E1104 The Next Unicorns E16: Degreed’s David Blake on reimagining lifelong education, ending credentialism, benefits of early apprenticeship & more

In 'The Infinite Game', Simon Sinek distinguishes between finite and infinite games. Finite games have known players, fixed rules, and a clear endpoint, whereas infinite games, like business and life, have no defined endpoint and are played to continue the game rather than to win. Sinek argues that leaders who adopt an infinite mindset, focusing on a 'Just Cause', building 'Trusting Teams', having 'Worthy Rivals', practicing 'Existential Flexibility', and showing the 'Courage to Lead', will build stronger, more innovative, and resilient organizations. The book uses real-world examples to illustrate the benefits of an infinite mindset and the pitfalls of a finite mindset in business and leadership.

In 'The Ride of a Lifetime,' Robert Iger shares his experiences and the lessons he learned during his 15 years as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. The book covers his early career, his rise to the CEO position, and his strategic decisions that transformed Disney into a global media giant. Iger discusses key acquisitions like Pixar, Marvel, and 21st Century Fox, and emphasizes the importance of leadership principles such as optimism, courage, decisiveness, fairness, and integrity. He also reflects on his relationships with influential figures like Steve Jobs and George Lucas, and how emotional intelligence played a crucial role in his business dealings. The book provides insights into Iger's vision for Disney, which included a focus on high-quality branded content, embracing technology, and expanding globally.

In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.

In 'I Love Capitalism! ', Ken Langone shares his journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of America's most successful entrepreneurs. The book is a personal account of his experiences on Wall Street, his role in founding Home Depot, and his philanthropic efforts. Langone passionately defends capitalism as a system that allows anyone to achieve their dreams through hard work and determination.

In 'Crossing the Chasm', Geoffrey A. Moore explores the Technology Adoption Life Cycle, which includes innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. He highlights the significant gap or 'chasm' between early adopters and the early majority, where early adopters are willing to sacrifice for the advantage of being first, while the early majority waits for evidence of productivity improvements. The book provides strategies for narrowing this chasm, including choosing a target market, understanding the whole product concept, positioning the product, building a marketing strategy, and selecting the most appropriate distribution channels and pricing. The third edition includes new examples, strategies for digital marketing, and connections to Moore's subsequent works like 'Inside the Tornado'.

This book, written by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and co-author Tahl Raz, provides a masterclass in influencing others through negotiation. It distills the Voss method, revealing skills such as establishing rapport, creating trust with tactical empathy, and transforming conflict into collaboration. The book is filled with real-life examples from Voss's career, illustrating how these techniques can be applied in both professional and personal life to achieve goals and defuse potential crises.

In this book, Ed Catmull shares insights on how to build and maintain a creative culture within an organization. Drawing from his experiences at Pixar, Catmull discusses the importance of open communication, risk-taking, and protecting the creative process. The book includes candid discussions, anecdotes about Pixar's film development, and lessons on managing innovation and creativity. It emphasizes the need for a nurturing work environment and the importance of storytelling in business.

In 'Out of Our Minds', Sir Ken Robinson argues that creativity is undervalued in Western culture, particularly in educational systems. He explores why people often believe they are not creative and provides insights on how schools, businesses, and communities can work together to promote creativity. The book emphasizes the importance of creativity in a rapidly changing world and offers strategies for developing it systematically.