Can You Hear Me?: How to Connect With People in a Virtual World

Nick Morgan

Harvard Business Review Press, 288 pp., $30

Virtual communication can be a blessing and a curse. Email and videoconferencing are convenient, but glitches or errors in understanding become far more likely to occur. Often, miscommunication stems from a lack of emotional knowledge. Morgan proposes five problem areas within virtual communication—lack of feedback, lack of empathy, lack of control, lack of emotion, and lack of connection and commitment—and details how to effectively combat them. Among his tips is to consciously deliver an entire set of verbal and nonverbal cues, much like what happened organically in the pre-virtual era.

The Leadership Killer: Reclaiming Humility in an Age of Arrogance

Bill Treasurer and John R. Havlik

Little Leaps Press, 148 pp., $15.95

Being a leader isn't always easy. You're handed power, but you don't always know how to use it. In this book, Treasurer and Havlik, a retired Navy SEAL captain, provide specific examples of leadership failures so readers don't have to repeat the mistakes of others. The authors draw on decades of experience leading elite military special operations teams, global companies, and organizations to present insightful stories and actionable strategies for anyone in a position of power. Following their guidance will keep you on the right track to becoming an effective, confident, and humble leader.