02: Bestselling Books (summary bundle)

Partners In Leadership has authored three New York Times bestselling books: The Oz Principle, How Did That Happen?, and Change The Culture, Change The Game.

What is discussed

1. The Oz Principle Book Overview- Part 1

2. The Oz Principle Book Overview- Part 2

3. Change the Culture, Change the Game- Part 1

4. Change the Culture, Change the Game- Part 2

5. How Did That Happen? Holding Others Accountable Book Overview – Part 1

6. How Did That Happen? Holding Others Accountable Book Overview – Part 2

Transcript

Welcome to the Partners In Leadership Author Podcast series. In this series, we are interviewing CEO and three-time New York Times bestselling author, Roger Connors.

This series provides short-duration interviews to answer questions about Partners In Leadership’s training and consulting services.

The topic of this podcast is: An Introduction to Partners In Leadership’s bestselling books.

This podcast is under 22 minutes in duration.

Roger, can you tell us about your best selling books?

We have had the good fortune of authoring three New York Times bestselling books. Our first, The Oz Principle has been published in numerous languages and has been well received around the globe. It has become the seminal work on workplace accountability since its initial publication.

It continues to be a bestseller, is that right?

Yes. Adrian Zacheim, President of Portfolio Publishing (a division of Penguin Putnam Books), said that The Oz Principle is in the top 5 bestselling business books in the ‘leadership’ and ‘performance’ categories, year after year, since 1994. This book is used as the basis for the Self Track, featuring The Oz Principle Accountability Training.

You have 2 other New York Times Bestsellers, as well. Can you tell us about them?

Yes, we also have Change the Culture, Change the Game. This book lays out our clear and simple methodology for accelerating organizational culture change. It’s a powerful approach to making change happen, giving leaders real traction towards achieving their strategic results.

You feature several client successes in this book, don’t you?

Yes, one story in the book is Alaris Medical Systems, a merger between IVAC and IMED, and, at the time, the most highly leveraged buy out in the history of medical device companies. The culture change effort resulted in a 7000% return on equity investment and one of the largest stock price appreciations in their category according to MONEY magazine.

And, your third book?

Our third bestselling is, How Did That Happen? This book speaks to the flip side of the accountability coin, the side we most often speak about—holding people accountable. Where The Oz Principle lays out the powerful approach to personal accountability, this book shows how to get other people you depend upon to take greater accountability for the results you need to achieve.

Holding others accountable is a popular topic. What’s your latest book on this subject?

It’s called The Wisdom of Oz: Using Personal Accountability To Succeed In Everything You Do.

What is focus of this book?

This book is a short, quick and entertaining presentation of the accountability concepts presented in The Oz Principle, but written for a broader audience.

So, this is a book that I could not only give to my colleagues, but to my spouse, my children at home, to my friends—even the folks I work with in my community service group?

That’s correct. The Wisdom of Oz was written to describe how to use accountability to succeed in everything you do.

I can’t wait to read it. I’m already thinking about several people I could give it to that I think would enjoy, and benefit from, receiving it.

Roger, I’ve enjoyed reading your books and the landmark work that you and your business partner, Tom Smith, have written about over the last two and a half decades.

For our listeners, you can find these books in any major bookstore or go online to Please contact Partners In Leadership directly at for quantity discounts on large book orders.

For additional information on key concepts mentioned here, check out other podcasts in this series.

This podcast is a production of Partners In Leadership and is protected by copyright owned by Partners In Leadership. This content may not be used or rebroadcast without prior permission. For more information, visit or contact us at 800-504-6070.

Top 7 Supply Chain Management Books for 2022

1. Supply Chain Management For Dummies

Daniel Stanton – 2020

Price: $21.00

This book is part of the beloved “For Dummies” line of guides that have been on the shelves for years, providing helpful information to readers and gaining their reputation as a trusted source in the education and How-To literary industry.

This book includes valuable information for beginners looking for supply chain management basics and expert leaders looking for information on managing and optimizing their supply chain business. In addition, readers can learn about metric systems, software and automation tools, and the SCM work models spanning multiple industries. Written by a Certified Supply Chain Professional with experience in the topic of CRM, this is one book that will help you cover your bases and beyond.

