Best books of 2007

In a last retrospective blog to 2007, we look back at the best books being published. For starters, let's take a look at the book that want to help innovating your business. My two choices in this category are:
- "Hidden in plain sight" by Erich Joachimsthaler, a book that describes how you can shape growth by shifting your attention from competitive advantage to customer advantage. Most organisations still focus on products instead of thinking how these products 'fit' into the daily lives of their customers. The book starts with investigating demand, then follows scoping the opportunity and lastly a strategic blueprint for action is described.
- "Get there Early" by Bob Johansen (Institute for the Future). This books describes how organisations can use forecasting based on the cycle foresight leads to insight leads to needed action. The author states that organisations must learn continuously in the current VUCA-world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity). A recommended read with a brilliant book jacket that contains the ten year forecast of the Institute of the Future.

Each year a large amount of 'general' management books are being written. A lot of them are interesting, but only some stand out. I selected three that together form a powerful combination:
- "The Future of Management" by Gary Hamel is the MUST-READ of the year. The profession of management needs an update. Period. (More thoughts in a next post).
- "Mobilizing Minds" by Lowell Bryan and Claudia Joyce. Hamel describes how organisational structure will change and this book fits in perfectly by telling the talent story. To grow, organisations need talent and the organisational structures of the past decade will hinder the potential of talent. This book describes the steps that organisations can take to profit from the talent and knowledge potential.
- "Wikinomics" by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams. Perhaps a boring choice, the book appears in all lists, certainly a fair situation. It is an original book that synthesizes many ideas into a coherent story about mass collaboration. Always remember that there are more brains outside than inside the organisation. Use them!