Tom Sykes

Tom SykesTom SykesTom Sykes
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Tom Sykes

Tom SykesTom SykesTom Sykes
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Publications

Books

Featured Publications

Reading List

Books available for purchase in Europe and Australia

Tom's Books

Reading List

Featured Publications

Reading List

Recommended reading from the past year

Reading List

Featured Publications

Featured Publications

Featured Publications

Featured publications and articles

Recent Publications

show me readers, and i'll show you the people who move the world


Napoleon Bonaparte

Books written by tom

Charlie & One Theory of Inflation

Charlie & One Theory of Inflation

Charlie & One Theory of Inflation

Charlie and one theory of inflation is the story of a young boy who tries to buy a new car with his birthday money, but finds the price has gone up since last year. Drawing on monetarist theories of inflation, his Dad explains how prices can go up.

Buy on Amazon

Digital Asymmetry

Charlie & One Theory of Inflation

Charlie & One Theory of Inflation

Written for procurement, commercial and technology practitioners alike; Digital Asymmetry offers a practical guide to reducing asymmetry through integrative negotiation, calibrated questions, and a shared objective to architect more equitable deals for cloud services.

Buy on Amazon

Charlie & The Cricketing Dilemma

Charlie & One Theory of Inflation

Charlie & The Cricketing Dilemma

Charlie and the Cricketing Dilemma tells the story of how two boys try and use the Prisoner's Dilemma thought experiment to try and get out of trouble, but soon find out that utility is only one part of the equation.

Buy on Amazon

2024 Reading list

Elon Musk

The Chairman's Lounge

The Chairman's Lounge

A genuinely fascinating exposition into the world's richest man. I'm not sure if I walked away in awe, disgust, or pity - or all of the above. But one thing is for sure, the need to be liked is a powerful constraint on humanity.

The Chairman's Lounge

The Chairman's Lounge

The Chairman's Lounge

A critical examination of corporate governance, The Chairman's Lounge explores the dangers of weak oversight and blurred lines between boards and management. With candid insights into the power struggles that lead to corporate failure, it highlights the importance of accountability in business leadership.

Hillbilly Elegy

The Chairman's Lounge

The Art of Action

One of the best books I read all year. Not because I do, or don't agree with the politics, but because 2024, Trump-Vance, and the temperature in America all makes so much more sense. Vance is incisive, accessible and razor sharp - for many reasons, he is one to watch.

The Art of Action

The Fourth Turning

The Art of Action

This book provides a leadership blueprint, blending military strategy and business principles to help leaders bridge the gap between plans, actions, and results. It’s a must-read for those seeking to align teams, make decisions with purpose, and drive meaningful outcomes.

As a Man Thinketh

The Fourth Turning

The Fourth Turning

A timeless exploration of the power of thought and self-discipline. As a Man Thinketh shows how our beliefs shape our lives and encourages us to harness the mind’s power to transform our reality for the better.

The Fourth Turning

The Fourth Turning

The Fourth Turning

A compelling theory that history unfolds in predictable cycles, The Fourth Turning argues that society moves through generational shifts, leading to pivotal moments of crisis and transformation. The book offers a chilling glimpse into the societal challenges we may soon face.

Behave

A Journey

A Journey

A deep dive into the science behind human behavior, Behave uncovers the complex biology, psychology, and social influences that shape our actions. It provides fascinating insights into the reasons behind our moral choices, aggression, and social dynamics.

A Journey

A Journey

A Journey

Tony Blair’s memoir takes readers through his time as UK Prime Minister, offering candid reflections on the decisions, challenges, and personal toll of political life. From the Iraq War to domestic policies, A Journey gives an inside look at the highs and lows of leadership.

My Life

A Journey

How to Be a Real Man

Bill Clinton’s My Life is an intimate and candid memoir that reflects on his political career, his time in office, and the personal and public struggles that defined his presidency. It offers a unique, personal lens on the complexities of American politics.

How to Be a Real Man

How to Be a Real Man

How to Be a Real Man

A children's book that I bought for my three year old. A simple, but important message to instil in our young men about what strength really means.

I Am a Strange Loop

How to Be a Real Man

I Am a Strange Loop

A philosophical exploration of consciousness and the self, I Am a Strange Loop dives into how our minds reflect on themselves, using the concept of “strange loops” to uncover the mysteries of identity and self-awareness.

Learned Excellence

How to Be a Real Man

I Am a Strange Loop

A guide to achieving mastery through deliberate practice and continuous learning. Learned Excellence emphasizes that excellence isn’t innate—it’s cultivated through effort, resilience, and a mindset of constant improvement.