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2. The Supply Chain Revolution: Innovative Sourcing and Logistics for a Fiercely Competitive World

Suman Sarkar – 2017

Price: $22.78

This book dives deep into the tips and tricks for increasing revenue and satisfying your supply chain business customers. Readers of this book can learn how to manage their store investments and strengthen their business alliances.

What’s great about this resource is its use of real-life examples for what to do and not to do when faced with SCM industry challenges. The book cites many of the beloved companies we are familiar with and breaks down their business models and the decisions made by their leaders. In doing so, readers can receive a firm grasp of what it takes to succeed in supply chain management.

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3. Strategic Supply Chain Management: The Five Core Disciplines for Top Performance (2nd Edition)

Shoshanah Cohen and Joseph Roussel – 2013

Price: $43.27

Strategic Supply Chain Management: The Five Core Disciplines for Top Performance is the second edition of this book which aims to break down and explain the management strategies used for successful supply chain management. It uses research and real-world business examples to draw and explain conclusions on how to improve supply chain business processes and see results.

This guide helps its audience develop strategies, activities, and organization systems to take their SCM operations to the next level with the help of easy-to-use tables and diagrams. The book is available for purchase through Amazon in hardcover and Kindle formats, making it an easily accessible resource for busy readers on the go.

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4. Single Point of Failure

Gary S. Lynch – 2009

Price: $30.99

This book helps users navigate the supply chain management world with a fundamental goal – avoiding failure. It identifies the risks and challenges facing supply chain management companies today and uses metaphors, examples, and explanations to help readers understand these critical factors.

The guide aims to help beginners and leaders alike avoid business failure by teaching them what to do when faced with SCM challenges and how to avoid risk by creating a solid business foundation for their companies. The book was written by a professional on helping businesses leverage risk and uncertainty, giving this book further credibility as a reliable resource.

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5. Managing Supply Chain Operations

Lei Lei – 2013

Price: $29.49

This book is an educational guide aimed to teach newer learners about supply chain management operations. Developed in collaboration with the Rutgers Center for Supply Chain Management, the book’s content is highly trusted and professionally presented. The contents of this resource explore case studies, research, and author experience to support the methods and strategies it describes. Students and beginners can benefit from this source, as it highlights the basics of supply chain operations and goes over the key terms, techniques, and processes.

While this book is recommended as a textbook for college-level courses, it can also be used for executive education or just people in the SCM business who would like a refresher on information to stay sharp in the industry. With options for kindle, hardcover, and softcover books, customers have the ability to choose a reading format that works best for them and their wallet.

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6. The Forklifts Have Nothing To Do!: Lessons in Supply Chain Leadership

Joseph L. Walden – 2003

Price: $12.28

This book is an excellent resource for managing supply chain operations. It teaches readers how to refine their supply chain management with inspired metaphors and does so through the use of related comparisons. By explaining supply chain operations from a military standpoint, readers can learn how the functions of the trade span across multiple workforce industries and take away valuable lessons about the techniques that work on all operations.

In addition, readers can expect to learn about economic order strategies, practical business improvement methods, and more. This book is written by an author with over 25 years of supply chain leadership experience and is a great guide for readers who seek knowledge from a seasoned source.

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7. Supply Chain Metrics that Matter

Lora M. Cecere – 2014

Price: $48.00

This book is an excellent resource for managing supply chain operations. It teaches readers how to refine their supply chain management with inspired metaphors and does so through the use of related comparisons. By explaining supply chain operations from a military standpoint, readers can learn how the functions of the trade span across multiple workforce industries and take away valuable lessons about the techniques that work on all operations. Readers can expect to learn about economic order strategies, practical business improvement methods, and more. This book is written by an author with over 25 years of supply chain leadership experience and is a great guide for readers who seek knowledge from a seasoned source.

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Get a Read on These Supply Chain Books

If you’re looking for a high-quality resource for learning about or improving your supply chain management business, it is best to look for books that know what they’re talking about. The books on supply chain management listed in this piece are some of the best informative tools and come from esteemed sources.

