8 Digital Transformation Reads For The Holiday Break
With the year coming to an end, we have curated some of our favorite reads to get inspired by during the holidays.
by Sebastian Mueller, Chief Operating Officer at MING Labs
The year is drawing to a close, and everyone is looking forward to the holiday season. A great time to unwind, reflect on what happened this year, and plan for the coming year. And of course, a great time to read.
As often noted, investing in oneself through reading and continued education is the best investment possible. So let’s invest!
Digital Transformation and Innovation continued to be hot topics in 2019 and will become even more critical next year. As many companies have invested in various aspects of it for the past years, many are starting to see returns and are looking to double down on successful strategies. We are seeing real business impact being driven by digital initiatives — from internal transformation to new products.
The books we have read range from deep dives into some key technologies, to leadership and organizational topics, and mindset transformation.
We have curated our favorites for you, in the hopes that you will find a few interesting new thoughts, which might just help you get started into 2020 in the right mindset.
# Technology
1. Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom
If you are interested in different scenarios of how AI will shape our life, this is the right book for you. Nick Bostrom has been a leading thinker across futurism, techno-philosophy, and related spaces. In Superintelligence, he deep dives into AI — investigating where we stand today, what could be next and what that means for all of us. This book is not about business applications of Machine Learning, but the discussion of actual Artificial General Intelligence and the larger context.
2. Smart Business by Ming Zeng
Everyone has heard of Alibaba by now, yet what is the recipe behind its immense success? In Smart Business, Ming Zeng, former Chief of Staff to Jack Ma, dives into that topic.
He delivers an insightful analysis of how Alibaba’s various businesses make use of a mix of Network Coordination and Data Intelligence to create massive value.
The discussion provides interesting insights into the different Alibaba businesses, as well as their future strategies.
3. Tools and Weapons by Brad Smith & Carol Ann Browne
Technology can be a force for good or bad, depending on how it is used. We see the potential ethical perils of technology utilization every day in our own lives and increasingly covered by the media. In Tools and Weapons, the authors deep dive into various aspects of ethics and technology and elaborate on concrete examples from Microsoft, where Brad Smith serves as President and has seen their many struggles.
# Organization and Leadership
4. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
Leaders want their teams to take ownership. We hear it every day. Yet, what does that mean? And what does that look like? The authors of Extreme Ownership were in the Navy SEALs for multiple deployments in extremely dangerous war zones. The epitome of VUCA environments. Their insights into how Navy SEALs lead and cooperate, through the concept of Extreme Ownership, are highly insightful and applicable to business as well.
5. An Everyone Culture by Robert Kegan & Lisa Laskow Lahey
Through their work at Harvard, the authors have developed a framework for continuous learning and development called “Deliberately Developmental Organization” (DDO). Through practical lessons from three DDOs they have identified, they show how any organization can use the principles they have identified to take a new approach to people development and continuous learning in their organization, ensuring that the organization keeps on developing.
6. The 100X Leader — by Jeremie Kubicek & Steve Cockram
There is a significant mindset shift in the leadership development community.
As the traditional “Command & Control” model does not work anymore, the “Enable & Facilitate” style is becoming en-vogue. This demands a lot from leaders who have come up with the old way of doing things.
Changing leadership style is not easy, and neither is the connected demand for giving up control. In 100X leader, the authors discuss how to take a new approach to leadership by creating the right space for growth, and find the balance of challenging and supporting.
7. The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
After “Start With Why,” Simon Sinek has become a favorite of business leaders. His simple yet razor-sharp insights keep on challenging us to think differently. In “The Infinite Game” he delivers yet another instant-classic, which discusses the difference between finite and infinite games and mindsets, and how to approach business with an infinite mindset. The lense of the infinite game focuses leaders on what matters — and the score will take care of itself.
# Perspective
8. 1984 by George Orwell
Sometimes it is essential to step back a few steps and gain perspective. One of our favorite books for that is 1984. Rereading it from time to time reminds us of what technological dystopia looks like, and to challenge ourselves to steer clear of any morally dubious use cases of the technology.
We need to make sure that the systems we create continuously amplify human potential and enhance human experiences. Everything we do is for the good of people.
And any use cases that do not move us closer to that ambition are not something that we are interested in pursuing.
Sebastian Mueller is Chief Operating Officer at MING Labs.
MING Labs is a leading digital business builder located in Berlin, Munich, New York City, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Singapore. We guide clients in designing their businesses for the future, ensuring they are leaders in the field of innovation.
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Related Reading: 8 Digital Transformation Reads For The Summer
