctness. Second, through several examples, he shows why having assholes in a company is harmful.

The essence of the book is almost fully captured in its title: just don’t work with assholes. In the first few chapters, it seemed like there wouldn’t be much more than examples of why it’s bad to work with them. Yes, there’s a fair amount of fluff, but there are still valuable insights.

The author breaks down what makes a “certified asshole” in his view. This helps apply the criteria to anyone, making it easier to understand how bad a person can be for business and personal well-being.

Read more

Dawn-Michelle Baude “The Executive Guide to E-mail Correspondence”

No comments

The book provides very valuable advice on writing business letters in general, not just in English. It thoroughly covers aspects such as the structure of a letter, the order in which information is presented, key points of emphasis, and more. English adds its own nuances, which the author addresses separately (as the book focuses specifically on correspondence in English).

The content is divided into thematic chapters with examples, and each is broken down almost paragraph by paragraph. I initially started reading the e-book version but soon realized that this is the kind of book you need to have as a reference on your desk. This way, you can refer to it when necessary and compose a letter with recommendations tailored to a specific situation or topic. It serves as a kind of cheat sheet.

I recommend it to anyone whose job involves a lot of business correspondence. It’s definitely worth getting the paper version and keeping it handy on your desk.

My rating: 5/5

Igor Mann, Renat Shagabutdinov “A Business Hack for Every Day”

No comments

The book is interesting because it brings together a variety of small, useful tips from different areas of everyday work that are relevant to almost anyone. Nearly all of the content can be found independently by reading books or watching video tutorials. However, the value lies in the concise presentation: everything is collected in one place and in a single book.

The material is conveniently divided into sections, and some may be less interesting to the reader if they don’t pertain to their field (for example, tips on marketing or big data, which are quite specific). Others are more universally applicable. If something piques your interest, the authors generously provide resources where you can learn more.

I didn’t find any groundbreaking revelations for myself, but some of the tips helped me look at tricks I already use from a different perspective, showing how they could be improved.

The book is easy and quick to read, so I can recommend it. No one is saying you have to do things exactly as suggested, but if you find something useful, the benefit will be undeniable.

Book: Howard Behar “It’s Not About the Coffee: Lessons on Putting People First from a Life at Starbucks”

No comments

The book doesn’t so much explain Starbucks’ corporate culture as it repeatedly emphasizes just a couple of fundamental principles of Starbucks. The author hardly delves into how this culture is built or instilled in employees (referred to as partners in the company’s culture).

Additionally, the book doesn’t feel like a cohesive work. The chapters are barely connected, and at times, they essentially repeat the same ideas but with slightly different wording.

I would say it feels more like the author’s personal journal, where he meticulously records his thoughts, often referencing other authors he constantly cites. If you approach the book from that perspective—as the thoughts of a Starbucks top executive—then it does contain interesting insights into building one’s work and relationships with employees and customers.

Igor Ryzov “The Kremlin School of Negotiation”

No comments

I have very mixed feelings about this book, both during the reading and after finishing it. On the one hand, there are many interesting insights worth considering. On the other hand, much of the material felt quite superficial and unlikely to truly help someone become a better negotiator just by reading this book. This becomes especially apparent when you compare it to other negotiation training resources. Even the appendix at the end—on national negotiation traits—seems questionable: my personal experience working with colleagues from various countries suggests that things aren’t as simple or clear-cut as the author presents them.

Do I recommend reading this book? Yes. Will it genuinely help as a training tool? In some aspects—yes, but not significantly.

My rating: 3/5