Like many, we are constantly curious – hungry for ideas – news ways of looking at the world, business and ourselves.

Here are some books we would highly recommend:

• A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink - keep hearing that you need to be innovative? Well read this book and find out why. An easy and interesting read with useful tips for improving your own "right brain" skills for use at work and at home
   
• Lean Thinking by James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones - this is the Lean manual written by the gurus - a must read if you want a thorough understanding of the origins of Lean and how it can be applied
   
• Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox - a fabulous read for those of you who have good intentions to broaden your business knowledge but can't face a standard non-fiction read. This is written as a novel with characters which if you can't relate to yourself, you will recognise within your teams. It will make you think about your own management style and approach to problem solving as well as introducing Lean in a gentle kind of way!
   
• Firms of Endearment by Rajendra S. Sisodia, David B. Wolfe and Jaqdish N. Sheth - this book's central theme is that more and more highly performing companies are building their success on the basis of an intensely nurtured relationship with their customers - the level of loyalty they create is a unique competitive advantage. It provides a comprehensive view of what comprises a Firm of Endearment through the use of case studies
   
• On Leadership by Allan Leighton - this is a great read and a pragmatic account of how to turn a business around. It's full of stories from many different business "A" listers and recounts their struggles and triumphs as they led their companies through numerous challenges
   
• Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne – a really refreshing look at how to re-invent your business and move beyond your competitors
   
• Good to Great / Build to last by Jim Collins – a bit like the Star Wars trilogy then prequels – well researched, good insights, simple frameworks
   
• A perfect thing by Stephen Levy – the story of the iPod and how it transformed [ailing] Apple – written by a tech-journo with excellent contacts/connections with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates
   
• Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner – this text just shows what can be done with the power of regression analysis
   
• The World Is Flat: The Globalized World in the Twenty-first Century by Thomas Friedman – a must for anyone who wants a quick insight into global trends – [get your kids focusing on maths and science]