Embrace Nordic Wisdom: Three Books to Transform Your Leadership

This week, we delve into the fascinating world of Nordic ideology. I have three exceptional books to recommend that will stimulate your head, touch your heart, and engage your hands. Let’s explore these transformative reads together.

For Your Heart: The Listening Society by Hanzi Freinacht

Our journey begins with a book for your heart, The Listening Society by Hanzi Freinacht. This book is an inspirational, aspirational, profound, and extensive dive into how we can transform our society through more empathetic and caring politics and economics.

Freinacht presents a rigorous intellectual exploration, envisioning a society that surpasses the conventional welfare system by understanding human and adult developmental stages. He argues that these developmental models are essential for comprehending complexity and fostering empathy.

Freinacht’s compelling perspective on human development is crucial: "Not understanding the hierarchical stages of human development leaves you more judgmental, more prejudiced, more arrogantly narrow-minded, less competent to understand and empathize with others, and less likely to successfully interpret and predict behaviors and events in society." In simpler terms, failing to grasp these concepts only keeps you ignorant.

To avoid that fate, dive into The Listening Society. To get the most out of this book, check out my notes on Goodreads. This will give you an idea of the scale and scope of the concepts discussed.

For Your Head: Nordic Ideology by Hanzi Freinacht

Next up, for those seeking a mental workout, is Hanzi Freinacht's follow-up book, "Nordic Ideology." This book delves even deeper into the future of economics, politics, and society. It's a comprehensive and challenging read that will push your intellectual boundaries and stimulate big-picture leadership thinking.

Consider "Nordic Ideology" as an enriching chaser to "The Listening Society." However, be prepared; it's like sitting down to a substantial meal—you'll need to pace yourself. But the rigorous intellectual process is well worth it, offering profound insights that can expand your sense of ambition and service in the world.

For Your Hands: The Viking Code by Anders Indset

I interviewed Anders for the Future of Leadership podcast with the episode coming out in a few months.? Now, when I first got sent this book to review, I thought, Viking Code, yeah, ?it's all about saunas and cold plunges and biohacking.?

It wasn't that at all.? It was really about how we develop a philosophy of life. Anders explores how successful performers from the Norwegian culture, the Nordic society, developed this joie de vivre, a philosophy of life. And it is collectivist, it is humanistic, and it's really about savouring where you are and the little micro steps of success during the day and not just all about external rewards.? The first part of the book is a deep dive into how we work as top human performers. And the next part of it is looking at how we do that as teams and organisations.?

And then the third piece, part two of the book, which made me sit up and pay attention, was how do we reform our education, our politics, and our economy so that we are more collectivist and therefore more successful.?

The key principle is that a rising tide lifts all boats. So why would you not want to help your fellow human perform in their life?

Because if they're doing well, we’re doing well.

These books make a nice suite of books to think about Nordic ideology and how it applies to us as leaders. ?So having a positive focus, an optimistic, grandiose vision that we can live and work into.

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About Zo? Routh

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