More recommended reads from Nexford’s leadership team

Victoria Rusnac
February 28, 2019 · 1 min read

Part 2 as we introduce the Nexford University leadership team through their top reading recommendations

What do our book choices say about us? We think they reveal a lot.

We asked Nexford University’s leadership team to share some of their favorite books with you, so that you could get to know our top-tier leaders a little better.

In the second part of our two-part book list series, we meet the better side of human nature, the importance of moments, and understand more about how to get from good to great. (Read part one – and meet the rest of our leadership team here).

Doesn’t a well-rounded person boast a diverse bookshelf? From philosophy to change leadership, this is definitely a well-rounded collection of reading recommendations. We bet you’ll be ordering a few new additions for your own collection before you get to the end!

By Steven Pinker

Selected by: Fadl Al Tarzi, Founder and CEO

Bill Gates called this the most inspiring book he’d ever read. So if you order your copy right now, you’re already in great company. A look at the Twentieth Century – but not as you know it, Pinker explains why, despite what you might think from watching news bulletins, we’re far less violent as a global society than we’ve ever been. Dipping into history, philosophy and science, Pinker explains how cities make us safer, how books bring about peace, and how we’re less likely to die at the hands of another human than ever before. Our world, but not as you know it.

By Jim Collins

Selected by: Dr Sheila Fournier-Bonilla, Chief Academic Officer

Why do some organizations remain simply good at what they do, while others, the Apples and Microsofts for example, attain greatness? It’s what anyone interested in business leadership wants to know. And in this book, Jim Collins unpicks exactly what the variables are for businesses that go from good to great. Five years of research and rigorous in its academic argument, this is one to fire you up and get you looking at your own organizational structure, ambition and circumstances.

By Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler

Chosen by: Dr N Raul Galarza, Director of Learner Enrollment Management and University Registrar

Are you coping with what life (or your boss) throws your way? Or are you influencing events before they happen? This book is one for the would-be change makers. You’ll find insights from behavioral scientists and business leaders, and learn robust strategies for influencing the narrative, whether it’s in your personal or business life. This book looks at influencers from all walks of life, from Thailand to San Francisco, and how a series of individuals have problem solved and inspired change that’s not only significant, but sustainable and even inevitable.

By Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Selected by: Victoria Rusnac, Marketing Director

Why do certain moments have the power to jolt us emotionally, or change our approaches completely? And how can we manufacture those impactful moments when we need to make a change, spark new ideas or leave an impression? What is it that gives us the power to transform ordinary moments into life-changing ones that people truly remember? Chip and Dan Heath explore how individuals and teams have created standout moments in other people’s lives, and explain how you can forget leaving it to luck, and learn how to create your own magic.

This was brought to you by our leadership team – meet them here!

About the author
Victoria Rusnac
Victoria Rusnac

Victoria Rusnac is the director of marketing at Nexford. Originally from Moldova, Victoria began her career in FMCG with Nestlé, where she managed an assortment of popular brands, including Nescafé, KitKat, and Nesquik. She then moved on to working in telecommunications in the UK at Orange and subsequently EE, leading on the marketing strategy, customer acquisition and the retention of millions of customers.

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