Farmers or Hunter Gatherers

Farmers or Hunter Gatherers

Farmers or Hunter Gatherers

After reading Dark Emu last year, Farmers or Hunter Gatherers? seemed like the next logical read to (slightly) better understand Australia's relationship with the Aboriginal history. The book examines how humanity’s shift from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled farming changed everything about society, from economic structures to social norms. This book explores how those ancient choices still influence us today.

Outlive

Farmers or Hunter Gatherers

Farmers or Hunter Gatherers

Outlive explores the science of aging, offering groundbreaking research on how we might extend our lifespans and improve our quality of life. With practical tips on nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being, it presents an optimistic view of the future of longevity.

Killing Fairfax

Farmers or Hunter Gatherers

Geraint Thomas: The Tour

Originally, I picked this up as I'd heard it provided insight into 'the room where it happened' for SEEK.com (for which I'm privileged to work). This book chronicles the rise and fall of one of Australia’s most powerful media empires. Through internal power struggles and leadership failures, Killing Fairfax offers a sobering look at the forces that can dismantle even the most dominant companies in the media industry.

Geraint Thomas: The Tour

Geraint Thomas: The Tour

Geraint Thomas: The Tour

A behind-the-scenes look at Geraint Thomas’s journey to winning the Tour de France, The Tour is a celebration of his resilience, strategy, and determination. It offers a personal glimpse into the sacrifices and mindset required to become a champion.

Winners

Geraint Thomas: The Tour

When breath becomes air

Winners uncovers the psychology and strategies of success, showing how top achievers set themselves apart through mindset, decisions, and resilience. This book offers a practical guide to winning, not just in sports but in any field, by mastering the mental game.

When breath becomes air

Geraint Thomas: The Tour

When breath becomes air

Paul Kalanithi’s moving memoir explores his journey from neurosurgeon to terminal cancer patient. When Breath Becomes Air is a meditation on mortality, offering profound reflections on life, purpose, and the fleeting nature of time.

Four Thousand Weeks

Everything You Need to Know About the Uluru Statement

Everything You Need to Know About the Uluru Statement

I covered Four Thousand Weeks as an audio books on a three-hundred kilometre bike ride as I thought I might need to kill some time. Instead I was confronted with a book that lays bare the reality that our time on earth is limited. With sharp reflections on time management, this book challenges us to rethink our relationship with time and live more meaningfully, focusing on what truly matters.

Everything You Need to Know About the Uluru Statement

Everything You Need to Know About the Uluru Statement

Everything You Need to Know About the Uluru Statement

This book claimed to break down the Uluru Statement from the Heart, explaining its historical and cultural significance. On such an important issue, it was a surprisingly poor exposition, with critics pointing to its self-referretial narrative throughout that (with the benefit of hindsight) had little impact on its intended audience.

Lifespan

Everything You Need to Know About the Uluru Statement

Complexity

David Sinclair’s Lifespan delves into the science of aging and longevity, exploring how groundbreaking research in genetics could allow us to live longer, healthier lives. It’s an exciting glimpse into the future of aging and the potential for extended vitality.

Complexity

Thus Spake Zarathustra

Complexity

Complexity explores how interconnected systems—whether ecosystems, economies, or societies—operate in unpredictable ways. The book uncovers the hidden patterns that shape the world and offers fresh perspectives on solving complex problems.

Thus Spake Zarathustra

Thus Spake Zarathustra

Thus Spake Zarathustra

A second reading, but always just as confronting. Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra is a radical philosophical work that challenges conventional morality and explores the idea of the “Übermensch” or “Superman.” It invites readers to rethink values, desires, and personal transformation.

Politics on the Edge

Thus Spake Zarathustra

Thus Spake Zarathustra

After hearing Rory Stewart speak in Melbourne, I can confirm he is a much more interesting author than speaking. His book focuses on the rise of populism and division in modern politics, Politics on the Edge offers a sharp analysis of the forces reshaping global political landscapes. It’s a must-read for anyone trying to understand where democracy is headed in an increasingly polarized world.

2023 Reading list

Monsters

Maps of Meaning

Maps of Meaning

A provoking dissection of why 'geniuses' are so often monstrous in their behaviour. From Romain Polanski to Picasso, the book asks whether we can truly enjoy works created by Monsters?

Maps of Meaning

Maps of Meaning

Maps of Meaning

Whilst religion, myths and legends may be nonsense, the value and role they play in shaping social norms was profound. Without them, we may be losing our way.

Deviate

Maps of Meaning

Algorithms to live by

Is reality subjective? Both philosophically and physiologically 'yes'. This book explores how we can alter our own realities, and understand other spaces of possibility.

