• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

2

Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow

1

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind

2

Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
executive read

Three New Books to Step Up Your Game at Work (and in Life)

By
Erika Fry
Erika Fry
,
Anne VanderMey
Anne VanderMey
, and
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Erika Fry
Erika Fry
,
Anne VanderMey
Anne VanderMey
, and
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 22, 2016, 9:00 AM ET
Illustration by Javier Jaén
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

1. “Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations”
by Thomas L. Friedman

The globe-trotting New York Times columnist’s most famous book was about the world being flat. This one is all about the world being fast. Globalization, along with breakneck technological and environmental shifts, is driving change at a faster pace than most people, companies, and governments can manage, Friedman writes. The book is a sprawling exploration of the state of the world—awesome, but kind of scary by Friedman’s rendering. His main piece of advice for individuals, corporations, and countries is clear: Take a deep breath and adapt. This world isn’t going to wait for you.

Pro Tip: Make time to connect with people: In a digital era, face-to-face contact becomes increasingly important.  

2. “Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations”
by Dan Ariely

A surprisingly empathetic and practical volume, behavioral economist Dan Ariely’s slim, 100-page primer on motivation will be the book you wish your boss had read. Positive feedback, mutual respect, and a sense of connection to a larger purpose, he finds, are crucial to happiness and productivity at the office and beyond.

Ariely is a working academic and illustrates his thesis through a series of experiments: In one, he gives two groups of people word puzzles. For the first group, researchers check participants’ work; for another group, they shred it without looking at it. The people whose efforts were acknowledged did significantly more work for less pay.

Pro Tip: Bored with your job? Try to change your mental framing. Ariely gives the example of a man tired of his duties cleaning hospital instruments—but once he internalized that his job was crucial for patient safety, he found renewed energy and got a promotion. ­

3. “Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives”
by Tim Harford

Embrace chaos to tap into your true creative potential. That’s the premise of the latest book from Tim Harford, of Undercover Economist fame. The British author argues in favor of welcoming messiness into our lives as a gateway to ­innovation—and ultimately success—even as he explores the psychology behind why we cling to tidiness for the order and safety it promises.

Harford deftly weaves together real-life examples of notable figures who cozied up to disorder to varying degrees on the road to success, from Steve Jobs’ fascination with serendipity to the bedlam of Donald Trump’s shocking rise to the top of the Republican Party.

Pro Tip: Prioritize three tasks for the day and alternate work on each based on when inspiration strikes.  

A version of this article appears in the November 1, 2016 issue of Fortune with the headline “You’re Already Good. Here’s How to Step It Up.”

About the Authors
Erika Fry
By Erika Fry
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Anne VanderMey
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

im Tran with her Grandaughter, two weeks old Alessandra on 28th October, 2005.
Economypopulation
‘The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending’: J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
25 minutes ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 24, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for July 24, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 24, 2026
28 minutes ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 24, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for July 24, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 24, 2026
28 minutes ago
Mortgage rates today, July 24, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, July 24, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJuly 24, 2026
28 minutes ago
European travel platform Omio raises $10 million and buys Rail Europe as it chases Asia’s tourism market 
Asiatourism
European travel platform Omio raises $10 million and buys Rail Europe as it chases Asia’s tourism market 
By Nicholas GordonJuly 24, 2026
29 minutes ago
Meet SLB: The $70 billion oil services giant poised to cash in on AI data centers and the post-Strait of Hormuz oil exploration boom
Magazineoil and gas
Meet SLB: The $70 billion oil services giant poised to cash in on AI data centers and the post-Strait of Hormuz oil exploration boom
By Jordan BlumJuly 24, 2026
29 minutes ago

Most Popular

The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
2 days ago
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
Personal Finance
Spain lifted the World Cup, but the IRS still gets a cut of its $50 million pay day as players, coaches and refs all face complex U.S. “jock taxes”
By Joshua HongJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
16 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 23, 2026
21 hours ago
Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar
Economy
Scott Bessent casually says the U.S. has more than $1 trillion in gold—and that it doesn’t matter for the dollar
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 22, 2026
2 days ago
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.