Management books written by industry professionals and business leaders with years of experience with strategic supply chain operations are beneficial. They can provide relevant examples and advice on the methods that worked for them. Additionally, logistic books and guides created by writers who have analytical experience in business operations are helpful as well, as they can draw meaningful conclusions on the business tactics that have been proven to be effective throughout history.

Remember that knowledge is power, and by learning and gaining knowledge, you too can further your career as a supply chain leader and improve your business’s supply chain operations. Reading the best supply chain books can take you far, as they can teach you the tricks of the trade that have worked for leads in the industry – up until their date of publication. For more up-to-date resources and information on supply chain and hospitality industry trends, visit our blog online. The Adia online blog helps leaders like yourself learn more about topics like supply chains, workforce logistics optimization, manufacturing, production, and more.

And if you would like to take the stress out of onboarding for your business, look no further. Adia is an on-demand staffing company that helps connect vetted workers with open positions. Adia’s online platform is the trusted source for companies who want to simplify their supply chain and warehouse staffing.

The 10 Best Business Books Of 2021

The best 2021 business books help you to prepare for 2022 getty

I recently noted that the three biggest strategic questions companies need to address right now are (1) how to respond to systemic issues, (2) how technology is affecting their business and (3) how to attract and keep the best people. With these three questions in mind I picked my 10 favorite business books published in 2021.

1. Uncharted: How to Map the Future by Margaret Heffernan—I have been a big fan of Heffernan’s writing for a long time. Her new book does not disappoint. Once again, she manages to shift our thinking. With all the uncertainty we are facing she makes quick game of our addiction to predictions. Why not embrace the obvious: we do not know what will happen in future and grand plans are most likely a big waste of scarce resources. The alternative is experimentation on a more ‘local’ level. A story about a BBC journalist convincing shops in a small English village to go plastic free demonstrates how such experiments can show the way. In this particular case it demonstrated to legislators that this is doable, inspiring plastic bans across the world. The book offers a lot of practical advice but it is not simply a ‘how-to’ book. I see it more as a big idea book that forces us to revisit some of our favorite interpretations of how the world works.

2. The Imagination Machine: How to Spark New Ideas and Create Your Company's Future by Martin Reeves and Jack Fuller—The big strategy consulting firms are known for their hard-core analytical approach. So it comes as a bit of a surprise when a partner from the Boston Consulting Firm embraces serendipity and play. But Reeves is not your typical consultant. In the past he has partnered with mathematicians and biologists, coming up with refreshing new insights. This book has to be read in the same tradition. It’s a full fledged embrace of creativity and imagination. Still, it is not all pie-in-the-sky but hands-on and practical. And neither does it contradict the data-driven and analytical approach loved by executives. It enriches it. A book that prepares you for systemic challenges and the unknown implications of new technologies.

3. Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them by Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini—The last thing you can accuse Hamel off, is being boring. Both his books and talks are in-your-face, provocative, and uncompromising. His new book written together with Zanini is no exception. They call for organizations to ditch bureaucratic procedures that hold back the ingenuity of employees. What’s possible becomes obvious from stories such as Haier, the Chinese white-goods champion, that created a system where entrepreneurial initiatives enjoy great autonomy. This approach will solve two of your biggest problems. For starters it will spark fresh thinking critical in an unpredictable world—aligning well with Heffernan’s hypothesis. In addition, it creates meaning for employees, helping companies to attract and retain talent.

4. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant—Can you apply the methods used in science to everyday situations and business? Frederick Winslow Taylor tried something similar with engineering principles in a 1911 book. And despite obvious flaws, the Academy of Management voted The Principles of Scientific Management to be the most influential management book of the twentieth century. So Grant is certainly on to something when he suggests that we should take an approach that is second nature to scientists: rethinking. To be more specific, they formulate hypotheses, use data to test them, and discard them in case the evidence is not supportive. This helps them to stay curious, rethink and set boundary conditions for existing ideas. With such a mindset you are ready to discover new knowledge. Not surprisingly the book is a fantastic read but I particularly appreciate how some iconic research such as Karl Weick’s Glen Gulch article is weaved into the narrative.