Algorithms to live by

Men explain things to me

Algorithms to live by

Whoever said computer science couldn't be fun? An entertaining and useful overview of how algorithms can help answer some of life's most ambiguous questions.

Invisible Women

Men explain things to me

Men explain things to me

Gender equality is improving, but unseen structural divides perpetuate inequality, from long bathroom lines to higher risk of death from car accidents.

Men explain things to me

Men explain things to me

Men explain things to me

A collection of honest and provoking essays about feminism and equality - what does it mean to be an ally?

Megathreats

The Transgender Issue / Trans

The Transgender Issue / Trans

Captain Doomsday returns with a not-all-that-enjoyable explanation of why we're all screwed.

The Transgender Issue / Trans

The Transgender Issue / Trans

The Transgender Issue / Trans

Two books from 'opposing' ends of the discourse on transgender (or rather, human) rights. Both are angry and repetitive at times, but ultimately do a good job of articulating the struggles, hopes and impacts of those living with gender dysmorphia.

Enlightenment's Wake

The Transgender Issue / Trans

Enlightenment's Wake

John Gray isn't for everyone, but he makes some interesting points about how societies become more introspective and fractious once they have solved for war, disease and nutrition.

Bounded Rationality

Good Economics for Hard Times

Enlightenment's Wake

Do you know what you want in life? Chances are that you’ve got no idea. Even if you do, it’s likely that you don’t consistently make decisions that get you closer to your goal.  Worth a read to better understand customers, friends and yourself.

Good Economics for Hard Times

Good Economics for Hard Times

Good Economics for Hard Times

An excellent book that undermines every trope and lazy statistic or political 'fact' out there. Taking an empirical approach to such questions as 'is immigration good?', and 'what drives growth', the authors poke fun at an establishment that has - quite literally - no idea.

Six Simple Rules

Good Economics for Hard Times

Good Economics for Hard Times

Corporates and other large organisations (usually with the help of eager consultant) tend to experience never-ending increases in complexity, which they try to solve with measures that only increase 'complicatedness'. This book explores how to avoid that trap.

Featured publications

Deal or No Deal | Dialogue Journal

Confronted by endemic uncertainty, organizations need to improve the speed – and the quality – of their decisions.

Read article

Within Limits | Dialogue Journal

Rethinking the tenets of economic orthodoxy could help improve customer choices.

Read article

The Crux of the Matter | Dialogue Journal

The godfather of strategy returns with his trademark zeal for accessible, design-led strategy.

Read article

Starting from Cold | Dialogue Journal

Network effects can drive organic low cost growth, create organic moats and scale at speed. The problem is getting them going.

Read article

Software Risk & Resilience

Digital systems are increasingly a crucial part of the economy: but there is evidence that digital

systems are increasingly liable to service breaches due to failures in software systems among

other causes, and that these breaches are increasing in scale and duration. This paper considers those risks and how to respond.

Read article

Experience Risk in a Digital Age

How  the  importance  of  customer  experience  will  continue  to  grow  in  industry  4.0  and  what  this  means  for  risk  management.

Contract Compliance in FSI

Explore the power of proactive contract reviews, operational compliance, and performance monitoring in fostering strong, productive relationships with partners. Discover how these strategies drive growth and ensure seamless collaboration.

Digitalisation – software risk and resilience | British Computer Society

Digital systems are increasingly a crucial part of the economy: but there is evidence that digital

systems are increasingly liable to service breaches due to failures in software systems among

other causes, and that these breaches are increasing in scale and duration. IT professionals and some others are aware of these risks, but risks from software failures have been “the elephant in the room”. Wider awareness by senior professionals is needed before most organisations have adequate policies and processes to prevent software failures and are able to mitigate the consequences of these.

Read white paper

The Future of Digital Collaboration

Old school third party management doesn't work. Discover how to defend against disruption and create new value through Third Party Ecosystems in our latest white paper: 'The Future of Digital Collaboration'.

Read summary

Reinventing the Retail Bank

Even before Covid-19, Banks all over the world were facing pressure on profits, slowing revenues and increasing customer volatility. Our latest analysis sets out how Retail Banks can fight back, using adjacencies to identify and build digital alliances and partnerships that deliver customer-first value.

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Behind the Buzz

Third Party Ecosystems are increasingly referenced and discussed in the business press, management thinking and Boardroom conversations, download our latest thinking to find out what sits behind the buzzwords. 

Read More

Re-thinking Risk in a Digital Economy

All too often procurement and risk professionals have the unenviable role of being (or feeling) accountable for risks that are outside of their control. However, with reliance on digital vendors on the rise, commercial and third party risks are only set to increase. In response, procurement must take a leadership role in enabling accountability for risk to be shouldered across the business, the entire C-suite, and by every employee. 

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