In 2021, we implemented our first ever Veritas Book Club. This initiative was one of the many ways that our employees used to stay connected, inspire growth and share new ideas during COVID-19.

Each month, an employee picks a book and hosts a book club. Fellow employees are asked to read the book in advance but are not required. We have set the "discussions" up in a way that anyone can participate, whether they read the book or not. 

We read and discussed 9 books in 2021! We have a wide representation of topics including  energy transformation, team dynamics and personal growth. Check out this year's picks! 

#1 - The New Map

Author: Daniel Yergin

Host: Guillermo Lash, Associate

About the book

The book is broken down into chapters by countries including America, Russia, China and the Middle East. Yergin speaks to the energy history of each and where they might be headed. The ending chapters focus on global themes and movements that influence the industry's future. 

Themes discussed

• MaaS (Mobility as a Service)
• How societal, financial, or political factors drive change
• What common factors drive innovation (using the Shale revolution as an example)
• The impact that different generational groups will have on energy transition
• How the world will respond to increase in population and energy demand
• The need for a roadmap for “transitional” change

#2 - How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

Author: Bill Gates

Host: Natalie Marshall, senior Marketing Manager

About the book

Bill Gates talks about the innovations needed to help accelerate us to a net zero-carbon future.

ThEMES DISCUSSED

• Barriers to climate change
• Solutions that can make a short-term impact
• Solutions that can make a long-term impact
• Social, economic and political drivers
• Government and individual involvement and impact

#3 - The Checklist Manifesto

Author: Atul Gawande

Host: Dave Smith, Manager

About the Book

The book tells the story of a journey to increase surgical patient safety worldwide. It includes amazing stories and lessons from medicine, construction and aviation and how despite being unsexy, checklists save lives.

THEMES DISCUSSED 

• What examples we felt resonated the most
• How have checklists worked for us in the past
• How checklist purposes and items can vary by role
• What current projects we have where checklists could help
  
  

#4 - No Rules Rules

Author: Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer

Host: August Al-Uqdah, Partner

About the Book

The book tells the story of Netflix from its founding in 1997 through 2018. Not only was Netflix a top performing stock in the 2010s, but they had created a culture of freedom and responsibility to enable them to be successful.

THEMES DISCSUSSED 

• Built and strengthened talent density 
• Focused on candor 
• Minimized and/or removes controls
  
  
  

#5 - Principles

Author: Ray Dailio

Host: Matt Schuetz, Partner

About the Book

We learned about Ray Dailio, founder of Bridgewater Associates (a firm with $154 billion assets under management) and author of Principles. In Principles, Ray talks about life and work principles to be successful.

themes discussed

• Personality tests
• Setting goals
• Reflecting
• Fear of making mistakes
• How journeys consist of trials
• Other meeting tips
  
  
  

#6 - Trillion Dollar Coach

Author: eric schimdt, jonathan rosenberg

Host: delfina govia, partner

About the book

The book is about Bill Campbell, a legendary coach and business executive whose mentoring of some of our most successful modern entrepreneurs has helped create well over a trillion dollars in market value. Bill played an instrumental role in the growth of several prominent companies, such as Google, Apple, and Intuit, fostering deep relationships with Silicon Valley visionaries, including Steve Jobs, Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt. The book explains Bill’s principles that help create higher and faster moving cultures, teams and companies, and illustrates them with stories from the many great people and companies with which he worked.

Delfina led the discussion and overviewed 32 lessons/plays that Bill defined. We keyed in our 4 of them including:

Themes discussed

• Your Title Make You a Manager, Your People Make You a Leader
• Build an Envelope of Trust
• Team First
• The Power of Love
  

#7 - Never Split the Difference

Author: Chris Voss, Tahl Raz

Host: Janette lindner, director

About the book

Chris Voss is a former international hostage negotiator for the FBI. He shares how you can apply the negotiating skills he learned to any situation. He covers the nine effective principles―counterintuitive tactics and strategies―that everyone can use to become more persuasive in their professional and personal lives.

Janette led the discussion and overviewed nine effective principles that Chris identified:

Themes discussed

• Mirror words selectively
• Practice tactical empathy
• Get to “No”
• Trigger “That’s Right”
• Resist Compromise
• Create the illusion of control
• Guarantee execution
• Bargain hard
• Find the Black Swans

#8 - Think and Grow Rich

Author: Napoleon hill

Host: diayane aguirRe 

About the book

An oldie but goodie! This book was published in 1937 and remains a best-seller 70 years later and is listed as a "must read" book on many book lists. Hill interviewed over 40 millionaires over 20 years. Hill studied their habits and drew some 16 "laws" to be applied to achieve success. Think and Grow Rich condenses them, providing the reader with 14 principles in the form of a "Philosophy of Achievement". 

Diayane hosted the latest book club and led a great discussion. We talked about:  

Themes discussed

• Goal setting
• Six steps to reach your goal
• Leadership attributes  
• Leadership failure attributes
• Importance of ideas & imagination

#9 - The Modern Enneagram 

Author: KACIE BERGHOEF, MELANIE BELL 

Host: NATALIE MARSHALL, SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER

About the book

The Enneagram is a model of the human psyche that includes 9 different personality types that has recently grown in popularity. Taking the test to and identifying your type can influence your habits, your growth, and your personal and professional interactions. The Modern Enneagram is one of many enneagram books out there. This enneagram book does a good job of explaining the model, it's structures and also deep dives into each personality type. 

Natalie led the discussion, including a discussion about pros and cons of personality tests in general. 

Themes discussed

• Enneagram Origin 
• Enneagram Structure
• Enneagram Types 
• Criticism of Personality Tests
  

At Veritas Total Solutions, we believe in sharing our perspectives with peers, clients and colleagues across all of our solutions. Sometimes, that means sharing things, like books, that influence our own perspectives. We would love to hear what books influence you. If you want to chat with us or if you are interested in learning more about our specific capabilities, contact us or subscribe to our podcast and blog to stay connected.