INTHEBLACK November 2026 - Magazine - Page 12
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Latest reads
Our top reads for accountants and finance professionals
How To Be Happy:
Stop Chasing Happiness,
Learn the 5 Skills to Create
It Instead
Declan Edwards
Wiley
Happiness researcher
Declan Edwards, founder of
BU Happiness College and a previous
guest on the INTHEBLACK podcast,
explores a question many people ask:
how to be happy. Edwards frames
happiness as a skill that can be
learned and draws on science, personal anecdotes and
philosophy to explore different types of happiness and what
nurtures them. He combines this knowledge with practical
lessons, from retraining the brain to embracing self-reflection
and pursuing purpose. The result is a framework for promoting
happiness in a sustainable way.
Clear in Tension: How to
Get Better at Conflict
Tim Duggan
Wiley
“Conflict is a skill, and like any
skill, it can be built.” This is the
central argument of Junkee Media
co-founder Tim Duggan’s latest
book, in which he argues
that tension can support
decision-making, creativity
and relationships. Learning how
to navigate conflict without fear
or avoidance is key, and in this book Duggan
offers guidance on understanding conflict and
recognising emotional reactions to help readers respond
in constructive ways. He also shares advice about finding
common ground when disagreements arise. These skills
are essential for anyone seeking to handle tough situations
more effectively.
12 INTHEBLACK November 2026
Fair Game: Customizing AI
to Your Business Is Easier
Than You Think
Rob Collie
Holy Macro! Books
Former Microsoft engineering leader
Rob Collie is CEO of a data and
business intelligence consulting firm,
yet even he has experienced anxiety
about AI. This has prompted him to
learn more about the technology
and share his knowledge, so that
more than just a select few early AI
adopters can benefit. His book explains how AI works and
the advantages of custom solutions over off-the-shelf tools,
as well as how to build them. Collie also considers whether
AI will replace tools such as Power BI and Excel. It is a valuable
resource for organisations wanting to adopt AI and/or develop
their own tools.
The DNA of Performance:
Your Blueprint for Leading
with Unstoppable Energy
and Resilience
Alessandra Edwards
Hambone Publishing
From remote teams to AI and
economic uncertainty, a raft
of challenges plague today’s
leaders — and their nervous
systems are struggling to keep
up. The result is “a generation
of mentally and physically exhausted
leaders” and growing rates of burnout, writes executive
performance adviser Alessandra Edwards. This book presents
a road map for rebuilding energy and a personalised toolkit
for boosting performance and wellbeing. With energy and
resilience set to be competitive advantages over the next
decade, this is a useful guide for anyone who feels they are
pushing themselves too hard.
