THIS MONTH'S PAGE-TURNERS ON BUSINESS AND BEYOND

Have you ever looked back on your life and asked yourself, “How did I get here?” In this edition of Readers & Leaders, poet Maggie Smith makes an argument for possibility after loss, former Apple VP Don Norman uncovers how humanity-centered design can change the world, and tech venture capitalists Freada Kapor Klein and Mitchell Kapor discuss how a bold experiment became a successful formula for closing gaps in access for vulnerable communities. Catch up on new conversations from Author Talks, plus this month’s top bestselling business books, prepared exclusively for McKinsey by Circana. Itching for more great reads? Preorder Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI by McKinsey senior partners Eric Lamarre, Kate Smaje, and Rodney W. Zemmel for a playbook on what it takes to build the capabilities to continually create great customer experiences, lower costs, and build value.

IT BEARS REPEATING

“We all have disappointments. We all have relationships, whether personal or professional, that didn’t work out the way we wanted. We all have to reappraise things in life every now and then, and look around and think, “OK, this is where I’m at. Now, what do I want to do? What’s not really doing it for me right now? Where do I want to refocus energy?” Change is the only constant, and we’re all human beings, and we’re all dealing with that in various ways in our lives.”

— Poet Maggie Smith in a recent edition of Author Talks.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Former Apple VP Don Norman explains why leaders should take the “humanity-centered” approach: “Humanity-centered design builds on the principles of human-centered design, except it expands them. We must think about all living things and about the environment. We must realize we are part of a complex system, so what we do here can impact people all across the world and have a long effect.” Watch the full interview.

Tech venture capitalists Freada Kapor Klein and Mitchell Kapor share how their equity-focused approach creates opportunity for vulnerable communities: “What they haven’t done is hold up a mirror and look at the ways in which they are merely reflecting their own biases.… For a long time, Silicon Valley venture capital firms have confused pedigree and privilege with merit. So you need a new yardstick.” Watch the full interview.

LOOKING AHEAD

BUSINESS BESTSELLERS TOP

National Library Week wraps up today, but your reading journey doesn’t have to. Check out this month’s list of business bestsellers in eight categories, prepared exclusively for McKinsey by Circana. Explore the full selection on McKinsey on Books.

BUSINESS OVERALL

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way To Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear (Penguin Group USA)

BUSINESS HARDCOVER

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way To Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear (Penguin Group USA)

DECISION MAKING

How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything in Between by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner (Random House)

ECONOMICS

The Power of Wonder: The Extraordinary Emotion That Will Change the Way You Live, Learn, and Lead by Monica C. Parker (Penguin Group USA)

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way To Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear (Penguin Group USA)

WORKPLACE CULTURE

Culture Rules: The Leader’s Guide to Creating the Ultimate Competitive Advantage by Mark Miller (Random House)

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond (Random House)

SUSTAINABILITY

Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take by Paul Polman and Andrew Winston (Two Rivers Distribution)

If you’d like to propose a book or author for #McKAuthorTalks, please email us at Author_Talks@McKinsey.com. Due to the high volume of requests, we will respond only to those being considered.

—Edited by Eleni Kostopoulos, a managing editor in McKinsey’s New York office

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