A review by ashtheviking
Humility Is the New Smart: Rethinking Human Excellence in the Smart Machine Age by Katherine Ludwig, Edward D. Hess
3.0
I'm torn about how to review this as I don't believe audio was the right way to consume this book. There's a lot of lists and self-assessment checklists that I definitely think it would be more beneficial to peruse physically. I thought this had some interesting ideas about the skills and mindsets that will be more prevalent in the "Smart Machine Age". When most jobs are automated where in the workforce will humans exist/thrive? What can we do now to prepare for those changes?
The book was constantly referencing the works of others: Creativity, Inc; Learn or Die, etc that reference the work cultures of major corporations that embody the 'new smart' ideals. It seemed more a study of those particular business leaders and how to be more like them rather than give practical advise to a worker.The latter half of the book was just general leadership advice: practice mindful meditation, control your emotions, learn how to effectively listen, care about your employees as people, and promote life-long learning-- the essential jist.
I first found it ironically amusing and then annoying the amount of time the phrase "I, Ed..." was used in the chapter about minimizing ego. I thought the personal example of the author's introduction to meditation was unnecessary and boring. Largely, saying he was skeptical too, it was hard at first, ended up changing his life. Also in 2021, no one is learning meditation from a book.
These businesses are referenced constantly: Google, Pixar, Bridgewater Associates, Starbucks, United Parcel Service, Sysco, W. L. Gore & Associates, IDEO, Southwest Airlines, and the US Marine Corps. And usually listed exactly like that but I believe they only go in depth about how Google, Pixar, and Bridgewater accomplish their objectives and largely by referencing books written by their CEOs. I imagine those books to be more useful to read on their own.
The book was constantly referencing the works of others: Creativity, Inc; Learn or Die, etc that reference the work cultures of major corporations that embody the 'new smart' ideals. It seemed more a study of those particular business leaders and how to be more like them rather than give practical advise to a worker.The latter half of the book was just general leadership advice: practice mindful meditation, control your emotions, learn how to effectively listen, care about your employees as people, and promote life-long learning-- the essential jist.
I first found it ironically amusing and then annoying the amount of time the phrase "I, Ed..." was used in the chapter about minimizing ego. I thought the personal example of the author's introduction to meditation was unnecessary and boring. Largely, saying he was skeptical too, it was hard at first, ended up changing his life. Also in 2021, no one is learning meditation from a book.
These businesses are referenced constantly: Google, Pixar, Bridgewater Associates, Starbucks, United Parcel Service, Sysco, W. L. Gore & Associates, IDEO, Southwest Airlines, and the US Marine Corps. And usually listed exactly like that but I believe they only go in depth about how Google, Pixar, and Bridgewater accomplish their objectives and largely by referencing books written by their CEOs. I imagine those books to be more useful to read on their own.