Hey everybody!
We hope you’ve all had a nice break over the holidays and managed to carve out some proper time to relax and recharge. We spent a lovely week with Fiona’s parents up in the north of England. Plenty of country walks, fresh air, and too much good food!
We’re also coming towards the end of this month’s book, Mindset, and we hope you’ve enjoyed reading (and reflecting on) it as much as we have. There’s been lots to think about, both personally and professionally, and we’re really looking forward to unpacking it together.
A quick reminder that our book club call is happening next week, where we’ll dig into the ideas, share what resonated (or didn’t), and hear different perspectives from across the group. Whether you’ve read every page or dipped in and out, you’ll be very welcome to join.
Register for this months book club call
At the end of each month, we host our book club call open to all members who have upgraded to our paid tier: Bad Ass Bookworm
Join today to unlock access to our bookclub calls, our Bad Ass Bookshelf Discord channel as well as the opportunity to vote for each month’s book club book!
﹅ The shortlist
January’s theme is all about how teams actually work. How culture shows up day-to-day, how safe people feel speaking up, and how organisations adapt when the world gets messy. Below are three excellent reads to vote on for our January book club.
1. The Culture Map by Erin Meyer
If you work with people from different countries or cultures, this book is a game-changer. Erin Meyer breaks down the hidden rules that shape how we communicate, give feedback, make decisions, and lead across cultures. Practical, eye-opening, and full of real examples, it helps explain why smart, well-intentioned teams can still misfire. Especially relevant if you work in global or remote teams.
Check it out on goodreads
2. The Fearless Organisation by Amy Edmondson
This book dives into the idea of psychological safety and why it matters more than ever. Amy Edmondson explores what it really takes to create an environment where people feel able to speak up, challenge ideas, admit mistakes, and learn fast. If you lead a team, want to improve team dynamics, or care about high performance without burnout, this one has plenty to chew on.
Check it out on goodreads
3. Team of Teams by Stanley McCrystal
Written from the perspective of military leadership but hugely relevant to business, this book looks at how organisations can stay effective in complex, fast-changing environments. McChrystal argues that traditional hierarchies struggle under modern complexity and shows how decentralised decision-making and shared context can unlock speed and adaptability. A great pick if you’re thinking about scaling teams or navigating uncertainty.
Check it out on goodreads
● Vote now
It’s time to choose January’s book!
Which book should we dive into next? Cast your vote now, and the winning book will be announced on Monday next week.
Want a say in what we read next?
Only our paid members, the Bad Ass Bookworms, get to vote for next month’s book. Now’s your chance to upgrade and make your voice heard.
Become a Bad Ass Bookworm today and help shape what we read next.
► Join the conversation
We’re building an incredible community over on our Bad Ass Bookshelf Discord channel where around 120 of you have joined in the fun.
Here’s a little snippet of the conversation going on over there:
Upgrade to join the conversation
These comments come straight from our private Discord community, where our Bad Ass Bookworms chat all month long.
Want in? Upgrade today and join the conversation for just $7/month.
♦︎ Next book club call
We're so excited to host our next Bad Ass Bookshelf bookclub call to discuss [Book title] at the beginning of January! Call details below:
Date: Tuesday 6th Jan 2026
Time: 17:00 GMT (12:00 EST / 09:00 PST)
Participation in our monthly bookclub calls is exclusive to our Bad Ass Bookworm members. Join today!
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