INTHEBLACK February / March 2026 - Magazine - Page 12
FAST FOCUS
Latest reads
Our top reads for accountants and finance professionals
Strong Ground: The Lessons
of Daring Leadership, the
Tenacity of Paradox and the
Wisdom of the Human Spirit
Brené Brown
Ebury Publishing
According to New York Times
bestselling author Brené Brown,
many people are struggling to
find their “ground” in this time
of explosive change. In her latest
book, she uses the metaphor of an
athletic stance — finding balance
and drawing strength from the core — to describe the stability
people need in life and leadership. As artificial intelligence
(AI), geopolitical instability, the climate crisis and other factors
unsettle leaders and employees alike, Brown believes strength
comes from investing in people. The book explores how
leadership is rooted in stability, self-awareness and wellbeing,
and advises how to develop all three.
Rapid Transformation: Shape
the Future Now with Ancient
Ritual, Awakened Thinking
and Emerging Technology
Dr Catriona Wallace
Wiley
Humanity is making progress in
areas such as health, education and
technology, yet ongoing challenges
such as resource scarcity, AI risks
and increasing polarisation threaten
this progress. Dr Catriona Wallace,
an authority on AI, ethics and the
metaverse, argues that bold, collaborative leadership is
essential to address these issues. In Rapid Transformation,
she introduces three pillars for navigating uncertainty: how
ancient and indigenous rituals can strengthen leadership,
the benefit of clarity, connection and purpose, and how
AI can drive meaningful change. Wallace urges families,
teams, organisations and governments to act decisively
and create a thriving future for people and the planet.
12 INTHEBLACK February/March 2026
Wellbeing Intelligence:
Building Better Mental
Health at Work
Kiran Bhatti and Thomas Roulet
Profile Books
With workplace stress and burnout
rates soaring, mental health must
be prioritised, write University of
Cambridge colleagues Kiran Bhatti
and Thomas Roulet. They claim
that one-size-fits-all approaches
to overcoming mental health
challenges are unlikely to succeed.
Enter their Wellbeing Intelligence
model, which acts as a “first-aid kit” for understanding
personal mental health needs and identifying colleagues
who may require support. This book presents practical
strategies to enhance wellbeing, including self-care
techniques, self-assessment tools and guidance on
effective workplace policies. It is a valuable resource
for anyone wanting to build healthier work environments.
The Economist Quiz Book:
60 Brain Teasers for
Inquisitive Minds
Tom Standage (editor)
Profile Books
Do stocks with catchy names
outperform the market?
Is Bohemian Rhapsody longer
than Hey Jude? These are just
some of the questions that appear
in 60 quizzes written by the
team behind The Economist.
The collection gets problem-solvers to join the dots
between common themes — from Tom Cruise films
to suffixes — and separate fact from fiction. In other
words, it challenges readers to find hidden connections,
get the facts right and identify misinformation.
Packed with thought-provoking questions, this book
offers an engaging mental workout that both entertains
and educates.
