'Readers don't finish books that make them feel impressed by someone with a lot of experience or success. They finish books that make them feel capable.'

Does the book still have a place in next-generation corporate learning platforms? You bet.

Amy Cantin of Skillsoft talks me through the evolution of organizational learning, and the ways in which business books underpin the various summaries, webinars, AI simulations and social learning opportunities they offer their corporate clients to ensure not only that every employee keeps learning, but that they are able to learn in the way that suits them best.

There are great tips here on how to write a book that's truly transformational for professional development, and a reminder that while the learning landscape has evolved, books remain the fullest expression of the ideas that shape work-life, and authors are still central to the learner's experience.

'If there's one thing that this podcast has reinforced for me over the last 10 years, it is that books and the people who write them matter.'

It's almost a decade to the day since I first pressed 'record' and launched this podcast into the world (and you might be amused to find out the real reason behind it). In this 10th birthday episode I'm taking a moment to look back on the ambition and anxiety behind that moment, and reflect on how much has changed, and what hasn't, for writers and readers of business books.

I've also put together 10 super-practical lessons I've learned over that time, for anyone grappling with their own ambition and anxiety in the face of starting something new. I welcome back my very first guest and have a moment with 2016 Alison, as we look forward to whatever the next 10 years will bring.

Whether you've been listening since that first episode or just discovered The Extraordinary Business Book Club, you're part of something really special, and a way of being and thinking that's taken on existential meaning for us over the last decade - as individuals and as a society.

'Inclusion is what you do and diversity is what you get.'

Paolo Gaudiano's expertise ranges from rocket science through computational neuroscience to the really tough work: diversity, equity and inclusion in organizations.

It's not got any easier over the last couple of years, but it's not got any less important, either. Paolo simply points to the evidence: focusing on improving workplace experiences for all employees leads not only to happier people but also to better business outcomes. His book - Measuring Inclusion: Higher profits and happier people, without guesswork or backlash - was named International Business Book of the Year at the Business Book Awards in 2025.

We also talk about the power and perils of language, the concept of 'gateway words', and the importance of recognizing that the words that work for you might not work for others...

'If you're into it, read into it.'

Fresh (sic) from the London Book Fair, this week's episode brings together perspectives from across the industry on the National Year of Reading campaign.

Does reading even still matter? [Spoiler alert: it matters more than ever!] And how can we - as an industry and as individuals - encourage people to do more of it, given all the competing demands on their attention?

As well as finding out what's happening in the industry, learn how you can join the movement to make reading a more intentional, joyful part of your everyday life, and I'm not just talking about business books. Your attention is under siege like never before - reading is a radical act of resistance, as well as a practice of self-development, a powerful way of supporting your wellbeing and the best route to becoming a better writer.

'If you love somebody, set them free,' advised Sting back in 1985. Little did he know he was setting out a core principle of leadership for the 21st century.

It's the big idea behind award-winning author Helen Beedham's second book People Glue: Hold on to your best people by setting them free, which leans into that paradox with rather more by way of helpful detail than the Police front man ever provided. Through rigorous research and conversations with top CEOs she has identified four key freedoms that top talent most values, and also the anti-freedom forces that most frequently prompt them to walk out of the organizational door.

We also talk about what it means to write a second book – why WOULD you put yourself through that again? And what might you do differently second time around?

'We don't understand much about hope, and yet people are crying out for it from leaders.'

If you ever hear someone dismissively say 'hope is not a strategy', be sure to introduce them to Ian Pettigrew, author of Hope is a Strategy. He will disabuse them of the idea that hope is simply wishful thinking and introduce them to a more muscular, active concept: hope that can be – MUST be – wielded with rigour and realism.

In Ian's book (quite literally), hope isn't rainbows and unicorns; if it is, you don't get away with that twice. Neither is it about ignoring reality until something good happens. Strategic hope is gritty and demanding, but it's also the most powerful force in the world for both personal and organizational transformation.

We also talk about the practicalities of applying this theory of hope to the business of writing a book, both the inner game and the getting of the words onto the page. So if you're feeling a bit hopeless about your own project, this is for you.

'O nce you know that you can't do it all, it becomes a little bit easier.'

Why do so many of us feel like we're drowning in endless demands and to-do lists, at work and at home? Why, when we have so many smart productivity tools, is it so damn hard to get the important things done?

If you relate, I'd like to introduce you to Chris Lovett. Because HE can introduce you to the genius idea of 'strategic laziness', and also explain how an author with no time can write a book perfectly designed to be read by people with no time.

If you're looking for the antidote to hustle culture, if you're ready to face the fact that you will NEVER get to the bottom of your to-do list and if you fancy embracing tiny acts of rebellion to stem the relentlessness, this is for you.

'The crux of our whole business is just really finding talented people to help others do what they can't do themselves as well.'

Kevin Anderson never planned to become CEO of one of the biggest editorial agencies in the world, but that's where his knack for seeing opportunities in a fast-changing industry together with the guts to take them has landed him.

In this episode, we talk about how publishing professionals can support authors at every stage – from clarifying the concept through writing the manuscript to securing the right deal (and we note that 'the right deal' means different things to different authors.)

From the impact of AI on writing and piracy to top tips for writing business books, the enduring appeal of long-form nonfiction to the plethora of publishing options open to authors today, it's packed with insights and advice for aspiring authors.

Don't wait until you've written your manuscript to listen to this!