Summer Must-Reads for Leaders: Maryland Smith Experts

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University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

Jun 13, 2019, 07:45 ET

COLLEGE PARK, Md., June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business' 16th annual Summer Reading List for Business Leaders gives titles recommended by Maryland Smith faculty and staff. The 2019 edition covers history, politics, leadership and even strategies for staying focused in a volatile, fast-paced world.

Deep Work by Cal Newport "provides great frameworks and strategies for staying focused, being productive and maintaining a healthy balance of mind as one works to achieve personal and professional goals." –Rajshree Agarwal, Rudolph P. Lamone Chair and Professor in Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Grant by Ron Chernow ... "Ulysses S. Grant, somehow gets overshadowed by Lincoln. But in the wake of the Civil War, he carried Lincoln's vision forward and made it happen. It's a tome, more than 1,000 pages long, but worth it." –Henry C. Boyd III, clinical professor of marketing

Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World by Michele Gelfand "provides an excellent overview of how cultural differences shape organizational, leader and employee effectiveness." –Gilad Chen, Robert H. Smith Chair in Organizational Behavior and editor of the Journal of Applied Psychology

The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham "is a wonderful history book that I highly recommend. It offers great context for today's challenges." –Patricia Cleveland, management lecturer

Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen "[who] dig into the various triggers we experience to help us make use of all the imperfect feedback we receive. Feedback is a little like the misshapen fruits you might buy at the farmer's market – imperfect, a little beat-up, but still nourishing." –Nicole M. Coomber, associate clinical professor of management

Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right by Mary Gentile "adds a very important dimension to addressing the ethical problems we see in business and in the world … Gentile has ideas on how we can speak up and influence people to do the right thing, without preaching or lecturing, and change the world along the way." —Judy K. Frels, assistant dean of online programs, and clinical professor of marketing

Be Fearless by Jean Case (who spoke to Maryland Smith students through the school's Ladies First Initiative), "would be a good fit for any 'Terp,' particularly those considering taking the entrepreneurial plunge." –Sara Herald associate director of social entrepreneurship at the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship and Holly DeArmond, adjunct management professor and Dingman Center managing director

Reach Out: The Simple Strategy You Need to Expand Your Network and Increase Your Influence by Molly Beck "is practical and empowering and offers people in all positions simple and effective strategies for using social media and other digital tools to build relationships, make new connections and simply know more people." –Kim Robertella Glinka, director, Center for Social Value Creation

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life … And Maybe the World by William H. McRaven ... "I make my kids read it. Certain parts of the book gave me goosebumps (especially the parachute incident), but I would read it again and again to refresh the simple lessons that we all strive to keep." –Rebecca Hann, associate professor and KPMG Term Professor, accounting and information assurance

The Second Circle: Using Positive Energy for Success in Every Situation by Patsy Rodenburg "encapsulates storytelling, presence, public speaking and mindfulness. The author is a British voice coach and theatre director. Full of practical tips and exercises, this fascinating must-read will help build confidence, increase your awareness and foster deeper connections in your personal and professional relationships." –Tricia Homer, director of business communication and master's programs lecturer

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark … "This book, instead of hyping up AI and what it can do, etc., examines what it means to be human – how can we reduce inequality though AI technology, how can we advise students what jobs will be more important, how AI will affect privacy and security, and what it means for the arms race, and so on. I may not agree with all the scenarios painted, but to the author's credit, he keeps the discussion grounded in reality and really makes the readers think." –P.K. Kannan, Dean's Chair in Marketing Science

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle, "who recently passed away and is considered the father of index funds, was the founder and CEO of financial giant Vanguard Group. Warren Buffett strongly recommends this book. And I strongly recommend this book." –David Kass, clinical professor of finance

A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell "relates the story of Virginia Hall, who served as a spy for Britain and the United States during World War II. She fought for the liberation of France. She was a remarkable woman whose persistence was honed early on by her battles against low gender expectations and later on by her disability – she had a wooden leg. After the war, Hall worked for the CIA." –Elinda F. Kiss, associate clinical professor, finance

The Mueller Report by the U.S. Department of Justice "really has two reports … They're not heavily redacted and they lay out stuff in very clear English ... Everyone is going to be talking about it over the summer. And so far, I've found the discussion on TV and in the newspapers to be pretty uninformative … It's written in a very unbiased way, so you can draw your conclusions one way or draw your conclusions the other." –Albert "Pete" Kyle, Charles E. Smith Chair in Finance

Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life by Susan David "recognizes the vital importance negative emotions have in our lives, often serving as triggers toward action and change, while simultaneously recognizing their damaging potential. So what to do in the light of this paradox? Emotional agility is the answer. In her inspiring and well-researched work, David provides a series of practical steps allowing readers to get unstuck from their negative emotional patterns, reframe their emotions in a productive way, and commit to making emotional well-being a part of daily deliberate practice." –Gosia A. Langa-Basit, lecturer, management & organization

Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt
by Arthur C. Brooks "[a musician, scholar and outgoing president of the American Enterprise Institute] who opines that 'contempt' is 'anger mixed with disgust.' Political discourse in today's America often devolves into contempt. We do not simply disagree with people, we hold them in complete disdain. Brooks calls on people to replace the culture of contempt with the culture of warmheartedness, which he believes will help us disagree better and strengthen the country in the process." –William Longbrake, executive-in-residence (finance)

Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior by Jonah Berger "[reveals how] people often underestimate the value of soft influence. It's not always about presenting the most convincing analytical argument or enforcing a hierarchical pecking order. Oftentimes, one can affect the behavior of others using soft influence, or what Jonah calls 'invisible influence.' Invisible influence can be very powerful when interacting with customers or when leading a team." –Wendy W. Moe, associate dean of master's programs and Dean's Professor of Marketing

Innovation and Scaling for Impact by Christian Seelos and Johanna Mair "addresses how to balance innovation and scaling. With focus on the social sector, the insights shared by the authors are relevant to any organization aiming for impact. It's an ambitious study that answers some important questions through in-depth case studies of four organizations in India and Bangladesh." –Paulo Prochno, clinical professor of management

The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public by Lynn Stout "is essential reading for anyone interested in business and making capitalism work for all. Stout compellingly takes apart the myth that the duty of a corporation is to increase shareholder value and puts forth the legal reality that firms must be managed in the best interests of all of their constituents. This is a brief but critically important book for those who care about the future of democratic capitalism." –Rachelle Sampson, associate professor of business and public policy

Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler's Defeat by Giles Milton … "Being a World War II aficionado, I love to read about the ingenuity and creativity that people display under extreme situations. This is the amazing true story of the people who thought way too far outside any boxes." –Oliver Schlake, clinical professor of management

Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation by Gary Shapiro "is an essential read for college students who strive to remain relevant in the rapidly changing global economic environment. Shapiro explains how global trends and innovative technologies are transforming business and society and urges individuals to embrace the mentality of feudal Japan's secretive and efficient ninja warriors … Ninja business is about living by the motto "innovate or die!" –Mark Wellman, clinical professor, management & organization

Visit Smith Brain Trust for related content at http://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/faculty-research/smithbraintrust and follow on Twitter @SmithBrainTrust.

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, specialty masters, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

Contact: Greg Muraski at [email protected]

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