The Business Shelf

Power to the Middle
Bill Schaninger, author
Bryan Hancock, author
Emily Field, author
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781647824853, $32.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Middle-Managers-Hold-Future/dp/1647824850

Synopsis: "Middle manager" is a descriptive term from a bygone industrial e=
ra in which managers functioned like cogs in a vast bureaucratic machine. I=
n recent decades, midlevel managers became a favorite target for the choppi=
ng block -- underappreciated, often considered a superfluous layer of the o= rganization.

Not only does this outdated perspective need to change, but the future dema= nds it.

With the publication of "Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to=
the Future of Work", McKinsey thought leaders Bill Schaninger, Bryan Hanco= ck, and Emily Field call for a profound reimagining of managers and their r= oles. They explain how middle managers are uniquely positioned close to the=
ground but with a crucial connection to company strategy, enabling them to=
guide their organizations through periods of rapid and complex change, as = well as to help shape the new world of work.

The authors compellingly illustrate this deep shift in the workplace, showi=
ng how: Managers are the key to winning the war for talent, which requires = strong people skills to attract and retain the best talent; Managers must s= hift from merely enforcing rules to challenging them, serving as critical s= topgaps for rules that are ineffective or obsolete; Crucially, good manager=
s must not be promoted out of their jobs. Instead, their title and compensa= tion should reflect their high value and allow them to advance within their=
roles.

With rich stories and cutting-edge research, "Power to the Middle" offers a=
new model for companies to radically alter the way they hire, train, and r= eward their midlevel managers their most valuable asset.

Critique: Simply stated, "Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys t=
o the Future of Work" is essential reading for anyone aspiring to become, o=
r who are already employed in a company's middle management position. Impre= ssively comprehensive, exceptionally informative, thoroughly 'reader friend= ly' in organization and presentation, "Power to the Middle" must be conside= red an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, corpo= rate, college, and university library Business Management collection and su= pplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Power to = the Middle" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16= ..99).

Editorial Note #1: Bill Schaninger (https://sardertv.com/author/bill-schani= nger) is a senior partner emeritus in McKinsey's Philadelphia office. He is=
an international speaker, author, and adviser to senior leaders and govern= ment officials on the topics of talent, culture, values, and the broad impa=
ct of "how you run the place" on performance.

Editorial Note #2: Bryan Hancock (https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/bryan= -hancock) is a partner in McKinsey's Washington, DC, office and one of the = global leaders of McKinsey's talent work. Through his research and client s= ervice, he has focused on connecting workers to opportunities, building the=
ir skills, and improving their day-to-day experience on the job.

Editorial Note #3: Emily Field (www.mckinsey.com) is a partner in McKinsey'=
s Seattle office. She advises organizations globally across industries to d= eliver on their performance goals and people aspirations, with the role of = the middle manager front and center.

The Agile Organization
Linda Holbeche
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398608689, $131.00, HC, 416pp

https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Organization-Innovative-Resilient-Business/dp/= 1398608688

Synopsis: With helpful checklists, tips and advice, this newly updated and = expanded third edition of "The Agile Organization: How to Build an Engaged,=
Innovative and Resilient Business" by Linda Holbeche is a practical bluepr= int to building both agility and resilience at individual, team and organiz= ational levels.

"The Agile Organization" aptly covers how to design agile organizations as = well as how to implement agile models into existing organizations and peopl=
e practices. There is guidance on how agility can be applied to talent mana= gement, flexible working patterns and the importance of mobilizing and ener= gizing employees for change.

This new third edition contains new material on agile mindsets and enterpri=
se agile planning, alongside how hybrid forms of working can enhance resili= ence. There is also extended material on how inclusion and wellbeing initia= tives can support individual resilience and innovation to improve performan=
ce across the organization. Case studies include ING, the University of Cal= ifornia, Berkeley, the UK National Health Service (NHS) and SNC-Lavalin's A= tkins business. This book is an essential read for HR and OD specialists, s= enior leaders and managers who want transform their organization and build =
an agile business.

Critique: Of special relevance to readers with an interest in Corporate Org= anizational Learning, Business Management, Mentoring & Coaching, "The Agile=
Organization: How to Build an Engaged, Innovative and Resilient Business" =
is an ideal choice as a DIY or formal curriculum studies lists in the field=
s of Business & Finance. While recommended as a core addition to personal, = professional, community, corporate, college and university library collecti= ons and supplemental MBA curriculum lists, it should be noted that "The Agi=
le Organization" is also readily available in a paperback edition (97813986= 08665, $35.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.19).

