Business 4.0 rounds up a selection of essential reads to help you tackle the challenges of a shifting business landscape, and move confidently into the year ahead
Not since the dot-com boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s has the business landscape changed so dramatically, and so fast. At the heart of the transformation is of course AI. New technology always comes with fresh demands and dilemmas regards implementation, scale, and security, yet AI brings with it a plethora of other management challenges. From team buy-in to job displacement and beyond, AI is demanding the very best of us.
So, to help you work your way through the tide of disruption, competing priorities and professional reflection, Business 4.0 has rounded up the latest essential reads for those at the sharp end of modern commerce. We hope you discover fresh insight for a stronger and more successful 2026.
Decisions That Matter – by Fay Niewiadomski
Written by international leadership strategist, Fay Niewiadomski, Decisions That Matter draws on five decades of experience working with CEOs, boards and governments to redefine what it means to lead with purpose.
In a time of constant disruption, Niewiadomski advocates for courageous, values-based decision-making, based on an approach that builds trust, resilience and authenticity in leadership. Through a mix of personal insight and professional wisdom, she examines how bias, culture and self-awareness shape the choices leaders make, and the legacies they leave behind.
The book also covers.
- The psychology of decision-making and how to recognise bias in ourselves and other
- Invisible barriers to female leadership, including ‘sticky floors’
- What business emotional intelligence really means and why it’s important
A must-read for any business leader navigating transformation, uncertainty or personal reinvention, this book offers a practical framework for leaders looking to create positive organisational impact.
“Niewiadomski examines how bias, culture and self-awareness shape the choices leaders make, and the legacies they leave behind”
Beyond Buy-In – by Bontle Senne
For anyone leading change in a complex, fast-moving world, Beyond Buy-In offers a fresh and pragmatic approach to digital transformation. It challenges conventional thinking and places people, not technology, at the centre of lasting change. Transformation leader, keynote speaker, and author Bontle Senne draws on a global career spanning billion-pound megamergers, startups, and SMEs to reveal what truly drives successful transformation.
A book for leaders seeking meaningful progress, Beyond Buy-In explores:
- Choosing the right leaders and sponsors to guide transformation
- Understanding and overcoming resistance to change
- Recognising why culture cannot be engineered to fit a blueprint
- Learning to work with the culture you already have
- Seeing digital transformation as a political act rather than a technical upgrade
Grounded in research and experience, Beyond Buy-In equips executives with a practical playbook for navigating the human side of digital transformation.
“Beyond Buy-In challenges conventional thinking and places people, not technology, at the centre of lasting change”
Relationship Currency – by Ravi Rajani
Ravi Rajani is an international speaker, LinkedIn Learning Instructor and communication expert, with over 65,000 people having taken his courses on Conscious and Charismatic Communication. Rajani understands that business success doesn’t come from louder pitches, slick scripts or info-heavy slides. It comes from intentional and trust-centric communication that’s grounded in human connection.
Relationship Currency: Five Communication Habits For Limitless Influence and Business Success is a guide for leaders, salespeople and entrepreneurs who want to grow their influence with integrity. Against the backdrop of technological advances and a global trust crisis, learning how to truly connect with others on a deeper level is becoming a lost art.
Through actionable strategies and real-world insights, the book shows leaders how to:
- Build trusted relationships through authentic conversations
- Craft compelling stories that spark action – without being pushy
- Communicate with clarity, charisma, and confidence
- Elevate their presence through deeply listening
- Sell ideas, services, or change without losing integrity
“Rajani understands that business success comes from intentional and trust-centric communication that’s grounded in human connection”
Confidently Lost – by Gavin Oattes
For any leader who has ever felt stuck, restless, or unsure of what comes next, Confidently Lost: Finding Joy in the Chaos and Rediscovering What Matters Most in Life delivers both comfort and challenge in equal measure. It’s not about perfection – it’s about daring to be real. Bestselling author, internationally acclaimed speaker, former primary school teacher, and stand-up comedian Gavin Oattes returns with his most raw and relatable book yet – an unfiltered, deeply human exploration of what it means to fall apart – and to rebuild – when life doesn’t go to plan.
A book for anyone who’s ever felt stuck, Confidently Lost explores:
- Letting go of the invisible rucksack of emotional baggage
- Smashing the myth of “having it all figured out”
- Discovering the beauty and creativity in stillness and daydreams
- Breaking free from societal expectations
- Reclaiming joy, curiosity, and the spark of childlike wonder
“This is a book that delivers comfort and challenge in equal measure. It’s not about perfection – it’s about daring to be real”
Artificial Death of a Career – by Dr Helmut Schuster & Dr David Oxley
Artificial Death of a Career written by leading career experts, Dr Helmut Schuster and Dr David Oxley, is a refreshing guide for professionals feeling anxious about AI making their jobs obsolete. As AI threatens millions of roles globally, this book turns widespread anxiety into actionable strategies for staying relevant and resilient. Through the engaging story of Shey Sinope, a tech entrepreneur facing AI disruption, readers gain practical insights into adapting, reinventing and future-proofing their careers.
For business leaders, it offers actionable guidance on navigating AI in the workplace and helps strengthen both organisational and individual resilience. It provides teams with strategies on how to be more adaptable and highlights the importance of continuous professional reinvention, turning career uncertainty into constructive action.
The book explores:
- Fear of job loss due to AI and automation
- Turning AI anxiety into action and career resilience
- Actionable strategies to stay adaptable, resilient, and relevant
“For business leaders, it offers actionable guidance on navigating AI in the workplace”
Shadows at Work: Harness your dark side and unlock your leadership potential – by Steven D’Souza
For those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their leadership, Shadows at Work offers a provocative and insightful exploration into what truly drives human behaviour. Steven D’Souza takes readers on a journey into the hidden aspects of the psyche, challenging familiar ideas about leadership, growth, and the modern workplace.
Drawing from psychology, biology, culture, and spirituality, he examines the power of the Shadow – the unseen traits and unconscious patterns that shape our thoughts, actions, and decisions.
A book for leaders ready to grow, Shadows at Work explores:
- Understanding projection, defences, and derailers
- Integrating the disowned parts of ourselves
- Developing authenticity, empathy, and effectiveness
- Transforming personal and organisational culture through self-awareness
- Embracing the whole self to create more connected and resilient workplaces
Steven D’Souza is an executive educator who blends philosophy, wisdom traditions, and evidence-based science to help leaders navigate change and transition.
“Steven D’Souza takes readers on a journey into the hidden aspects of the psyche”