The one magazine every business leader needs to read

As we business leaders enter 2019, we’re looking ahead to what the new year will bring. I keep running into the term “VUCA,” which stands for volatile, uncertain, chaotic, and ambiguous. That doesn’t begin to describe what many leaders are seeing as we review the waning year and plan for what’s ahead.

Here’s some helpful advice. I highly recommend that you take the time to read a special edition of The Economist magazine, “The World in 2019”. As many of you know, I am a long-time fan of the magazine. In fact, I consider it required reading for senior business leaders. But it comes every week, it has a lot of information in it, and few of us have the time to read each issue cover to cover.

Read this one. No matter what business you’re in, you’ll find valuable information and insights. The coverage is thoughtful and even-handed. And because the magazine is published in Great Britain, it provides a deeper global perspective than many American publications do. 

Even if you can’t read the whole issue, take the time to read “Follow the Trendlines” by Steven Pinker. It is a surprising article that challenges many current misperceptions. And to top it off, it is refreshingly optimistic.

Here’s to a great 2019!