Books

“A Book That Makes You Laugh, Think, and Question the “Perfectly Rational” World.“

“Break the fear of finding out (FOFO). Buy this book and gift it to the C-Suite.“

What do Dennis Hopper’s ex-wife, the creator of Wonder Woman, an erotic mystery novelist, a death-obsessed sex cult leader, and a stuffed corpse in a university foyer all have in common? 

Believe it or not, they all played a crucial role in the evolution of work. Their strange stories help explain so much of what’s wrong with modern organisations.

Hustle culture. Meaningless purpose statements. Endless compliance policies. Pointless e-learnings. Ineffective meetings. Blind faith in technology. Flawed decision-making. Ridiculous personality tests.

There’s so much wrong with modern work, it’s almost like it wasn’t designed for humans. As it turns out, it wasn’t…

Much of modern work is based on a caricature of humans as rational calculation machines, rather than the social, emotional, tribal, storytelling animals we really are.

Featuring a cast of brilliant and bizarre characters and full of compelling stories, BS At Work analyses the flawed assumptions about human nature that underpin so much of modern work.

The book brings together the latest thinking from Anthropology, Behavioural Economics, Evolutionary Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology, and Sociology to ask: what does it mean to be human, and how we can make work work for humans as we really are?

You’ll never look at work – or humans – in quite the same way again.

“Comprehensive and thought-provoking: I learned a lot from this book.“

“Every Senior Executive should read this book.“

The dizzying rise of Artificial Intelligence has prompted messianic hopes and apocalyptic fears in equal measure.

Evangelists promise an end to human problems, while Doomers fear the end of humanity.

Amid all the hype, however, many leaders remain bemused. For all the revolutionary potential, most organisations are still tentatively dipping a toe in the water, asking:

• What is AI and what does it mean for organisations?
• How should leaders encourage adoption of AI?
• What are the ethical considerations?

Adopting AI is a practical guide to help leaders and their organisations navigate these uncharted waters, focusing on the human side of this strange technological revolution.

“A Fresh and Inspiring Take on Change Management.“

“Interesting and insightful.”

There’s a quiet revolution happening in change management – in our understanding of how the human mind handles transitions, in behavioural science-based approaches , and in new tools that help navigate the complexities of change.

The book incorporates new insights about a range of topics that should inform Change Management but so often don’t, including AI, Behavioural Science, neurodiversity, and mental health.

James wrote the chapter “Culture Change Beyond Shared Values”, exploring the strange origins of a concept that has taken over the corporate world in the last 40 years and asking “does it really work?” Blending practical experience with behavioural science, the chapter is a provocative critique of the widely-accepted approach to shaping organisational culture.