Parents in Business Bookshelf

SPRING/SUMMER 2023

The Answer is a Question: The easy way to transform your impact as a manager and a leader

By Dominic and Laura Ashley-Timms

(The Stationary Office)

Work life balance is spoken about like the holy grail by most people. It can be especially hard when you are juggling family and work. How to give either enough of your time and attention without depriving someone has been much discussed in parenting and career forums. Can anyone ever really find the secret?

But ‘The Answer is a Question’ has some great advice on getting the best from people and ourselves that makes a lot of sense. Aimed primarily at managers in companies, the teachings can easily be applied to anyone, even those managing themselves.

How often have you waded into situations to fix things for others when really what they needed was simply guidance and asking some

thoughtful questions as guidance?

The book breaks different management styles into sections, such as command and control and coaching and aims to show how modern working and workers respond better to careful, intelligent management than beating it into people.

If you are looking for a different way of working that gives you back hours in your day, this is a really useful read

Reviewed by Shona Chambers Marketing Consultant www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk

Break The Rules: The six counter-conventional mindsets of entrepreneurs that can help anyone change the world

By John Mullins

Ever wondered what is really behind the success of companies such as Uber, Tesla and Nike? They were launched by people whose mindsets meant they weren’t afraid to break the conventional rules. The good news is these mindsets that can be adopted by anyone, and in this fascinating new book from bestselling author John Mullins reveals how you – or even your children – can be more entrepreneurial in your daily life to make the impossible, possible.

From Marginal to Mainstream: Why tomorrow’s brand growth will come from the fringes – and how to get there first

By Helen Edwards

(Kogan

Page)

If you’re looking for business growth, this eye-opening new book will teach you how to look beyond the mainstream to identify the next big thing. It explores behavioural trends and marginal behaviours that might initially feel unpromising or even “weird” – from home schooling and ice showers to insect diets and polyamory – and argues a compelling case why their commercial potential shouldn’t be underestimated.

Future Skills: The 20 skills and competencies everyone needs to succeed in a digital world

By Bernard Marr

When I write a book review, I always try to keep in mind whether I would personally choose to buy the book. In this case, I definitely would. What you get with Future Skills is 20 chapters, each with a standalone topic. The topics include; Digital Literacy, Data Literacy, Emotional Intelligence and Empathy, Brand of You and Networking, and Time Management.

As with all general business reading, some topics will resonate more than others; for me as a marketer, I found Data Literacy particularly interesting because data really forms the basis of all marketing campaigns, and it’s a topic of much discussion in most modern companies. Over the last few years, there have been some enormous steps forward in how we treat customer data, what is allowed and not allowed, and of course, we are all so conscious of it given the scandals that Facebook has been connected with, from election fixing to war mongering.

Sparking Success: Why every leader needs to develop a creative mindset

By Adam Kingl

(Kogan

Page)

We all know creativity is an invaluable skill for business success, but when you’re busy juggling a business and a family, it is easy to feel the pressure to use what little time you have being productive rather than creative. This book demonstrates brilliantly how anyone can be more creative by taking lessons from powerhouses such as Pixar, LEGO and Disney. You’ll find yourself reaching for it whenever you need inspiration for your own creative spark.

It is always worth thinking about what we need to learn to stay relevant in business, and this book gives plenty of practical advice on that. From learning how to collaborate better, often now in a remote sense, to how to consider how to form diverse and representative teams in companies, none of us can afford to consider ourselves the finished product, and reading Future Skills is a great way of keeping up to date with what’s expected.

Reviewed by Shona Chambers Marketing Consultant

www.shonachambersmarketing.co.uk

Husband and wife duo Dani and Chris are passionate about providing muchneeded sleep support to families worldwide. They are infant sleep consultants and, most importantly, parents to their 3 amazing boys: Teddy, who is nearly 5, Rafferty, aged 2 and baby Malachy who is 1.

Chris is originally from Scotland, but they live in Kent, England. They work with clients all over the UK and Ireland, as well as internationally. They love meeting little ones from all over the world. The demand for sleep consultants is insane now, and it’s a thriving industry. So much so that they train other sleep consultants in their other business: The Sleep Consultant Academy.

Tell us about your journey. How did you get here?

It started as Chris’ main business, with me, Dani, helping in the background. Chris had a huge passion for infant sleep, but he wasn’t so hot on the admin and marketing. We were a family business from day one, which was lovely. Bringing different strengths to the table is what made The Mummy & Daddy Sleep Consultant such a success.