Editorial Note: Dr Linda Holbeche is Co-Director of the Holbeche Partnershi=
p, Adjunct Professor at Imperial College London Business School, UK, and Vi= siting Professor at four other UK universities. She acts as consultant on O=
D, HR, Strategy and Leadership. She is Fellow of Roffey Park and the Instit= ute of Employment Studies and was previously Director of Research and Polic=
y at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Direct=
or of Leadership and Consultancy at the Work Foundation. In 2021 she was na= med as one of the Most Influential HR Thinkers by HR Magazine and is the co= -author of Organization Development, also published by Kogan Page. (https:/= /www.londonmet.ac.uk/profiles/staff/linda-holbeche)

The Business Analysis Handbook, second edition
Helen Winter
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398610149, $159.00, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Business-Analysis-Handbook-Techniques-Outcomes/dp/13= 98610143

Synopsis: Business analysis helps organizations to develop an informed unde= rstanding of the solutions they need to drive effective change. In the age =
of digital transformation, the role is more important than ever. Written by=
business analyst expert, Helen Winter and now available in a significantly=
updated and expanded second edition, "The Business Analysis Handbook: Tech= niques to Deliver Better Business Outcomes" provides practical advice on bo=
th the skills and the nitty-gritty activities of the profession and outline=
s tools and techniques with guidelines on how and when to apply them.

This new second edition of "The Business Analysis Handbook" from Kogan Page=
offers increased guidance on remote working and different career pathways =
in business analysis. Readers will also benefit from a new chapter on how t=
o build the business analysis function effectively in an organization, supp= orted by skills matrix examples, training strategies and tips on career dev= elopment. It also features examples of hot topics such as agile, sustainabi= lity and digital transformation.

"The Business Analysis Handbook" is an indispensable guide for business ana= lysts looking to upgrade their skills set and careers. It will also be inva= luable for business leaders seeking to harness the value of the business an= alysis function within their organizations.

Critique: Comprehensive, up-to-date, and indispensable as a core business m= anagement curriculum textbook or the basis of a corporate in-service traini=
ng program, "The Business Analysis Handbook: Techniques to Deliver Better B= usiness Outcomes" is an extraordinary, seminal and unreservedly recommended=
addition to personal, professional, corporate, and academic library Busine=
ss Analysis/Management/Planning collections and MBA curriculum studies list=
s. It should be noted for corporate executives, MBA students, academia, and=
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The B= usiness Analysis Handbook: Techniques to Deliver Better Business Outcomes" =
is also available in a paperback edition (9781398610125, $41.99) and in a d= igital book format (Kindle, $33.59).

Editorial Note: Helen Winter (https://www.businessbullet.co.uk/author/helen=
) has over 20 years' business analysis experience, having worked as a consu= ltant on large-scale transformation programmes within the financial service=
s, regulation, insurance and utilities sectors. She is an active volunteer = for IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) and the founder of = Business Bullet, an online magazine promoting business analysis and providi=
ng guidance for professionals. She is based in Wolverhampton, the UK.

Two Rivers
Shery Roussarie and Kelly Macken-Marble
Warren Publishing
www.warrenpublishing.net
9781960146199, $26.99 Hardcover/$16.99 Paper

https://www.amazon.com/Two-Rivers-Collaboration-Shery-Roussarie/dp/19601461=
9X

Two Rivers: The Power of Collaboration is a book about women in business an=
d in leadership positions who met for the first time in 2018. Their roles a=
s CEOs of competing health care companies would seem to place them in adver= sarial positions, but their shared vision of creating a managed care networ=
k instead resulted in a cooperative effort that surprised their community a=
nd those around them.

Ironically, the stage was preset to discourage this type of cooperative ven= ture, from the hospital systems around them to influencing medical organiza= tions designed to support health care systems.

More than a tale of two women who come together for a shared cause, Two Riv= ers is just as astute in considering the forces and structures that work ag= ainst cooperative ventures, using the authors' experiences as examples of t=
he power of saying 'yes' and listening to but utilizing disparate forces to=
better support such pursuits. The second strength of this story stems from=
its duality as the two women's' very different personalities are contraste=
d, illustrating how their shared visions and efforts benefit from this seem= ing disparity.

A wealth of business savvy is imparted during the course of this journey th=
at keeps its lessons on track and specific. This will interest business rea= ders seeking practical advice and enlightenment backed by real-world experi= ence.

From succession and postretirement planning to growing a business structure=
that answers numerous personality and community needs, Shery Roussarie and=
Kelly Macken-Marble's story is more than one of the meeting of two strong = women's visions. It's about the process of collaboration as it plays out in=
business and medical communities, and documents promises, pitfalls, and ap= proaches to success that reflect both authors' visions and the greater powe=
r to be found from cooperative ventures that resonate with personal ambitio=
n and ideals.

Libraries and readers interested in women in business and healthcare roles = will find Two Rivers of special interest; but ultimately it's the reader co= mmitted to the ideal of cooperative ventures, actions, and thinking who wil=
l gain the most from this enthusiastic, visionary story. Ideally, Two River=
s will be profiled in book clubs appealing to women in business who seek co= ncrete lessons blended with memoirs that are lively and revealing.

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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
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