The best book I've ever read on the topic of growth is by Ed Hess, and it's aptly named Smart Growth.
It's not an anti-growth book, but through research, it dismantles the mental model of what I call Wall Street Growth which is:
1. Businesses have to continually grow or die
2. All growth is good
3. Growth has to be continuous and smooth
4. Quarterly growth is the primary measure of success
In this conversation with Ed Hess, we discuss some of his favorite case studies in the book, the opposite of the 'grow or die' mindset, and the ideal work environment where people can continually be learning, unlearning, and relearning.