5. Remote Work Revolution: Succeeding from Anywhere by Tsedal Neeley—A year ago many of us thought that remote work will stop with the end of the pandemic. But as organizations discovered cost advantages and employees happy to ditch a daily commute, the urgency to make this work increased. Who better to turn to than Neeley, a Harvard Professor who has spent her career looking at how organizations stay connected across geographic distance. Her book provides the guidance needed to navigate this new reality. It offers evidence-based answers (not just off-the-cuff advice) to managers trying to lead using digital tools, wondering how to keep everyone connected without in-person interactions, and making sure that work/life balance is not turning into collateral damage.

6. Better, Simpler Strategy: A Value-Based Guide to Exceptional Performance by Felix Oberholzer-Gee—This book takes you back to strategy fundamentals. Companies win when they increase their customer’s willingness to pay and their employees’ willingness to sell. I particularly like this book as it stands in contrast to how several of the other books I include here see the world. While the first three books embrace messiness and create more complexity, the core idea here is to simplify strategy making. This aligns less with my own thinking but that’s precisely why it is important to read it (remember Grant’s call for rethinking!). It’s also crucial to understand what different books can deliver. Experimentation and imagination are particularly powerful when we seek divergence, lot’s of new ideas. Oberholzer-Gee’s approach can fuel convergence, getting everyone alligned. Both are necessary.

7. The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics by Tim Harford—Executives love the certainty of statistics and numbers. Not exactly a surprise considering that 22% of FT100 CEOs began their career in finance, 17% in engineering, and 11% in accounting. Unfortunately—like everyone else— they are prone to motivated reasoning. Guy Mayraz, a behavioral economist from the University of Oxford, set up an experiment dividing participants into groups of farmers and bakers. The former benefited from higher wheat prices, the latter from lower. When the participants were asked to predict future wheat prices the farmers predicted a rise in prices, the bakers a fall. As Harford points out the starting point for interpreting data is to be aware of such motivated reasoning. Harford is a Gladwell-like storyteller who takes you on a journey from art forgery all the way to Florence Nightingale while presenting 10 straightforward rules to overcome such biases.

8. The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations by Robert Livingston—Social justice is one of those big systemic issues that many companies would love to avoid but can’t. This is a book for organizations that are truly interested in moving the needle on this topic, using a simple model Livingston refers to as PRESS: Problem Awareness, Root Cause Analysis, Empathy, Strategy, Sacrifice. As with other hard to grasp issues the starting point is to get everyone on the same page. It’s beliefs, not facts that drive behavior here. The book does not offer a quick fix equivalent to a miracle cure but a sometimes painful exercise to tackle a weighty subject. Livingston’s long academic career ensures the solid foundation the book rests on. His consulting experience with the likes of AirBnB, Under Armour, and JPMorgan Chase makes it actionable.

9. Winning the Right Game: How to Disrupt, Defend, and Deliver in a Changing World by Ron Adner—there was a time in the 1990s when GE was the world’s most admired company (yes, hard imagine today). It’s legendary CEO Jack Welch distilled some of his insights in Winning but as Adner notes, this is no longer sufficient. You have to win the right game. Revisiting the often told story of Kodak’s downfall shows why. Contrary to what many of us believe, Kodak did not miss ‘digital’. Investing billions, it dominated the new revenue stream that emerged when customers started to print their images at home or in retail outlets across the US. Unfortunately, the marked for digital printing itself had a short lifespan. Soon images were consumed in a different way. Kodak had won the wrong game. The book helps you to avoid the same fate. It’s a smart book about ecosystems that considers less obvious—but arguably more important—aspects of disruption and technology.

10. Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Daniel Kahneman and Olivier Sibony—In a widely cited article Fisher Black, a Harvard economist, argues that a large number of small events often have a stronger effect than a small number of large events. Of course, the small events are easy to overlook. As Kahneman and Sibony show, this has a profound impact on important decisions. Two judges in the same courthouse give different rulings for almost identical cases. In fact even the same judge will hand out different verdicts depending on the time of the day or how his football team performed the previous night. Managers of course are subject to the same biases. To make better decisions, they can apply a number of simple remedies laid out in this book. Obviously not to be missed.