Recommended Reading: Debunking the ‘bullshit’ and navigating the post-trust era

From the Ground Up

By Howard Schultz

In this partly candid memoir, former Starbucks CEO and chairman Howard Schultz searches for answers through interwoven narratives. Firstly, he tells the story of his conflicted boyhood and wanting to be the first in his family to graduate from college. The parallel story then explores his efforts to challenge old notions about the role of business in society.

Schultz attempted to tackle a number of societal issues from race and supporting refugees, to healthcare and offering part-time baristas free college tuition. Essentially, his approach of looking through “the lens of humanity” may have helped Schultz build one of the world’s most recognisable brands.

“Howard Schultz’s story is a clear reminder that success is not achieved through individual determination alone, but through partnership and community,” writes Bill Gates.

Savvy: Navigating Fake Companies, Fake Leaders and Fake News in the Post-Trust Era

By Shiv Singh

These days it can be difficult to distinguish whether something is genuine or fabricated, or whether it’s true or simply fake. The rise of fake news and trust issues among social platforms are some of the most talked about topics today.

Here Shiv Singh illustrates how you can navigate your way through a post-trust era by drawing on seminal psychology studies and examples from today’s political and business headlines to demonstrate why humans are so vulnerable to trusting people, organisations and information that is biased or deceptive. He also provides guidance on how to negotiate a world dominated by artificial intelligence, how to build businesses and engage consumers in a trustworthy way.

True Detective: How Bullshit Becomes a Fact

By Bob Hoffman (aka The Ad Contrarian)

Here Bob Hoffman is “peeling back the bullshit” by dissecting a quote claiming millennials have the most spending power of any generation. Hoffman goes back to the beginning to find out where the “bullshit fact” was pulled from and how “astounding ignorance that is embedded in our industry and how bullshit, repeated with enough frequency, becomes a fact.”

Bouncing back and forth between a chain of content he eventually finds the source of the “bullshit” and swiftly debunks the statement using data and insights to support his stance.

READ MORE: How Bullshit Becomes Fact

From London to Bangalore: Small reflections on a big move

By Julie Bramham

Ever considered moving abroad for work, but a fear of the unknown gets in the way?

If yes then Diageo’s CMO for India, Julie Bramham, is here to help. In a blog post she talks through her move from Europe to India and how off the back of support from a mentor she decided to unleash the spirit of adventure and go for it. Bramham reflects on her experience so far, from why leadership in any market is vital, how culture is king, how great marketing transcends geographical borders and most importantly – how you rarely regret the things you do (vs the things you don’t).

READ MORE: From London to Bangalore: Small reflections on a big move