What is our publishing mission?

The 500th?episode of the Happier podcast with Gretchen Rubin revealed their podcast manifesto, and it got me thinking about our mission for the Professional Business Publishing list at Pearson. This is something I've discussed and shared internally a lot so thought it was worth sharing here too:

• We publish books on the skills people need in life and work - this is our driving goal, aligning with the broader Pearson mission to "help people realise the life they imagine through learning".
• We publish across the business spectrum for every level -?not only do we want to publish?books on the skills people need, but we also want to cover them at various levels from introductory to advanced. I hope that you might start with Brilliant Coaching, advance to?The Coaching Manual, and keep going with Key Coaching Models.
• Our content will be inclusive and diverse?- very important, we welcome all readers and I've written previously about how we ensure this at many levels in our publishing. From authors to content, to endorsers, to cover designs.
• We create impact - with clear outcomes and practical application - what sets us apart from other publishers is the emphasis on practical content. We don't publish biographies or edited collections, so if covering a skill, you should feel confident in using that skill by the end of the book.
• We are research-led, aligning with important learning needs - I'm always on the lookout for what is hot, current, and valuable to readers now. We share research reports among the team, we encourage market research with readers wherever possible, and encourage authors to reference their work appropriately.
• We will maximise opportunities for our author talent - it's not just about the book, we want the book (and associated materials) to elevate our authors' standing. We want subject matter experts rather than writers for hire, and we want to help them spread their message through our third-party partnerships and opportunities.

I hope this excites you too and also gives you an idea of the sort of books and authors we're looking for.

TWO Pearson books win at Business Book Awards!

I'm delighted to share that two Pearson books won their categories at The Business Book Awards last week.

1. Double Your Price (FT Publishing) by David Falzani MBE won the Sales and Marketing category

2. The Leader's Guide to Wellbeing (FT Publishing) by Dr Audrey Tang won the?Wellness and Wellbeing category

Congratulations to all the winners!

The Pearson Business Book Club

The Pearson Business Book Club is open to all who would like to learn more about our business books or a particular topic, and the webinars are free to attend. You can also view the on-demand videos of previous sessions on the Book Club website.

Our Business Book of the Month for October is Now We're Talking by Sarah Rozenthuler . Her webinar is on Why you’re avoiding having that difficult conversation (and what to do about it). Join us on Thursday 24 October 2024, at 2 pm?(UK time) and register at https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/higher-education/students/careers/book-club.html , and let me know if you have any questions in advance.

Research says that 70% of managers avoid having difficult conversations. This leads to poor decision-making, a cynical atmosphere that rots communication, and people competing rather than collaborating. Avoiding difficult conversations saps our energy, keeps us feeling stuck and blocks positive outcomes.

Read Now We’re Talking to overcome the obstacles that stop you from having a difficult conversation and use ‘authentic dialogue’ tools so you can move from avoidance or breakdown to breakthrough.

Just Published

The Financial Times Guide to Data-Driven Transformation: Maximise Business Value With Data Analytics by Andrea De Mauro and Michele Pacifico (FT Publishing, 2024) - the book that helps managers maximise the business value brought by data to their organisation.

Despite data analytics and AI being recognised as critical value drivers for organisations, less than half of the companies report that they have created a data-driven organisation or established a data culture yet. Business leaders and analytics managers are currently struggling to move from theory to practice, and this book is all about solving this problem for them. This indispensable guide provides an actionable path filled with practical tools to navigate and accelerate the journey of data-driven transformation.

• Understand the underlying trends and models driving change and accelerate digital transformation in your company.
• Learn from real-world examples that show how companies of any size and industry have successfully navigated their data journeys.
• Utilise immediately applicable templates and frameworks that cover everything from data governance and technology enablers to organisational setup choices and AI deployment strategies.
• Benefit from straightforward advice and checklists, ensuring you can plan and lead data transformation effectively within your organisation.

Written by recognised experts in the field, this book simplifies complex topics such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data management into manageable segments. Whether you're a top manager needing to frame the right questions, a data leader aiming to link technical aspects to business value, or a practitioner looking to enhance your role, this book is designed to help you make a substantial impact on your organisation's data culture and capabilities. Put data transformation theory into practice, with The Financial Times Guide to Data-Driven Transformation.

“An essential guide for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of data transformation (and there are plenty of complexities to navigate!).” Kate Strachnyi, Founder of DATAcated

"This book stands out for its clarity about key analytics and AI concepts, the many real examples it provides, and the very helpful guidelines and methods for becoming data-driven. And yes, it includes AI too." Thomas H. Davenport, Distinguished Professor, Babson College and Fellow, MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, Author of "Competing on Analytics and All In on AI"

Andrea De Mauro is currently Head of Data & Analytics at Vodafone. He has more than 15 years of international experience managing Data Analytics and Data Science organizations. He is a social media influencer, a professor, a researcher, and a popular science author of several books in English and Italian. He appeared in the 2022 global “Forty Under 40” list by CDO magazine. Previously, he served as Director of Business Analytics at Procter & Gamble, looking after the continuous elevation of data analytics in the business and the development of digital fluency across the global organization.

Michele Pacifico is currently Senior Product Manager for Commercial Analytics in the global analytics team of Nestlé. He has spent the last 15 years in various Business Intelligence and Data Analytics roles in Fast Moving Consumer Goods and software industries, mostly focusing on business-facing responsibilities across countries and organizations. From building valuable analytics use cases to helping develop analytics roadmaps and data strategies in different organizations, data analytics has been a key passion accompanying him throughout his whole career.

What am I reading?

As soon as I heard about Wifedom by Anna Funder this book, I knew I wanted to read it and it deserves the awards it's received. The author skilfully weaves biography, letters and semi-fiction into this intense, heartbreaking and thoughtful book. And even though Orwell comes across very poorly, she still writes quite kindly and fairly about him. Highly recommend.

Finally

Do you have any ideas or suggestions for future newsletters? Did I strike a chord with anything in this newsletter? Is there a business book you've enjoyed recently that you'd recommend? Add a comment or email me at [email protected] .