Hey folks!

We’re at the midway point for November and our current book, Upstream by Dan Heath.

Well done to those of you who’ve stuck with it. You’re no doubt being rewarded with incredible lessons for upstream problem solving that you can hopefully start to apply in your lives and work.

I’m really excited to hear how this book has helped our members in our upcoming book club call on the 25th! (register below)

To those of you who haven’t yet started with this one - we highly recommend that you do!

For those of you who are not yet members of our paid tier, the Bad Ass Bookworms, now is an excellent time to upgrade and take advantage of the lively conversations, insights and sharing taking place right now on our private Discord channel.

You’ll also be able to join our end of month book club calls where you can meet other amazing members and discuss in detail what these books have meant for you. You’ll hear from others how these books have changed their thinking and helped them level up to become total badasses in life and business.

If you’d like to check it out and upgrade, visit here.

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!

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﹅ Key highlights from Upstream so far…

1. Problems often hide in plain sight

By now, it’s clear that many of the issues we face aren’t mysterious at all, they’re just unowned. Heath’s stories show how big challenges often persist because no one feels responsible for stopping them at the source. It’s a great reminder to look for the gaps between roles, teams, and systems because that’s often where prevention starts.

2. Data is your early-warning system

One of the book’s most practical lessons so far is the power of tracking signals before problems fully surface. Whether it’s absenteeism, customer churn, or safety reports, spotting patterns early can help us act before a crisis hits. Heath makes the case that upstream thinkers don’t just collect data, they listen to what it’s whispering.

3. Small wins can unlock big change

Heath’s examples highlight that upstream change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, it often starts small. For example, a new question, a pilot, or one brave person saying, “let’s fix this before it breaks again.” Those early wins build momentum, and before long, you’ve shifted an entire system.

Poll

We’re about halfway through Upstream now, and the mindset shift is starting to sink in. So here’s a quick poll for this week…

● Additional resources

If Upstream has you thinking more about prevention, patterns and staying one step ahead, here’s a some interesting resources to explore next.

Systems Thinking is Not Optional: Lessons From a Pandemic

If you’ve found Heath’s focus on prevention compelling, this 15-minute talk will extend your thinking: it shows how systems thinking transforms big problems from “What do we fix?” into “What system allowed this to happen?

www.ted.com/talks/steven_woodsmall_systems_thinking_is_not_optional_lessons_from_a_pandemic

Leading Ahead of the Curve: The Power of Proactivity

In just under an hour you’ll get a solid discussion on why reactive leadership wears you out, and how proactive leadership gives you space to build instead of just respond. A perfect listen for your commute or café-work session this week.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/577-leading-ahead-of-the-curve-the-power-of-proactivity/id522095976?i=1000657793644

Seeing Around Corners: How to Spot Inflection Points in Business Before They Happen

Seeing Around Corners by Rita McGrath is all about spotting the early signs of big shifts before they hit. It’s a brilliant companion to Upstream because it teaches you how to recognise inflection points in your business or career long before they become problems, helping you stay ahead instead of scrambling to react.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LC98K6Z?pf_rd_p=c2945051-950f-485c-b4df-15aac5223b10&pf_rd_r=M72ZTJKWZ1Y3J3GRSADY

► Join the conversation

What Bad Ass Bookshelf members are saying

We’re building an incredible community over on our Bad Ass Bookshelf Discord channel where over 110 of you have joined in the fun (it’s free BTW).

Here are some of the chats we’ve been having:

  • Some excellent book recommendations - for both fiction and non-fiction

  • How we’re getting on with reading this month’s book

  • Introductions from a diverse set of non-fiction book-fans like ourselves!

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.

Upgrade to Bad Ass Bookworm

♦︎ Next book club call

We're so excited to host our next Bad Ass Bookshelf bookclub call to discuss Upstream at the end of November! Call details below:

Date: Tuesday 25th November
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!

Upgrade today!

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