ESSENTIALS FOR LEADERS AND THOSE THEY LEAD

When confronted with difficult situations, how do you respond? Do you focus mostly on readily attainable, short-term objectives? Do you investigate only those options that align with your long-term goals? If so, it may be time to adopt a more strategic approach. Zeroing in on what you can control, considering a wide range of options, and adopting a more open outlook may bring undiscovered options into view. If you’re constantly finding yourself between a rock and a hard place, it’s time to figure out what’s holding you back. 

In this edition of Readers & Leaders, McKinsey senior partner emeritus Claudio Feser explains why using the “decision navigator” can help identify better options and improve predictions when in daunting situations. Olympic gold medalist Mark Tuitert shares how adopting a Stoic mindset and letting go of elements beyond his control transformed agonizing stagnation into an exciting Olympic win. Journalist Lawrence Ingrassia describes how applying strategic investigative skills helped him uncover a tragic cancer mystery and share his findings to benefit others. Harvard Law School professor Cass Sunstein highlights the unusual paths forged by talented unknowns—unique steps that pulled hopefuls out of mediocrity and catapulted them to superstardom. Read on to learn more about how to turn strategic thinking into opportunity.

Want early access to these interviews? Download the McKinsey Insights app to read the latest Author Talks now.

it bears repeating

“I look at a situation through the lenses of my experience, my past, and my personality. With that in mind, here are the options I see. Now, if people all have very similar experiences, and similar personalities, the exploration radius will not be very large. If we mix up teams that have very different personalities and experiences, we will likely have a much larger exploration radius: we’ll see many more options.”

—Claudio Feser, in a July edition of Author Talks

in case you missed it

TURN BACK THE PAGE

August 9 is National Book Lovers Day, the perfect occasion for readers across the globe to curl up with a good book. If you’re looking for a stimulating read, check out this selection.

Stuck in a rut? Explore effective strategies for hitting the “reset” button by reading these interviews:

1. Why big gambles can lead to even bigger payoffs
2. The simple way to get more great ideas
3. Why breaking the rules could help you defy the odds
4. Create your reinvention road map in four easy steps

bookmark this

coming soon

BUSINESS BESTSELLERS TOP

8

Catch up on the latest and greatest reads for the month. Explore June business bestsellers, prepared exclusively for McKinsey by Circana. Check out 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)

economics

In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work by Kyla Scanlon
(Random House)

decision making

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
(Hachette Book Group)

organizational behavior

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

workplace culture

Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact by Liz Wiseman (HarperCollins Publishers)

COMPUTERS AND AI

What Is ChatGPT Doing . . . and Why Does It Work? by Stephen Wolfram
(John Wiley & Sons)

sustainability

Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society by Arun Gupta, Gerard George, and Thomas J. Fewer
(Stanford University Press)

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 Emily Adeyanju, editor, Charlotte

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