CMI reveals Management Book of the Year shortlist

26 October 2015 -

Neuroscience for managing multi-generational workforces; ethics and morality; and what Game of Thrones teaches us about management are some of the key themes revealed in the 2016 shortlist

Matt Scott

Self-awareness and an analytical mindset are the key ingredients of a successful career in management, according to the shortlist for this year’s Management Book of the Year.

Announced today by CMI and the British Library, 25 books have made the final shortlist of books and are still in the running to be named Management Book of the Year 2016 after being whittled down from a record 170 entries.

These include Jo Owen’s The Mindset of Success, which identifies seven mindsets common to high-achieving leaders, and Steven Van Belleghem’s When Digital Becomes Human, which looks at how big brands are using digital to transform customer relationships.

Ethics and morality also emerge as popular topics in the wake of recent corporate governance scandals.

Books such as 5 Conversations: how to transform trust, engagement and performance at work by Nick Cowley and Nigel Purse provide simple frameworks for managers to follow; Tim Phillips and Rebecca Clare take a less orthodox route in Game of Thrones on business: Strategy, morality and leadership lessons from the world’s most talked about TV show.

The awards, sponsored by Henley Business School, give an insight into which books are leading and directing management thinking, and how best practice is put into action.

CMI chief executive Ann Francke said: “Many thousands of books on how to become a better manager are published every year. Our shortlist directs managers and leaders to those books that will make a definite difference to how they think and act as true management and leadership professionals.

“For those passionate about their career, the progressive and practical lessons within these books must be considered essential reads.”

Last year’s overall winner was Not Knowing by Steven D’Souza and Diana Renner, from LID Publishing.

Martin Liu, general manager and publisher at LID Publishing, said: “As a publisher of business books, winning the CMI Management Book of the Year award 2015 with Not Knowing was a tremendous privilege.

“Sales of the book have quite literally rocketed since the award, and we have also licensed translation rights for eight languages. Moreover, winning the award has been a true inspiration for everyone at LID Publishing.”

The five category winners (Management Futures; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Practical Manager; the Commuter’s Read; and Management and Leadership Textbook) and an overall winner will be announced at an awards evening at the British Library on 8 February 2016 – with the winning author taking home a £5,000 prize.

Phil Spence, chief operating officer at the British Library and a CMI Companion, said: “The British Library is very proud to be hosting the CMI Management Book of the Year awards again. Not only are we the UK’s national research Library with a world-class collection of management studies resource, but also we have a long and successful relationship with CMI and are delighted to be supporting them in their mission to develop management and leadership.”

To read the full shortlist online, please visit: www.managementbookoftheyear.org.uk