MY TOP THREE BOOKS OF 2022

Being a book lover by nature, reading is more than just a passion for me – it’s a lifestyle. Books are an endless source of inspiration and provide many opportunities to learn new things from distinct perspectives. Learning supports me in thinking of problems in different ways, communicating more effectively, improving self-awareness and better understanding others. Often books inspire me to reflect deeper and more meaningfully, from the most personal experiences to major global events – proving to be a powerful practice of staying in tune with new ideas and open minded.?

As the end of 2022 draws near, 3 books have had a great impact on me in 2022. Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to read one of them, or that book on your shelf that you’ve been meaning to read for a while. Hopefully you can take something from the following insights, just as I have.?

?

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Life is fast and full of opportunity; and we often believe we have to do it all. In this book, the author describes how many of us put our energy into things that don’t really matter personally and in our professional lives and how, as a consequence, we end up living a life that others expect, rather than one that’s true to us. By drawing on his experience and insights from working with the leaders of the most innovative companies in the world, McKeown shares how to practice ‘essentialism’. In other words, decide what is truly essential, then eliminate everything that is not – to live a life of meaning and purpose, and become a better version of yourself. McKeown’s book got me thinking: what really matters to me, to our teams and our organization? It was a great opportunity to stop, think and ‘recalibrate’ – something that can be beneficial in keeping us on track and doing what has a true impact to our consumers, our partners and the communities in which we operate. Here are some of McKeown’s thoughts that resonated with me and have helped me sharpen my focus:

• Enjoy the journey, don’t just think of the destination.
• Essentialism is about making fewer things in better ways.
• Say no to really good opportunities, to pursue only the very best ones.
• Check in with people frequently, reward small wins and help people remove obstacles to bolster motivation and focus, enabling more meaningful progress.
• Look at the bigger picture. Review the past, the future and figure out what’s important in the here and now.
• If it isn’t a clear yes, it is a clear no.

?

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... And Others Don't by Jim Collins

This book questions and answers: what makes a company go from good to great? To find out, Jim Collins and his research team spent years analyzing companies. Based on the analysis, the book outlines how companies can transform into something great, offering a framework centered around three core pillars: disciplined people, disciplined thought and disciplined action. The book delves into how success comes from many incremental advancements in the right direction and how these small improvements lead to results that motivate companies to push further towards breakthroughs. It’s a fascinating read and a real page-turner with insights on the characteristics of ‘good-to-great’ leaders and organizations which we can all learn from. I’ve pulled out some of the characteristics I found most powerful:

• Good to great leaders are single-mindedly ambitious on behalf of the company, fanatically driven toward results, and want their organization to continue performing long after they leave.
• Ask “who” questions before making “what” decisions – the right people will always find a path to success.
• Study mistakes carefully to understand what went wrong, but don’t assign blame.
• Never lose faith and optimism, while staying real about business realities and challenges.

??

I May be Wrong: And Other Wisdoms from Life as a Forest Monk By Bjorn Natthiko

Everyone’s story is unique, and we can all learn from one another’s experiences. The author of this book, left his life as an economist in his mid-20s, becoming a Buddhist Forest Monk in Thailand, England and Switzerland for the following 17 years – a truly inspiring story in itself! This book is filled with inspiration on how to live a life of peace and happiness by learning to let go of our need for control and instead, finding the courage to face uncertainty. It teaches us how to relate our thoughts and emotions in ways that make life more enjoyable, freer, brighter and wiser. It encourages us to let go of the small stuff, accepting the things we cannot control. Natthiko’s advice gave me fresh perspective about my past, present and future; both in my role as a leader and personally. Here are some of the author’s words of wisdom that moved and inspired me:

• Get used to the idea that you may be wrong.
• Being right is never the point.
• Most of the things we worry about in life, never happen.
• Thoughts that we have the hardest time letting go of, hurt us the most.
• Nothing lasts. Everything is impermanent. That’s the bad news – but also the good news.
• By trying to control everything, we don’t leave room for magic to happen.

??

Just as each book comes to an end, 2022 is drawing to a close.?It’s been a challenging but incredible year of achievements and big steps forward. Just as books can inspire us to think and act differently, I got myself reflecting on the year that was – feeling thankful for our achievements as a team and the meaningful moments we’ve experienced together. Looking ahead, 2023 has the potential to be a year of BIG things and positive change for all of us and our planet. Thank you to everyone in our teams for your hard work, energy and spark, and to our many partners for helping us take our brands and business to the next level throughout the whole year.

In the next days, I’m logging off to spend time with family, loved ones and some books. Wishing a restful Holiday season to all and see you in the New Year for more amazing moments.