Strategy, leadership, and ‘small data’

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2017. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

Duncan Brodie

Each week, we will delve into the reading lists of finance professionals around the world. This week, we hear from Duncan Brodie, FCMA, CGMA, a UK-based leadership and career coach and a former FD. Here are books that stand out for him:

WIN: How to Succeed in the New Game of Business: Brodie appreciates author Roger Harrop’s core message, which is that successful businesses focus on four basics – being exceptional, being a great place to work, constantly prospecting, and focusing on the bottom line.

Management in Ten Words: Terry Leahy, the former CEO of Tesco, distils his ideas into ten key words, focusing both on behaviours and ways of operating that provide clarity and insight into running a major organisation.

Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends: Big data is talked about and written about a lot, Brodie said. In this book, Martin Lindstrom “shows how small insights that would never be identified from big data can transform organisations. There’s a great story about Lego in the first few pages.”

The Success Principles: Brodie appreciates this book by Jack Canfield because it offers “simple but effective principles that can help organisations and individual accountants achieve great results.”

For more reading recommendations from leaders and business insights in a flash, sign up for the free CGMA Advantage newsletter.

Up Next

Gender parity plateaus, but some organisations remain steadfast on diversity

By Steph Brown
April 13, 2026
Some leaders in a Grant Thornton report tie executive diversity to increased innovation, better decision-making, and improved financial performance.
Advertisement

LATEST STORIES

Gender parity plateaus, but some organisations remain steadfast on diversity

Are you making the most of LinkedIn?

Executive turnover slows, but AI strategy remains unclear

Despite global job insecurity, some young workers are upbeat

April FM: Assessing your worth, board recruitment, and AI governance

Advertisement
Read the latest FM digital edition, exclusively for CIMA members and AICPA members who hold the CGMA designation.
Advertisement

Related Articles

Are you making the most of LinkedIn?